The Egyptian Theater

In the early 1900’s Park City’s social and entertainment needs were served by a number of flourishing theaters and social halls. When the Dewey Theatre, originally on this site, collapsed under a heavy snow load, John Rugar replaced it with the Egyptian Theater built in 1926. It was designed to seat 400 and to accommodate both movies and vaudeville. It became the first “sound movie” theater in Park City.

After being remodeled in 1963, the building opened as the Silver Wheel Theatre, and old fashioned “meller dramas” were performed for the next 15 years. In 1978 the building’s architectural integrity was threatened by an attempt to change its facade to a western motif. Preservation of its distinctive Egyptian features was achieved, however, when the building became home of Park City Performances in 1981.

The Egyptian Revival Style represents a unique period architecture which peaked in American around 1930. Egyptian theaters are rare, and this is only one of two remaining in Utah. Originally the interior combined replicas of Egyptian artifacts. This is a masonry structure with a false front shielding its hip roof. Tiles at the base of the ticket booth and pilistars in obelisk shape reinforce the Egyptian motif.

Located on historic Park City Main Street in Park City, Utah.