Spreckels Theater Building, San Diego, California
Encyclopedia
The Spreckels Theater Building was built in San Diego, California
in 1912. It was touted as "the first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi". It has been in continuous operation since its opening, with a few brief intervals for refurbishing.
designed the Spreckels Theater for the city's premier philanthropist, sugar heir John D. Spreckels
. The building, which opened on August 23, 1912, was constructed to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal
. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, concrete panels and terra cotta
. The six-story building has a marquee
over the main entrance. The theater is a 1,915-seat auditorium with an ornate Baroque
interior. The auditorium is open with no pillars or columns to obstruct sightlines. The number of seats was chosen to correspond with the Panama-California Exposition year (1915). The stage is 82 feet x 58 feet, and was one of the largest stages ever constructed. Even by today's standards, the theater meets most criteria to be considered state-of-the-art.
, Al Jolson
, Will Rogers
, and Abbott and Costello
.
In 1931, it was converted into a first-run motion picture house by its then-owner Louis B. Metzger.
In 1976, owner/operator Jacquelyn Littlefield (Metzger's daughter) returned it to a live theater format, bringing touring Broadway
shows to San Diego in cooperation with the Nederlander Organization
.
When fire destroyed San Diego's Old Globe Theatre
in 1978, the Spreckels hosted the Globe's 1978-79 season.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1912. It was touted as "the first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi". It has been in continuous operation since its opening, with a few brief intervals for refurbishing.
Architecture
Architect Harrison AlbrightHarrison Albright
Harrison Albright was an American architect best known for his innovative design of the West Baden Springs Hotel in Orange County, Indiana, which boasted the largest free-spanning dome in the world at the time of its construction.- Biography :Born in the Ogontz neighborhood of North Philadelphia,...
designed the Spreckels Theater for the city's premier philanthropist, sugar heir John D. Spreckels
John D. Spreckels
John Diedrich Spreckels , the son of German-American industrialist Claus Spreckels, founded a transportation and real estate empire in San Diego, California in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
. The building, which opened on August 23, 1912, was constructed to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, concrete panels and terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
. The six-story building has a marquee
Marquee (sign)
A marquee is most commonly a structure placed over the entrance to a hotel or theatre. It has signage stating either the name of the establishment or, in the case of theatres, the play or movie and the artist appearing at that venue...
over the main entrance. The theater is a 1,915-seat auditorium with an ornate Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
interior. The auditorium is open with no pillars or columns to obstruct sightlines. The number of seats was chosen to correspond with the Panama-California Exposition year (1915). The stage is 82 feet x 58 feet, and was one of the largest stages ever constructed. Even by today's standards, the theater meets most criteria to be considered state-of-the-art.
History
The theater originally presented live theatrical productions. Notable performers at the Spreckels included Enrico Caruso, John BarrymoreJohn Barrymore
John Sidney Blyth , better known as John Barrymore, was an acclaimed American actor. He first gained fame as a handsome stage actor in light comedy, then high drama and culminating in groundbreaking portrayals in Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Richard III...
, Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, and Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
.
In 1931, it was converted into a first-run motion picture house by its then-owner Louis B. Metzger.
In 1976, owner/operator Jacquelyn Littlefield (Metzger's daughter) returned it to a live theater format, bringing touring Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows to San Diego in cooperation with the Nederlander Organization
Nederlander Organization
The Nederlander Organization, founded in 1912 by David T. Nederlander and based in Detroit, Michigan, is one of the largest operators of legitimate theatres and music venuesin the United States. Its first acquisition was a lease on the Detroit Opera House in 1912. The building was demolished in...
.
When fire destroyed San Diego's Old Globe Theatre
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
in 1978, the Spreckels hosted the Globe's 1978-79 season.