Lewiston's city-owned theater a nostalgia trip, all the way back to 'The Gay Divorcee'

By Stevie Stewart

April 23, 2007 | LEWISTON -- Taking the road less traveled also proves to be less expensive for movie-goes in Cache Valley. The added nostalgia is said to be well-worth the journey as town-owned theaters are rare nowadays.

Taking a date to the movies is no longer considered a cheap date. For a night out, tickets, drinks and popcorn commonly cost couples in excess of $30. But if you don't mind traveling 30 miles North of Logan, the trip on a less-beaten path could cost you as little as $10 for a movie and all the trimmings. Tickets to shows are only $2 each and all concessions are under $1.50.

The Lewiston Community Theater is a small movie house within the Lewiston City Hall. The 70-year-old theater is operated and owned by the city of Lewiston, and after significant research failed to turn up any others, it appears Lewiston may have the only municipally owned movie theater in Utah. After calls were made to each of the Chambers of Commerce in counties across the state, 29 phone conversations concluded that Lewiston has the only known town-owned theater remaining in Utah.

Years ago, most towns had their own theaters, but have since closed up shop due to privately owned theaters saturating the market.

Lewiston's citizens try to keep the town as small and personable as possible. There are still historians throughout the town who create a history account of the town each year. According to the town history book from 1935, which was discovered in the town's library, the current theater was finished in August of 1935. The movie-theater was built to replace the Lewiston Opera House, which burned down on Christmas Eve in 1934.

The first tickets to the theater cost adults 10 cents, and children could get in for a nickel. Virginia VanOrden, one of the town's most well-known citizens and historians, said she remembered the first movie in the theater, The Gay Divorcee with Ginger Rogers.

"It's not that I remember movies that well," VanOrden said. "I just remember how excited I was to see Ginger Rogers."

VanOrden said the old opera house was a vital part of the community. She said as a young lady, she remembers going dancing and listening to bands play at the opera house.

"It was over six months that we had to go without any entertainment while the movie house was being built," VanOrden said. "It was a packed house opening night."

Since entering the community, the theater that originally cost $56,000 to build, has vowed to show clean entertainment. VanOrden said she doesn't remember a single R-rated movie coming to the theater.

"Lewiston is different that other towns. Parents still send their kids to the movies alone and don't have to worry about what they will see," VanOrden said.

For over two decades, Rosie and Jay Williams have operated the theater for the city and both say it is a joy for them to do so.

"I love seeing the regulars that come to the theater. They don't realize how vital their attendance is to the continuity (of the theater)," Rosie said.

Alyson Hall is the council member that oversees the productivity of the theater. She said the city tries to keep prices down to attract people to the theater, but it is costly to bring newer movies into a small theater. Hall said the theater has been running in the negative for the past few years.

"I will do everything I can to keep the theater in business, "Hall said. "If we lost it, Lewiston would suffer greatly. This is a cornerstone in our town."

Hall explained that in Logan, ticket prices are higher and more people attend, so it is easy for the big theaters to spend money on newly released films. She said since Lewiston's theater does not generate much revenue it is hard to get movies that have just been released from Hollywood.

Rosie Williams echoed Hall in saying she tries to get movies before they are on video but she usually gets them just after they have appeared in Logan.

Rosie says Lewiston is just a hop, skip and a jump from Logan and is worth the visit. She said towns and theaters like this one are hard to find. People in Cache Valley need to appreciate the authenticity of such a quiet and nostalgic theater, Rosie said.

"If people want the theater to stay open, they just have to wait a couple of weeks to see a movie and come here to see it," Rosie said. The theater will can only run as long as it continues to get support through attendance."

The Lewiston Community Theater is open Friday, Saturday and Monday nights. For a list of movies now playing, vist: http://www.lewiston-ut.org/movie.html

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