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Lewis and Clark 200  >>  Montana  >>  Glasgow  >>  Fun  >>  Theatre  >>  Fort Peck Summer Theatre

Fort Peck Summer Theatre Glasgow, Montana Location:    PO Box 973 Glasgow 59230 406-526-3534 This web page has had 2678 unique visitors. fpst@nemontel.net Description: Standing majestically atop Montana’s prairies, the Fort Peck Theatre is one of the state’s grandest treasures. Built as a temporary structure in 1934, its beauty and solid construction have weathered 68 years. Today, it is a living, vital part of life for residents and visitors alike. Enjoyed first by people building Fort Peck Dam, the Theatre has played host to live weekend entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening at 8:88pm every summer since 1970. This year is no exception.Oliver opens the 2002 season on June 14 playing through July 7, followed by South Pacific presented from July 12 to August 4 and Arsenic and Old Lace from August 9 to September 1. Limited runs of Greater Tuna on Thursday evenings will be added to the schedule. All performances begin at 8pm. Reserved seating is available by calling the box office. General seating is available for most performances. Dress is casual.Each season’s company is lead by professional performers and technicians and a host of regional performers of all ages. The season is produced by the Fort Peck Fine Arts Council, Inc., a group of volunteers who dedicate a countless number of hours to ensure the quality and the success of each endeavor.The Fort Peck Theatre opened as a movie house on Friday, November 16, 1934, showing the Richest Girl in the World, starring Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea. During “The Dam Days”, movies ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week, often with every one of the 1,209 seats full. People sometimes stood in lines seven blocks long to purchase tickets. The adult admission price was 40 cents on the main floor and 30 cents in the balcony. Children attended for a dime. During this time, over 50,000 people lived in and around Fort Peck and an evening at the movies was a special event for young and old.An interesting look back to this time is the display of the 35mm carbon-rod projector displayed in the Theatre lobby. The Theatre’s second and identical projector is on loan to the Pioneer Museum in Glasgow. The Theatre was built with a Vaudeville type stage, four dressing rooms and a lighting system. Forty years later, the stage was extended to meet the needs of live performances.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed and constructed the Theatre in 1934 in less than nine months. It was a labor intensive project, integrating the New Deal arts and crafts tradition with a Swiss chalet motif. Decorative appointments - inside and out - are elaborate. Notable are the light fixtures and the massive, wooden beams overhead in the auditorium. The light fixtures were hand built, right down to the glass and metal strapping, created in the local Corps of Engineers shops. Each hand hewn beam is nearly two feet thick and 74 feet long. The original weather vane on the roof draws travelers to the Theatre and the four light posts at the entrance are the only original lights remaining in the town of Fort Peck.During the 1960’s, many changes occurred at Fort Peck, including the demolition and removal of buildings and homes. At that time, a group of local people feared that the Theatre would fall victim to demolition as well. From this concern grew a desire to save the building by making it productive again. To achieve this goal, The Fort Peck Fine Arts Council, Inc. was born and it has cared for the building ever since, owning it since 1987. Acknowledging the significance of this Montana Treasure, the Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.Working with a logical and careful plan for restoration and preservation, the building is returning to its originalgrandeur. In 1995, the exterior was painted, restoring the deep brown color to the walls and the vivid accents in yellow, blue and green that first greeted movie goers in 1934. Many other large projects have been completed: * rotted wood was replaced * the neon sign was rebuilt * electrical components were replaced  * an additional fire exit was added * a new roof was installed last yearToday, the Fort Peck Theatre stands ready to entertain another generation. Under the care of dedicated volunteers and loyal supporters, its beauty is restored and it remains an important part of Montana life.