Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Egyptian Theatre
|
|
The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois
|
|
| Location | DeKalb, DeKalb County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Built | 1928–29 |
| Architect | Elmer F. Behrns |
| Architectural style | Egyptian Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78003100 |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 1978 |
The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is a cool building designed in the Egyptian Revival style. It's so special that it's listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This theatre was built between 1928 and 1929. At that time, many people in the United States were super interested in Ancient Egypt. This was largely because Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922. The theatre was added to the National Register in 1978. Its main room can hold 1,430 people, making it the biggest in DeKalb County.
The theatre was designed by an architect named Elmer F. Behrns. He was very interested in Egyptology, which is the study of ancient Egypt. Both the inside and outside of the theatre show off Egyptian symbols. For example, the stained glass windows have designs of Ra, the Egyptian sun god, and the scarab, a sacred Egyptian symbol. In the 1970s, the building was almost torn down. But a group called Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET) worked hard to save it. There have been long-standing rumors about secret messages hidden in the theatre's design and even ghosts. While the theatre says there are no hidden messages, the ghost stories are still popular! The Egyptian Theatre is open for about 42 weeks a year and hosts up to 125 events.
Contents
Discovering the Egyptian Theatre's History
When the theatre first opened in 1929, it was one of many "Egyptian Theatres" across the United States. Today, the DeKalb theatre is one of only a few still standing. The original plan was to build more buildings attached to it, like a hotel. But these plans were stopped because of the stock market crash in late 1929. In its early days, the theatre showed silent films and hosted live vaudevillian shows. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with different acts like comedy, music, and dance.
As the years went by, the theatre mainly showed movies through the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. By the 1970s, the theatre was in bad shape, and its walls were crumbling. The owner gave the theatre to the city of DeKalb. In 1978, a group of citizens came together to save and restore the Egyptian. When the theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, this group, Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET), received a large grant from the state of Illinois. This money helped them start fixing up the theatre. They estimated they needed even more money to fully restore it. Because of this, some projects, like adding air conditioning, had to be cut. The building still doesn't have air conditioning!
Since 2007, PET, which is a non-profit organization, has been running the theatre. They formed in 1978 to save the theatre from being destroyed. After the restoration in the 1980s, the theatre has hosted many different films and events. The sign outside, called the marquee, was put up during the 1982 restoration. It's the fourth one the theatre has had!
The DeKalb Egyptian Theatre has a 42-week season with about 125 events each year. Its season is shorter during the hot northern Illinois summers because there's no air conditioning. In 2006, many professional groups, student organizations, and departments from nearby Northern Illinois University used the theatre.
Many famous performers have played at the Egyptian Theatre. These include Journey with Cheap Trick (1977), Heart (1977), R.E.M. (1984), Tori Amos (1994), Rick Springfield (2013), comedian Lewis Black (2015), and Scotty McCreery (2019). The theatre also hosts Gaelic Storm every year and several tribute bands.
In January 2019, the theatre announced a big renovation plan. This included adding air conditioning to protect the old building and making changes to meet modern accessibility standards. The theatre planned to reopen in 2020.
The Egyptian Theatre's Unique Architecture
The DeKalb Egyptian Theatre is one of about one hundred Egyptian-style theatres built in the early 1900s. It's believed to be one of only six still standing in the United States. This theatre isn't just a random mix of hieroglyphics and symbols. The architect, Elmer F. Behrns, who loved Egyptology, designed the DeKalb Egyptian Theatre with one main idea in mind: Pharaoh Ramses II.
The outside of the theatre is covered in light green terra cotta. It has a huge 20-foot (6.1 m) tall stained glass window. This window shows the ancient scarab symbol. The scarab is holding up the sun god Ra while standing on top of the Earth. On each side of the stained glass window, there are two huge pharaoh statues. They look like they are "guarding" the theatre entrance. The entire front of the theatre is designed to look like the gate of a grand Egyptian temple.
The small outer lobby feels like entering the first room of an ancient Egyptian tomb. The walls are made of large, plain blocks that look like sandstone. The front of the ticket booth is a dark red color with a golden sunburst design above the window. After passing through the glass doors from the outer lobby into the main lobby, you'll see the original mosaic-tiled floor and a very tall 40-foot (12.2 m) ceiling.
The walls of the main lobby are cream-colored plaster. Eight large pillars and decorative cornices are covered with golden lotus blossoms and palm leaves. High up on the walls, between each pillar, are six large golden plaster urns. These urns are also decorated with lotus buds and palm leaves. They have a shiny, golden design with outstretched falcon wings and the sun's disc wrapped with golden snakes. The lotus design is repeated on the frosted wall sconces below the urns and on the chandelier hanging over the middle of the double staircase. This staircase at the end of the main lobby leads to the mezzanine and balcony seating areas.
The main auditorium is decorated to look like a royal Egyptian courtyard. The stage is a good size, about 35 feet (10.7 m) wide. However, the backstage area is very small because the theatre was originally used for vaudeville shows. When the theatre first opened, it had seats for 1,600 people. After the 1980s renovation, this number dropped to 1,483 seats. Four more seats were removed in 2000 to follow disability laws. Today, the 1,430-seat auditorium is the largest in DeKalb County.
Exploring the Egyptian Theatre's Ghost Stories
The DeKalb Egyptian Theatre, like many other Egyptian Revival buildings, is designed to feel a bit mysterious. The ancient Egyptian symbols have led to a popular belief that there are hidden meanings in the theatre's design and colors. However, the theatre stated in 2006 that the colors and decorations were chosen only because they looked beautiful.
While there are no hidden messages in the architecture, many people have reported strange things happening. The Egyptian Theatre is widely rumored to be home to two ghosts! One is said to be Irv Kummerfeldt, who helped save the theatre. He had a heart attack and passed away at the top of "Aisle One" in the theatre's main room. His ghost has been reported in that area ever since. The second ghost, named "Bob" by theatre workers, moves around more freely. Bob has been seen throughout the building. Objects have moved by themselves, doors have opened on their own, and people have felt a tap on their shoulder when no one else was around. Sometimes, footsteps can be heard echoing across the auditorium. The theatre operators and preservationists take these ghost stories seriously enough to look for clues about who Bob might have been in old newspapers.
Why the Egyptian Theatre is Important
The Egyptian Theatre is one of the few remaining Egyptian theatres in the United States. Depending on how you count, there are only six or more of these unique Egyptian Revival theatres left. The Illinois Main Street association has called the DeKalb Egyptian "one of Illinois' great buildings." The Egyptian Theatre was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1978.
See also
- Egyptian Theatre (Coos Bay, Oregon)
- Grauman's Egyptian Theatre – Hollywood, California
- Peery's Egyptian Theatre – Ogden, Utah
- Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre – Park City, Utah
- The Egyptian Theatre (Boise, Idaho)
