Earlier this month , the Sierra Theater closed its doors. Its future is uncertain. The Susanville Symphony Society would like to see it converted into a performing arts center. That group has a request before the City of Susanville to appropriate a portion of the unallocated American Rescue Plan Act funds. No decision has been made by City officials pending a review of the Society’s plans.
In 1934 the Liberty Theater was condemned as state inspectors deemed it unsafe. The building was demolished. T&D Enterprises owner of the facility announced a new theater would be built on the site of the old one, to be named Sierra Theater. Construction on the concrete re-inforced theater began in October, and the owners noted it was earthquake proof, the first of its kind in Susanville. On Friday, March 8, 1935 a grand opening was held for $75,000 theater. The first showing was appropriately a film named, “The Whole Town’s Talking.”