Yost Theater facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yost Theater

Exterior of venue, featuring the marquee (c.2017)
Former names	Auditorium Theater (1913) Clune's Santa Ana Theater (1913-19)
Address	307 N Spurgeon St Santa Ana, CA 92701-4856
Location	Lacy
Capacity	1,000
Construction
Opened	June 16, 1913 (1913-06-16)
Renovated	1919, 1921, 1935, 1947, 2007, 2013
Architect	Frederick Eley
General contractor	Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer
Yost Theater-Ritz Hotel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	86000107
Added to NRHP	January 23, 1986

The Yost Theater is a cool place in Santa Ana, California, where people go for concerts and other fun events. It's a really old building, so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special historic spot in Santa Ana's Downtown Historic District. For many years, it was a movie theater, especially showing films from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Today, it's a popular spot for concerts, school dances, and even weddings!

History of the Yost Theater

The Yost Theater has a long and interesting past. It first opened its doors in 1913. Back then, it was called the "Auditorium Theater." Later that same year, its name changed to "Clune's Santa Ana Theater."

Early Days and New Ownership

The theater got its most famous name, the Yost Theater, when a man named Ed Yost bought it. In 1950, a person named Luis Olivos leased the theater. His son, Louie Olivos Jr., later became very involved with the theater.

A Hub for Mexican Cinema

In its early years, the Yost Theater showed many different kinds of entertainment. It hosted vaudeville shows, which were like variety acts with singing, dancing, and comedy. It also showed silent films, which were movies without sound, and later "talkies," which were movies with sound.

Under the Olivos Family, the Yost Theater became a very important place for Mexican cinema. Louie Olivos Jr. brought many famous Mexican movie stars and singers to perform there. Some of these stars included Antonio Aguilar and Vicente Fernández. The theater also hosted American music legends like Ike and Tina Turner and Sonny and Cher.

Changes and Renovations

In 1986, the Chase Family bought the Yost Theater from the City of Santa Ana. After this, the theater was used as a church for a while. During this time, some changes were made to the inside of the building.

In 2007, there was exciting news! The Yost Theater was going to reopen for everyone to enjoy. A special architect named Thomas Berkes helped restore the building. They turned it back into a place for live shows and concerts. It reopened that same year.

After reopening, a group called Centro Cultural de México started holding concerts and events there. Famous people like Dolores Huerta, who helped farm workers, gave talks. There was also a lecture about the artist Frida Kahlo. In 2010, the city approved plans for the Yost to be open later and host banquets.

Famous Performers at the Yost

Many talented artists have performed at the Yost Theater over the years. Here are some of them:

Images for kids

• 

  The Yost in 2007

• 

  Cine Yost

• 

  Marquee in 2007

See also

• Historic Downtown Santa Ana
• Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, California
• Santa Ana, California
• El Cine Yost and the Power of Place for Mexican Migrants in Orange County, California, 1930-1990