Crescent Moon Theater

When Paula Zutes’ husband Duncan passed away, she knew exactly how to celebrate his memory. Described as a “Cowboy Theater”, the Crescent Moon Theater embodies everything Duncan – a real-life cowboy – loved Western culture and entertainment, nestled against the bucolic backdrop of Utah. 

Duncan’s passion for Western cinema may have been inspired by Kanab’s history as a filming location for many of Hollywood’s classic films and TV shows during the genre’s peak in the 60s and 70s. “Stagecoach”, “The Lone Ranger”, and “The Outlaw Josey Wales” each count Kanab as a principal filming location. To this day, locals still refer to the small Utah town as “Little Hollywood”.

So when it came time to build the Crescent Moon, infusing architectural elements of classic small town theaters was a no brainer. The Theater’s facade greets its patrons with a classic marquee suspended above a single box office at its entrance. Inside, the 180-seat Theater has iconic red curtains accentuating its screen, which is equipped to show 16 mm, 35 mm, and digital films.

Open six days a week, the Theater shows at least two classic films per week, with a Western showing every Monday night. A well-loved landmark of Kanab, the Theater has continued the town’s tradition as a Hollywood destination – and the small theater has grown to screen first-run releases from major motion picture studios. 

Along with its movie screenings, the Crescent Moon Theater hosts a slew of events including concerts, talent shows, cowboy poetry nights, and film festivals – the perfect way to commemorate Duncan’s legacy, long after he’s ridden off into the sunset of life.