The link to my website of the St. Joseph Mo Theatre from the Columbia site is in error. I have added a clarification on the St Joseph page listed above.
Wally Bloss
I am Wally Bloss, the Executive Director of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, which operates and manages the Ellen Eccles Theatre for its owner, the City of Logan, UT. My purpose is to expand and correct some of the information contained above.
In 1912, when the 800-seat Thatcher Opera House was destroyed by fire, George and Brigham Thatcher envisioned an ornate, first-class theatre to replace it.
The theatre they envisioned became reality later when the new Capitol Theatre opened on March 23, 1923. At the hefty price of $250,000, the beautiful new theatre boasted a fly system, excellent acoustics, and an opulent interior. Named for its rival in Salt Lake City, the Capitol Theatre contributed to the image of Logan as “the Athens of Utah†and for the next few decades it was at the heart of cultural activities in Cache Valley.
The beautiful structure was grand enough to attract the great entertainers: Abbot and Costello, John Philip Sousa, the Marx Brothers, and George Burns and Gracie Allen. Live performances shared the stage with films, which became dominant through the 1930s. Thousands of avid moviegoers flocked to the theatre until television emerged in the 1950s. The crowds waned and films shared the space with community productions.
By the 1980s, the Capitol Theatre had suffered from years of neglect. The ornate plasterwork had been painted industrial green, burlap sacks covered the stunning murals portraying the mythical phoenix bird, and a massive plywood wall blocked the stage. Some spoke of demolishing the building to provide additional parking. A few visionary citizens united the community in an ambitious $6.5 million project to restore the theatre and create the adjacent Bullen Center for other arts disciplines, and the co-located Thatcher-Young Mansion. As a result of this grass roots effort, the building was transferred to the City of Logan. A non-profit 501c3 organization the Capital Arts Association was created, later re-named the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, to manage and operate the theatre, under an agreement with the City of Logan. On Jan. 8, 1993, the Capitol Theatre was reopened and renamed the Ellen Eccles Theatre in honor of early Logan resident and philanthropist Ellen Stoddard Eccles. It is not owned by the Eccles family, although they certainly support it.
The Board of Trustees of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts employ a professional staff to operate, manage, and maintain the facility with funds from the City of Logan, Cache County, ticket sales, rentals, philanthropy etc. There is no plan to remodel the theatre to accommodate an organ, in fact after an architectural study it was determined to be extremely costly, and would compromise the existing improvements to the stage, and thus the idea was laid to rest.
The Utah Festival Opera Company is a partner in residence for the summer as it rents the theatre to present its excellent series of four operas in repertory. Several other local organizations also rent the theatre during traditional season, and the Ellen Eccles Theatre Presents season encompasses 14 to 15 touring productions, usually for two nights. The correct website for the facility is www.CenterForTheArts.us
I’ll comment directly to Jim by e-mail.
On May 28 I ceded my claim to the websites and gave them to the Allied Arts Council in St Joseph, as I had left there and moved to Logan Utah to the Ellen Eccles Theatre (formerly the Capitol). The new person in charge may take up the process, but has “parked” the domain names for now.
Call 816-233-0231 and ask for Theresa
I own and operate http://www.MissouriTheater.org I am the Executive Director of the Allied Arts Council. The City of St Joseph owns the theater and leases it to the various arts groups in town including the St Joseph Symphony, The Performing Arts Association, the Robidoux Resident Theatre and the American BarberBoys to name a few.
For a real insight into the mnind of Waylange Gregory – who did al the orhamental work – go to the MissouriTheater.org and read his letter prior to beginning work.
The Allied Arts COuncil and our member agencies consulted with the City in the $1.9MM renovation project completed March 2002. There are many photos of the work in progress linked theu the site to the Allied Arts Council site www.StJoeArs.org
Feel free to contact for more.
Wally Bloss
Executive Direcor
Allied Arts Council
The link to my website of the St. Joseph Mo Theatre from the Columbia site is in error. I have added a clarification on the St Joseph page listed above.
Wally Bloss
I am Wally Bloss, the Executive Director of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, which operates and manages the Ellen Eccles Theatre for its owner, the City of Logan, UT. My purpose is to expand and correct some of the information contained above.
In 1912, when the 800-seat Thatcher Opera House was destroyed by fire, George and Brigham Thatcher envisioned an ornate, first-class theatre to replace it.
The theatre they envisioned became reality later when the new Capitol Theatre opened on March 23, 1923. At the hefty price of $250,000, the beautiful new theatre boasted a fly system, excellent acoustics, and an opulent interior. Named for its rival in Salt Lake City, the Capitol Theatre contributed to the image of Logan as “the Athens of Utah†and for the next few decades it was at the heart of cultural activities in Cache Valley.
The beautiful structure was grand enough to attract the great entertainers: Abbot and Costello, John Philip Sousa, the Marx Brothers, and George Burns and Gracie Allen. Live performances shared the stage with films, which became dominant through the 1930s. Thousands of avid moviegoers flocked to the theatre until television emerged in the 1950s. The crowds waned and films shared the space with community productions.
By the 1980s, the Capitol Theatre had suffered from years of neglect. The ornate plasterwork had been painted industrial green, burlap sacks covered the stunning murals portraying the mythical phoenix bird, and a massive plywood wall blocked the stage. Some spoke of demolishing the building to provide additional parking. A few visionary citizens united the community in an ambitious $6.5 million project to restore the theatre and create the adjacent Bullen Center for other arts disciplines, and the co-located Thatcher-Young Mansion. As a result of this grass roots effort, the building was transferred to the City of Logan. A non-profit 501c3 organization the Capital Arts Association was created, later re-named the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, to manage and operate the theatre, under an agreement with the City of Logan. On Jan. 8, 1993, the Capitol Theatre was reopened and renamed the Ellen Eccles Theatre in honor of early Logan resident and philanthropist Ellen Stoddard Eccles. It is not owned by the Eccles family, although they certainly support it.
The Board of Trustees of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts employ a professional staff to operate, manage, and maintain the facility with funds from the City of Logan, Cache County, ticket sales, rentals, philanthropy etc. There is no plan to remodel the theatre to accommodate an organ, in fact after an architectural study it was determined to be extremely costly, and would compromise the existing improvements to the stage, and thus the idea was laid to rest.
The Utah Festival Opera Company is a partner in residence for the summer as it rents the theatre to present its excellent series of four operas in repertory. Several other local organizations also rent the theatre during traditional season, and the Ellen Eccles Theatre Presents season encompasses 14 to 15 touring productions, usually for two nights. The correct website for the facility is www.CenterForTheArts.us
I’ll comment directly to Jim by e-mail.
On May 28 I ceded my claim to the websites and gave them to the Allied Arts Council in St Joseph, as I had left there and moved to Logan Utah to the Ellen Eccles Theatre (formerly the Capitol). The new person in charge may take up the process, but has “parked” the domain names for now.
Call 816-233-0231 and ask for Theresa
Wally Bloss
I own and operate http://www.MissouriTheater.org I am the Executive Director of the Allied Arts Council. The City of St Joseph owns the theater and leases it to the various arts groups in town including the St Joseph Symphony, The Performing Arts Association, the Robidoux Resident Theatre and the American BarberBoys to name a few.
For a real insight into the mnind of Waylange Gregory – who did al the orhamental work – go to the MissouriTheater.org and read his letter prior to beginning work.
The Allied Arts COuncil and our member agencies consulted with the City in the $1.9MM renovation project completed March 2002. There are many photos of the work in progress linked theu the site to the Allied Arts Council site www.StJoeArs.org
Feel free to contact for more.
Wally Bloss
Executive Direcor
Allied Arts Council