Canna Theatre

110 E. Chestnut Street,
Gillespie, IL 62033

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Bruce C.
Bruce C. on November 24, 2022 at 12:08 am

Here’s a February 2022 article on the Canna Theatre: Gillespie City Council rejects Canna Theater offer.

William L. Coale, Ph.D.
William L. Coale, Ph.D. on February 11, 2022 at 9:28 pm

Actually, by March 10, 1927 a movie ad lists it as the “New Pert” I’ve uploaded a scan of the ad.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 14, 2020 at 5:03 pm

Boxoffice, Sept. 8, 1956: “GILLESPIE, ILL. – Louis Odorizzi of Staunton, Ill., who owns and operates the Sunset Drive-In on Highway 66 near Mount Olive, Ill., has leased the old Lyric Theatre here and is readying it for reopening in the next 60 days. … Odorizzi plans to reopen the house with a new name, the Canna Theatre.”

nnelson75
nnelson75 on April 24, 2017 at 11:32 pm

We are the owners of Canna Theatre and it’s actually being restored. The theatre is a joint effort of being a church and a community theatre. Through the last year we have added and replaced the previous flooring to now have 1/8 inch slope flooring, for easier viewing. We have added seating to facilitate capacity of 185. Removed old heating, and installed new heating. We also through licensing with the motion pictures industry will be showing 3 family movies this summer and will be expanding on how well the community takes hold of this project. The hold up for us is the digital projector for dci equipment like most rural small communities. We also have a great relationship with the previous owners once that comes in play, I believe it will be running as a normal capacity theatre. In the mean time until that happens we will continue to restore and make it better for the community, just wanted to give you all a little update.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on May 18, 2016 at 4:47 pm

Status should be closed. Facebook page indicates now permanently closed.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 29, 2015 at 11:23 pm

The 1928 opening of this house as the New Pert Theatre was a re-opening. The April 8, 1922, issue of The Moving Picture World said that the Pert Theatre in Gillespie, Illinois, had opened the previous October. There is a photo (which I have also uploaded to the photo page,) and it shows the same building the Canna Theatre occupies now.

paulnelson
paulnelson on November 18, 2014 at 1:55 am

Handsome marquee and entrance. Art moderne look. Cheers to all who run this place.

Cary41
Cary41 on December 17, 2007 at 4:05 pm

The Eisentraut family of Hillsboro has leased the theatre from the city of Gillespie and it is once again showing movies on the big screen under the name “Canna”. Upgrades to the theatre include leather couch seating, a new sound system, new carpet, tuxedo dressed staff that make personal introductions to every feature. The theatre recently had it’s first sold-out show under new ownership with Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on August 29, 2006 at 5:40 pm

The seating capacity for the Lyric Theatre in the 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook is given as 603.

richgamer
richgamer on August 29, 2006 at 4:47 pm

If threefarmers could please contact this website again or email me at i would greatly appreciate it. I am a member of the Lyric players the group that runs the Theatre.

ThreeFarmers
ThreeFarmers on May 3, 2006 at 8:51 pm

I’m from Gillespie and I have a photo of the theater back in the ‘40s when the old Gillespie city hall sat on the corner. The photo is actually of the city hall, but you can see the Lyric three doors down.

I’ve never known there to be a punk show or any other concert at this location. If it happens, it’s extremely rare.

Today it is used for community theater and the high shool will put on a musical there occasionally.

teecee
teecee on May 13, 2005 at 6:04 pm

Now a venue for punk rock music. Capacity is listed as 252 people.
http://www.stlpunk.com/venue.asp?venueID=1255

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on May 7, 2005 at 7:42 pm

Listed in Film Daily Yearbok’s that I have (1941-1950) as the Lyric Theatre.