By Jessica Herndon
Before the lights dim and the first premieres begin, we’re taking you inside the spaces that will shape the Sundance Film Festival experience in Boulder, Colorado. From the historic Boulder Theater to Macky Auditorium and the Dairy Arts Center, this series offers a look at the venues where unforgettable Festival moments will unfold.
Since 1936, the Boulder Theater has been a destination for audiences to gather and be moved. Behind its neon, art deco marquee, generations of artists, from B.B. King and Patti Smith to Philip Glass and The Black Keys, have filled the theater with memorable performances, leaving their mark on one of Boulder’s most beloved cultural hubs. Now, the landmark venue is preparing for its next act.
In 2027, the Sundance Film Festival will make its debut in Colorado and the Boulder Theater will welcome global audiences for exciting indie film screenings. Already known for its incredible live concerts, the theater, located just off the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, is undergoing a transformation to elevate the filmgoing experience. It’s a fitting next chapter for a venue where film has always been part of its identity. Before becoming a key tour stop, the Boulder Theater began as a movie house in the 1930s.
For Cheryl Liguori, CEO of Z2 Entertainment, the Festival’s arrival feels like a natural evolution. Having spent more than two decades helping shape the Boulder Theater into one of Colorado’s leading venues, she sees the Sundance Film Festival as the next chapter for a space that has always brought people together through momentous experiences.
Below, Liguori discusses how the Boulder Theater is being enhanced, shares one of her favorite backstage stories, and explains why Boulder is a perfect location for the Festival.
What can those who have never stepped foot inside the Boulder Theater expect when visiting the venue?
It’s a beautiful art deco venue. Take in the beauty first. For folks who have been here many times for many different types of events, it’s going to be amazing because it will be a new, more premier film viewing experience. We have a great sound system for live music, but what’s being installed is new cinema sound and a new screen. So, take a beautiful, amazing venue and outfit it with the best sound and projection for film that exists today — that’s pretty special.
What is your history and evolution at the Boulder Theater?
I’ve been here for more than two decades. I helped the space become a premier concert venue. My team and I worked to make it a cultural center of Boulder that did live music, film, comedy, corporate events, private events — but really to make it a central gathering spot for Boulder. We made it a true concert venue, but film is in our DNA because it was a film house.
So many artists have performed at the Boulder Theater. Can you recall an unforgettable moment from one of the shows?
A moment that stood out for me was when Buena Vista Social Club first came to the U.S. and I think they only did maybe 13 cities and one of them was Boulder, and the Boulder Theater. And a really special backstage moment is a famous Boulder chef, Antonio Laudisio, who spent many years in Cuba, outfitted our backstage with lights, tables, linens, and candles, and he made this beautiful Cuban meal for all the members of Buena Vista Social Club.
What makes Boulder, Colorado, a natural home for the Sundance Film Festival?
I moved here from New York City thinking that I would relax for a couple of years and move back to New York City. I never left. We have access to so much art, and we have a really interesting array of venues that are all pretty close by. We have a vibrant downtown. We have people who really appreciate art and film. I think that it’s just going to be beautiful because everybody wants to step up and make it a really great experience. There’s a good community here ready to make Sundance proud that this is the town they chose.
