Nuggets from The Nugget: a history

16 Jan Nuggets from The Nugget: a history

by B.F.Deal

The Nugget Theatre first opened in 1935 when the Nunn Building was divided to accommodate movie screenings. The Telluride Film Festival master leased the theatre in 1982 in order to have a venue with a "Main Street" address. The theatre has operated continuously ever since.

Luci Reeve, assisted by Jim Bedford, aka B.F. Deal, have sub-leased and managed the theatre since 1984 with Luci running the day-to-day operations and Jim programming the movies.

In the late 1990s, Bill and Katrine Formby bought the Nugget and began a complete remodel, starting with the facade to return it to its "center of Telluride" look. Plans are to bring back the original turret on the corner of the building, add retail spaces, and have two screens inside.

The Nugget is annually home to the Telluride Film Festival, Mountainfilm, the Telluride Jazz Celebration, many independent films and shows, library and town lectures, and presentations and nightly movies the rest of the year.

The Town of Telluride, Telluride Foundation and the Telluride Film Festival both subsidize the venue to keep it open all year long.

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