Redlands Bowl facts for kids
The Redlands Bowl is a cool outdoor theater in Redlands, California, USA. It started way back in 1924. People can enjoy music and plays there for free! It's part of the Smiley Park Historic District, which also has Smiley Park, the A.K. Smiley Public Library, and the Lincoln Memorial Shrine.
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The Story of Redlands Bowl
In 1923, a local person named Grace Stewart Mullen had a great idea. She started the Redlands Community Music Association. By 1924, she organized the first music concerts in Smiley Park. At first, there was a small bandstand east of where the theater is now. This is where the Lincoln Memorial Shrine stands today.
Grace Mullen worked hard to collect donations all year. This helped make the music festival an annual event. She kept this amazing tradition going until she passed away in 1967.
Building the Prosellis
The theater you see today was built in 1929. Local helpers, Florence R. and Clarence G. White, paid for it. They were new to Redlands and wanted to give a gift to the city. They named the new outdoor stage "The Prosellis." This Latin name roughly means "before the seats."
A local architect named Herbert J. Powell designed The Prosellis. He made sure it looked like the nearby AK Smiley Public Library. Above the stage, there's a special message carved into the stone. It says, "Without vision a people perish," from Proverbs 29:18.
What Happens at the Bowl
The City of Redlands owns the Redlands Bowl. It's like a public park for everyone to enjoy. A group called The Redlands Bowl Performing Arts Association runs all the events. This is a non-profit group, meaning they don't make money from the shows.
Summer Music Festival
The association hosts the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival. This festival happens every summer, from late June through August. There are usually 18 to 20 shows. You can see many different kinds of music and performances. These shows happen on Tuesday and Friday nights. It's the oldest music festival in the United States that doesn't charge for tickets!
Shakespeare Plays
The Redlands Shakespeare Festival also uses the Bowl. This festival has happened every year since 2004. It usually takes place during the last three weekends in May. They put on three full Shakespeare plays. There are also talks, workshops, and special events. The festival in 2014 was canceled.
Other Events
The Redlands Bowl is also used for many other events. Local high schools hold their graduation ceremonies there. It's a special place for the community.
Mission Gables House
The Redlands Community Music Association bought the Mission Gables House. This house is 7,500 square feet and is right next to the Bowl. They bought it from the city in the 1990s. The house was in bad shape and almost torn down.
The house was completely fixed up and made new. They even dug under it to add restrooms for events. The renovation cost over $1.8 million. The Mission Gables House looks over the Redlands Bowl. It is now used as office space for the Association and other performing arts groups.
