HELP! Creating an Audio Mix for a Movie Theater ASAP!

[DMH79]

I just finished editing a 41 minute film. There's dialogue, SFX, and music tracks all in different tracks on the timeline. It will be screened at a local theater and they accept DCP, mp4/mov files, and Bluray as options. In the past when I've screened short films at a movie theater it sounded a bit quieter than I had expected. I noticed the audio was only coming through the front and that's probably why it wasn't sounding "full" as I had hoped. So this time, I have access to the theater to run a few tests but I need to know if I can create a mix that will at least use the front (center) speakers PLUS the L, R side speakers as well. Full Surround Sound isn't necessary.

I've watched several tutorials on creating a 5.1 mix which involves creating a new 5.1 sequence and then mapping FL, C, FR to the first 3 tracks. Can I just leave the other 3 tracks empty (LFE, LS, RS)?

Should I export all the dialogue alone as a stereo or mono (which type?) wav file and drop that on track 3 (which I assume is the Center track)? And maybe do the same for SFX unless I specifically want them to come from the left or right?  And then export all the music to a stereo or  mono (which type?) wav file and drop that on tracks 1 or 2, or both? 

Just curious if there's a quick way to do this F, L, C mix for screening while I still have access to the project file and all the media. 

Then, do I just export as an H264 5.1 file? 

And for things like music, how do I put it in both the L and R speakers without duplicating the track and putting one in the L and one in the R? 

The theater said they can create a DCP file for us for $50 extra on top of the rental fees we're paying IF we want. But again, Premiere can export to DCP right? So not sure why I'd have them do that unless it's better/more reliable. 

If someone can help asap that'd be great.

[DMH79]

I've seen this guideline online but I have questions about it...

• Dialogue: 100% Center Channel

• Foley: 100% Front L/R (but usually panned to phantom center)

• Hard Effects: 100% Front L/R + 50% LFE

• Backgrounds/Ambience: 50% Front L/R, 50% Sides/Rear

• Music: 75% Front L/R, 25% Sides/Rear

MY QUESTIONS:

1) How do you get things in multiple channels? For instance, music 75% Front L/R and 25% Sides/Rear...so do I duplicate the music track 4 times and drag the puck to L for one and the R for another duplicate and then 25% to Ls and 25% to Rs on the 4th copy?  I'm sure this will one day be explained to me real simply and I'll go "ooooooh!" but right now I'm stumped.

2) To get all the dialogue onto one center channel, should I just export the dialogue alone to one single wav file and then use that or do I have the dialogue on multiple tracks and just make sure it's only dialogue and then move the puck to the front center for all those tracks since they are dialogue only?

I think once those two questions are answered, I'll be feeling better.