The Egyptian Theatre returns

The Egyptian Theatre. Photo: Courtesy of the Egyptian Theatre

PARK CITY, Utah — After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, the Egyptian Theatre is returning with Park City Follies this weekend.

Dan Radford, Marketing Director at the Egyptian, credits their success through the pandemic to Pharoah members. He said they have a “ride or die” relationship with the theater.

Pharaohs are a social group made up of couples and individuals that support the Theatre. You can check out the sponsorship levels here.

Parkites are excited to get back to the bright lights — all Park City Follies shows are sold out for the full nine-day run.

Follies is the theatre’s annual lampoon of all things Park City. It showcases an all-local cast.

Radford said all theatre staff are fully vaccinated and will be masked. Patrons are not required to wear a mask or be vaccinated.

During their “COVID vacation,” the theatre completed a solar renewable energy project.

Roughly 30 percent of the theatre’s energy usage now comes from 64 solar panels on the roof.

The project was made possible by a $53, 543 Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky program grant.

“We’re thrilled to enhance our town’s renewable energy projects. By generating our own energy, we’ll free up more of our budget to focus on enriching lives through the performing arts. We love and care about our world and our community and want to do our part in creating a sustainable future” said Jenn Silva, Director of Operations at The Egyptian. “We appreciate the support from Blue Sky customers who made this project possible.”

You can view the full schedule of events here.

The Egyptian’s history goes way back.

In the late 1800s, the Park City Opera House was located near the current Egyptian Theatre site.

In June 1898, a fire roared downhill from the American Hotel and quickly consumed most of the town, including the Opera House.

In an effort to restore live theatre to Park City, the Dewey Theatre soon opened its doors in 1899 on the site of what is now the Egyptian Theatre. The Dewey remained a popular cultural center until its roof collapsed because of record-breaking snow in 1916.

In 1922, new construction began on the site of the old Dewey Theatre. Influenced by the recent discovery of King Tut’s tomb, The Egyptian Theatre opened on Christmas Day, 1926.