The Rialto Theater in Casper, Wyoming was built as the New Lyric Theater[2] in 1921. It was constructed with 800 seats by Henry Brennan who had a successful Vaudeville house, on which he based the new cinema.[3] He almost immediately sold the building in 1922 to new owner E.J. Schulte who invested $50,000 in a remodeling project designed by Casper architects William Dubois and Leon Goodrich. The reopening in 1922 featured the William C. deMille movie Nice People, a silent film that was accompanied by the Chicago Netto Ladies Orchestra. In 1928 the Rialto began to show talkies.[2]
The Rialto measures 50 feet (15 m) by 100 feet (30 m) on a prominent corner site. The brick facade is plain in form but the brickwork is extensively detailed. A tall neon sign marks the corner, replacing the original metal sign and a marquee was added, covering the original leaded glass transoms over the storefronts. A tall parapet adds to the apparent mass of the theater. Storefronts on both frontages house retail shops. On the interior a balcony is reached by two curving stairs on either side of the lobby, replacing a single grand stair from the first design.[2]
The Rialto currently hosts ticketed and private events with a focus on Stand-Up Comedy, Music, and family-friendly events. Tickets for the Rialto's live events are on sale now at www.rialtocasper.com - Current ownership is marketing the venue in a partnership with the Gaslight Social and the forthcoming America which is expected to re-open in 2025.[5] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[1]
Media related to Rialto Theatre (Casper, Wyoming) at Wikimedia Commons
