My City's Historic Movie Theatre

While I am a Pennsylvania gal by virtue of my family heritage (5 or more generations from Pittsburgh on most of my lines) and a Florida gal by virtue of having moved there after high school and staying for over 20 years, at the present time, I am a Boise, Idaho, gal.  Except for the fact that it is too far north (too cold in late fall, winter, and early spring), too far west (a long way from our loved ones), and too far from the ocean for this beach-lovin' gal, Boise really is a nice place to live.  We've got a beautiful capitol building, incredible parks with paved walking paths, hot/dry summers, a top-20 college football team, relatively little crime, and venues which allow us to take in Broadway plays (like Wicked, My Fair Lady, and, in April, Beauty and the Beast) and fantastic concerts (like Chicago, Jimmy Buffett, George Strait, and Carrie Underwood). Add to all that, we have a lovely historic movie theatre---the Egyptian---which will be airing this film tomorrow night.

The Egyptian has been in Boise since 1927.  In the 30's, it was known as the Fox, and in the 40's, the Ada (Boise is in Ada County), but since the 70's, it has been known by its original name, the Egyptian.  Groups rent it out for concerts, films, and other events.  I have never been there before, but I am definitely going to take in the masterpiece, Casablanca, tomorrow evening.  Yes, I saw it on the big screen during its 70th anniversary celebration back in March, but that will pale in comparison to seeing it on the big screen at this historic theatre.

By the way, in 1943, the beloved Jimmy Stewart was an Army Air Corp instructor at Gowen Field here in Boise.  The Egyptian Theatre states on their website that during his stay here, Jimmy played the organ for the theatre's silent film showings.  I would assume he also saw some films at the theatre, and since he was here in 1943 and since Casablanca was released in 1943, he may very well have seen it there.  Imagine that...taking in a blockbuster film in the same theatre where Jimmy Stewart might have seen it.  With the exception of the website address, things might have looked exactly like this back in 1943!

Boise Classic Movies is the group sponsoring the showing of the film, and as I have recently discovered, they put on a film at the Egyptian once or twice a month.  Their idea really is ingenious---yet simple---and since it's something I think many of you might like to organize in your own city, I will share the concept in another post.

And by the way, if any of y'all live close enough to Boise to attend this showing, I would love to meet up with you there.