Egyptian Theatre, Park City facts for kids
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The Egyptian Theatre on the eve of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
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| Address | 328 Main Street Park City, Utah U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 40°38′33″N 111°29′42″W / 40.6425°N 111.495°W |
| Capacity | 266 |
| Opened | December 25, 1926 |
The Egyptian Theatre is a cool old building in Park City, Utah. You can find it at 328 Main Street. It's also known as the Mary J. Steiner Egyptian Theatre. This theatre looks like ancient Egyptian temples! It was built in the 1920s when people were very excited about the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.
Contents
A Look Back: The Theatre's Story
Building a Dream: 1920s Beginnings
The Egyptian Theatre stands where another theatre, the Dewey Theatre, once was. The old Dewey Theatre collapsed in a big snowstorm in 1916. So, construction for the new Egyptian Theatre began in 1926.
The theatre first opened its doors on Christmas Day, 1926. The very first show was by John Alphonso Rugar. It was built with a stage for live shows, like vaudeville (a type of variety show). But it was mostly used to show movies.
The theatre's design copied another Egyptian Theatre in California. An expert on ancient Egypt, C.R. Berg, helped with the theatre's look. He made sure it felt truly Egyptian!
Through the Years: Movies and Shows
The opening show was called "A Wonderful Sign of a Magical Time." The theatre was used for many things over the years. It showed movies and hosted live performances. This continued through tough times like the Great Depression and World War II.
In 1963, the theatre got a new name: the Silver Wheel Theatre. This happened just as Park City started to become a popular ski and resort town. Live shows kept going strong.
In 1981, after some updates, it became the home of Park City Performances. Having more types of shows helped the theatre stay busy. It remained an active place for entertainment into the 1990s.
Saving the Stage: A Big Renovation
A community group called "Save our Stage" was formed to help the theatre. On February 14, 1998, the Egyptian Theatre reopened. This was after a huge project to rebuild and fix it up. The renovation cost about $1.5 million.
Why This Theatre is Special
A Nod to Ancient Egypt
The Egyptian Theatre was built because people all over the world were fascinated by ancient Egypt. This was especially true after King Tut's tomb was found. Many movie and performance theatres were built or updated with an Egyptian theme.
An Egyptologist (an expert on ancient Egypt) from Seattle helped design the theatre. This meant the building used many real Egyptian symbols. You can see lotus leaves, scarabs, hieroglyphics, and symbols for life and happiness.
Firsts and Famous Events
The Egyptian Theatre was the first place in Park City, Utah, to show movies with sound! This was a big deal for movie fans.
The Sundance Film Festival has used the Egyptian Theatre for many years. It's one of the oldest and most famous places where festival movies are shown.
Unique Utah Landmark
This theatre is one of only two Egyptian-style theatres in Utah. The other one is Peery's Egyptian Theatre in Ogden, Utah. Besides these two theatres, the Salt Lake Masonic Temple is the only other building in Utah with an Egyptian Revival style.
See also
(view as a 360° interactive panorama)
