Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre is located at 328 Main Street in Park City, Utah
in the United States of America. It has also been referred to as the Mary J. Steiner Egyptian Theatre or The Egyptian Theatre in Park City.
, the Second World War and a period of severe local emigration in the 1950s.
The theatre was eventually renamed the Silver Wheel Theatre in 1963, just in time for the town to rebound as a ski and resort city. Live theatre continued to be presented through this period, and in 1981, it became the home to Park City Performances after a renovation process. The increased diversity in productions helped the theatre carry on as an active venue well into the 1990s.
The Save our Stage community group was formed during this period, and on February 14, 1998, the Egyptian Theatre reopened after the completion of a major reconstruction and refurbishment effort. The cost of the renovation is estimated to be at $1.5 Million.
in mind.
The design and construction of the theatre was supervised by an Egyptologist from Seattle, WA. The result of the accurate use of the historic details was a beautiful theatre with many of the most recognizable symbols of Egypt, including the lotus leaf, scarabs, hieroglyphics and symbols of life and happiness.
Originally the theatre was built to seat 400, but later renovations reduced that number to the present capacity of 266.
The Egyptian Theatre was the first sound movie cinema house in Park City, Utah.
The Sundance Film Festival
has used The Egyptian Theatre as a cinematic house for almost as long as the festival has existed; one of its oldest and most recognizable venues.
This theatre is one of only two Egyptian-style theatres in Utah. The other example is that of Peery's Egyptian Theatre
in Ogden, Utah
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
in the United States of America. It has also been referred to as the Mary J. Steiner Egyptian Theatre or The Egyptian Theatre in Park City.
History
The Egyptian Theatre was built on the location of the old Dewey Theatre. Construction began in 1922, and the first production, by John A. Rugar, debuted on Christmas Eve 1926. Its primary use was as a venue for traveling vaudeville acts. The theatre was also used as a saloon, a cinema house and live performance theatre during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the Second World War and a period of severe local emigration in the 1950s.
The theatre was eventually renamed the Silver Wheel Theatre in 1963, just in time for the town to rebound as a ski and resort city. Live theatre continued to be presented through this period, and in 1981, it became the home to Park City Performances after a renovation process. The increased diversity in productions helped the theatre carry on as an active venue well into the 1990s.
The Save our Stage community group was formed during this period, and on February 14, 1998, the Egyptian Theatre reopened after the completion of a major reconstruction and refurbishment effort. The cost of the renovation is estimated to be at $1.5 Million.
Significance
The Egyptian Theatre was part of a national and worldwide fascination with the contemporary discovery of the tomb of King Tut in Egypt. Many cinema and performance theatres around the nation were either refurbished or constructed with the Egyptian themeEgyptian Theatre
Egyptian-style theaters are based on the traditional and historic design elements of Ancient Egypt.The first Egyptian Theatre to be constructed in the US - which inspired many of the identically-named theaters that followed it - was Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California. For several...
in mind.
The design and construction of the theatre was supervised by an Egyptologist from Seattle, WA. The result of the accurate use of the historic details was a beautiful theatre with many of the most recognizable symbols of Egypt, including the lotus leaf, scarabs, hieroglyphics and symbols of life and happiness.
Originally the theatre was built to seat 400, but later renovations reduced that number to the present capacity of 266.
The Egyptian Theatre was the first sound movie cinema house in Park City, Utah.
The Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
has used The Egyptian Theatre as a cinematic house for almost as long as the festival has existed; one of its oldest and most recognizable venues.
This theatre is one of only two Egyptian-style theatres in Utah. The other example is that of Peery's Egyptian Theatre
Peery's Egyptian Theatre
Peery's Egyptian Theater is a movie palace located at 2439 Washington Blvd., in Ogden, Utah in the United States of America. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.-History:...
in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
See also
- Egyptian Theatre (Coos Bay, Oregon)Egyptian Theatre (Coos Bay, Oregon)The Egyptian Theatre is an historic movie theatre in Coos Bay, Oregon, United States. It was originally built as a garage, and was converted to a theatre in 1925...
- Grauman's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...
- The Egyptian Theatre (Boise, Idaho)The Egyptian Theatre (Boise, Idaho)The Egyptian Theatre, also known as the Ada Theater, at 700 West Main Street in Boise, Idaho is a movie theater that opened in 1927.- History :...
- Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due,...
External links
- http://www.egyptiantheatrecompany.org/history.html
- http://utahtheaters.info/TheaterMain.asp?ID=61