Rialto Theater
422 S. 3rd Avenue,
Villisca,
IA
50864
422 S. 3rd Avenue,
Villisca,
IA
50864
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The Rialto Theatre opened on December 27, 1929 with Conrad Nagel in “Dynamite”. It had closed in summer of 2023 when it was awaiting restoration. That never happened and it was demolished in August 2024. The vertical name sign was saved to be reused on a replacement building.
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Here is part of a March 1994 article from the Malvern (IA) Leader:
When the Rialto Theater closed in 1973, Villisca civic and business leaders formed Villisca
Theater Inc., a non-profit organizaton dedicated to keeping the facility open. Pat Shipley, current president of Villisca Theater Inc., explains, “The Rialto had been a mainstay since 1939. Without the intervention of our organization, the facility would have been abandoned.”
Volunteers have enlarged the stage, added an orchestra pit and lightboard, painted and
repainted, installed a new heating and air conditioning system, and carpeted. “Additionally, a youth, working on his Eagle Scout badge, raised money to renovate the art deco theater marquee.” She explains. This now serves as a community billboard. The mission of the theater expanded, she continued. “It became a venue for live theater in southwest Iowa.”
The theater is used by others, including the school and the local dance studio. Villisca Theater Inc. now invites outside entertainment. “We’ve booked a magician, barbershop chorus, Iowa State University’s Dance Revue and the Simpson College choir.” she notes. “We see the facility providing live entertainment that had not been available in the area in the past.”
The Rialto opened its doors on December 27, 1929 with “Dynamite” (unclear if any short subjects were added).
Currently closed awaiting restoration. Facebook page for the non-profit organization below. Last post was June 2023.
https://www.facebook.com/p/Rialto-Theater-in-Villisca-100057232068850/
Hopefully they’ll pull that repulsive sheet metal off.
Theater and the rest of that half block were demolished this August. They saved the vertical part of the sign, and will ‘rebuild’. Doubtless a cheap metal shed or something similar.
The theater was a remodel of the Wycoff building, which was constructed between 1893 and 1899. There were two stores, and the streetview will still show the old cast iron entry at the rear for the northern storefront, which wrapped around in an ‘L’. It appears that the cheap sheet metal trash was installed to replace a vitrolite front.