Historical Missouri Theater, a $1,000,000 1200 seat "Movie Palace" opened in 1927, residents had watched the construction for over a year of the extravagant "open air playhouse" while listing to bizarre stories of the exotic sculpture inside the building done by 20 year old Wayland Gregory. Publix Theatre Corporation, a division of Paramount, owned the gala theatre.
The road of ownership was long and rocky for the first 50 years, the building still structurally sound, had fallen into a sad state of neglect.
In 1976 a non-profit Town Hall Center, Inc, was organized by a group interested in saving the theater from demolition or conversion into a multi-cinema facility. It was their intention that the theater-serve a broad number of community purposes. Following a massive educational campaign the electorate of St Joseph voted a bond for the purchase and renovation of the theater as a city center for the performing arts. The City of St Joseph purchased the property as a city center for the performing arts in 1978.
The Missouri Theater's unique structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, as the citizens of St Joseph refused to allow destruction of one of the country's few examples of Hollywood-Oriental style. A $1.9 million renovation project was completed in 2002.
Considered to be one of the four finest theaters in the United States, this Morrish style building features include a huge Bedouin tent ceiling and many sculptures including winged bulls, gods, and archers in combat.
Theatre employees last week saved the Theatre from a disaster, when a slow burning fire was discovered in a 100-year old grand piano that had been pushed against three electrical panels.
Thanks to the St Joseph community the Missouri Theater proudly lifts its curtain as the center of our diverse arts community.
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