Electric Theater

History

The Electric Theater was built in 1911 and was among the first motion-picture houses in southern Utah, constructed with thick adobe walls that suited the climate long before air conditioning existed.

The name is a period marker rather than a description. In the first years of cinema the electricity was the novelty as much as the film — 'Electric Theatre' was a common name for early picture houses across the country, chosen when a brightly lit room was itself worth advertising in a town still largely lit by lamp.

The venue today

After a full restoration completed in 2015, the City of St. George reopened the building as a cornerstone of the downtown arts district. It now provides theater space, classrooms and studios supporting local visual and performing arts groups and emerging artists, and hosts live music, theater and community productions by both resident and visiting organizations.

Reuse of this kind is the exception rather than the rule for early cinemas. Most were demolished or subdivided decades ago, because a single large room with a sloped floor is awkward to convert to anything else — which is precisely what makes it well suited to going back to performance.

Planning your visit

The theater is at 68 E Tabernacle St in downtown St. George, a block off Main. Schedules vary by the group performing, so check with the presenting organization or the City of St. George for show times and tickets.

Worth reading alongside this: St. George's arts scene and historic downtown St. George.