page_title: Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois) / History
caption_attribution_description: Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb, Illinois. National Register of Historic Places.
context_page_description: The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due, in large part, to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The theatre was added to the National Register in 1978 and its 1,430-seat auditorium is currently DeKalb County's largest.
  The building was designed by architect Elmer F. Behrns, who had an interest in Egyptology. The interior and exterior architecture reflect Egyptian cultural symbols. Stained glass work exhibits designs such as Ra, the Egyptian sun god and the scarab, a sacred Egyptian symbol. The building was nearly demolished in the 1970s but a restoration effort led by Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre saved the structure. Rumors have long surrounded the DeKalb Egyptian about secret messages allegedly hidden in the architecture and as well as ghost hauntings. While the theater maintains there are no hidden messages in the building the ghost stories have persisted throughout the years.
context_section_description: When the theatre opened in 1929, it was one of many so-called Egyptian Theatres across the United States. Of those Egyptian theatres, the DeKalb theatre is one of a handful still standing as of 2019. In the original design, additional buildings were supposed to be attached to the existing building, but they were never built due to the stock market crash in late 1929. For instance, there was to be a hotel attached to the north side of the building. In its earliest days, the theatre specialized in silent films and live vaudevillian performances.
  As decades passed, the theatre became more focused on film presentations and remained so throughout the 1940s, '50s and '60s. By the 1970s the theatre was in disrepair, and its plaster walls were crumbling. The owner handed the theatre over to the city of DeKalb. In 1978 a group of citizens banded together to restore and save the Egyptian. When the Egyptian was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the group, Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET), qualified for a $2.3 million grant from the state of Illinois. This money allowed the restoration of the theatre to begin. It was estimated at that time that $3.5 million was needed to completely restore the theatre. Due to the shortfall, there were many projects that had to be cut, including adding air conditioning which the building never had, and still does not have.
  As of 2007, the theatre is operated and staffed by PET. A non-profit organization, PET was formed in 1978 to save the theatre from destruction. Since the 1980s restoration the theatre has been host to a variety of films and events. The current marquee is the fourth to adorn the theatre; it was installed during the 1982 restoration.
  The DeKalb Egyptian has a 42-week season during which it features around 125 events annually. The Egyptian's season is cut short by the hot northern Illinois summers; the theatre has no air conditioning. In 2006 more than thirty professional groups plus student organizations and university departments from nearby Northern Illinois University used the theatre. 
  Many notable performers have appeared at the Egyptian Theatre including Journey with Cheap Trick (from Rockford) (1977), R.E.M. (1984), Los Lobos (1994), Tori Amos (1994), Gaelic Storm (2003), Umphrey's McGee (2008), Frank Turner (2010), The Wonder Years (2011), Aaron Carter (2013), Rick Springfield (2013), and comedian Lewis Black (2015).
  In January 2019 Executive Director Alex Nerad announced that the theater would undergo a $5.5 million renovation, including adding air-conditioning to protect the historical integrity of the building and alterations to meet the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Theatre officials plan to re-open in 2020.
caption: The current marquee is the fourth to adorn the building. It was installed in 1982.
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