NEEPAWA - Two years ago, the Roxy Theatre in Neepawa was like many other movie houses in rural Manitoba - run down and on the verge of closing for good as a casualty of home video.

Today, thanks to the work of concerned citizens, the Roxy is a community-owned venue, filling up on weekends with audiences enjoying plays, movies and concerts.

"What was an old beat-up building is now a viable and workable enterprise," said Brian Bailey, chairman of the Neepawa Theatre Centre, the community committee running the theatre.

With volunteers working in virtually every aspect of its operation, the revived Roxy showed a net profit of $29,000 last year. This gave the committee the funds to buy the theatre they had originally rented.

Bailey says part of the success can be attributed to the variety of programs put on. In May, the 375-seat Roxy played host to hit movies, a gospel quartet from Portage la Prairie and a local high school drama production of "Guys and Dolls."

Closed down by its owner three years ago, the Roxy was originally re-opened by concerned townfold to get the community's teenagers off the street.

But the theatre's diverse fare has attracted a much broader audience than anticipated.

"It's the whole social atmosphere of it. The video revolution has lost its kick," Bailey explains.

"People used to have to stay home and rent videos. Now, people are saying, 'Why rent a video when you can go out to the theatre?'"

The prices also help, and at $4 for adults and $3 for students, they are refreshing contrasts to contemporary city admissions. And popcorn costs 75 cents.

But Bailey is quick to credit much of the theatre's success to the efforts of the volunteers who work as chaperones, ticket takers and popcorn vendors - volunteers who he claims number in the hundreds.

"We've got more than 20 teams of volunteers, each with 20 to 30 members. Each team works two weekends a year," he explains.

"The response has been incredible. I guess people like to be part of a successful thing."

The theatre has one paid employee, the projectionist, but even he charges only $25 per weekend.

Bailey says the lesson is clear. "You couldn't make money privately in this business," he says, "you have to do it as a community."