The Capitol Theatre (Portal Players)

The Capitol Theatre on Argyle Street is Port Alberni's community playhouse, owned and run by the Portal Players Dramatic Society, a registered charity. The building opened as a movie house in May 1936, and Portal Players, founded by about 20 local residents in 1978, bought it in 1989 and reopened it after eight months of volunteer work and fundraising. Today it seats 230.

Portal Players stages its own plays and musicals each season, with a season pass that covers one performance of each production, and the theatre also hosts touring shows, concerts, comedy nights and community events. Everything from acting and directing to lights, sound, sets and front of house is done by volunteers, and newcomers are welcome with no experience needed. Members can vote at the annual meeting and hear about auditions first, and the society also runs a youth theatre program.

The theatre can be rented for concerts, recitals, film nights, memorials and touring productions, with the stage, lighting and sound included. The box office opens one hour before each Portal Players show and takes cash, debit, Mastercard and Visa.