Plaza Theatre (El Paso) facts for kids
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| Address | 125 Pioneer Plaza El Paso, Texas United States |
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| Owner | City of El Paso |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | Kendle Kidd Performance Hall: 2000 Philanthropy Theatre: 200 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 12, 1930 |
| Reopened | March 17, 2006 |
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Plaza Theatre
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 Plaza Theatre
Location in Texas
Plaza Theatre
Location in the United States
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1929 |
| Built by | C.A. Goetting |
| Architect | W. Scott Dunne |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000902 |
| Added to NRHP | June 4, 1987 |
The Plaza Theatre is a famous old building in El Paso, Texas. It was built in 1930 and is still open today! It's known as a special historic place in the city. The theater has a big main hall called the Kendall Kidd Performance Hall, which can hold over 2,000 people. There's also a smaller theater called the Philanthropy Theatre for about 200 people. The Plaza Theatre hosts many exciting events, like Broadway productions, music concerts, and the yearly Plaza Classic Film Festival.
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History of the Plaza Theatre
Before the Plaza Theatre was built, a large warehouse stood on its spot. In 1927, Louis L. Dent, who owned other theaters in El Paso, bought the land. He wanted to build something amazing for the city. He told the El Paso Times newspaper that he would create something everyone would be proud of.
Construction of the Plaza Theatre began in 1929. It was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by architect W. Scott Dunne. He designed over 30 theaters in Texas and Oklahoma, and the Plaza is seen as his best work. The theater was built to show movies and also host live stage shows. It was finished in 1930. A special pipe organ from the Wurlitzer Company was installed. It was advertised as the "largest theater of its kind between Dallas and Los Angeles."
The Plaza Theatre opened on September 12, 1930, with the movie Follow Thru. The theater was full with 2,410 people. Even though other theaters were in downtown El Paso, the Plaza stood out. It was huge, beautifully decorated, and had new technology. It was the first public theater in the United States with air conditioning. The ceiling was designed to look like a night sky with twinkling stars and moving clouds.
In 1933, Interstate Theaters bought the Plaza. The first stage play, Richelieu, was performed there in 1934. In 1939, the theater showed the movie Gone With the Wind. Because of unfair Jim Crow laws at the time, white people had one showing. But a civil rights activist, Betty Mary Goetting, convinced the theater to have a special midnight showing for African Americans. This midnight show was very popular. In 1949, the Plaza hosted the world premiere of the film El Paso.
Decline of the Theater
By the 1950s, the Plaza Theatre started to become less popular. More people were watching television at home. Also, new suburban neighborhoods were built farther from downtown. This made it harder for people to visit the theater. New drive-in theaters also became popular, offering another option for movies.
By the early 1970s, the theater was in bad shape. Many of its beautiful items, like furniture and artwork, were sold off. The Dipp family, who owned other buildings nearby, bought the theater. The Plaza closed on May 31, 1974. It briefly reopened in the 1970s and 1980s, but finally closed its doors in 1989.
In 1989, the Dipp family wanted to tear down the Plaza Theatre to build a parking lot. But the community wanted to save it! The El Paso Community Foundation started trying to raise $9 million to save the theater. They had only six weeks to do it. Many fundraising events were held. The famous actress Rita Moreno even helped. They announced that enough money had been raised to save the Plaza Theatre! After getting a new roof, the theater was given to the City of El Paso in 1990.
Reopening the Plaza
The Plaza was one of the few theaters of its kind left, but it had lost much of its original beauty. Furniture and art were gone, and parts of its old electrical systems didn't work. However, the main structure was still there. In 2000, a group of volunteers decided to see if the theater could be restored. They found that it was possible. In 2001, a survey showed that people in El Paso wanted more performing arts events and were excited about a restored Plaza.
In 2002, the City of El Paso and the El Paso Community Foundation agreed to work together to restore the Plaza Theatre. The Foundation promised to raise $12 million for the project. They also agreed to restore and bring back the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. The City of El Paso would pay for the rest of the restoration costs.
Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd. and Arrow Builders were hired for the restoration. They worked hard to make sure everything followed historical guidelines. The Plaza Theatre reopened on March 17, 2006, after costing nearly $38 million to restore. The first show was Riverdance, which had many sold-out performances. The reopened theater has a 2,050-seat main theater and a tall stage. It also includes a 200-seat children's theater, a rooftop garden, and meeting rooms. The smaller theater is called the Philanthropy Theatre.
Even after the reopening, the El Paso Community Foundation continues to raise money. They want to buy back more of the Plaza's original art and furnishings.
The Building's Design
No expense was spared to make this building grand. At the entrance, a tall, domed tower rises above the roof. Other parts of the outside look like a Spanish mission. The inside, however, was even more amazing! It had beautifully painted ceilings, mosaic-tiled floors, fancy carpets, and decorative iron railings. Antique furniture added to the grand look. Because of its fancy design, the Plaza became known as "The Showplace of the Southwest."
The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ
A very special part of the theater is the $60,000 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. This huge organ could rise from the orchestra pit. It was used for vaudeville shows, sing-alongs, and to entertain people before and after movies. It has a "toy box" that lets it make sounds like horses' hooves, ocean waves, and birds chirping!
In 1973, the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ was sold and kept by a private collector in Dallas. But in 1998, it was restored and given back to El Paso by Karl O. Wyler, Sr. During the theater's renovation, the organ was displayed at Sunland Park Mall. It was rebuilt and put back in its original spot. This specific Wurlitzer organ is the only one of its kind (a Wurlitzer Balaban III) that is still complete.
Fun Facts About the Plaza Theatre
- Over the years, many famous entertainers have performed at the Plaza. These include Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Barrymore family, John Wayne, the Marx Brothers, Rita Moreno, and James Stewart.
- The theater originally had 2,410 seats. This included seats on the main floor, in the mezzanine, and in the balcony. When it reopened, they made the seats wider and more comfortable, so there are now fewer seats.
- Originally, because of unfair rules, African American patrons were only allowed to sit in the balcony. The main seating area was only for white people.
- The Plaza had a fallout shelter located under the stage. Before the restoration, old food rations were found inside the shelter, still in their original packages!
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Plaza para niños
