Saenger Theatre (Mobile, Alabama) facts for kids
Entrance of the Saenger Theatre.
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| Address | 6 South Joachim Street Mobile, Alabama United States |
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| Coordinates | 30°41′26″N 88°02′39″W / 30.690631°N 88.044044°W |
| Owner | Center for the Living Arts, Inc. |
| Type | Indoor Theatre |
| Capacity | 1,921 |
| Current use | Performing arts center |
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Saenger Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Architectural style | 20th Century Revival |
| Part of | Lower Dauphin Street Historic District (ID79000392) |
| Designated CP | 19 February 1979 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 19 January 1927 |
| Architect | Emile Weil |
| Website | |
| www.asmglobalmobile.com | |
The Saenger Theatre is a historic building in Mobile, Alabama. It is a well-known landmark, famous for its amazing architecture and its connection to the city's culture. The theater opened its doors in January 1927.
In recent years, the Saenger Theatre has been fully updated. It now has a modern electrical system, special areas for important guests, and new stage equipment. It is the main home for the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. The theater also hosts movie festivals, concerts, talks, and other special events.
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History of the Saenger Theatre
When the Saenger Theatre opened on January 19, 1927, it was one of many Saenger theaters. Two brothers, Julian and Abe Saenger, started this chain of theaters. They were originally pharmacists who bought their first theater in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1911. Eventually, they owned 320 theaters. These theaters were located across the southern United States, and in countries like Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, and Panama.
Building the Mobile Saenger
The Saenger Theatre in Mobile took about a year to build. It cost around 500,000 dollars, which was a lot of money back then! A famous architect named Emile Weil designed the building.
The Saenger Theatre had many special features when it first opened. It had auditorium lights that could change to three different colors. There was also a large theater organ made by the Robert Morton Organ Company. The stage was fully equipped for big traveling shows. It even had four floors of dressing rooms for performers. The theater originally had 2,615 seats. Around 1950, some seats were changed, reducing the number to about 2,200. Today, it has 1,921 seats.
Theater Design and Decorations
The Saenger Theatre's decorations were inspired by a "French palace of the Renaissance." The design also used ideas from classical Greek mythology and Mobile's location by the coast. For example, a statue of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, is above the front entrance.
Inside, you can see many beautiful plaster decorations. Dionysus, the god of wine and theater, is above the main stage. There are also figures of Maenads (followers of Dionysus) around the chandelier in the lounge. Pan, a nature god, is found near the organ grilles. You can also spot stylized seahorses, shells, and fish throughout the theater. The main colors inside were sea-green with maroon and gold details. The ceilings had special paintings that looked like real objects, a style called trompe-l'œil.
Unique Architectural Features
The building was designed to look like European opera houses. It had special opera boxes under the organ grilles. These were later removed to give people a better view when a larger movie screen was installed. Other amazing parts of the original building included a tilted arcade and a grand marble staircase. There were also fancy lamps, chandeliers, statues, and door frames. The theater had a mezzanine and a promenade, which are open areas for walking. Even the men's "Stage Room" and ladies' "At the Sign of the Lipstick" lounge had fancy furniture. Their drapes and carpets even had the theater's name woven into them!
Opening Day and Early Shows
At the dedication ceremony, important people like Mayor Harry T. Hartwell and State Senator John Craft spoke to the large crowd. A representative from the United Daughters of the Confederacy also presented a portrait of General Robert E. Lee. This was because the dedication date was the General's 119th birthday.
For many years, the Saenger Theatre offered great entertainment to the people of Mobile. It hosted silent movies, vaudeville shows (which were variety acts), and many plays and musical productions. It was also the place where the first America's Junior Miss pageant was held. However, like many grand old movie palaces, the Saenger faced challenges. Changes in ownership, high costs to keep it running, and other problems made many of these beautiful buildings seem like "white elephants" (meaning they were expensive to keep but not very useful). Many were even torn down to make space for parking lots or new buildings.
Restoration of the Saenger Theatre
In the early 1970s, the owners, ABC/Paramount, closed the Mobile Saenger. They even removed the movie projection equipment and planned to tear the building down. But just before demolition, the University of South Alabama bought the Saenger. This saved it from being destroyed! The university partly renovated it and reopened it as a performing arts center, calling it the USA Saenger Theatre.
A New Chapter for the Saenger
On October 1, 1999, the City of Mobile bought the Saenger from the University of South Alabama. In early 2000, a new non-profit group called the Center for the Living Arts, Inc., was created to manage the Saenger. With donations from the community, the Center for the Living Arts restored the historic Mobile Saenger. This big project cost about six million dollars. Businessman Massey Palmer Bedsole Jr. and his wife, former State Senator Ann Bedsole, were very involved in the renovation.
Today, the Saenger Theatre in Mobile is the top live music concert venue and performing arts center in downtown Mobile. It is also the official home of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. The Saenger hosts an annual "Summer Movie Series" and presents many concerts, lectures, and special events throughout the year. The Oak View Group now helps manage the historic Saenger Theatre for the City of Mobile.
See also
