Behind the Business: The Lamphouse Theatre

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — With the never-ending supply of streaming options, one part of the movie going experience is being lost… the theater experience.

But the Lamphouse Theatre in downtown Twin Falls is trying to keep it alive.

“The Lamphouse Theatre is an arthouse cinema which shows independent films, foreign films and documentaries,” said owner David Woodhead.

While southern Idaho once had multiple movie theater options, both indoor and drive in, those days are over and only a handful remain.

Of those remaining theaters, they typically only show the mega blockbusters coming out of Hollywood, leaving the arthouse films out. And that’s where the Lamphouse comes in.

“Arthouse films tend to be more provocative, tend to be thought provoking and mainstream movies tend to be pure entertainment,” said Woodhead.

The Lamphouse first opened for business all the way back in the year 2000, but after the industry shifted from 35-millimeter film to digital, much like many other theaters, the Lamphouse closed.

But for owner David Woodhead, the need to give these films the proper showtime they deserved was too much to sit on. And in October of 2022, the Lamphouse was back.

“Many, not all of the films that we’ve shown since we’ve reopened, would have not played here. Without the Lamphouse you wouldn’t have been able to see The Fabelmans earlier this year, Asteroid City and those movies are borderline main-stream movies, but they do kind of lean towards art,” said Woodhead.

Beyond the films, the Lamphouse hosts an array of community events, public speakers and even live plays performed in their small theater. And one of the biggest draws has been their kids’ movies.

“This year we started doing summer kids movies on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which has been very well received. We show them at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and we only charge two dollars,” said Woodhead.

To learn more about all of the showtimes and events scheduled at the lamphouse. Log onto their website at LamphouseCinema.com. Or check them out for yourself. The Lamphouse Theatre is located at 223 5th Ave South in Twin Falls.

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