Restored and Revitalized Lights glow again at a classic Cache County theater b y B o y d P. I s ~ u e l s e n tepping carefully along the scaffold planking some 35 feet above the bare concrete floor of Logan's Capitol Theater, Kathryn Wanlass pauses to concentrate on the intricate plaster detail o f t h e wall across t h e auditorium. Turning, she converses with the half-dozen other volunteers who have joined her. They reach a decision. A subdued dusty-rose tint should be used on one of the major architectural features, replacing the pearlescent highlight preferred by the painter. "People feel strongly about these things," offers Chuck James, the painter. "I've seen marriages threatened over color choices." That scene from the summer of 1992 was one of thousands which led to the grand opening of the Ellen Eccles Theatre in January 1993. T h e theater was renamed for Ellen Stoddard Eccles in recognition of the anchor grant provided by the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation. Ellen Eccles was the wife of Utah industrialist David Eccles and a prominent citizen of Logan. T h e story of how the theater which bears her name was brought back from the past shows a convergence of opportunity, vision, perseverance and more than a little luck. Historical Roots With buildings as with people, Walt Whitman's statement rings true: "Tis not the present only, the past is also stored in you." Built in 1923 at a cost of about $250,000, the Capitol was ahead of its time; the builders reinforced the exterior walls and
concrete balcony with steel. T h e wellplanned stage was capable of supporting vaudeville a n d traveling shows. Live performances shared the stage with films, the latter dominating through the 1930s and bringing in thousands of avid moviegoers until television emerged in the 1950s. The crowds waned and films shared the space with community productions for a time. Eventually the stage was sealed off to conserve heat and live productions ceased.
finally, after getting the mayor inside the building, made him a convert. With Municipal Council support, the city agreed to a land trade with Needham and took title to the "Jewel of Cache Valley," faded and neglected though she was. "The city also purchased with nontax funds two empty commercial properties fronting Main Street next to the Capitol," explains Daines. "Reconstruction began to convert this area to a cultural center a n d housing for the
"Thousands of volunteer hours were donated. City, county, state and federal governments all helped financially, but over twothirds of the funds came from private sources." In the late 1980s, Logan businessman Eugene Needham acquired title to some adjacent property and the theater came as part of the package. While Needham was pondering what to do with his cavernous white elephant, Michael Ballam came on stage, so to speak. Ballam, an operatic tenor and member of the music faculty at Utah State University, soon convinced Needham that it should become a public facility, if the city would go along. Persuading t h e city was a n o t h e r matter. Newel Daines, then mayor of Logan, couldn't see the civic advantage. At one point, exasperated, he asked Ballam what part of "no" he didn't understand. Undaunted, Ballam persisted and
Alliance for the Varied Arts, a local arts coordinator." A January 1990 fire destroyed the arts center but spared the theater, which suffered only minor damage in the entrance area. "It was devastating at the time," says Daines, "but it gave us the opportunity to redesign the entire complex a n d integrate t h e new a n d the old portions." Daines also cites the significant contribution made by Jonathan Bullen, a Logan businessman who had become involved in the project. "His efforts were really a major driving force, both in planning and in providing the initial major contribution to fund the arts complex (Bullen Center), which opened in February 1992."
