2008 Woodie Awards
Rock like an Egyptian
SHERIKA MARTINEZ
Culture Writer
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Culture
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Designed by Tourtellotte & Hummell and built by the J.O. Jordan & Son, it opened up for business in April of 1927 and has brought a little culture to Boise ever since.
Interestingly enough, the Egyptian was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 21, 1974 where it then changed hands and was sold to the Boise Redevelopment Agency on Sept. 1, 1975 and then resold in June 1977 to Earl Hardy, a Boise businessman. Throughout 1978 and 1979, Hardy used personal funds and preservation grants to fix the place up and address code liabilities. Hardy then established the Hardy Foundation, Inc., which now owns the building. The Egyptian Theatre Company conducts the operation of the building.
Located on the corner of Main and 7th Street (now Capitol Boulevard), the Egyptian has presided over Boise downtown nightlife for years under many different names.
Known as the Fox in the 1930s, the ADA in the 1940s and the Egyptian in the late 70s, it is the last of the downtown single screen theaters. But unlike the Pinney, the Rio, the Rialto, the Strand, the Grand and the Majestic, the Egyptian has outlasted them all and is now reinventing itself as not only a theater, but also a venue.
Spokesperson for the Hardy Foundation, Gregory Kaslo illustrated the burgeoning excitement of the new venture the of Egyptian when he said, “We have a great location in the heart of downtown and this is a place where people have always been able to assemble and get together. We’re broadening our horizons now and frankly, we’re really excited about it.”
He should be, with a 750 seat capacity, new sound and lighting equipment as well as new staging, the Egyptian is expanding and redefining the role of the theater.
Theater Manager, Zane McGinley is paving the way for this new venture, “If I concentrate on live events, I can bring in more shows and a wider variety of entertainment.”
And they have been doing just that. This past Tuesday they had Everton Blender, a big-name Reggae band play a live performance in the theater with ethnic food and a variety of beer served to those who desired it.
People danced in the aisles and had a blast in this rather non-traditional use of the theater.
The Idaho Film Festival is hosted there, along with the Flicks and Edwards Boise Downtown Stadium 9. That just scratches the surface.
“We host everything from comedians, motivational speakers, fashion shows, business meetings, we did the mayoral debate, we also have the Cabin Literary Society bringing in authors and Idaho Opera is going to be putting on some shows. We’re even trying to get a satellite so we can show the BSU away games,” McGinley said.
Upcoming events include Curtis Stigers on Oct. 2, Nick Lowe on Oct. 4 and the widely anticipated world premiere of “I Gotta be Better than Keanu,” a film directed by Boise local Jeff Rowe.
Needless to say, the Egyptian has a lot to offer, whether you want to go there and party or marvel at the age of the building and the authenticity of the Egyptian decorations.
Or take a tour of the network of creepy tunnels that run underneath and through it. Regardless, the Egyptian has something for everyone: history, uniqueness and an excuse to rock like an Egyptian.
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