Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)
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Egyptian Theatre
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The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois.
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| Location | DeKalb, DeKalb County, Illinois |
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| Coordinates | 41°55′53″N 88°45′1″W / 41.93139°N 88.75028°WCoordinates: 41°55′53″N 88°45′1″W / 41.93139°N 88.75028°W |
| Built | 1928–29 |
| Architect | Elmer F. Behrns |
| Architectural style | Egyptian Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 78003100 |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 1978 |
The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due, in large part, to the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922. The theatre was added to the National Register in 1978 and its 1,430-seat auditorium is currently DeKalb County's largest.
The building was designed by architect Elmer F. Behrns, who had an interest in Egyptology. The interior and exterior architecture reflect Egyptian cultural symbols. Stained glass work exhibits designs such as Ra, the Egyptian sun god and the scarab, a sacred Egyptian symbol. The building was nearly demolished in the 1970s but a restoration effort led by Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET) saved the structure. Rumors have long surrounded the DeKalb Egyptian about secret messages hidden in the architecture and hauntings. While the theater maintains there are no hidden messages in the building the ghost stories have persisted throughout the years. The Egyptian Theatre operates a 42-week season with up to 125 events annually.
When the theatre opened, in 1929, it was one of many so-called Egyptian Theatres across the United States. Of those Egyptian theatres, the DeKalb theatre is one of a handful still standing as of 2004. In the original design, additional buildings were supposed to be attached to the existing building, but they were never built due to the stock market crash in late 1929. For instance, there was to be a hotel attached to the north side of the building. In its earliest days, the theatre specialized in silent films and live vaudevillian performances.
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