by John Bates, 12/30/09
Walking through the doors of the Capitol Theater is like stepping back in time. Its beautiful stained glass windows and other elegant touches are a reminder that movie theaters were themselves once considered works of art, unlike today’s cookie-cutter multiplexes.
For the past two decades, the theater has been home to the Olympia Film Society (OFS), a membership-based nonprofit that is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2010. Run by a small staff collective and more than 120 committed volunteers, OFS offers a regular schedule of new independent and foreign films, as well as kids’ movies and classic motion pictures. And each year since 1983, OFS has produced the world-renowned Olympia Film Festival.
In addition, OFS hosts concerts, performance art, educational and cultural programming, and benefit events for other local nonprofits. OFS’s Art in the Mezzanine project allows local artists to display their work in the Capitol Theater.
“We’re much more than a traditional movie theater,” explains Theater Manager Audrey Henley. “We have something for everybody, and unlike corporate chains, nearly every penny we generate after expenses goes back into the South Sound economy.”
But while OFS enjoys strong community support and has more than 1,200 current members, this treasured local institution has faced growing financial challenges in recent years. The recession has had a huge impact on film attendance, which was already declining due to competition from video stores, services like Netflix, and online movie downloads. As a result, membership dues and ticket sales no longer cover the full cost of running the Film Society.
Understanding that it had to adjust to these new realities or perish, OFS launched a comprehensive fundraising program just over a year ago. Its first test was raising money to replace the Capitol Theater’s marquee – which was demolished in early 2008 due to safety concerns – with a replica of the theater’s beautiful original 1930s-era marquee. The effort was an overwhelming success.
“The Film Society had never before reached to out to ask for help like this, and we didn’t know what to expect,” says Development Coordinator Elaine Vradenburgh. “We were simply awed by the way OFS members and the entire community stepped up.”
Recently, OFS was confronted with an even bigger challenge, when the Capitol Theater’s owner announced that he was putting the building up for sale. Since then, OFS has been scrambling to find the funds to purchase the theater and perform critical renovations and repairs. While OFS is reaching out to foundations and businesses for financial assistance, it is also counting on individual support to show these potential major funders that it has strong local backing.
“This is the largest undertaking in the Film Society’s history,” notes OFS Board President Isaac Overcast. “And we will need the entire community behind us to make it happen.” 
You can help by becoming an OFS member –– which saves you $3 on movie, concert and special event tickets, and entitles you to other valuable benefits –– or by making a tax-deductible donation. You can also volunteer your time at the theater –– working in the box office, selling concessions or staffing the projection booth –– and earn free movie tickets in the bargain.
To join OFS or contribute, go to www.olympiafilmsociety.org, visit the Capitol Theater during regular box office hours, or mail a check to OFS at 416 Washington Street SE #208 Olympia, WA 98501. To get involved, just stop by the theater or email OFS Volunteer Coordinator Josh Kane at josh@olympiafilmsociety.org.. ◙