Established in 1891, the Philipsburg Theatre is the oldest operating theatre in the state of Montana.
1891-2019
The heyday of Live theater
The McDonald Opera House opened in 1891 and served to entertain the mining towns of Philipsburg and Granite with live theatre through the 1920s. The Opera House had huge casts, full orchestras and played to packed houses on a regular basis.
1930-1999
big screen movies
From the 1930s through the end of the 20th century, movies were the primary offering at the Opera House. Known as The Granada at this time, going to the movies was a primary source of entertainment for generations.
1999-2018
live theatre
returns
In the late 1990s, Tim and Claudette reintroduced live theatre back to Philipsburg. Their Opera House Theater Company developed a large and devoted following through their highly acclaimed summertime productions, which ran through 2018.
2019-Present
non-profit community theatre
In fall of 2019, the theatre was purchased by Michael and Barbara McDowell and they othe creation of Philipsburg Theatre, a non-profit organization. Now celebrating five years of operation, The Philipsburg Theatre offers movies, live music, live theatre, community and special events throughout the year.