By Ily Goyanes

Kitsap Week

Locals know the Dragonfly Cinema, the movie theater at 822 Bay St. in downtown Port Orchard. The movie house may have more in common with a caterpillar than it does with its namesake insect.

The independent theater has gone through countless transformations up until its current incarnation, which began in May 2011.

In December 2013, Allison Stuart, self-proclaimed movie geek, came on board and now manages the theater.

“I love that it has a history,” she said. “It’s kind of this antique thing. We’re one of the only theaters left that still show 35mm films, so that’s pretty old school. I love working here. I love that feeling of being a part of history.”

And Dragonfly Cinema does have quite a history.

Back in 1914, Port Orchard photographer Harry Ward and his wife Mary Bivins of Port Townsend opened the Star Liberty Theater a few storefronts away from the Dragonfly’s current location. The first film shown was an installment of the iconic film serial, “Perils of Pauline.”

The theater has changed hands a few times since then, landing at its current location in the mid-to-late 1920s when John McGill took over and changed the theater’s name to Community Theater. The theater was bought and sold several times over the next few decades, at one point acquiring the nickname “Dirty and Ratty,” after maintenance was neglected for several years.

Between 1965 and 1980, the theater sat unused and unwanted except for a few rummage sales, a youth boxing program and an unrealized attempt by Don Brown, owner of the Island Theater in Vashon, to purchase the theater in 1977.

In 1980, the theater was purchased by a group of Port Orchard businesspeople. After extensive remodeling, it reopened as the Plaza Twin Theater. The theater did well until the opening of a Regal theater on Mile Hill Road drew movie fans away. The independent theater, licensed to run only second-run films, fell on difficult times once again.

More transformations were in store however, and after changing hands yet a few more times, Dragonfly Cinema was born in 2011, sired by new owner, Gryphon Shafer.

Stuart said that one of the theater’s primary goals is to make it affordable for families to be able to enjoy a night out at the movies without breaking the bank.

“We show films that don’t have excessive sex or violence. You can bring your kid to any movie we show, but they might be bored with a few of the art house films,” Stuart said.

“We do really well with families,” she added. “But everyone’s kind of like family to us. We have a pretty steady stream of regulars.”

Stuart makes film selections after a lot of time spent researching what films are available under Dragonfly’s license and whether or not they are available in 35mm.

“In a few years we’ll probably have to go digital,” Stuart said. “Studios have been saying for 10 years that they will stop putting out 35mm, but they still make 35mm. But three years from now, yeah, we’ll probably have to go digital. It’s really expensive so we’re holding off as long as possible. There’s definitely a move in that direction, but it’s a pretty slow process.”

Today locals are treated to a mix of classic, cult, and second-run mainstream films at the historic theater. Film selections and showtimes are available on the theater’s website.

“We exist to serve the community,” Stuart said. “We don’t make a whole lot, but we love it.”