Frequently Asked Questions
Why name it The Porcupine?
Good question.
Susannah’s parents had a home at the bottom of East Hill Road, where a resident porcupine lived in a large spruce tree just outside their bedroom window. They used to sleep with the bedroom window open slightly at night, allowing their cat, Herbie, to come and go. One night, there was a commotion at the window. Susannah’s mother got up, intending to sort out the cat, but was shocked to find the porcupine trying to climb in through the window! She yelled, and Susannah’s father jumped out of bed to assist (note: her parents sleep in the nude—not the best attire for battling a porcupine). After a struggle, they managed to wrestle the porcupine back outside, though they were left with a few quills as souvenirs.
Later, Susannah’s father decided to fabricate a steel collar for the tree to discourage the porcupine from making its home so close to the house. This worked somewhat, but the porcupine simply moved into the workshop attached to the house, making its home under the floorboards.
Some time later, Susannah’s parents experienced a devastating house fire. The state fire investigator determined that it started in the workshop, likely caused by gnawed electrical wiring. The porcupine had burned their house down.
But that’s not the end of the story. A few weeks after the fire, Susannah returned to the remains of the house to retrieve some family photographs from the burned-out, waterlogged wreckage. To her surprise, she discovered that the porcupine had taken up residence in her parents’ bedroom, coming and going freely through the broken window. There was porcupine scat on their ruined mattress, and the door and window trim had been gnawed.
Clearly an example of resilience, stick-to-it-iveness, and business acumen, the porcupine has become their totem for this project and an inspiration to all involved.
Do you serve Beer and Wine?
Many people have asked about the possibility of beer and wine at the theater. Some are excited about the idea of enjoying an adult beverage during a movie, while others are concerned about how it might impact the atmosphere and youth access.
We believe we’ve found a creative solution that benefits everyone.
At this time, we are not pursuing a beer and wine license. Due to state regulations, having one would mean that anyone under 21 could only attend with a parent or guardian. This would be a significant loss for local teens, especially given that our community has already lost its bowling alley, roller rink, and other hangout spaces over the years. We remain committed to keeping The Porcupine a welcoming space for young people.
However, while a full license would restrict who we can serve and when, a beer and wine permit offers more flexibility. It allows alcohol service for specific events without changing our everyday policies. To take advantage of this, we’re partnering with local nonprofits, inviting them to apply for and use one of their five annual event permits at The Porcupine. This way, beer and wine can be available at select events, with all sales going directly to the nonprofit as unrestricted funds to support their mission.
We’re excited about this approach and hope it strikes the right balance for our community!
If you have any questions or wish to nominate a non-profit for us to partner with, please reach out directly to susannah@porcupinetheater.com
Do you serve food?
We’re currently sticking to traditional movie theater fare: popcorn, fountain drinks, candy and sweet treats. We’re working toward a regular expanded dinner menu but are taking our time to roll it out and make certain that we can provide consistency and quality. Stay tuned!
