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Peery's Egyptian Theater
2439 Washington Blvd
Ogden, Utah
84401
801 689-8700
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Children's Theatre 237
Salt Lake City, Utah
Since 1985, the Children's Theatre had never obtained a long term lease or owned a building. After searching for a permanent home for over three years, the Children's Theatre announced in June 2011 the purchase of the Avalon Theatre in South Salt Lake. The theater's new home will feature a 185-seat auditorium with carpeted aisles, stadium seating, a thrust stage, and 17-foot high ceilings. For information on how you can help, visit the Children's Theatre website.
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| Home » Theaters » Peery's Egyptian Theater » Main Page |
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Photographer: Grant Smith
Date: 18 September 2004
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Peery's Egyptian Theater
(Peery's Egyptian, Peery's Egyptian Theater)
2439 Washington Blvd
Ogden, Utah
84401
801 689-8700
http://www.peerysegyptiantheater.com/
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Status: |
Open |
Total
Seats:
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850 |
Open: |
3 July 1924
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Architect: |
Leslie S. Hodgson, Mryl A. McClenahan |
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Peery’s Egyptian Theater opened on 3 July 1924 with Zane Grey's "Wanderers of the Wasteland."1
The 1,200-seat theater was built by former Ogden mayor Harman Peery and
his brother Louis at a cost of about $200,000. "The Egyptian theme was
chosen due in part to the national craze in the early 20’s for all
things Egyptian following the discovery of King Tut’s tomb."2
The
theater features exotic pharaoh murals, gilded columns, and a domed
ceiling designed to resemble the sky. Using lighting effects, the
ceiling can simulate noon, sunset, or midnight with twinkling stars.
Peery's Egyptian is one of about 12 Egyptian theaters left in the
United States, and only one of two that has an atmospheric ceiling.3
In
1936 the theater became part of the Fox-Intermountain theater chain.
In 1959, the Egyptian's original theater pipe organ was removed.1
After
years of neglect, the movie house was shut down in 1984. Van
Summerill and other preservationists spent eight years trying to save
the the theater from the wrecking ball.3 "It survived several near scrapes with destruction, including several where the wrecking ball was at its doorsteps."2
The
Egyptian Foundation acquired the building in 1984 and later donated it
to Weber County as part of a $16.3 million conference and
performing-arts center project. As part of the project, the Egyptian
was to be refurbished for stage plays, concerts, dances, and old
movies. A new art deco building was to be built next to the theater for
academic seminars and business meetings. The project was a complex
union of six entities: the Egyptian Foundation, Weber County, the city
of Ogden, Weber State University, private donors, and the Ogden/Weber
Chamber of Commerce.3
After
an award-wining restoration, Peery's Egyptian Theater reopened in
January 1997 as an 850-seat performing arts and movie theater.2
In 2001, installation of a Wurlitzer 3-manual, 13-rank theatre pipe organ was in progress.1
1. Post by Van Summerhill, cinematreasures.org, 11 May 2001, http://cinematreasures.org/theater/238/
2. "A Brief History", http://www.peerysegyptiantheater.com/history.html
3. "Partners Are Key to Egyptian Theater's Rebirth, Revitalization of Downtown Ogden", Salt Lake Tribune, 10 January 1993, page B1
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