RANGELEY — The Rangeley Friends of the Arts has announced the acquisition of the Lakeside Theater on Main Street as a headquarters and performance space for the organization.

Space at the familiar building was expanded by moving a nearby barn and attaching it to the rear of the theater. The barn provides a stage-left exit, backstage area and storage space.

Drs. Valerie and Jeffrey Zapolsky, strong supporters of the Rangeley Friends of the Arts for more than 30 years, recently acquired the theater from Joan Dunlap.

“For the RFA, having our own building will be an enormous asset,” RFA President Sue Downes-Borko said. “The board voted unanimously to accept this generous proposal from the Zapolskys. In the history of the organization, this is a monumental milestone.”

During several days in August, a crew from Goodwin Builders lifted the barn on stacks of timber balks and slid it on steel I-beams, lubricated with vegetable oil, into position over the new footing, where it was aligned and slowly set down.

Rangeley Friends of the Arts plans to show classic movies this fall on a limited but regular basis, as the Zapolskys have already updated the theater’s projection equipment and will maintain the formal contracts with movie distributors. A film schedule will be available soon.

The first major live event will be the Theater at Monmouth touring company’s production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” scheduled for Oct. 18.