Longtime Egyptian Theatre director Randy Barton says the venue turns 100 on Christmas Day this year — and he’s planning to party.
“I feel like I'm the new steward of the theater, so I want to make sure that it gets its due,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Jan. 8. “As far as I know, that particular building is the only single-use building on Main Street that has never been anything else.”
He said the Egyptian’s story is Park City’s story too: one of booms and busts.
The story actually goes back farther than 1926, since fire and snow meant the Egyptian Theatre’s building had to be repaired and rebuilt.
“The mining company at the very beginning of the founding of this town, was smart enough to know that you just couldn't have a real town if all you had was brothels and saloons,” Barton said. “So they built the other two pillars … theaters and schools. And then others built churches.”
Barton believes Park City’s is one of six Egyptian Theatres across the United States, down from more than 200 built in the 1920s. Ogden and Boise also have Egyptian Theatres.
The Egyptian is the venue’s original name, but starting in the 1950s, it went through several name changes such as Park City Opera House, the Silver Wheel Theatre and the LuAnn.
A host of anniversary celebrations are planned this year, including the 25th Park City Follies, the annual springtime farce of local current events.
Barton said the party will really get going on Miners Day weekend, with tours of the building and a special contingent marching in the annual parade.
He added that the Park City Rotary Club is also helping with a special 100-year anniversary Running of the Balls just for the Egyptian.
October marks the 45th anniversary of when a group of “rag-tag actors,” one being Barton, called the Park City Players moved into the venue after Mrs. Fields Cookies bought it.
Barton himself will take the stage with the Park City Museum Nov. 19–21 to tell the history of the theater.
“And then, of course, our actual birthday, Christmas Day,” Barton said. “We celebrate on the day, and we'll be big with the acts on those days.”
The Egyptian Theatre is a financial supporter of KPCW.
