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Route 66 Points of Interest in Missouri
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The Gillioz Theatre - Springfield, Missouri
The Historic Gillioz Theatre, just off of the square in downtown
Springfield, Missouri recently reopened its doors after twenty-six years of being closed. The theatre, which is located on Historic Route 66, is truly a sight to be seen. Not only a Springfield landmark, it is also listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, as it has been fully restored to its
original 1926 condition.
Originally built in 1926 by M.E. Gillioz, a road and bridge contractor from Monett, Missouri, the Gillioz was the premiere entertainment and hang-out spot in Springfield for many years. It was built as a transition
theatre, possessing an organ so that it could be used for both live performances and silent movies. From 1979 until 1991 it sat empty, until it was acquired in 1991 by Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust. Restoration was
finally completed and celebrated in October 2006, 80 years after the original opening, when the Gillioz and Missouri State University collaborated on a nine-day series of events called Encore 2006. A number of local arts groups were featured in the celebration, which started on October 13 with a Vaudeville production featuring Missouri State University students, and ended on the 22nd with a Family Gala and a time capsule ceremony. Missouri State faculty and students have also put together a book about the theatre, and a documentary is in the process of being made.
The Gillioz and the attached Jim D. Morris Building are collectively known as the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Center for the Arts. Three Ronald Reagan films premiered in the Gillioz: "Swing Your Lady" (1938), "She's Working Her
Way Through College" (1952), and "The Winning Team" (1952), which also was shown to Harry Truman and some of his World War II Army buddies. Elvis Presley was also spotted in the Gillioz in 1956 watching the Glen Ford western "Jubal" between his shows at the Shrine Mosque.
The Gillioz is now open to the public and will be a venue for anything from weddings to live performances and film festivals. A number of local groups have expressed interest in holding their performances in the theatre, including the ShowMe Statesmen, the Sweet Adelines, and the Springfield Regional Opera, who was the last group to perform in the theatre before it closed in 1979.
More information is available Gillioz Theatre Web Site
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