Egyptian Theatre
135 N. 2nd Street,
DeKalb,
IL
60115
135 N. 2nd Street,
DeKalb,
IL
60115
21 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 29 comments
Facebook page for the Egyptian Theatre. Shows films listed for October.
https://www.facebook.com/dekalbegyptiantheatre
The website is showing all performing arts attractions. No movies listed at all, current or classic.
Short piece about the Egyptian with photos.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/egyptian-theatre
According to the website the 35mm projection system has been restored.
December 7th, 1929 grand opening ad in the photo section.
Bobby, unfortunately I won’t be in town this weekend. I’m about 5 hours away so it’s a problem attending events there.
I am looking forward visiting & seeing the Christmas show this saturday night at 7:30pm. 12/20/14. Are you going Scott?
The Egyptian is alive and kicking. Check out this new article. http://blog.preservationnation.org/2013/03/18/dekalbs-historic-egyptian-theatre-a-pharaoh-inspired-space-gets-a-lively-afterlife/#.UUs7GRyKKuK
darrelmw, I was there in 1985-1986. I mainly worked concessions, but was also in the ticket booth at times. I have many fond memories of volunteering there. I was in Dekalb this past summer and couldn’t resist checking to see if I could get into the theatre. Well, I did get in and met the manager, who talked about what they’ve been doing to the theatre lately. I’m happy to report that the theatre looks great.
Hey Paradise….when were you a volunteer there? I was a volunteer in 79/80. Ran the box office for part of the time.
The article about the Wurlitzer is from March 17, 2009, so perhaps the organ has already been installed. I used to do volunteer work at the Egyptian but have lost touch with the happenings there.
Regarding the notion that the Egyptian is haunted, I’ve been in all areas of the theatre on many occasions and never encountered anything ghost-like. But if such nonsense will sell tickets, so be it.
The Egyptian Theatre is used as a Haunted House each October. My picture (posted above by Chuck) shows the theatre with the haunted house decorations still on the front of the building. I also have one interior picture that I took earlier in October. Here’s the link:
View link
Here’s a 2008 black and white view: http://www.boxsetgallery.com/stein/index.html
Never realized that was a scarab in the window. Cool.
Given that there are so many Egyptian theaters from the 1920s (Hollywood and Long Beach CA come to mind), I’m wondering if the whole King Tut mania of the teens had anything to do with this. Why would an architect say out of the blue “I think I will make my theater look like something out of ancient Egypt”.
Do you have a list of the theaters he designed? I have a feeling the list here is incomplete. Do you know what work he did during his time with Rapp and Rapp (1917-1923)? Also, do you have anything on the Echo in Des Plaines?
It’s a marvelous theater; hidden on a little sidestreet. I was a student at NIU and saw live productions as well as movies there; the murals are worth the trip alone (and the lobby is breathtaking.)
It’s so good to see people interested in some of the buildings my Great Grandfather designed.If anyone has obscure questions they think I may be able to drum up answers to feel free to ask. Thank you for preserving my families history.
Is Gene Liberty still involved with the theater? I remember him hosting Jazz sessions there in the early ‘80’s.
George Thompson
Former NIU Television Services Chief Engineer
It’s so pretty! I wish CT would have something like this.
Here is the official website, http://www.egyptiantheatre.org
According to the website, this theatre opened with 1600 seats and now has 1449 with 905 on the floor and 544 in the balcony. There are some nice pictures on the site and a good history.
A January 13, 1985 Chicago Tribune letter to the editor from a gentleman who worked with Behrns, responding to some photos that had recently appeared, notes that the main designer of the Egyptian’s interior decor was a man named John Halama who did extensive research on Egypt for the design.
According to David Naylor this is also an atmospheric.
More information ofn the Dekalb from Northern Illinois Univerity
The Egyptian Theatre opened on 10th December 1929 with a given seating capacity of 1,200.