OK Theatre
OK Theatre is a historic performance venue in Enterprise, Oregon, originally opened as a movie theatre and now focused primarily on live music, theatre, and community events.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
OK Theatre is a historic entertainment venue at 208 W. Main Street in Enterprise, Oregon. The building was constructed in 1918 as a movie theatre and incorporated a sloped seating area, an important design feature for a small-town cinema because it improved sightlines for audiences. The venue initially operated under the OK Theatre name, but around 1933 it was renamed the Vista Theater. Its history therefore spans both motion-picture exhibition and live performance. The building retained a long operational life as a local theatre. In 2001, new owners acquired the property, restored the original OK Theatre name, and operated it until 2008. After approximately nine decades of operation, the theatre closed in 2008. Its closure left Wallowa County without an operating cinema, illustrating the venue's role as more than a commercial business: it had been a significant local gathering place for entertainment and community life. The property was offered for sale together with two businesses and apartment rentals. In 2009, Bill and Melisa Bush and their son Gabriel purchased the theatre. During their ownership, the venue resumed film exhibition and broadened its programming. Activities included current-release movies, foreign and art-film screenings, screenings designed for people with special needs, theatrical productions, charity events, high-school programs, and other community activities. The Ruby Peak 48 Hour Film Festival was also established during this period. The property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the listing recorded in 2012. The Bush family sold the theatre in 2013 after returning to international teaching. Following the sale, the venue moved back toward its roots as a music and theatre hall rather than operating primarily as a conventional cinema. Its subsequent programming has included blues, bluegrass, indie, and experimental music, along with children's theatre and community events. Artists associated with the venue's program history include The Infamous Stringdusters, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, and Mount Eerie. OK Theatre's present identity is consequently that of a small, historic, multipurpose arts venue. Its brand rests on the combination of a preserved early twentieth-century theatre building, local cultural continuity, and varied programming that can serve touring musicians, theatre producers, children, schools, charities, and residents of the surrounding Wallowa County area. Available reference material does not identify a current owner, operating company, executive team, financial performance, or precise current programming schedule.
History
The OK Theatre building was constructed in 1918 in Enterprise, Oregon. It opened as a movie theatre and featured a sloped seating section, an innovation for the local market that allowed patrons to see the screen with fewer obstructions. The venue was later renamed the Vista Theater around 1933, but the original OK Theatre identity was eventually restored. New owners acquired the property in 2001 and operated it under the restored OK Theatre name until 2008. That year, after roughly ninety years of operation, the theatre closed. The shutdown removed the only operating movie theatre from Wallowa County. The property was subsequently marketed for sale with two businesses and apartment rentals. Bill and Melisa Bush and their son Gabriel purchased the theatre in 2009. Their four-year tenure expanded the venue's activities beyond ordinary film exhibition. They brought contemporary movies back to the community, organized foreign and art-film nights, offered screenings for people with special needs, and hosted theatrical productions, charity programs, high-school events, and other local activities. The Ruby Peak 48 Hour Film Festival originated during this period. The building was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the designation recorded in 2012. The Bush family sold the theatre in 2013 when they returned to international teaching. Under the ownership that followed, the venue returned primarily to use as a music and theatre hall. Its performance history has included touring and regional acts from several genres, including blues, bluegrass, indie, and experimental music. The venue has also continued to accommodate children's theatre and community events. Publicly available reference material does not establish the names of current owners or managers, the legal operating entity, or a detailed current schedule.
- 2013
Ownership changes and programming direction shifts
[1]The Bush family sells the theatre. The venue subsequently returns primarily to use as a music and theatre hall.
- 2012
National Register listing
[1]The historic building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 2009
Bush family acquires the theatre
[1]Bill and Melisa Bush and their son Gabriel purchase the venue and revive a broad program of films, theatre, school events, charity activities, and community screenings.
- 2008
Cinema closes
[1]The theatre closes after approximately ninety years of operation, leaving Wallowa County without an open movie theatre.
- 2001
Original name restored
[1]New owners acquire the venue, restore the OK Theatre name, and operate it through 2008.
- 1933
The venue is renamed the Vista Theater
[1]Around this time, the theatre stops using the OK Theatre name and operates as the Vista Theater.
- 1918
The theatre building is constructed
[1]The building at 208 W. Main Street in Enterprise is constructed as a movie theatre, including a sloped seating section intended to improve audience sightlines.
Products and positioning
A historic small-town Oregon theatre and multipurpose arts venue combining heritage architecture with live music, theatre, film, and community programming.
Film exhibition · 1918
Cinema screenings
Film exhibition was the venue's original and historically important function. During the Bush family's ownership, the theatre presented current movies as well as foreign and art films. It also hosted screenings designed for people with special needs. The available reference material does not establish whether regular cinema screenings remain part of the current program.
Concert programming · 2013
Live music
Following the 2013 ownership change, OK Theatre returned primarily to its role as a music and theatre hall. Its reported music programming spans blues, bluegrass, indie, and experimental styles, giving the venue a broad genre profile for a regional performance space. Referenced performers include The Infamous Stringdusters, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, and Mount Eerie.
Performing arts and community programming · 2009
Theatre and community events
The venue has hosted theatrical productions, children's theatre, charity events, high-school programs, and other community activities. These uses make the building a multipurpose local gathering space rather than a venue limited to commercial entertainment. The available sources do not provide a complete current calendar or booking policy.
Brand decisions
2013
Shift toward live music and theatreStrategyBackground
After the Bush family sold the venue, the theatre's role evolved from a revived cinema and broad community facility toward a performance hall.
Action taken
The venue returned primarily to music and theatre programming while continuing to host community and children's events.
Aftermath
OK Theatre developed a multipurpose live-entertainment identity with programming across several music genres and theatrical formats.
2008
Closure after long-term cinema operationStrategyBackground
After approximately ninety years of operation, the theatre closed, ending its then-current role as an operating cinema in Wallowa County.
Action taken
The venue ceased operations and was subsequently offered for sale with other associated property interests.
Aftermath
The closure left the county without an open movie theatre until later programming revived film and other cultural activities.
Sale asking price. $240,000 (2008 sale offering)
Sources2 sources
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