Smiles and the aroma of popcorn in the air bring a warm welcome upon walking into the Magic Lantern theater in Spokane. It brings a cozy vibe of alcoholic refreshments, candy, comfortable seats, and helpful, bright eyes that welcome you with a feeling of appreciation for community and art.
“I have been going to the Magic Lantern for over 10 years; I work a shift every week and absolutely love the menu, and the environment there is awesome,” Javi Sparks, manager at the Saranac Public House said.
It has deep roots in the community as a small, independent, family-run art house theater located within the Saranac building in downtown Spokane off Main Ave. Jim Sheehan is the founder of the Community Building campus and its ethic. And his daughter, Katy Sheehan, helps run the building itself. While Joe Sheehan, his son, and Jonathan Abramsom, a long-time colleague, took over running the theater.
Jim Sheehan writes in “One-Block Revolution,” edited by Summer Hess, that “our project is just one of many ways to ground money in place to co-create spaces that nurture our communities.”
It began in the early 1970s, before Spokane hosted its 1974 World’s Fair. After a few different owners opened and closed the doors, the theater was dormant for nearly 30 years until it was brought to life within the Saranac building. Many renovations had to be done in order to make the theater profitable.
It was a struggle for the theater to really get profit margins to livable levels due to a non-profit setup that the current owner from 2008–2010, Joe Davis, a doctor completing his residency program at Sacred Heart Medical Center, had wished to accomplish. Joe Sheehan was the building manager at the time and would help with the theater often.
When this didn’t happen according to plan, the theater closed its doors again. But in 2016, Sheehan came back to help with the art house.
Until COVID-19 shutdown, the theater had seen its highest success rate since it moved into the Saranac Building in 2007. Abramsom would book the movies, handle all the shipping details, build the shows on the software, and make the film schedule according to “One-Block Revolution.” Sheehan would handle venue bookings, community outreach, negotiations, and would take turns running the front.
“I really enjoy getting excited about upcoming movies and getting the chance to be one of the first people in the city to see them,” Joe Sheehan said.
Many customers are regulars, while students, film buffs, and community members come to enjoy the unique movies that are shown here at the Magic Lantern. Senior days are Wednesdays with ticket prices discounted at $7.50, and booklets are offered with 10 movie tickets discounted at $80.
The Spokane International Film Festival, or SPIFF, has been with the Magic Lantern for years. This remains the busiest week of the year and is set to begin in February, 2023.
The arthouse frequently works with its neighbors in the Saranac building, including 350 Spokane, KYRS Thin Air Radio, The Lands Council, Blueprints for Learning, Save Our Wild Salmon, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, and more!
“We turn to our relationships to guide us toward life inside a legacy of love, but not perfection,” Katy Sheehan said in “One-Block Revolution.”
Sandy Williams, who ran The Black Lens, has hosted numerous fundraisers for her independent newspaper and the Carl Maxey Center; coming up on December 1st will be a movie night of remembrance. Come celebrate her memory with a showing of The Woman King. The event will include a silent auction, and all proceeds will go to the Carl Maxey Center of Spokane.
“We love to have as many people come through as possible,” Joe Sheehan said.