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 famous old theater in Mobile, Alabama. It's a special building that's part of the Lower Dauphin Street Historic District. The theater first opened its doors in January 1927. People in Mobile know the Saenger Theatre for its beautiful design and its important role in the city's history. It has been updated recently with new lights, sound, and special rooms for guests. Today, it is the main home for the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. It also hosts many other events like movie festivals, concerts, and talks.
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Discover the Saenger Theatre's History
When the Saenger Theatre opened on January 19, 1927, it was the 61st theater in a large chain. This chain was started by two brothers, Julian and Abe Saenger, from Shreveport, Louisiana. They were pharmacists who bought their first theater in 1911. Eventually, they owned 320 theaters. These theaters were located all over the South, and even in countries like Cuba and Mexico.
Building the Saenger Theatre
The Saenger Theatre in Mobile took one year to build. It cost about $500,000, which was a lot of money back then! A famous architect named Emile Weil designed it. The theater had special three-color lights in the main hall. It also had a large theater organ with two keyboards.
The Saenger was built for big live shows. It had a full stage with special traps for scenery and costumes. There were four floors of dressing rooms for performers. It also had rooms for musicians and chorus singers. When it first opened, it had 2,615 seats. Around 1950, some seats were changed, making the capacity about 2,200. Today, it can seat 1,921 people.
A Palace of Art and Design
The Saenger Theatre's design was like a "French palace of the Renaissance." It got ideas from old Greek mythology and Mobile's location by the sea. For example, the sea god Poseidon is carved above the front entrance. Inside, you can see other figures like Dionysus and Pan. There are also many designs of seahorses, shells, and fish.
The main colors inside were sea-green, with maroon and gold. The ceilings had special paintings that made things look three-dimensional, called trompe-l'œil. The building was designed to look like grand opera houses in Europe. It had a grand marble staircase, fancy lamps, and beautiful chandeliers. There were also special rooms for men and women with lavish furniture.
Opening Day and Early Shows
On opening day, important people like Mayor Harry T. Hartwell spoke to the large crowd. A representative from the United Daughters of the Confederacy gave a portrait of General Robert E. Lee. This was because the dedication day was his 119th birthday.
For many years, the Saenger Theatre brought amazing entertainment to Mobile. It showed silent movies, vaudeville acts, and later, talking movies. It hosted plays and musical shows. It was even the place where the first America's Junior Miss pageant was held. However, over time, many grand movie theaters like the Saenger faced problems. Changes in ownership and high costs made them hard to keep open. Many were even torn down to make space for parking lots.
Saving and Restoring the Saenger Theatre
In the early 1970s, the owners, ABC/Paramount, closed the Mobile Saenger. They planned to tear it down. But just before demolition, the University of South Alabama bought the Saenger. This saved it from being destroyed. It was partly fixed up and reopened as a performing arts center. It was then called the USA Saenger Theatre.
A Community Effort to Restore
On October 1, 1999, the City of Mobile bought the Saenger from the University of South Alabama. A new non-profit group, the Center for the Living Arts, Inc., was created in 2000. Their job was to run the Saenger. With help from community donations, 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 is downtown Mobile's top place for live music and performing arts. It is the official home of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. The Saenger also has an annual "Summer Movie Series." It hosts many concerts, lectures, and other special events throughout the year. ASM Global continues to manage the historic Saenger Theatre for the City of Mobile.
See also
