Aberdeen is one of the Northern Plains’ great theater towns, thanks largely to the restoration of the historic Capitol Cinema, a stately 1927 Art Deco theater that closed in the 1980s when a modern movie house was built at the mall. The restoration effort spearheaded by the Questers has been an amazing success that has led the city’s newfound emphasis on theater and film. Today the Capitol is the hub for the South Dakota Film Festival (though it’s on a COVID hiatus), a Young Peoples’ Theatre and Aberdeen Community Theatre. Movies are also shown, including first runs and classics. Northern State University’s strong theater department further bolsters the city’s reputation, with performances at the Johnson Fine Arts Center on campus. NSU faculty and students also collaborate on the Northern Fort Playhouse, a summer theater at historic Fort Sisseton. Catch a show while in town.