Fitzgerald Theater facts for kids
The Fitzgerald Theater illuminated at night
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| Address | 10 East Exchange Street Saint Paul, Minnesota United States |
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| Coordinates | 44°56′56″N 93°05′50″W / 44.94889°N 93.09722°W |
| Owner | First Avenue |
| Type | Provincial |
| Capacity | 1,058 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1910 |
| Architect | Marshall and Fox |
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Sam S. Shubert Theater and Shubert Building
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 10 East Exchange Street and 488-494 Wabasha Street North |
| NRHP reference No. | 84004140 |
| Added to NRHP | August 20, 1984 |
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theatre in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is famous for being the home of Live from Here, a popular radio show. This theater was one of many built by the Shubert Theatre Corporation. It was first named the Sam S. Shubert Theater.
A well-known architecture company, Marshall and Fox, designed the theater. In 1933, it became a movie theater called the World Theater. Later, in 1980, Minnesota Public Radio bought the building. They restored it with a stage in 1986 for the radio show A Prairie Home Companion. In 1994, the theater was renamed after F. Scott Fitzgerald, a famous writer from St. Paul.
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Important Events at the Theater
Political Debate
On November 4, 2002, the Fitzgerald Theater hosted an important debate. It was held the day before a big election for the United States Senate. The debate was between Norm Coleman, who used to be the mayor of St. Paul, and Walter Mondale, who was once the U.S. Vice President.
This debate was especially tense. Walter Mondale had joined the race at the last minute. He stepped in after the sad death of Paul Wellstone, who had been running for re-election.
Filming a Movie
In 2005, the theater was used to film the movie A Prairie Home Companion. This movie was directed by Robert Altman. Using the real theater for the film made it feel very authentic.
Even though it was the usual place for the radio show, special movie sets were used instead of the regular equipment. The Fitzgerald Theater is not a very large building. Before filming, other theaters were checked to make sure the Fitzgerald was big enough. Luckily, it was just right for the movie's needs.
Ownership and Features
New Owners
In March 2019, a company called First Avenue bought the Fitzgerald Theater. First Avenue is known for operating other music venues in the Twin Cities area. They purchased the theater from Minnesota Public Radio.
Theater Organ
The Fitzgerald Theater has a special theatre organ. This organ was made by a company called Wurlitzer. Theater organs are unique instruments designed to create many different sounds. They were often used to provide music for silent movies.
Images for kids
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Interior of Minnesota Public Radio's Fitzgerald Theater
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Mural on building exterior depicting F. Scott Fitzgerald
