Building the Osiris Theater

​My educational background is in fine arts, and as part of that, I really grew to love architecture. I love ancient architecture in particular, and one of the highlights of my life was wandering the ruins of Greece in 2012… and Egypt, Italy, Turkey, and the Near East are all still on my bucket list.

From the first day that The Osiris Circle popped into my head, I wanted a turn-of-the-20th-century theater to be the backdrop for all the action in The Osiris Circle — a place that was grand, beautiful, and mysterious all at the same time.

Fortunately, I had plenty of source material to pull from. The late 1800s and early 1900s were an era when civic and public buildings were often modeled on monuments from ancient Greece or Rome in what was known as Neoclassical architecture, complete with massive columns, grand porticos, and ornamental edifices. Some of the greatest and best-known buildings in the western hemisphere, from the British Museum to the U.S. Supreme Court Building, are built in this style. But so were countless smaller private and municipal buildings, including theaters, museums, and performance centers. 

A subset of Neoclassical architecture, known as Egyptian Revival, was less popular but became more in vogue after the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922 — and era when "Egyptomania" was sweeping the United States and Europe. It was this style of architecture that I wanted for my fictional theater, so I was immediately — and perhaps obviously — drawn to the various "Egyptian Theaters" that blossomed across the United States during the 1920s and 30s. Sadly, most of these buildings have been demolished, but two notable survivors are in Boise, Idaho and DeKalb, Illinois. 

Opened in the late 1920s, both theaters are masterpieces of Egyptian Revival architecture both inside and out. The architects of these places were not trying to recreate ancient Egyptian structures, but rather were using the civilization's aesthetic adapted to twentieth century needs. In many cases, Egyptian design elements were fused with other popular styles such as Art Deco. I'd also say that, where theaters were concerned, some Hollywood extravagance was thrown in. For many in the 20's and 30's, going to the motion pictures was an inexpensive but also glamorous way to spend a night. Theaters were often referred to as "palaces" and for good reason... 

​Gaudy and mysterious, filled with gilded surfaces, rich fabrics and luxurious furniture, "Egyptian theaters" were portals to another age — exactly the vibe I wanted for my Osiris Theater. Although I drew a lot of inspiration from the Boise and DeKalb locations, I up-scaled the Osiris Theater to make it larger, more rambling, and reminiscent of something out of a gothic horror novel. (See my concept art for the interior of the theater above.) The Osiris is a multi-story relic, abandoned for over thirty years, but still full of curious imagery, spooky rooms and with a shadowy history. It sits on the outskirts of town, forgotten and slowly being reclaimed by nature like an old cemetery. And of course, it is the source of numerous rumors… and no one can remember what’s true and what’s just urban legend. 

I’ll be delighted to share more images of my fictional theater in the weeks ahead, but for now, I’ve included a slideshow to illustrate Egyptian Revival architecture in the slideshow below. Enjoy!