Elks Building and Theater

The Prescott Elks Theater and Performing Arts Center is a classically designed turn of the 20th century opera house seating over 500. Completed in 1905 and listed on the National Register of Historical Places as Elks Building and Theater, it was one of many "Elks' Opera Houses" across the country. Now over a hundred years later only one still exists.The theater in the beginning was the host to minstrel shows, balls, plays and theater performances. Movies arrived with the silent era about 1915. In 1929 sound was added and the "talkies" had arrived. Movies continued to be shown till the 1980s. After many changes of private ownerships the opera house was turned over to Arizona Community Foundation in the early 1980s. Then began the effort to return the opera house to its original glory. The opera house was purchased by the City of Prescott in 2001. The Foundation in partnership with the City began the restoration with the lobby, green room, dressing rooms and other parts of the building. Restoration was finally completed by the Foundation and the City in 2010.A $1.75 million renovation of the theatre in the building was completed in 2010.In 2012 the City sold the buildings to a non profit, The Elks Theater and Performing Arts Center (ETPAC). The theater restoration completed, the ETPAC then began plans to renovate and restore the three-story Elks Lodge #330.The new restoration project continued through 2016 when in December all construction was completed. Added to the lodge were two state of the art professional dance studios; one with a floating Hickory dance floor and the other with a "sprung Marley" surface. Each studio is self-contained with its own adjustable lighting, heat and air conditioning and state of the art sound systems. Also found on the second floor are five Wenger music and voice isolation practice booths. Plans are in the works to include a digital recording board.