bluemousetheatre.com

Blue Mouse Theatre is a historic, 205-seat cinema at the center of Tacoma's Proctor District. It opened in 1923 and is described on its own site as the oldest continuously operating theater in Washington state. It shows first-run and second-run films, hosts recurring themed screenings, and doubles as a rentable community venue for private and public events.

What the Theatre Offers

The Blue Mouse is not a multiplex. Its program mixes current releases with repertory and event screenings, which makes it useful both for a regular movie night and for a specific themed outing.

The site also notes that pandemic-related funding helped the theater stay open and complete venue upgrades, which supports its role as a community gathering place rather than only a screening room.

How to Use the Site to Plan a Visit

The homepage is organized around what is showing now and what is coming up, so you can move from "is this worth a trip?" to a specific showtime quickly.

1. Check "Now Playing" for the current feature and its showtimes. The homepage lists a title with evening and matinee times, plus a rating.
2. Scan "Upcoming" for dated listings. Each entry shows the title, date, time, and a ticket link. This is where special events appear alongside regular screenings.
3. Confirm the format of the event. Some listings are ordinary screenings; others are one-off events. For example, the upcoming calendar includes a Silent Cinema program with Michael Sullivan, a late-night Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a Batman Lego Movie screening with an ice cream social.
4. Buy tickets through the listing. The site's pricing signals reference purchasing, and individual showtimes carry ticket links. Prices are not stated on the page, so check the ticket link for the actual cost before you go.

Expected result: you should end up with a specific title, date, and time, and a ticket link for that showing.

Practical Things to Know Before You Go

• Showtimes vary by day. Matinees and evening screenings do not follow one fixed pattern across the week, so read the listing for the exact date rather than assuming a standard schedule.
• Special events can sell differently. A themed screening or a live program may have different ticketing or audience expectations than a standard film. The site labels these separately in the Upcoming list.
• The venue is also an event space. If you are planning a party, festival, concert, or speaker event, the theater is rented for private and public use. The site does not publish rental rates, so inquire directly through the theater.
• It is a single-screen historic house. With 205 seats and one auditorium, a popular showing can fill up; buying ahead through the listing is the safer route.

Who It Suits

The Blue Mouse fits people who want a neighborhood cinema with history and a bit of character, and who are willing to check the calendar rather than rely on a fixed daily schedule. It also suits groups looking for a small, distinctive venue in Proctor District. If you need stadium seating, multiple screens, or a guaranteed same-day blockbuster time, a multiplex is the better fit.

For current titles, dates, and ticket links, the homepage's "Now Playing" and "Upcoming" sections are the authoritative starting point.

Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma’s Proctor District shows a mix of first-run and second-run films, monthly specialty screenings such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Friday Night Frights, and other curated events including silent cinema, family movies, and private or community rentals. Its schedule is best for people who want a historic single-screen cinema experience with repertory and event programming, not a multiplex with new releases every week.

Movies Shown at Blue Mouse Theatre

The theatre describes its film programming in three broad categories:

• First-run and second-run film releases — current and recent films appear alongside older releases.
• Monthly specialty screenings — examples given on the site include The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Friday Night Frights.
• Curated film happenings — additional screenings selected around a theme, format, or occasion.

The posted schedule shows how this works in practice. In late October and early November 2026, the theatre lists multiple screenings of Sense & Sensibility (rated PG), a late-night Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 31, and several showings of Cat in the Hat. A Batman Lego Movie screening on November 7 is listed with an ice cream social and a sponsor.

Events Beyond Regular Screenings

Blue Mouse Theatre is also used as a community event space. According to the theatre, the 205-seat venue can be rented for:

• Birthday parties
• Film festivals
• Music concerts
• Speakers
• Other private and public events

The site also lists a Silent Cinema with Michael Sullivan event on October 29, 2026, at 6:00 pm, which is an example of the curated programming beyond standard film showtimes.

How to Tell What Is Playing

The theatre’s homepage highlights a “Now Playing” section and an “Upcoming” list with dates, times, and ticket links. For the full schedule, the site directs visitors to its Upcoming Showings page.

If you are deciding whether to go, check two things before choosing a showtime:

1. The specific title and format — a first-run film, a second-run film, a specialty screening, or a live event such as silent cinema.
2. The date and time — the schedule includes matinees, evening shows, and late-night screenings, and some events are one-night-only.

Who This Programming Suits

Blue Mouse Theatre is a good fit if you want a historic neighborhood cinema with a varied schedule that includes current films, cult favorites, family titles, and community events. It is less suited if you need a large multiplex with many simultaneous new releases, since the theatre operates as a single historic venue with a curated calendar.

The Blue Mouse Theatre opened in 1923 in Tacoma's Proctor District, making it more than 100 years old. Its historic status rests on one specific claim: it is the oldest continuously operating theater in Washington state. It is also a 100-year-old cinema that functions as a community gathering place, not just a movie house.

Key Facts at a Glance

What "Historic" Means Here

The claim is about continuity, not architecture. The theater has stayed in operation in the same neighborhood since the 1920s, which is why it is described as the oldest continuously operating theater in the state. That continuity is the core of its identity as a 100-year-old cinema and community gathering place.

What It Shows and Hosts

The Blue Mouse is not a repertory house showing only old films. According to the theater, its programming includes:

• First-run and second-run film releases
• Special monthly film events, such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Friday Night Frights
• Other curated film happenings

The 205-seat auditorium is also rented for private and public events, including birthday parties, film festivals, music concerts, and speakers.

A Recent Chapter: Pandemic Survival and Upgrades

The theater states that it survived the pandemic with the help of Covid-related funding and used that period to complete additional venue upgrades. Those upgrades were aimed at strengthening its role as a community gathering place.

If You're Planning a Visit

The website lists upcoming showtimes with ticketing links, including titles such as Sense & Sensibility, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Cat in the Hat, plus a Silent Cinema event with Michael Sullivan. Check the Upcoming Showings page for current dates and times before you go, since the schedule shown reflects specific listed screenings rather than a standing daily calendar.

To see what's playing and get tickets for the Blue Mouse Theatre, use the showtime listings on bluemousetheatre.com: the homepage's "Now Playing" section shows the current film with its day-by-day times, and the "Upcoming" list shows dated screenings with a "Tickets" link beside each one. Pick the date and time you want, follow that entry's Tickets link, and complete the purchase on the page it opens. Always confirm against the site's latest listing before you go, since schedules change.

Where the showtimes appear

The site presents schedules in two places, and they serve different purposes:

The homepage also points to an "Upcoming Showings" page described as the place for all upcoming showtimes, so treat that page as the fuller schedule when the homepage list looks short.

Step by step: from listing to ticket

1. Open the homepage at bluemousetheatre.com and look at "Now Playing" for the current film. In the listing captured here, that film is Sense & Sensibility (rated PG), with evening shows at 7:00 pm Saturday through Monday and matinees at 3:45 pm Saturday and Sunday.
2. Scan the "Upcoming" list for the date you want. Each entry pairs a title with a date and time — for example, Sense & Sensibility on October 30, 2026 at 3:45 pm and again at 7:00 pm.
3. Choose the exact screening, not just the film. The same movie often has several entries on one day, so match the date and time carefully.
4. Select the "Tickets" link attached to that entry. It opens the purchase flow for that specific showing.
5. Complete the purchase on the page that opens. The site references ticket purchases but does not publish prices or accepted payment methods, so confirm those details during checkout rather than assuming.
6. Verify before traveling. Re-check the listing on the day of the show, since the schedule you saw earlier may have been updated.

Expected result: you hold a ticket for a specific title, date, and time, and you know which entrance time to plan around.

Reading the schedule correctly

A few patterns in the listings are easy to misread:

• Times repeat across days. A 7:00 pm show on Friday does not mean the same time applies all week; check each dated entry.
• Matinees and evenings are separate entries. A 3:45 pm matinee and a 7:00 pm evening show on the same day are two different tickets.
• Special events sit in the same list as regular films. The schedule mixes first-run and second-run films with monthly events such as the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Friday Night Frights, plus one-off happenings like a silent cinema program with Michael Sullivan or a sponsored Batman Lego Movie ice cream social. These may have different timing or admission arrangements, so read the individual entry rather than assuming standard film pricing.
• Some entries show no Tickets link. In the listing captured here, the sponsored Batman Lego Movie event on November 7 at 11:00 am appears without one. If an event has no ticket link, check the Upcoming Showings page or contact the theatre directly.

What else the venue tells you

The Blue Mouse opened in Tacoma's Proctor District in 1923 and describes itself as the oldest continuously operating theater in Washington state, seating 205. It shows first-run and second-run releases alongside curated events, and the space is rented for private and public gatherings such as birthday parties, film festivals, concerts, and speakers. If you are planning a group event rather than a single screening, that rental use is worth knowing before you buy individual seats.

Common snags

• Looking only at the homepage. The "Upcoming Showings" page is described as the complete schedule; the homepage list may be partial.
• Assuming a film's run length. The listings show dated screenings, not an open-ended run, so buy for a date that is actually listed.
• Expecting published prices. The site does not state ticket prices or payment options; those appear, if at all, in the purchase flow.
• Missing a same-day second show. If your first-choice time is sold out or wrong for your plans, check whether a second entry exists that day before giving up.

Yes. The Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma's Proctor District is available to rent for both private and public events, and the venue is described on its website as a community event space. The main constraint to plan around is capacity: the theater seats 205 people. Availability, pricing, and booking terms are not published on the site, so you'll need to contact the theater directly through bluemousetheatre.com to confirm dates and arrangements.

What the Venue Offers Renters

The Blue Mouse is a historic, 100-year-old cinema that opened in 1923 and is described as the oldest continuously operating theater in Washington state. That history is part of the appeal if you want a distinctive, character-filled space rather than a generic event room.

According to the theater's website, the space has been rented for:

• Birthday parties
• Film festivals
• Music concerts
• Speakers and presentations
• Other private and public events

The site also notes that pandemic-related funding helped the theater complete venue upgrades, which it frames as strengthening its role as a community gathering place. In practical terms, you're renting a working cinema with 205 seats — a good fit for screenings, talks, performances, and celebrations where an audience sits and watches.

Is Your Event a Good Fit?

The theater's regular programming also hints at its personality: it hosts monthly special events such as the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Friday Night Frights, alongside first-run and second-run releases. If your event leans toward cult cinema, themed screenings, or community film culture, the venue's existing audience and identity may work in your favor.

How to Inquire About Renting

The website does not list rental rates, deposit requirements, or a booking calendar, so the site itself can't tell you whether your date is open or what it costs. The steps are straightforward:

1. Go to bluemousetheatre.com.
2. Use the site's contact options to reach the theater directly.
3. In your message, state your event type, preferred date(s), expected attendance (up to 205), and whether you need film projection, sound, or other technical support.
4. Ask specifically about availability, pricing, and any deposit or insurance requirements.

What to expect: The theater lists ticketed showtimes on its site, which shows it runs a scheduled program — so popular weekend dates may already be committed. Inquire early, especially for Friday through Sunday evenings.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Assuming published prices exist. None are listed; don't budget from guesswork before you get a quote.
• Overlooking capacity. With 205 seats, plan for an audience-sized event, not a standing reception for hundreds.
• Forgetting technical needs. If your event depends on projecting your own film or slides, confirm equipment and operator support when you inquire.
• Waiting too long. The venue's calendar includes regular screenings and special events, so flexibility on dates improves your chances.

For a definitive answer on your specific event, the theater's own contact channel is the only reliable source — the website confirms rentals happen but leaves the details to a direct conversation.