Crest Theatre
2005 Dakota Avenue,
South Sioux City,
NE
68776
2005 Dakota Avenue,
South Sioux City,
NE
68776
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The State Theatre was opened on October 20, 1937 with Alice Faye in “You Can’t Have Everything”. It was a single screen motion picture theatre that had a ticket booth in the center of its entrance through four doors. A two line metal and glass marquee was placed above the top full length of the doors. A semi-circular marquee sat atop the door entrances with the State sign spelled out perpendicular, on both the north and south sides of the sign.
The outer walls were composed of a blue slate exterior and topped with black bricks.
The lobby consisted of a dark blue color consistent with the outer color and wall to wall carpet covered the entire lobby. The restrooms were located on a lower level (two steps with the men’s to the right and the women’s to the left. Entrances to the auditorium sloped up on both sides of the lobby and were carpeted.
The auditorium consisted of a two level seating with 300-seats in the main seating area and 295-seats in the balcony that protruded to half way down the auditorium. The projection booth was at the rear of the auditorium and consisted of 35mm Simplex equipment.
Neon gas filled lights attached to the side of the auditorium, lighted the entire space and ran up the walls least 20 feet. Masonite with painted designs highlighted the interior.
The stage rose about five feet from the bottom of the concrete sloping floor and a large blue velvet curtain hung from the top of the stage arch. A 12 foot wooden stage area was placed behind the curtain.
The State Theatre was built of brick with a wooden framed structure, wood and tar roof.
In 1967, the theatre was remodeled and the name was changed to the Crest Theatre. New seating was installed and first run Columbia Pictures were shown. It failed to produce a profit and it was changed to an adult theatre.
In the 1970’s the theatre was burned to the ground. No one has ever been charged with the arson.
Contributed by
SMSgt Larry Brooks
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
A couple of corrections … the State Theatre in South Sioux City had 595 seats (300 on the main floor and 295 in the balcony). Originally, the projection booth was not equipped with Simplex machines, but had MotioGraph projectors equipped with Brenkert carbon arc lamps.
The State Theatre launched on October 20, 1937 with Alice Faye and Don Ameche in “You Can’t Have Everything.”