FLICKS FILM AND VIDEO FILE : The Show Goes On : Two cousins take over management of the Mayfair Theatre. Some immediate changes are planned.

Here’s a potentially good turn in the continuing saga of Ventura’s Mayfair Theatre.

Oxnard cousins Hector Reynoso and Jorge Vargas will take over full control of the theater, located at Palm and Santa Clara streets, beginning Friday.

Vargas will lease the theater from the current operator, Starplex management company of Los Angeles, and Reynoso will manage it. Reynoso has been the theater’s on-site manager off and on for about three years--through several openings and closings--but has been reporting to Starplex.

“It’s wonderful news,” said Laura Zucker, director of the Ventura Arts Council, which has been working to get the Mayfair established in downtown Ventura. “Hector has a lot of energy. He really cares about making it go.”

Reynoso said he has some immediate changes in mind for the Mayfair.

“From now on, everything is going to be on a regular schedule,” he said. “The movies will be on the same schedule, the hours will be the same all the time.”

As far as the theater’s appearance, Reynoso plans to strip down the lobby and repaint it. And there’s a possibility, he said, of turning the lobby into a mini art gallery.

Reynoso also wants to go ahead with plans to team the theater with county restaurants in a movie-dinner package.

Friday will also mark the start of regular meetings at the Mayfair Theatre.

The Ventura Arts Council Film Discussion Group will meet immediately after the 7:30 p.m. presentation of the British documentary “35 Up.” The talk will be led by Bob Chianese, a professor of literature and humanities at Cal State Northridge.

The group is scheduled to meet every two or three weeks, depending on how often the theater changes its movies. As of now, it looks as though each film will run for two weeks.

“I am going to lead off with observations and comments about the film and see where it goes from there,” Chianese said. “We want to keep the level of discussion very high, both about the content of these films and about their forms. I believe that is very important for film literacy.”

Chianese will lead the first few talks, then he may line up other guest speakers. Anyone is welcome to attend the discussions and there is no charge beyond the cost of admission for the movie.

On Sunday the Ojai Film Society will show the 1989 Hungarian film “My 20th Century” at the Ojai Playhouse. The movie takes a look at the early development of the 20th Century through the lives of identical twin girls separated in childhood.

Show time is 4:30 p.m. Admission is $6. The Playhouse is located at 145 E. Ojai Ave.