Welcome to the Angelus Theatre Blog
Welcome to the Angelus Theater Blog — the home of all things theatre-related. Whether you come to the theatre for a live show, an interactive experience like Rock Band or Blues Jam, a concert, or to worship, we welcome you the historic Angelus Theatre in Spanish Fork Utah. In today’s blog post we are going back in time, to when the theatre was the latest addition to Spanish Fork, then a city with a population of about 4,500 people.
Early Theatre History
The doors to the Angelus Theatre opened Monday, September 9, 1912, and brought the magic of motion pictures to the city. Built at a cost of $14,000 it was a modern marvel for the small town.* Like many movie theatres across the nation, the theatre boasted a stage suitable for live shows and balcony seating, as well as the film screen. Because the technology for “talking pictures” had not yet been invented when the theatre opened, the films didn’t have synchronized sound. The plot and dialogue were shared with the audience through muted gestures, mime, and title cards, which had key plot elements and dialogue written out.
Going to the movies, however, wasn’t a silent affair. To provide sound effects and produce mood music, theaters incorporated an organ or piano to add to the experience, employing a theatre organist to play during the films. In larger cities, many theatres were designed with orchestra pits and had a complete orchestra on hand to play during the film. Admission price to see a film was about ten cents, but films were shorter then, so you were getting your money’s worth. In fact, it was 1913 that saw the first feature-length film, The Squaw Man, come out of Hollywood, which was of course accompanied by live music. Fun fact — popcorn came to movie theatres before feature-length films did. That’s right, you could enjoy popcorn with your comedy as early as 1912.
Today, when you stop by the Angelus Theatre, you can see a lovely piano collection, including a pianola piano, which we will highlight in an upcoming blog post. Summer evenings at the theatre are still a magical experience! Stop by the Angelus Theatre soon to enjoy a live show, a concert, or a jam session.
Upcoming Theatre Events
May 16th 6:00 PM & May 19th 10:00 AM
Auditions for “Barefoot in the Park” directed by Mark Shipley
Performances begin in July. Auditions held at the Angelus Theatre at 165 N Main St. in Spanish Fork, UT. For more information call 801-358-8134.
May 18th 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Students of Jessica Knight’s Music Studio will perform in their May concert. This event is open to the public. All ages welcome.
May 19th 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM
“Still Got a Song to Sing” This acoustic concert event features Emmy nominated, American Idol alum, singer/songwriter Shaun Barrowes and talented former One Voice Children’s Choir standout Brooke Bromley. Join us in celebrating life through old favorites, thought-provoking covers, Christ-centered songs and brand-new music written for this event. You’ve got to hear Shaun’s soaring vocals and brilliant piano arrangements alongside Brooke’s sultry alto and beautiful vocal interpretations. This is a perfect event for the whole family centered on finding hope and peace through difficult times.
Check out our EVENTS page to see what else is happening this month at the Angelus Theatre on Main Street in Spanish Fork. Follow us on Facebook! We hope to see you soon.
*For more information check out our History page. Facts for this blog post were taken from Wikipedia and Kidsworld’s Movie Theater History fact page.
