The reopening of the Sunset Theater marks a new chapter for a historically cherished cultural venue in Westhampton Beach, originally built in 1927. After what Founder and Managing Director Inge Debyser described as an extensive three-year renovation, the beloved movie theater officially reopened its doors at 2 Brook Road on Friday, April 25.
In an interview with Hamptons.com, Ms. Debyser said, “The nicest thing about the opening was that this heavy backpack full of responsibility—to get this theater where we wanted it to be, and that backpack did get really heavy over the last three years—I was finally able to take it off. And every member of the community that came out opening weekend kind of took a look, and now it’s a shared responsibility.”
She continued, “I really felt that we worked very hard for three years to get the theater to where we wanted it to be—and now it’s there. The train is on the rails, and now it’s up to the community to partly sit in the driver’s seat, help steer the vision that we had in the right direction, and bring it to life.”
The East End has had many visionaries, and Inge Debyser is certainly one of them. While the pandemic was wreaking havoc on the movie theater industry, she leaned in with her soul and pocketbook to create something truly special. Her main vision? “…How we wanted it to look. When you walk into Sunset Theater, we wanted it to feel like the sheer opposite of a large corporate chain. We wanted it to feel very intimate, warm—a real small village theater. And to do so, we chose old Hollywood’s very art decorative ambiance and interior design patterns. When I walk in myself now, I think that I’m 99% happy with how we executed that vision.”
She explained that the concept was to create a blast from the past, calling it “old Hollywood nostalgic.” She said, “I chose the red—and that red comes out throughout the building. You have it on the ceiling, in the acoustical sound balance; you have it in the velvet on the sofa in the bar; you have it in the velvet drapes in Theater One. You have it everywhere. I believe red is coming back. It’s in the carpet, and that was very important. That red—I think it’s signature. And then I like to pair it with beautiful wallpaper. Like in the bathrooms—we could have just painted. No, instead, we chose that same old-style wallpaper that is coming back.”
She elaborated with a vivid example: “For instance, the floor in the hallway of Sunset Theater. I found that layout and design as I was walking through the Royal Palace of Madrid last year. I said, ‘This is amazing. I love the way they laid out the tile. I love the combination of pink marble and red travertine marble.’ So, I just snapped a picture. And with that picture, I went to Ronald Avila [the contractor] and said, ‘That’s the floor.’”
Then, candidly, she added, “This is a quote I haven’t given: I’m not the easiest to work with because I have these ideas that are just in my head. For instance, like the floor in the hallway of Sunset Theater… So these people—artisans and contractors—really had tremendous amounts of patience and worked very, very hard. The success is all because of them.”
On the resurgence of going to the movies, Ms. Debyser reflected: “I think for me personally, going to the movie theater—even when I was younger, 30 years ago as a child and young adult—always had that magical feeling. I love to get my drink, my snack, and just go cuddle comfortably in a nice, dark room.” That’s why Sunset Theater has upgraded its seating to include plush, reclining chairs. Debyser said, “You just snuggle into that seat, and the whole theater—the ambiance—comes alive. It feels like you’re under a blanket on your sofa at home, but you’re not in your house. You’re in a magical place where the screen is big and gives you this immersive experience.”
Plus, there’s the unique energy of a shared experience. She added, “Whether you share a cry or a laugh, it really is a very collective experience. And I think that’s irreplaceable—and that’s so important, especially in this day and age, when there’s more and more data about people being lonely, and people staying home too much.”
Sunset Theater features two screens (143 and 141 seats) and will primarily showcase first-run films, alongside a rotating repertory of curated classics and contemporary gems during quieter release weeks. Opening weekend featured The Legend of Ochi as the new release, and a well-curated selection of repertory films including E.T., The Iron Giant, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Bridesmaids, The Fifth Element, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Pulp Fiction.
It’s definitely a must-see new location in the Hamptons for 2025!
