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 |
| Website | |
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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, United States. It was built in 1930 and is still used today. This theater is one of El Paso's most well-known landmarks. It is recognized as a National Historic Building of Significance. The Plaza Theatre has two main performance spaces: the Kendall Kidd Performance Hall, which seats 2,050 people, and the smaller Philanthropy Theatre, which seats 200. It hosts many different events, like Broadway shows, music concerts, and the yearly Plaza Classic Film Festival.
Contents
History of the Plaza Theatre
Before the Plaza Theatre was built, there was a large warehouse on the spot. This warehouse belonged to Bernard and Ben Schuster. In February 1927, Louis L. Dent, who owned other theaters in El Paso, bought the land. He wanted to build something special for the city. He told the El Paso Times that he wanted to create something everyone would be proud of.
Building the Plaza Theatre
Construction of the Plaza Theatre began in 1929. It was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. A famous architect named W. Scott Dunne designed it. He designed over 30 theaters in Texas and Oklahoma. The Plaza is considered his best work that is still standing. The theater was built to show movies and also host live stage shows.
The building was finished in 1930. A very special pipe organ was installed by the Wurlitzer Company. It cost $60,000, which was a lot of money back then! The Plaza Theatre was advertised as the "largest theater of its kind" between Dallas and Los Angeles.
Opening Day and Special Features
The Plaza Theatre opened its doors on September 12, 1930. The first movie shown was Follow Thru. The theater was completely full with 2,410 people. Even though El Paso had other theaters, the Plaza stood out. It was much bigger, had beautiful decorations, and used new technology.
The Plaza Theatre was known for its "atmospheric" ceiling. This ceiling looked like the night sky with twinkling stars. It even had projections of clouds floating by. It was also the first public theater in the United States to have air conditioning.
Changes Over Time
In 1933, Interstate Theaters bought the Plaza Theatre. On February 10, 1934, the first live play, Richelieu, was performed there. Famous actors like Walter Hampton were in the cast.
In 1939, the theater showed the movie Gone With the Wind. At that time, there were rules in El Paso that kept different groups of people separate. So, the first showing was only for white people. However, a civil rights activist named Betty Mary Goetting asked the theater to have a special midnight showing. This midnight show was open to African Americans and was completely full. In 1949, the Plaza hosted the world premiere of the film El Paso.
Decline and Closure
By the 1950s, fewer people were visiting the Plaza Theatre. This was because television became popular, and people started moving to suburban neighborhoods farther from downtown. Also, new drive-in theaters started to appear, offering another option for movies.
By the early 1970s, the theater was in poor condition. Many of its beautiful items, like furniture, artwork, and the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, were sold off. The theater closed on May 31, 1974. It briefly reopened in the 1970s and 1980s but finally closed its doors in 1989.
In 1985, the state of Texas recognized the Plaza Theatre as a Historical Landmark. In 1989, the owners wanted to tear down the theater to build a parking lot. But the community rallied to save it! The El Paso Community Foundation worked to raise money. They needed $9 million in just six weeks. Many fundraising events were held, and actress Rita Moreno helped a lot. Enough money was raised to save the theater. In 1990, the El Paso Community Foundation put a new roof on the theater and then gave it to the City of El Paso.
Reopening the Plaza Theatre
The Plaza Theatre was one of the few theaters of its kind left in the country. But it had lost much of its original beauty. Many items were gone, and parts of its old electrical systems no longer worked. However, the main structure inside was still mostly the same.
In 2000, a group of volunteers started looking into restoring the theater. They decided it was possible. In 2001, a survey showed that people in El Paso wanted more performing arts shows. They also really loved the Plaza Theatre and wanted it restored.
On July 30, 2002, the City of El Paso agreed to work with the El Paso Community Foundation. Their goal was to restore the Plaza Theatre to its original look. The foundation promised to raise $12 million for the project. They also committed to restoring and bringing back the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. The City of El Paso agreed to pay for the rest of the restoration costs.
The restoration work was done by Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd. and Arrow Builders. They worked carefully to make sure everything followed historical restoration rules. The project cost nearly $38 million.
The Plaza Theatre officially reopened on March 17, 2006. The first show was Riverdance, which had many sold-out performances. The restored theater now has a 2,050-seat main theater with a tall stage. This stage can handle large Broadway shows. The facility also includes the 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre, a rooftop garden, meeting rooms, and a restaurant. The El Paso Community Foundation continues to raise money to buy back original art and furnishings for the Plaza.
The Building's Design
A lot of money and effort went into making the Plaza Theatre beautiful. Outside, a tall, domed tower rises above the entrance. Other parts of the outside look like old Spanish mission-style buildings.
Inside, visitors are amazed by the detailed design. The ceilings are intricately painted, the floors have mosaic tiles, and there are fancy carpets. Decorative wrought iron railings and lights add to the grand look. The theater also has antique furniture. Because of its very fancy rococo design, the Plaza became known as "The Showplace of the Southwest."
The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ
A special part of the theater's interior is the $60,000 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. This organ can rise from the orchestra pit. It was used to play music 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. The organ has 15 ranks, with 61 pipes in each rank.
In 1973, the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ was sold at an auction. A private collector in Dallas bought it. But in 1998, the organ was restored and given back to El Paso by Karl O. Wyler, Sr. During the theater's renovations, the organ was displayed at Sunland Park Mall. It was rebuilt by Pipe Organ Artisans of Arizona. This specific Wurlitzer Balaban III organ is the only one of its kind 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, Sally Rand, Tallulah Bankhead, Hopalong Cassidy, John Wayne, the Marx Brothers, Rita Moreno, Henry Fonda, Tom Mix, and James Stewart.
- The theater originally had 2,410 seats. There were 1,510 seats on the main floor, 508 in the mezzanine, and 392 in the balcony. When it reopened, the number of seats was reduced. This was done to make the seats wider and more comfortable for people.
- In the past, people of color were only allowed to sit in the balcony of the theater. The main seating area was only for white people.
- The Plaza had a fallout shelter (a safe place during emergencies) located under the stage. Before the restoration, old food rations could still be found inside the shelter.
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
