Keokuk is preparing to celebrate the centennial of the Grand Theatre.
It opened in 1925, a time when Calvin Coolidge was president, The Great Gatsby was published, and the Charleston was all the rage on dance floors.
The Grand Theatre was built to replace another entertainment venue, the Keokuk Opera House, which dated back to 1880.
“In 1923, on December 7th, it burnt to the ground right after a production,” said Dianne Stanley, the theater manager.
“And the businessmen in this town decided that we had to have a big live theater in Keokuk, and so by January of ’25 it was built.”
She said the Grand was built on the stones of the old opera house. At the time, the Grand had the largest stage in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River.
Stanley said the theater was built for live productions.
“We have hemp ropes up there if you can see those. So, all of our scenery is flown from up there in the fly,” Stanley said.
The fly is the system used to lift, or fly, scene sets from the stage into a space above the stage.
100 years of love
The Grand Theatre opened in January of 1925. But Stanley and Janice Lindner, chair of the city’s Grand Theatre Commission, said they waited until August to hold the celebration because the weather in January makes it a somewhat unpredictable time in Iowa.
Now, they’ll be able to hold some celebration events outside, such as a ribbon cutting ceremony at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 22 in front of the Grand, 22 N. 6th St.
Lindner said the events will also include the final three performances by the group 3 D’s & B. The shows inside the theater will feature music and dance numbers highlighting each decade in the life of the 100-year old Grand.
“It is all done with local talent. Singers and dancers,” Lindner said.
The shows will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 22 and 23, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24. Tickets are $20.
The name of the show is “100 Years of Love.”
They will also hold a silent auction on Friday and Saturday evenings. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday so people can take a look at the silent auction items. Bids will be accepted through intermission each night.
“Most of these items are all Keokuk Grand keepsakes. Think of portraits, photography, and jewelry,” Lindner said.
A VIP Cabaret event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Knights of Columbus, 11 N. 6th St. Tickets are $50 and include admission to the 3 D’s & B show.
Also as part of the celebration, the Keokuk Walldogs have been working on a mural that will be hung on the alley side of the theater.
Maintaining and preserving the theater
Stanley said there have been a few times through the past century when people talked about tearing down the Grand Theatre.
But city leaders and others always raised the money to keep it open.
“A lot of people have dedicated large portions of their lives and pocketbooks in order to keep it as beautiful as it is,” she said.
Stanley said the Grand is a piece of Keokuk’s history.
The theater is built in an art deco style. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling. It has a double balcony. Altogether, it seats 753 people.
It has eight dressing rooms downstairs, and dressing rooms on either side of the stage.
Through the years, the theater hosted live productions. And for several decades, it was a movie theater.
Now, the theater is available for rentals, such as dance recitals and concerts. In addition, Stanley said the Iowa Supreme Court has heard cases there and weddings have been held in the theater.
The city owns the theater. Lindner said a foundation works with the city commission she chairs to seek grants for paying for the upkeep. The next big project is a new air conditioning system.
Stanley and a custodian are the only paid employees. Otherwise, it is maintained and operated by volunteers, and it’s a labor of love for Stanley, who’s been involved with all aspects of theater for her entire life.
“But I don’t want to be on stage anymore. My ego doesn’t require it,” she said with a laugh.
Lindner and Stanley hope the community will continue to love the Grand Theatre, and work to maintain and preserve it for the next 100 years.
“We’re very proud. Everybody here in Keokuk is proud of our historic theater,” Lindner said.
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