But that will soon change if the nonprofit Dreamland Foundation has its way. Its goal of reviving the much-loved Dreamland Theatre, which closed in 2005, is closer to realization than any previous efforts have been, lifting the hopes of 10,000 islanders and some 40,000 vacationers. With millions of dollars raised and a few million more to go, the foundation expects to break ground on a new 340-seat theater this fall.
To Foundation Executive Director Patty Roggeveen, 51, whose husband is descended from original settlers, the loss of the Dreamland was a “big blow.’’ “It goes beyond just losing the movie theater,’’ she explained. “I have to take my three kids off-island to see movies now.’’
On-island, the only current year-round option for the movie-starved is the Starlight Theater & Café, with 89 seats and a slightly smaller screen than those at cineplexes on the mainland. The restaurant guarantees movie tickets for $7 and $10 to patrons with reservations in its dining room, patio diners have first dibs on the remaining seats, walk-ins can purchase the rest.
During the Nantucket Film Festival, which drew hundreds of movie fans to celebrate its 15th anniversary last month, the Dreamland’s demise was particularly painful. Artistic director Mystelle Brabbèe said, “It’s forced us to be very creative about where and how to screen films. We’ve been very fortunate to have had very loving, sympathetic audiences who have been willing to roll with us in outfitted churches and schools and other spaces for screenings. The Dreamland became our home with its big marquee feel, and we took it for granted.’’
