State theater reopens after pandemic, repairs
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Prior to weather damage, the Mound City State Theater’s façade towered over the building. Wind blew the theater’s façade onto its roof, causing significant damage.
MOUND CITY, Mo. — In March 2020, the COVID-19 health crisis forced the Mound City State Theater to cancel the remainder of its 2019-2020 season and later that month, wind blew the upper façade into the theater’s roof causing significant exterior damage including holes in the roof, water damage and much more.
But after repairs and a lot of help from the community, the theater has begun reopening for various events.
Susan Miller, president of the State Theater Arts Council, told The Forum it’s that income from season ticketholders and ticket sales that perpetuates the theater’s ability to bring shows to the theater and pay for utilities.
Because the council had to cancel the end of the 2019-2020 season and the entire 2020-2021 season, the theater did not receive this income.
The theater reached out to the community for help, Miller mentioned.
Members of the community held fundraisers, sent donations and volunteered to clean the theater.
“If it wasn’t for the tremendous support of our community members and businesses,” Miller stated, “the theater wouldn’t survive.”
Some of the donations were used to purchase a new movie screen and projector. In May, the theater used this asset to show a movie to children from the elementary school.
This allows the theater to screen older films that would have been shown at the location when it was a movie theater.
Community members are excited about the theater’s new ability. They have already submitted movie requests.
The council hopes to improve the movie-watching experience by installing more speakers.
Earlier this year, the Mound City R-II school district requested the theater for end-of-the-school-year and summer events.
Originally, scheduled to be performed in 2020, Miller said middle school students asked to perform last year’s canceled play at the theater.
The school only sponsors a play every other year, so the children worried not performing was inevitable.
The state theater arts council decided to sponsor the play.
It was performed May 14 and 15. There were more than 140 attendees each night.
Individuals who did not have a relative performing came because the theater’s reopening was exciting to the public, Miller said.
The middle school play was the first time the theater was open to the public since it closed, due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Mound City Library hosted its summer kickoff at the theater on June 1. The library also plans to host the end of its summer programming in the middle of July.
The arts council will meet later to discuss fall programming.
The 2021-2022 season has not been finalized yet, due to the pandemic and unknown performer availability, Miller said.
However, the board of directors plans for the season to have an array of stage performances, movie showings and events.
Miller believes the town is most interested in community events, such as talent shows and plays and the theater intends to continue to host them.
Local performers will take part in a community choir event around Easter 2022. In the past, performers have included ministers, teachers and business owners.
The council is determined to keep the theater open for the community and for future generations.
“If it weren’t for the board of directors, which are all volunteers, working and planning and meeting, the theater would be another empty building,” Miller stated.
For more information on the theater and upcoming events, visit the Mound City State Theater’s website or the State Theater Arts Council’s Facebook page.
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The Mound City State Theater is now open to the public. The theater will host a variety of events such as performances and movie showings. It is located at 510 State Street in Mound City.
