Show Historic theater reopens in Magna Tyler Thomsen Contributing Writer The historic Empress in Magna closed for business over over 40 years ago But the Oquirrh Hills Performing Arts Alliance renovated the theold theold theold old movie theater to reopen to the public earlier this month The Empress originally opened in 1911 as a burlesque hall for the miners at It was later converted into a movie theater In the and 3 Os the theater was the place for residents of the West Valley and Magna area to catch a film on the big screen My brother used to deliver handbills for the Empress on his horse when were we-were younger were younger said 85 year-old year Bonnie from West Valley said that she and her late husband went ort on a date to the Empress in r 1 1939 The couple watched the classic Gone with the t 1 I. I t p J J. J t L. L 1 Ii r J n t r iI mJ dJ 1 H r. r h. h tom 0 i The fhe newly resurrected Empress Theater adds an artistic Wind doors to the public c more The Empress shut its than 40 years ago and in the vibe to Magna l Leo Ware purchased the piece of Magna and Photo Courtesy The Empress r history spent most of his time remodeling the only building in town on the National Historic Register Regist r Ware Vare gutted the Empress to the bare Walls falls and began to rebuild the inside in inthe inthe inthe the hopes of reopening the theater to the public a 3 second time During the vast remodeling project an accident incapacitated Ware and the theater would remain closed until this year yea The headed uj u iby i by real estate investor Rod set out to reopen the theater and many volunteers worked for months on finishing the work that Ware started After hundreds of hours of hard work and over in expenses the theater was t reopened ned ron on to the public Nov 3 Magna and W West sf Valley residents are excited about the possibilities of reopening of the theater t f r hone hooe this will revitalize Old theater I Continued on Page 3 Reopening of old Theater Continued from Page 1 the area and get people there said Magna resident Stephanie Draper The opening of the theater comes only a year after the county's renovation of Magnas Magna's Main Street where the newly restored Empress rests Along with remodeling the Empress the changed the theaters theater's purpose Instead of showing films on the silver screen the thc theater will be a venue for live theater The new floor plan is similar to the Hale tale Center Theater The three- three sided seating surrounds the theaters theater's round stage The grand opening with a ribbon cutting was held on Friday Nov 10 Forever Plaid became first show to tobe tobe tobe be performed at the Empress and it will run through November The theater plans to show The Rented Christmas Christinas in December Performances are arc held every Monday Thursday Friday y and Saturday |