Englert Theatre facts for kids
Englert Theatre displays its original 1912 face along Washington Street, enhanced later by alterations to its dark canopy, and signage seen outside its third level.
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| Address | 221 Washington Street |
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| Location | Iowa City, Iowa |
| Owner | Englert Civic Theatre |
| Type | Performing arts center |
| Capacity | 725 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1912 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Website | |
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Englert Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Architect | Vorse, Kraitsch, & Kraitsch, Wiley & Son |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Tudor Revival |
| Part of | Iowa City Downtown Historic District (ID100006609) |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000911 |
| Added to NRHP | August 30, 2001 |
The Englert Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa, is a historic playhouse. It was built during the vaudeville era, a time when live stage shows were very popular. Today, it is a modern community arts center and a performance venue with 725 seats.
The Englert Civic Theatre, a non-profit arts group, owns and operates the theater all year. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. In 2021, it was also recognized as an important part of the Iowa City Downtown Historic District.
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The theater hosts many different kinds of events. These include live music concerts, comedy shows, dance performances, and plays. It also holds lectures, film screenings, and community events. Public and private ceremonies, like awards and anniversary parties, also take place here.
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History of the Englert Theatre
The Englert Theatre first opened its doors on September 26, 1912. On opening night, a local eight-piece orchestra played. Its leader, Punch (Albert C.) Dunkel, and his brother Charles also owned another local movie theater.
When it first opened, the Englert could seat 1,079 people. It had aisles on the sides but no center aisle. College students, teachers, and town residents often came to watch shows. At that time, it was the only theater of its kind in Iowa City.
The first show on opening night was a play called The Only Son. Less than two years later, this play was made into a movie with the same name. The famous director Cecil B. DeMille helped direct the film.
Building the Theater
The original Englert Theatre building cost about $60,000 to build. This would be like $1.5 million today. Will (William H.) and Etta Chopek Englert built it. They were already well-known for running other businesses in town. Will owned Englert Ice Co., and Etta ran the Bon Ton Cafe.
The new Englert Theatre was built on a spot that used to be a stable for horses and a hotel. This property had a big fire around 1905. After the fire, the stable was only partly rebuilt, and a smaller hotel was put up.
After their new theater was finished, the Englerts moved into an apartment. It was on the second and third floors at the front of the new theater building. From there, they could look out over Washington Street.
Early Movie History
The Englert Theatre showed the first "talkie" movie in Iowa City on June 9, 1928. A "talkie" is a movie with sound. The film was called The Jazz Singer and starred Al Jolson. It was one of the first sound films ever shown. It had first premiered in New York City in October 1927.
Some early movies shown at the Englert, like The Covered Wagon (1923) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film), had live orchestras playing along. Sometimes, as many as 60 musicians would perform.
William C. Hubbard, a former mayor of Iowa City, remembered something interesting. After Iowa City High School moved to a new building in 1939, the Englert Theatre donated many of its old stage props and decorations to the school. The school used these for its own auditorium. At that time, Louis and Albert Davis managed the Englert.
Performances and Events
During its early years, many famous vaudeville acts performed at the Englert Theatre. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with different acts like comedy, music, and dance. Famous performers like Ethel Barrymore, Ed Wynn, Lynn Fontanne, and Sarah Bernhardt appeared on the Englert stage.
The Englert Theatre was renovated and reopened as a non-profit theater in 2004. Since then, it has worked hard to stay busy. For example, it had an agreement with the University of Iowa to use the theater for up to 40 nights each year. Today, the Englert typically hosts live events about 225 nights every year.
The theater has welcomed many well-known groups and performers. These include The Second City comedy group, comedian Paula Poundstone, and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Folk musician Greg Brown has also performed there. The Englert is also the main place for the Landlocked Film Festival.
Other Movie Theaters in Iowa City
The Englert family also built another movie theater called Garden Theatre. It opened in June 1915, and tickets cost only 5 cents. Unlike the Englert, the Garden Theatre was only for movies. It had a small stage and no orchestra pit.
About ten years later, a fire damaged the Garden Theatre. It was later remodeled and became Varsity Theatre (1932–1960). Then it changed its name to Astro Theatre. Astro Theatre closed in 1991 as new movie theaters opened in shopping centers outside downtown.
Besides the Pastime Theatre (later called Capitol), other movie theaters in downtown Iowa City during the 20th century included the Strand Theatre. Another was the Iowa Theatre, which later became a fast-food restaurant.
In 1946, there were five full-time movie theaters operating in downtown Iowa City. These were the Englert, Iowa, New Pastime, Strand, and Varsity. No theaters had opened in malls yet.
The first movie theater built outside downtown was the Iowa City Drive-In Theatre. It opened around 1949. Later, a three-screen movie theater opened in the Old Capitol Mall in downtown Iowa City in 1983. This mall is now called Old Capitol Town Center.
The Englert Family
The Englert family was important in Iowa City. The family's leader, Louis Englert, started City Brewery in 1853. His son John later ran a successful business selling ice and wood. Will Englert and his half-brothers continued this business.
In 1926, a fire destroyed the inside of the Englert Theatre. However, Etta Chopek Englert Hanlon, Will's widow, decided to rebuild it. The reconstruction cost $125,000, which would be like $1.6 million today. During the rebuilding, eight box seating areas were removed. These areas, each with six seats, were thought to be fire hazards.
Will Englert had passed away in 1920. After his death, William M. McKenzie briefly managed the theater. A year later, Etta Englert married James J. Hanlon. His barber shop was next to the theater's ticket booth. Etta and her new husband then managed the Englert.
For many years, the Englert was a local movie theater. It continued to show movies until 1999. Before that, it had been divided into two smaller auditoriums, which damaged its original design. The building was then put up for sale.
A public effort called "Save the Englert" began. Enough money was raised to restore the theater. The reconstruction brought the Englert back to its original single auditorium design. It now operates in this restored condition.
See also
- Coldren Opera House, which eventually closed following competition from the Englert Theatre
- Movie palaces list
