- Majestic Theatre (Dallas, Texas)
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This article is about the Dallas theatre. For other uses, see Majestic Theatre.Majestic TheatreRecorded Texas Historic LandmarkDallas Landmark
Majestic Theatre
Location: 1925 Elm Street
Dallas, TexasCoordinates: 32°46′57.22″N 96°47′41.84″W / 32.7825611°N 96.7949556°WCoordinates: 32°46′57.22″N 96°47′41.84″W / 32.7825611°N 96.7949556°W Built: 1920 Architect: John Eberson Architectural style: Renaissance Revival Governing body: Local NRHP Reference#: 77001437[1] Significant dates Added to NRHP: November 14, 1977 Designated RTHL: 1983 Majestic Theatre Capacity 1570 Type Vaudeville, Movies Opened April 11, 1921 Years active 1921-1973, 1983-present Current use Performing Arts Center http://www.liveatthemajestic.com The Majestic Theatre is a performing arts theater in the City Center District of Downtown Dallas. It is the last remnant of Theater Row, the city's historic entertainment center on Elm Street, and is a contributing property in the Harwood Historic District. The structure is a Dallas Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History
The Majestic Theatre in 2009
Designed by John Eberson under direction of Karl Hoblitzelle, the Majestic Theatre was constructed in 1920 as the flagship theater for Interstate Amusement Company, a chain of vaudeville houses.[2] The $2 million Renaissance Revival structure opened on April 11, 1921 with a seating capacity of 2,800.[3]. It replaced a previous theater of the same name (located at Commerce Street and St. Paul Street) which burned down in 1916.
The interior was originally divided into theater and office space, with 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of the upper four floors used as the headquarters of the Interstate Amusement Company. The interior lobby and auditorium was of baroque design with decorative detailing consisting of Corinthian columns, egg-and-dart molding, cartouches, and Roman swags and fretwork. The lobby contained a magnificent black-and-white Italian-style Vermont marble floor and twin marble staircases. Other features included an ornate cage elevator serving the two balconies, crystal chandeliers, brass mirrors, ferns and a marble fountain.[2] A concession stand was added to the lobby in the late 1940s.
The auditorium featured a ceiling "sky" of floating clouds and mechanically controlled twinkling stars. Seating was provided on the main floor and in two balconies in woven cane seats. The stage was flanked by massive Corinthian columns, with an orchestra pit in front. Backstage consisted of twelve dressing rooms, a loft to accommodate scenery and a set of wooden lighting controls. A Kilgen theater organ opus 3054 size 2/8 was also installed.[4]
The Majestic was the grandest of all the theaters along Dallas' Theatre Row which stretched for several blocks along Elm Street. The Melba, Tower, Palace, Rialto, Capitol, Telenews (newsreels and short-subjects exclusively), Fox (live burlesque) and Strand theatres were all demolished by the late 1970s; only the Majestic remains today.[5]
The Majestic hosted a variety of acts from Houdini to Mae West and Bob Hope during the vaudeville era. Beginning in 1922, films were added to the regular vaudeville offerings. The theatre began hosting movie premieres and associated stars such as Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck and John Wayne. The Big Bands featuring Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington continued the tradition of live entertainment at the Majestic.
In 1932 the Majestic began showing movies exclusively. On July 16, 1973 the Majestic Theatre closed after the final showing of the film, “Live and Let Die”.
Rebirth
The Hobilitzelle Foundation turned the Majestic Theater over to the City of Dallas in January 1976 and the theatre was restored for use as a performing arts center.
After restoring the exterior, the original Corinthian columns, balustrades, urns, and trellises of the auditorium were repaired and repainted. 23K gold leaf was reapplied to the extensive interior decorative accents. New seats were installed, and the number of seats was reduced from 2,400 to 1,570, to allow for an enlarged orchestra pit, the conversion of the second balcony to house advanced sound and lighting systems, and the division of the first balcony into box seating. The stage was given a resilient floor suitable for dance performances and Backstage space was expanded.[2]
In 1977 the Majestic Theatre became the first Dallas building to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1983 it received a Texas Historical Commission marker.
The theater was reopened on January 28, 1983. Today the Majestic is regularly used for musical productions, dramatic plays, national pageants, dance and concerts.
Pop culture
- After closing in 1973 the theatre was used as a film location for Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974).
See also
- List of buildings and structures in Dallas, Texas
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-12-22. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ a b c http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/ccm4.html
- ^ Architecture Magazine, September 1922
- ^ http://cinematreasures.org/theater/227/
- ^ http://www.symmonline.com/phorum/read.php?2,67176,67184#msg-67184
External links
Categories:- Cinemas and movie theaters in Texas
- Theatres in Texas
- Renaissance Revival architecture in Texas
- Buildings and structures in Dallas, Texas
- Theatre in Dallas, Texas
- Landmarks in Dallas, Texas
- Concert halls in Dallas, Texas
- Music venues in Dallas, Texas
- National Register of Historic Places in Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks
- Dallas Landmarks
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