Missouri Theatre

The Missouri Theatre is a historic performing arts venue in St. Joseph, Missouri, United States. Completed in July 1927, it was built as a cinema in the atmospheric style, combining Art Deco and Moorish detailing. It was designed by the noted theater architects Boller Brothers of Kansas City, Missouri, with sculpture by Waylande Gregory, and constructed by the Capital Building Company of Lincoln, Nebraska for local attorney and promoter Joseph Goldman. The auditorium features a single balcony overlooking a house designed to resemble an open tented courtyard, decorated with details borrowed from Assyrian and Persian architecture. Although principally designed for movies, it was also equipped for live performances with dressing rooms, a fly loft, an orchestra pit, and a Wurlitzer theater organ. The theater operated as a cinema until 1970, then served for several years as a community theater before being purchased by a community group in 1976. In 1978 the City of St. Joseph bought the theater for use as a performing arts center, and in 1979 the theater and its office building were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located in St. Joseph's Commerce and Banking Historic District. The theater was renovated in 2002, when a 1960s canopy was removed and the marquee restored. Programming and operations are managed by the Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph, Inc., a non-profit corporation formed in 1979 to strengthen the performing arts in St. Joseph and support the development of the Missouri Theater into a regional center for the performing arts. The Association traces its roots to the Civic Music Association (1931), which became Community Concerts in 1962, and merged with Town Hall Center (established 1976) in 1979. In 2025 the organization introduced the presenting name 816 LIVE! while retaining Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph, Inc. as its legal name. Today the Missouri Theatre hosts a varied season of touring tribute acts, comedy, family shows, and community events. Recent and upcoming programming highlighted on the official site includes Bee Gees Gold, a Foreigner/Journey tribute show (FJ – The Music of Foreigner, Journey, & Classic Legends), a dinner-and-comedy evening with The Looney Lutherans, and the holiday revue Who Brought The Humbug. The venue is a landmark of St. Joseph's cultural life and a regional destination for live entertainment.

The Missouri Theater was completed in July 1927 in St. Joseph, Missouri, as a cinema built in the atmospheric style, using a combination of Art Deco and Moorish detailing. It was designed by the noted theater architects Boller Brothers of Kansas City, Missouri, with sculpture by Waylande Gregory, and constructed by the Capital Building Company of Lincoln, Nebraska for local attorney and promoter Joseph Goldman. The auditorium has a single balcony that looks over a house designed to resemble an open tented courtyard, decorated with details borrowed from Assyrian and Persian architecture. While principally designed for movies, it could also be used for live performances, with dressing rooms, a fly loft and an orchestra pit, and it featured a Wurlitzer theater organ. The theater operated as a cinema until 1970. For the next few years it operated as a community theater, and was purchased by a community group in 1976. In 1978 the City of St. Joseph bought the theater for use as a performing arts center. The theater and office building were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and it is located in St. Joseph's Commerce and Banking Historic District. The theater was renovated in 2002; a 1960s canopy was removed and the marquee was restored. The Missouri Theater was an inspiration for the Isauro Martinez theater located in Torreón, a city in northern Mexico, which began construction in 1928 and remains in operation. Programming and operations are managed by the Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph, Inc., a non-profit corporation formed in 1979 to strengthen the performing arts in St. Joseph and support the development of the Missouri Theater into a regional center for the performing arts. The Association's history traces back to 1931, when the Civic Music Association began bringing entertainment to St. Joseph and continued for the next 30 years. In 1962 the Civic Music Association changed its name to Community Concerts and initiated classical music presentations alongside bringing in top names from around the world. In 1976 Town Hall Center was established with a mission to preserve the Missouri Theater and began hosting a diverse entertainment series. In 1979 the merger of Community Concerts and Town Hall led to the formation of the Performing Arts Association of St. Joseph. In 1980 a joint effort between the City of St. Joseph and the Performing Arts Association, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, commenced a capital campaign aimed at renovating the Missouri Theater. In 2025 the presenting name 816 LIVE! was introduced while proudly maintaining Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph, Inc. as the organization's official legal name. Today the Missouri Theatre serves as a regional performing arts center, presenting a wide variety of live performances and maximizing access for citizens in the greater St. Joseph area and region.

• 2025

  Presenting name 816 LIVE! introduced.

• 2002

  Theater renovated; 1960s canopy removed and marquee restored.

• 1980

  Capital campaign launched to renovate the Missouri Theater, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

• 1979

  Theater and office building placed on the National Register of Historic Places; Performing Arts Association of St. Joseph formed from the merger of Community Concerts and Town Hall.

• 1978

  City of St. Joseph bought the theater for use as a performing arts center.

• 1976

  Town Hall Center established; theater purchased by a community group.

• 1970

  The theater ceased operating as a cinema.

• 1962

  Civic Music Association changed its name to Community Concerts and initiated classical music presentations.

• 1931

  Civic Music Association began bringing entertainment to St. Joseph.

• 1927

  Missouri Theater completed in July as an atmospheric-style cinema in St. Joseph, Missouri.

A historic, city-owned performing arts center operated by a non-profit association, serving as the region's premier live entertainment venue under the 816 LIVE! presenting brand.

• Bee Gees Gold

• FJ – The Music of Foreigner, Journey, & Classic Legends

• Dinner & Comedy: Young(ish) at Heart

• Who Brought The Humbug

1. 1What's On 816 LIVE - Performing Arts Association / 816 LIVEpaastjo.org
2. 2About - Performing Arts Association / 816 LIVEpaastjo.org
3. 3Missouri Theatre - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Missouri Theater (St. Joseph, Missouri) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org