Saenger Theatre (Pensacola, Florida) facts for kids
 |
|
| Address | 118 South Palafox Place Pensacola, Florida United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | City of Pensacola |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | 1,641 |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Website | |
|
Saenger Theatre
|
|
 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
|
|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Emile Weil |
| Architectural style | Spanish Baroque architecture |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000596 |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 1976 |
The Saenger Theatre is a super old and famous theater in Pensacola, Florida. You can find it at 118 South Palafox Place. This amazing building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the United States on July 19, 1976. This means it's a really important historical spot! In 1989, it was even featured in a book about Florida's historic buildings.
Contents
History of the Saenger Theatre
The Saenger Theatre is often called the Grand Dame of Palafox. It was first built in 1925. A famous architect named Emile Weil designed it. He chose a style called Spanish Baroque architecture. This style was picked because Pensacola has a lot of Spanish history. Mr. Weil also designed other theaters in Mobile, Alabama, and in New Orleans and Shreveport, Louisiana.
Building the Grand Theatre
Construction of the Saenger Theatre began at 118 South Palafox Place. It officially opened its doors in 1925. Some of the bricks used for the back of the theater came from the old Pensacola Opera House. That opera house was destroyed in a hurricane in 1916. Even an ornate railing from the opera house's third-floor balcony was moved to the Saenger.
Building the Saenger Theatre cost a lot of money back then, about $500,000! It was built by a company called C.H. Turner Company.
Inside the Saenger
The theater was very fancy inside. It had a special Robert Morton organ, which is currently being fixed up. There were also 2,250 comfortable leather-backed seats. Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The theater even used more than eight pounds of silver for its silver screen!
Grand Opening Day
The Saenger Theatre first opened on April 2, 1925. The day started with "The Star-Spangled Banner." Then, a local dance class performed the "Dance of Old Seville." Someone from the community also sang a solo. The main event was a big movie called The Ten Commandments. The theater was completely sold out for its grand opening!
Entertainment Through the Years
The Saenger Theatre showed many different kinds of entertainment. At first, it showed silent movies, and later, movies with sound. It also hosted Vaudeville shows and Broadway shows. Local performers were often invited to perform there too.
During World War II, the theater stayed open all day and night. This allowed people to watch newsreels whenever they wanted. Newsreels were short films that showed current events.
Challenges and Rebirth
As years went by, fewer people went to the Saenger Theatre. New drive-in movie theaters became popular. The Saenger started to look old and needed repairs. Like many grand movie houses, it sadly lost its popularity.
In 1975, the magnificent Saenger Theatre closed its doors. But it wasn't forgotten! The theater was given to the City of Pensacola. The city worked with the University of West Florida to bring it back to its original glory. In 1981, the Saenger had its first grand re-opening. A famous jazz group called "The Duke Ellington Orchestra" performed that night.
More recently, the theater had another big renovation. This project cost over $15 million! They made the stage bigger and enlarged the dressing rooms. The seats were also made more spacious and comfortable. This second grand re-opening happened on March 26, 2009, with a performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar."
The Saenger Theatre is still in its original spot at the corner of South Palafox Place and East Intendencia Street. It continues to offer many different kinds of entertainment, just like it did in the old days!
See also
Images for kids
