Renovations and zombies at Rexburg’s Romance Theater

After years of remodeling, renovating, and renewing, Rexburg’s Romance Theater is ready to move back into the theatrical spotlight.

“The city of Rexburg purchased the theater and the volunteers came in,” said Daniel Torres, Rexburg’s cultural director. “They did everything from gut it to white wash it.”

Changes include an extended stage, new decorative plaster work inside the theater, new 1930’s inspired front windows, and work on the outside display board. Though the total number of hours is unknown, Torres said they’ve spent hundreds of hours taking the theater back to it’s roots.

“We decided to bring the building back to it’s 1935 look,” said Gary Benson, a member of the Romance Theater committee. “That’s what most of the residents of Rexburg, Idaho remember.”

Romance theater committee members hope to formally kick off this new era for the building, by sponsoring the 6th annual Rexburg Zombie Apocalypse on Saturday, October 10.

The event starts at noon at the Scare Tower and includes a street party, contests, music, a survival arena, and ends with the free screening of World War Z at the Romance Theater.

“We’d like to see a thousand people show up and dress like zombies and have a great deal of fun,” said Benson.