Onarga Theater

The Onarga Theater is a historic single-screen movie theater located at 101 W. Seminary Ave in Onarga, Illinois, United States. It is a local, independently owned cinema that has served the Onarga community and surrounding Iroquois County for generations. The theater traces its origins to 1937, when a building originally constructed in 1894 as a hardware and furniture store was converted into a movie house. Designed in the Art Moderne style, it opened as the Modernistic Theatre, later shortened to The Modern Theatre. In the late 1940s it was purchased by the Kerasotes theater chain and renamed The Mode Theatre, a name it kept for decades. In the late 1990s ownership passed to the operators of the Harvest Moon Drive In in Gibson City, and the theater was renamed the Onarga Theater. In 2008, Randy and Cheryl Lizzio became the owners, and they have since focused on preserving the theater's historic charm while modernizing it for contemporary audiences. The theater continues to show first-run films, typically on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m., and also hosts special events such as Saturday morning pajama parties. It remains a cultural anchor in downtown Onarga and a rare surviving example of a small-town Art Moderne cinema.

The Onarga Theater is a historic movie theater in Onarga, Illinois, United States. Its story begins in 1937, when a building originally constructed in 1894 as a hardware and furniture store was transformed into a modern movie house. Designed in the sleek Art Moderne style, it opened as the Modernistic Theatre, offering the community a stylish new place to enjoy motion pictures. A few years later, the name was shortened to The Modern Theatre, and it quickly became a beloved local gathering place. In the late 1940s, the theater was purchased by the Kerasotes theater chain, which renamed it The Mode Theatre. For decades, The Mode served generations of families, adapting to changing film technology and entertainment trends while remaining a cultural anchor in downtown Onarga. In the late 1990s, ownership changed again—this time to the operators of the Harvest Moon Drive In in Gibson City. With this transition came a new name: the Onarga Theater, the name it proudly carries today. In 2008, the Onarga Theater entered a new era when Randy and Cheryl Lizzio became its owners. Their stewardship has been defined by preservation, modernization, and a deep commitment to keeping the magic of the movies alive in Iroquois County. The Lizzios have worked tirelessly to maintain the theater's historic charm while ensuring it remains fully functional for modern audiences. Their goal has always been to give today's families—and especially younger generations—a chance to experience the warmth and nostalgia of a classic small-town cinema. As of the 2020s, the theater continues to operate, showing first-run films and hosting community events.

• 2008

  Randy and Cheryl Lizzio become owners, ushering in an era of preservation and modernization.

• 1937

  Building converted into a movie house; opens as the Modernistic Theatre in Art Moderne style.

• 1894

  Building constructed as a hardware and furniture store.

• Name shortened to The Modern Theatre.

• Purchased by the Kerasotes theater chain and renamed The Mode Theatre.

• Ownership transferred to operators of Harvest Moon Drive In; renamed Onarga Theater.

A historic, community-focused single-screen movie theater preserving small-town cinema-going in Iroquois County, Illinois.

• First-run movie screenings

• Saturday Morning Pajama Party

1. 1The Onarga Theateronargatheater.com
2. 2History of The Onarga Theater - The Onarga Theateronargatheater.com
3. 3Onarga Theater - Wikidatawikidata.org