The Egyptian Theatre celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. (See story on page B-1.)
And the party has already begun, said theater manager and director Randy Barton.
“We started last month a day after Christmas with a run of Park City Cirque shows (presented by the Great DuBois),” he said. “That’s a new show that we hope will become a yearly tradition.”
This past weekend, Grammy Award-winning singer Sheena Easton took the stage, and blues-rock band The Record Company will perform three nights, starting Thursday, Barton said.
“That’s a big way to kick things off,” he said. “We’re also looking ahead to Fitz and the Tantrums and KT Tunstall, as well as others, because we’re working to add more throughout the year.”
For the first time since the Sundance Film Festival began in 1981, the Egyptian Theatre will not serve as a film venue this year, but that doesn’t mean the space will forgo all festival programming, according to Barton.
“We will be true to ourselves and present live performances during the evening and host a panel discussion that will be announced soon,” he said.
The two live performances will be Devotchka on Jan. 23-25 and comedian Bill Engvall on Jan. 29-Feb. 1, Barton said.
“Devotchka, who did the music to the Sundance film ‘Little Miss Sunshine,’ is coming back with that film as part of the Park City Legacy series tribute,” he said. “We’ve partnered with Sundance and are going to hire the band to perform.”
Barton looks forward to the award-winning Engvall, who lives in Park City.
“Bill is the biggest act we’ve ever had, and he’s agreed to give us four nights during the second week of Sundance,” he said.
The Sundance Film Festival events are just a part of the Egyptian Theatre’s special programming Barton has planned.
“We’re going to really kick things off during the Miners Day weekend in September,” he said. “The idea is to invite the whole town to City Park for a party the day before Miners Day.”
Signs that denote the decades of the Egyptian Theatre back to the 1920s will be set up throughout the park, according to Barton.
“Whether you’re a family who moved in or a business that started during one of the decades, we’ll honor you and have you stand by the corresponding signs,” he said. “And we’ll incorporate those honors during the Miners Day parade the next day.”
On Oct. 10, the Egyptian Theatre will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Park City Players, which called the home during the 1970s, Barton said.
“We’re still working on scheduling some big and special guests for that night,” he said.
The year-long party will culminate with a celebration on Christmas, Barton said.
“That’s the day the theater officially opened in 1926,” he said. “So, we’re planning a big birthday bash that we’ll announce later.”
The Egyptian Theatre 100th anniversary year schedule so far
More performances and events will be added in the coming months
January
16-18 — The Ocean Blue
17 — Teen Conservatory: “A Chorus Line”
23-25 — Devotchka: Tribute to the Music of “Little Miss Sunshine”
29-Feb. 1 — Bill Engvall
February
4-7— Fitz and the Tantrums
12-14 — Sister Hazel
18-22 — Ziegfeld Theater Company: “Cabaret”
27-28 — Mason Jennings
March
1 — Devon Allman’s Blues Summit
4-7 — KT Tunstall
11-15 — American Crossroads Theatre: ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — The Musical”
19-22 — 10,000 Maniacs
27-29 — Red Hot Chilli Pipers (Bagpipe band)
April
2-4 — Ruthie Foster
8-12 — Ziegfeld Theater Company: “The Prom”
May
7-9 — Pablo Cruise
21-23 — An Evening with Iris Dement
28-30 — Keller Williams & The Keels
June
3-7 — Ziegfeld Theater Company: “Something Rotten!”
July
8-12 — Ziegfeld Theater Company: “Frozen — The Live Musical”
15-18 — Russell Thompkins Jr. and The New Stylistics
August
28-30 — Pure Prairie League
For more information, visit parkcityshows.com.