Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Images of the Past: History Of The State Theater

Sioux Falls State Theatre

In The Moment … December 14, 2020 Show 960 Hour 2

When the State Theater opened in Sioux Falls in 1926, it was instantly a top-tier venue for both movies and live performances. Built with unusually ornate architecture and a Wurlitzer theater organ, it had the look and feel of the big-city movie palaces of the day. It had a good run, but by the 1980s, it was clear that the State Theater couldn't compete with shopping mall multi-plex theaters offering more modern amenities. The theater closed in 1991 after 65 years of operation, but a citizens group set out to restore the old theater and that work is nearly finished. The State Theater is once again open for business.

Guest: Allison Weiland, Sioux Falls State Theater Executive Director.

Find the In the Moment Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Google Play. Plus, watch interviews from our show on YouTube.