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.