History of the Crystal Theatre

Crystal Theatre was originally built as a vaudeville/movie theatre in 1927. It was first called the EJAY after its owner E.J. Bregger, a local man with a love of the arts. In an auditorium seating of 820, area residents enjoyed traveling vaudeville acts and silent films with live theatre organ accompaniment.

Late in the 40’s, Bregger sold the theatre to the Delft movie chain, which, in turn, sold it to Aldo Zaupa. The Aldo Theatre showed movies through the 1970’s until it closed in the early 1980’s.

In 1989, a group of visionary volunteers with an appreciation for both history and the performing arts accepted the challenge of restoring the theatre to its original grandeur. During the process, a vintage Möller pipe organ was purchased and installed to replace the original organ which had been sold earlier.The restored Crystal Theatre opened its doors fittingly in the spring of 1991 with a Forest Park drama production of Our Town. Today, Crystal Theatre hosts a wide variety of entertainment.

Artists often marvel at the purity of the acoustics, which many modern theaters cannot match. The current vision of the nine-member board of directors is to engage the extended community in the performing arts, making Crystal Theatre the first choice venue.

Theatre Board and Staff

Crystal Theatre Board
Wilma Kallies, President
Chuck Blum, Vice President
Ruth Warmanen, Secretary
Heidi Curtis, Treasurer
Beth Nelson
Betty Soderberg
Bob Quinney and Chuck Blum, Volunteer Coordinators
Marissa Burke
Jim Visintainer

Ex-officio Board Members
Gloria Fredrickson
Paul Dalpra
Charlie Sandstrom

Staff

Kristin Underhill, Managing Director manager@thecrystaltheatre.org

Jim Visintainer Stage Manager