The theatre is yours, too

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Twenty-three years ago, Gordy and I bought Vashon Theatre because we love movies. It is now the longest-running single-screen theater in Washington state, and if I am being honest about why it is still standing, the answer is simple: You kept it alive.

We have faced a string of challenges that would have shuttered most small theaters. When Hollywood forced the industry to switch to digital projection, the cost of new equipment was more than we could bear alone. The community raised the money. Then came two difficult years back-to-back. COVID-19 closed the Theatre for nearly a year.

The following year, studios routed films directly to streaming instead of theaters, and many guests were still frightened to come back inside. We made it through because you purchased gift cards, bought marquee dedications and made donations that kept the lights on. Each time we have been in trouble, this island has answered.

Running an independent theater is not easy math. Hollywood studios collect up to two-thirds of every ticket sold. That leaves us popcorn, Milk Duds, birthday parties, opera screenings and comedy nights as the margin between staying open and closing the doors. A few years ago, it became clear we needed something new.

When a large outdoor screen was donated to the Theatre, we saw a possibility: Use our buildable lot as a summer gathering place. A Backlot where people could watch a movie under the sky, catch a sporting event on the big screen or simply sit outside with a glass of wine and their neighbors. The community rallied again. You purchased engraved tiles that provided two-thirds of the money needed to build the supporting structures, raising more than $150,000 in all.

Then I made a mistake. I am a rule follower, but I made the error of assuming that a commercial, buildable lot was mine to use as an outdoor summer space. I knew that good summers keep the Theatre going, and two different advisers told me I was following the rules for permitting temporary theatrical space.

A King County inspector indicated they would reach out about temporary permitting each summer. What I did not understand was how complicated that process actually was. When the full picture became clear, the Backlot had to be fenced off while we worked to get right with the county.

We have been doing everything the county has asked, and we have paid the fees and brought in professional help to make the changes required. Last year, we were asked to apply for a five-year temporary use permit. We were excited and got everything ready. This year, we are working through two additional permits to open for 14 days.

We know how that has looked from the outside: A locked space the community paid for, sitting idle behind a chain-link fence. We are sorry it has taken this long, and we are grateful beyond words for your patience.

One reason we feel confident about the path forward is that we are not navigating it alone. The Vashon Film Institute, which many of you know through its monthly VFIpresents screenings at the Theatre, has become a genuine partner in this work. VFI also produces the Vashon Island Film Festival each August, which brings filmmakers and audiences together right here at home. Over the past year, VFI has been working alongside us to help resolve the permitting situation with King County, contributing organizational resources and helping us identify the right path through a complicated process.

That work is producing results. King County has approved two windows this summer for limited Backlot programming. It is not the full vision yet, but it is a real start, and we want you to see it. The space is not finished, but it is alive.

In August, VFI brings the Vashon Island Film Festival to the island, Aug. 13 through 16, filling the Backlot and the Theatre with filmmakers, films and the kind of weekend that reminds you why you live here. The full VIFF lineup, festival passes and single-screening tickets are now available at www.vashonislandfilmfestival.com. We hope to see you out there.

Vashon Theatre has always been more yours than ours. Thank you for proving it, again and again.

Eileen Wolcott and her husband, Gordy, own Vashon Theatre.