The Panida Theater facts for kids
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The Panida Theater is a special community theater located in Sandpoint, Idaho, in the northern part of the United States of America. Its name, "Panida," comes from "the PANhandle of IDAho," which is a unique shape of the state. This historic building first opened its doors in 1927.
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History of the Panida Theater
The Panida Theater was built by F.C. Weskil in 1927. When it first opened, it was a place for both vaudeville shows and movies. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts, like comedy, music, and dance.
Today, the Panida Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important building that is kept safe because of its history.
What Happens at the Panida Today
The Panida Theater is a busy place that hosts many different events. You can watch all kinds of shows and films here.
Movies and Film Festivals
The theater shows many types of movies. They play new films, classic movies, and special "art house" films. The Panida also has an active film club. They host exciting film festivals, like selections from the Banff Mountain Film Festival. They even have a film series called "Global Cinema Café" that shows award-winning movies from around the world.
Live Performances and Events
Beyond movies, the Panida Theater is a stage for live shows. You can see concerts, dance performances, and comedy acts. They also host live theater plays and business workshops. Many famous performers have been on its stage, including Bonnie Raitt, Arlo Guthrie, and Wynton Marsalis. Even actor Viggo Mortensen started his acting career at the Panida.
Saving the Panida Theater
Over time, the Panida Theater started to get old and needed a lot of repairs. People were not visiting it as much. But in 1985, a group of people from the community decided to save it.
How the Community Helped
These community members formed a special group called a nonprofit organization. A nonprofit group uses any money it earns to help its cause, not to make a profit for owners. This group bought the theater.
Today, the Panida Theater is run by this nonprofit organization. A group of people called a board of trustees helps make decisions. These trustees are chosen by theater members, who are people who donate time or money to the theater. A small team, led by an executive director, handles the daily tasks to keep the theater running smoothly.
