Submitted Photo. Judith Light stars in the dramedy “Before You Know It.”

The next feature film in the Opera House Cinema Series is the independent dramedy “Before You Know It.” It will be screened on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. This event falls during the Feeding Fredonia Food Challenge, of which the Opera House and the village of Fredonia are participants.

In the film, stage manager Rachel Gurner still lives in her childhood apartment above the theater her family owns and operates in New York City. Level-headed Rachel is the only thing standing between her family — her off-kilter actress sister Jackie, her eccentric playwright father Mel (Mandy Patinkin), and her deadpan preteen niece Dodge — and utter chaos. Then, in the wake of a sudden family tragedy, Rachel and Jackie learn their presumed-deceased mother (Judith Light) is not just alive, but thriving as a soap-opera star!

Beandrea July, in the Hollywood Reporter, calls the film “a lighthearted and engrossing family drama.” Katie Walsh, in the Los Angeles Times, calls it “a charming and quirky New York tale.” Christy Lemire, on RogerEbert.com, says the film “shifts seamlessly from quirky to sad to mysterious to wacky to surreal within just the space of a few days, so much so that you’d never know it’s director Hannah Pearl Utt’s feature filmmaking debut.” Brad Wheeler, in the Toronto Globe and Mail, adds “the dialogue is clever and the premise witty. It’s a New York-y film that has the zip of a farce, without all the nuttiness. (There’s a little nuttiness.).” Unrated, “Before You Know It” runs one hour, 38 minutes.

The Opera House Cinema Series is sponsored by Lake Shore Savings Bank. Tickets are available at the door for $7 (adults), $6.50 (seniors & Opera House members) and $5 (students) the night of each screening. A book of 10 movie passes is available for $60 at the door or online at www.fredopera.org. For more information, call the Opera House Box Office at 716-679-1891.

The Opera House is equipped with individualized closed captioning headsets for the deaf as well as with assistive listening headsets for the hearing-impaired. Simply request one from any usher or Opera House staff member.

The Opera House and Village of Fredonia are participants in the Feeding Fredonia Challenge, which runs October 7-18. Patrons are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to the event. Items collected will be given to the Fredonia Food Pantry at the Fredonia Presbyterian Church. The goal is to collect nearly 3 tons of food for neighbors in need! Food items particularly needed include beans, canned fruit, canned meats, canned vegetables, cereals, coffee, dry milk, peanut butter, rice, soups, spaghetti sauce, pastas, canned spaghetti sauce and jelly.

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit performing arts center located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.