*When:* 7 p.m. Monday
*Where:* Missouri Theatre
*Tickets:* $10 adult, $6 children
*Doors:* 6 p.m., show: 7 p.m.
When the Missouri Theatre first opened its doors Oct. 4, 1928, an ad in the Columbia Daily Tribune promised, “The magnificent splendor of the place of amusement will dazzle and thrill you.” Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and filmmaker Samuel Goldwyn sent the theater management congratulatory telegrams. Pipe organ music and dancers complemented the feature picture, “Steamboat Bill Jr.” It was a spectacle, according to Marie C. Sloan in her book, “Missouri Theatre: Visions of the Past and Future.”
Eighty-four years later, the theater looks better than ever, special events coordinator Sarah Powers says in an email interview. Designed by the Kansas City architectural firm of the Boller Brothers, the theater was originally a venue for vaudevillian performances and silent movie showings, according to the special events services website. Now, the theater provides a location for receptions, fundraisers, ballet performances, orchestra concerts, rock concerts, comedy shows and movie screenings, Powers says.
However, at 7 p.m. this Monday, the theater will return to its roots to celebrate its 84th birthday by showing the original 1929 silent film version of “The Phantom of the Opera.”
“I’ve heard a lot of patrons fondly remember attending movie screenings at the theater, so we thought we could restore that tradition and create new memories for younger generations,” Powers says. “The film will be accompanied by a live organ player, which will make for a uniquely entertaining experience.”
Through the years, the Missouri Theatre has undergone a number of changes from ownership to renovations — most notably when the Missouri Symphony Society bought the theater in 1987. A few of the renovations include the addition of the rooftop patio, concession stands and office suites. In 2011, MU began operating the theater.
The theater management hopes to host more screenings like Monday’s “Phantom” in the future if it’s successful, Powers says.
Tickets for “The Phantom of the Opera” are available at the Missouri Theatre Box Office, open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; by phone at 573-882-3781; or online at concertseries.org.