The Wayne Theatre is proud to be part of the vanishing breed of small-town movie theatres in America. In fact Bicknell, Utah is the smallest town in the U.S.A. with its own currently-operating movie theatre. Located just 12 miles from the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park, the Wayne Theatre is a clean, comfortable place to see a movie.

Here is a brief history of our theatre for your enjoyment:

Built in 1947 in Bicknell, Utah by Mable and James Ellett, The Ellett Theatre was half of two theatres they owned here in Wayne County, Utah. The other theatre, The Loa Theatre was demolished in 2003 and a new hardware store was constructed where it once stood.

About 1959 when Mr. Ellett had to move out of the County, the theatre was operated by Maida and John Giles until 1964. Hilma and Stanley Brinkerhoff and their family then took over the management of the Theatre.

They bought the Theatre from the Elletts in 1967 and the Brinkerhoffs changed the name to The Wayne Theatre (after Wayne County, Utah). They operated and repaired the Theatre until 1994 when it was purchased by Nanette and James S. Anderson.

The Andersons brought The Wayne Theatre up to date technologically. They added a new state-of-the-art JBL surround sound system, new amplification, new projector and lenses as well as a new heating and air-conditioning system. This little Theatre in the 'middle of nowhere' now rivals any big-city theatre in terms of the exhibition of film.

They received a grant in 1999 from the Utah State Historical Society to put on a 28-gauge metal roof, facia and soffit. This will help ensure the structural integrity of the theatre for decades to come. Many thanks to them!

The latest upgrade (2003) to the Wayne Theatre came in the form of reupholstering all 306 seats in the auditorium. The old seat cushions and backs were in good shape cosmetically, but the cotton padding in them had pretty much disintegrated. New fabric and foam cushions and backs were installed, leaving the original Art Deco seat frames in their place. This method has preserved the old time feel of the auditorium while affording our patrons a much more comfortable experience.

The Theatre was constructed from rough-cut 12"x8" pine logs from nearby Boulder Mountain, cement and stucco. Its design is based on the International and Art Moderne Style of the late 1930's giving the theatre its streamlined, industrial look. Its auditorium is large by todays small mega-plex auditorium standards. It seats over 300 people and measures 75' by 40' with a small-but-effective lobby.

Did we mention the GREAT popcorn?

Make time in your schedule to see a movie here. You will be glad you did!