The Christian film debuted in January and will have showings deep into fall.
Play the Flute is the latest endeavor from writer/director Rich Christiano, a veteran of the faith-based genre. The movie, which focuses on a youth pastor facing an indifferent group of charges, has been in release for nearly 200 days; that's a stunningly long time, considering most pictures are in theaters for a few months at best.
Christiano, however, does not use the standard, mass distribution scheme for his movies. Instead of booking them into multiplexes across the nation and splitting ticket revenue with theater operators, he sets up private showings with sponsorship agreements - often simply hiring out the theater space. Those agreements typically involve local churches, who get a cut of the ticket revenue.
Play the Flute, which has a good cast of veteran actors, including Fred Gandy, Loretta Swit and Clint Howard, has brought in approximately $180,000 so far, according to Box Office Mojo. With 20 more showings currently lined up in 15 states stretching into mid-November, it almost certainly will cross the $200,000 threshold. If you have interest in seeing the movie, you can find out when and where it's playing via this link.