History of The Glenns Ferry Theatre

Gorby Opera House was built in 1914, originally for vaudeville stage acts, serving  train passengers that wanted something to do while the train took on water and coal. Dan Gorby was a wealthy young man who hired the prestigious firm of Tourtellote and Hummel to build what was then known as the Gorby Theater, completing it in 1914. Just 11 years later, his obituary announced he passed away at age 42 having become a “highly esteemed and beloved citizen”, “the funeral was the largest ever held in this part of the state.” In our view he was a rare visionary who saw beyond his time. And his legacy lives on.

Gorby’s building was constructed during the era of “movie palaces” that sprang up across the nation. At his theater, not only could vaudeville performers step off the train and step onto the stage, but as I dug through the theater archives, I found 2 newspaper clippings and a deteriorated poster advertising silent film. The Unwritten Law was a “a seven-part photo-drama” being shown at the Gorby Theater on May 26. The year of the paper is missing but the film came out in March of 1916 and was promoted heavily  as a “gripping story – intensely interesting”. Theater historian John Eickhof told me that in 1916 “silent movies of about 8-14 minutes were shown between vaudeville acts with manually operated projectors. At 65 minutes, Unwritten Law was epic for the times.”

Because of his talent and view of the possibilities, Gorby’s theater is important. Historically important as one of the oldest operating theaters in the state; aesthetically important because its architects also designed our state capital and the Egyptian Theater; socially important as reasonably priced entertainment serving rural communities; sentimentally important to volunteer casts who study and practice grueling hours for a chance to perform on stage

Sadly the theater fell to disrepair through the years but was still considered a jewel. With the effort of community volunteers, the Historic Opera Theatre reopened its doors June 4, 1994 for live stage productions. The theater retains its vibrant Mission style spirit with original hardwood floors, wood banisters, stairs, seats, and wall fans. The ambiance is completed with furniture from the historical period.

The theater hosts live summer theater May through August, a fall thriller in October and a holiday play in December. Educational classes, workshops for casts and crews, and a youth theater camp are scheduled throughout the year. For more information about upcoming events, visit our calendar page.