Another large and impressive brick and stone church, First Presbyterian was one of five built in Butte in a twenty year span. At some unknown time in the past the church ceased to be a Presbyterian Church and was repurposed as a performing arts theatre, the Covellite Theatre. In 2007 that theatre failed and the building stood empty for some time.
In 2016 the defunct theatre was purchased by three theatre loving entrepreneurs and reopened, retaining the name of the Covellite Theatre. Renovations followed, which are to include the replacement of the stained glass which was removed when the church first became a theatre. Excerpts from the news article covering the rebirth of the Covellite follow.
The theatre is able to host a variety of events and performances including films & movies, theatre acts, concerts, recitals, weddings, corporate events, even dances. The new owners hope to do just that, holding film festivals, stage productions, comedy nights, lectures - essentially anything they feel will draw a crowd. They feel that versatility may be the key to success in Butte as they already have competition in many fields of entertainment.
Covellite Theatre owners hope to revive
historic building
Annie Pentilla Feb 19, 2016
The Covellite Theatre in Uptown Butte has been vacant since 2007. But thanks to some local entrepreneurs, Butte residents will again be able to watch performances in the historic structure.
Brett Berry, Ed Lewalk and Matt Frey, who all live in Butte, purchased the Covellite in October and hope to have the theater up and running by summer.
Built in 1896, the Covellite was once the First Presbyterian Church and was later converted into a theater...
...The three are working to restore the theater at 215 W. Broadway St., across from the Butte Public Library. Updates include repairing the structure’s chimneys, renovating the interior, beautifying the outside, and improving the building’s functionality. They also said they have located the church’s original stained-glass windows and are in the process of acquiring them from the owner.
Although the three entrepreneurs do not have a backgrounds in the arts, they said they’re confident they can breathe new life into the theater...
...The entrepreneurs also pointed out that the Covellite is able to accommodate a variety of events. The two-story building features a stage, a small movie screen, and a bar-like space on the first floor while the top floor resembles a formal theater, replete with 220 plush seats. The seats can also be removed and stored in order to create room for a dance floor or standing area. The flexibility of the Covellite, the entrepreneurs maintain, makes the theater unique.
From the Montana Standard