Forest Theater facts for kids
The Forest Theater is a special outdoor theater in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It opened in 1910, making it one of the oldest outdoor theaters west of the Rocky Mountains. The idea for the theater came from actor and director Herbert Heron, with help from poet Mary Austin. They wanted a place to show plays by California writers, children's shows, and plays by Shakespeare. Since it started, many artists and theater groups have performed here. The theater also has a smaller indoor space and a school.
Quick facts for kids Forest Theater |
|
|---|---|
Sunset over the Forest Theatre during 1997 Carmel Shakespeare Festival production of Julius Caesar
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Amphitheatre |
| Location | Santa Rita St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°33′13″N 121°55′00″W / 36.5535°N 121.9168°W |
| Current tenants | year-round:Pacific Repertory Theatre seasonal: Forest Theater Guild |
| Opened | July 10, 1910 |
| Owner | City of Carmel-by-the-Sea |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Works Progress Administration (WPA) |
Contents
Theater's Early Days
Starting the Forest Theater Society
In 1910, Herbert Heron and his wife found a perfect spot for an outdoor theater. It was a curved hillside surrounded by oak and pine trees. Heron wanted to put on plays written by local authors, starring people from the community. He spoke with James Franklin Devendorf, who helped start the Carmel Development Company. Devendorf liked the idea because he wanted to attract artists and thinkers to the new village. He let Heron use the land for free and even helped clear it and build the stage.
The very first play, David, opened on July 9, 1910. Over 1,000 people came to watch. At first, there was no electricity. They used special calcium lights and two large bonfires to light the stage. These bonfires are still lit today! In 1912, the theater got its first electric lights.
In July 1911, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night started the second season. The Forest Theater Society put on many plays over the next few years. This included the first children's play, Alice in Wonderland, in 1912.
Community Theater Grows
In 1913, four new plays were shown, including a children's play called Aladdin. At one point, there were some disagreements among the theater groups. But they eventually worked things out and came back together at the Forest Theater.
Between 1915 and 1924, the theater was very busy, with 50 plays and musicals. Many local artists helped by acting or designing sets. However, putting on so many plays became difficult. There weren't enough actors, donations, or audience members. This led to problems, and the quality of the shows began to drop.
To fix this, the different theater groups joined forces in 1924. They created the Forest Theater Corporation to manage all the plays. The theater became popular again, and everyone in town helped. Carpenters built sets, and people who could sew made costumes. Many residents even performed on stage. This success allowed the Carmel Club of Arts & Crafts to buy the land in 1925.
Challenges and Rebuilding
The Great Depression's Impact
The Great Depression in the 1930s affected everyone, including the Forest Theater. The theater had a lot of debt. In 1936, a play called Inchling was shown again, and it made over $500. This helped reduce the theater's debt.
When major repairs were needed, there was no money. So, the idea came up to ask for help from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Depression. However, only government-owned places could get WPA money.
In 1937, the Forest Theater was given to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea. This allowed it to get WPA funds for big renovations. The agreement was that the theater would remain a public park and continue to host outdoor performances. The WPA rebuilt the outdoor theater and added an indoor space under the stage. The theater was closed for three years during these repairs.
Carmel Shakespeare Festival Returns
With the theater rebuilt, the Carmel Shakespeare Festival officially started in 1940, led by Herbert Heron. It featured plays by Shakespeare like Macbeth and Hamlet, as well as works by local authors. However, during World War II, coastal towns had to turn off their lights at night. This stopped all Forest Theater activities in 1943-44 and again in 1946. The festival continued from 1947 to 1949.
Forest Theater Guild is Formed
Herbert Heron was very involved with the Forest Theater for many years. He wrote, produced, directed, and acted in plays. Eventually, he decided to step back. In 1949, he helped create the Forest Theater Guild. This group supported the city-owned theater and put on plays by local writers, Shakespeare, and other classic dramas. The original Guild stopped operating in 1961.
Theater's Decline and Revival
A Time of Neglect
After the original Guild closed, parts of the theater fell into disrepair. The stage and seats began to rot, and the grounds became run down. The city used the site for other purposes, like a Boy Scout camp. In the mid-1960s, there was talk about whether to fix the theater or get rid of it. No action was taken at that time.
Children's Experimental Theater
From 1968 to 2010, Marcia Hovick's Children's Experimental Theatre (CET) used the indoor theater. CET helped young people gain "creative confidence" through theater training. In 1969, Hovick also started the Staff Players Repertory Company, which performed classic plays on the small indoor stage.
In 1971, a second Forest Theater Guild was created. This new group began putting on summer musicals and community plays on the outdoor stage. In 2010, CET closed after 50 years. The indoor theater's lease was then given to Pacific Repertory Theatre for its School of Dramatic Arts.
Saving the Theater
Even with the new use of the indoor space, the main outdoor stage remained dark. In 1971, the Cultural Commission thought about closing the theater for good. But the people of Carmel spoke up and said they wanted to save it.
The second Forest Theater Guild became a nonprofit organization. To raise money and attention, they put on special readings of plays, including one with famous actress Dame Judith Anderson. The mayor, Gunnar Norberg, and Cole Weston helped lead a campaign to save the theater. They showed the city that there was still strong public interest.
In 1972, the Guild put on a full production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night to raise more funds. Its success convinced the city council to keep the theater open. The city decided to lease the outdoor theater to the Forest Theater Guild for a trial period. The trial was successful, and the Guild continued to produce many major plays for decades. In 1997, they started "Films in the Forest," showing movies like Finding Nemo.
In 2019, the Guild was told they could only show films, not live performances. However, this decision was later changed.
Closures and Reopenings
The theater has faced several closures. On April 23, 2014, it closed due to safety issues from years of not being maintained. The city council quickly decided it needed to reopen.
In January 2015, the reopening was delayed until 2016 for proper renovations. These renovations fixed safety problems and made the theater accessible for people with disabilities.
In June 2016, the Forest Theater reopened with new performances. In 2017, the nearby Sunset Center began managing the site. In 2019, the Forest Theater Guild faced new limits on their performance dates, which they asked the city council to review.
In 2020, the theater closed again because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the Sunset Center ended its management agreement early. The city then looked for a new organization to manage the venue. In August 2021, the theater reopened with a production of Shrek.
In early 2022, the city of Carmel signed a new agreement with Pacific Repertory Theatre. This nonprofit group will manage the theater for the next five years. The Forest Theater Guild is now allowed to stage theatrical productions again.
Today, the Forest Theater is open and hosts events from the Forest Theater Guild, Pacific Repertory Theatre, the Monterey Symphony, and other arts groups.
Pacific Repertory Theatre
In 1984, Pacific Repertory Theatre (PacRep) began putting on plays, children's shows, and musicals at the Forest Theater. They brought back Herbert Heron's Carmel Shakespeare Festival in 1990. In 1997, the Forest Theater Guild added the Films in the Forest movie series. In 2005, PacRep's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast was the most popular show ever at the theater, with over 10,000 tickets sold.
PacRep was founded in 1982 by Stephen Moorer, who had been part of the Children's Experimental Theatre. In 1984, PacRep started performing at the Forest Theater. In 1993, the company changed its name to Pacific Repertory Theatre (PacRep). It became the only professional theater company that regularly performed at the Forest Theater. In 2011, after the Children's Experimental Theatre closed, PacRep was given the lease for the indoor Forest Theater for its School of Dramatic Arts program.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheaters
