Playhouse Theatre (Seattle) facts for kids

The Playhouse Theatre (now officially called the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse) is a special theater in Seattle, Washington. You can find it in the University District on a street known as The Ave.

This building used to be a warehouse for tiles. But in 1930, a couple named Burton and Florence James turned it into a theater. They started a group called the Seattle Repertory Playhouse. This group was unique because it included performers and audiences from many different backgrounds.

During a tough time in history called the New Deal era, the Jameses received money from a government program called the Federal Theatre Project. This funding helped them create the Negro Repertory Company at their theater. This was one of four such groups in Seattle.

In 1950, the University of Washington bought the theater. They used it for their drama students. Later, in 1967, the stage was changed from a proscenium (like a picture frame) to a thrust stage (where the audience sits on three sides). From 2007 to 2009, the building got a big makeover. They added another floor and made many improvements.

History of the Playhouse Theatre

The James Family's Vision

Burton James (1888–1951) and Florence James (1892–1988) were from New York. They moved to Seattle in 1923. Their first job was to start the theater department at the Cornish School. This school is now known as the Cornish College of the Arts.

In 1928, the Jameses left Cornish. This happened after the school's leaders didn't like a play they produced. It was called Six Characters in Search of an Author by Pirandello.

After leaving, they started their own group called the Seattle Repertory Playhouse. This group was very adventurous. It included people of many different races and backgrounds. They performed all sorts of plays. These ranged from funny comedies to serious works by famous writers like Ibsen.

In 1930, they made the Playhouse Theatre their home. They built it inside an old tile warehouse. It was located on the corner of NE 41st Street and University Way NE. The Jameses also taught some classes at the University of Washington.

In 1933, their theater had a big success with a play called In Abraham's Bosom. This play featured a mostly Black cast. It also had a gospel choir. They worked with Seattle's First African Methodist Episcopal Church to put it on.

When the Federal Theatre Project started in 1935, the Jameses applied for funding. They wanted to start a theater group with Black actors. This group would be based at their theater. The government approved their idea.

The Negro Repertory Company was formed in January 1936. It worked with the Seattle Urban League. The national director of the Federal Theatre Project, Hallie Flanagan, thought this was the best "Negro unit" in the whole program. Historians say they put on some of the most experimental plays.

Many African Americans in Seattle were involved with these plays. One important writer from this group was Theodore Browne. He wrote a play called The Natural Man. Another key person was Joe Staton. He adapted stories by Paul Laurence Dunbar for a popular show.

The company performed plays like Stevedore. In 1937, a play called Lysistrata was stopped after one night. Some people complained it was too daring. The Jameses left the Federal Theatre Project in 1937. This was after people got upset about their play Power, which was about public services. But they kept running their own theater.

In 1939, the U.S. Congress ended the Federal Theatre Project. This happened after years of complaints. Some people worried about the political ideas in certain plays.

After World War II, a time known as the Cold War began. The Jameses continued to support their beliefs about fairness for workers. They put on plays that supported workers' rights. They also let groups like the Group Health Cooperative use their hall.

In 1948, the Jameses had to speak before a government committee. This committee was looking into people's beliefs at the University of Washington. The Jameses lost many of their supporters. By 1950, their theater was having money problems. They sold it to the university. Burton James became ill around this time. Florence James continued her theater work in Saskatchewan, Canada.

The University Takes Over

The university renamed the building the University of Washington Playhouse Theatre. Their growing drama department used it regularly. In 1967, Greg Falls, a director who liked new and experimental ideas, changed the stage. He converted it from a proscenium stage to a thrust stage.

From 2007 to 2009, the university did a big reconstruction of the building. They worked with LMN Architects. They raised the roof to add an extra story. They also made it easier for people to see the stage. The lighting was improved too. Most importantly, they made the building safer for earthquakes.

The building was renamed the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse. This was to honor a foundation that gave US$2.4 million to the project. Floyd Jones wanted the name to be a tribute to his late wife, Delores. She loved the arts and believed in fairness for everyone. She was always excited when the theater put on plays about important topics.

See also

• Albert M. Ottenheimer

Images for kids

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  University of Washington Playhouse Theatre in 2009, after it was rebuilt.

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  University of Washington Playhouse Theatre being rebuilt in late 2007.