Homer’s movie theater is set to reopen to the public in style, with a grand opening gala planned for Jan. 31 and movie and live event programming to officially start Feb. 1.

The theater’s new ownership collective, comprised of Susannah Webster, Nate Spence-Chorman, Baldur Neumann-Hunting and Rosanna Hunting, who took over the theater in September from longtime owners Jamie and Lynette Sutton, have been hard at work the past few months renovating both the theater’s physical space and its entertainment options.

The rechristened Porcupine Theater will boast a streamlined lobby with a newly built concessions area, three new bathrooms including one that is ADA compliant, and a cabaret seating area above the main theater floor. The main floor will have brand new seats and four new couches, while the cabaret area will have both high top tables and bar stools and what Webster last Thursday called a low seating area with comfy chairs.

In total, The Porcupine will start with 160 seats, with potential for expansion in the cabaret area in the future.

The crew also recently installed new burgundy velvet curtains — each weighing over 200 pounds — to cover the screen in between films and for protection during live shows. While the curtains are new, the previous rigging was intact and the steel track from which the curtains hang still bears the original shipping instructions in permanent marker from the theater’s construction in 1956: “Homer Theatre — Mr. Robert W. Kranich — Homer, Alaska.”

Webster said that they also have black curtains that will be hung on the side walls, replacing the old acoustic panels so it will be “wrapped in velvet.”

On Thursday, Webster was working on the seating tracks that will be placed in the center of the main floor. While the left and right sides of the theater will have fixed seating, the tracks enable the middle seats to be removed from the main floor in order to create a larger open space for bigger gatherings or live events.

The Porcupine will primarily remain a movie theater, offering an expanded variety and schedule of screenings, but Webster and her co-owners are also planning to host live performances including music, theater, comedy and dance.

“We’re never going to be Pier One,” she said, noting the small stage and backstage space. “(But) there are quite a few productions that can be done on a smaller scale, like readers theater and productions that don’t involve a ton of people. I think there’s lots of opportunity for multi-use.”

Webster anticipates a packed house for the opening gala on Jan. 31, between community members who were awarded tickets through the theater’s Kickstarter campaign, the volunteers that have worked on the theater’s renovation, and any other community members who want to come out and celebrate the theater’s return.

“That event really is to thank all the people who made (this) happen,” she said.

Details for the gala are still in the works, but Webster said that they will have drinks and hors d’oeuvres, as well as live music provided by The Cosmic Creature Club, a local band comprised of Johnny B, David Webster, Jennifer King and Jim Buncak.

“It’s going to be a fun, festive, wonderful event,” Webster said.

Film screenings and live events will commence on Feb. 1 with a community kickoff event.

“We’ll probably be showing free movies all day,” Webster said. “People will have to get tickets in advance because we have limited capacity.”

The Porcupine will also soon be unveiling their new membership subscription model, which can be purchased monthly or annually and will allow for unlimited movie-watching for the price and duration of the membership. Community members are also still welcome to purchase individual tickets, either online in advance or at the door. Discounts for students, seniors and military members will be available as well.

Further details on annual memberships will be available with the launch of The Porcupine’s new website — which will still be located at www.porcupinetheater.com — on Friday. Monthly membership details will become available closer to the theater’s reopening in February.

“We’re going to be playing so much more content and content variety,” Webster said. “We’re looking at upwards of 20-25 movies a month, so there will be something for everyone.”

She noted that film screenings will be shown on specific days and times according to genre, for consistency, “so people can really anticipate and plan and hopefully work us into their schedule, make us part of their routine to make that membership really worthwhile.”

Another goal of the membership model is to provide stability and sustainability for the theater and to allow staff to show a wider variety of films.

“Then we don’t have to count on every single movie we show,” Webster said. “We can experiment and not be tied to a certain number of people coming in the door.”

Community members are also invited to register for a “sneak peek” tour of The Porcupine on Sunday, Dec. 15 between 1-2 p.m. Advance registration is required due to limited capacity; check online for tour availability.

Find more information and updates online at www.porcupinetheater.com/.