Join us!

Before Hollywood blockbusters shook theatres around the world — before the deep resonance of THX became the gold standard of cinema sound — there was a student experimenting with lights and sound at Downers Grove North High School, absorbing lessons that would forge his life’s work. Tomlinson Holman would go on to collaborate with George Lucas, pioneer transformative technologies at Lucasfilm, teach a generation of Oscar-nominated directors and sound people at the University of Southern California and help lead the experimental sound design work at Apple Inc. that would influence products like AirPods. Yet through a career defined by groundbreaking innovation, he never forgot where it all began. History Happens Here: The Man Who Changed How We Hear the Movies tells the remarkable story of how a Downers Grove theatre student forever changed the way we hear — and experience — the movies.

Richard J. Kulovany has been named the Historical Society’s 2026 Historian of the Year. He will be honored during this event.

6:00-6:30pm: Check-in and organist performance
6:30-7:00pm: History of the Tivoli presentation by Tivoli staff
7:00-7:15pm: Presentation of the Historian of the Year Award
7:15-7:25pm: Film introduction by Jim Toth of Node Films
7:25-8:10pm: Film premiere
8:10-9:00pm: Reception

Refreshments will be available for purchase.

We hope to see you there!

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