Alhambra Dinner Theatre

The Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida is the oldest Dinner theater in Florida and second oldest in the United States. The facility has been providing audiences with professional Broadway-style shows for over forty years. [ [http://www.wegoplaces.com/Activity_1067.aspx We Go Places.com: Travel Reviews-Alhambra] ]

History

The Alhambra was built by Jacksonville businessman Leon Simon in 1967. Since that time, the Alhambra has produced more than 340 plays, according to owner Tod Booth, Sr., who purchased the business in 1984. At times, the theatre has been something of a family affair. Jessica Booth of Mandarin, daughter of theater owner Tod Booth Sr. has appeared in a number of shows, as has his wife, Lisa Valdini. Son Tod Jr. began working as sort of an apprentice to his father, doing some acting, some directing and a lot of stage managing. He is now general manager and director of the Alhambra's Children's Theatre. [ [http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/103004/neR_17044130.shtml Florida Times-Union: Dec 7, 2004-Alhambra director gets kids started early on love for stage] ] Tod Booth, Sr. is still a talented actor and occasionally takes a role, but most of the time, he stays behind the scenes, directing and producing the shows. [ [http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022208/lif_248976180.shtml Florida Times-Union: Feb 22, 2008-At Alhambra, 'we keep pretty darn busy' all year] ]

In the early days of dinner theater, it was the stars—albeit faded--who were the main attraction. The Alhambra, like more than 100 other theaters across the country, provided career boosts for Hollywood has-beens whose names were still magic outside New York and Hollywood. "When their careers cooled, a star could learn a show and take it on the dinner theater circuit," according to Booth. "That one show could be a meal ticket for a year or two." Dinner theater productions also attracted game show hosts, moonlighting soap opera stars, one-time teen idols and even a few centerfold gals. The plays were sometimes atrocious, but the stars, in front of an appreciative audience and away from the haughty critics, often had fun with a weak script and made it their own. The first headliner to appear in Jacksonville was Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann Summers on the TV sitcom, Gilligan's Island. Wells starred in the Alhambra's 1969 production of Barefoot in the Park. More than 100 other greats, near-greats and not-so-greats appeared at the Alhambra over the next 25 years.
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Some of the stars had fun, but they also earned decent money -- generally between $1,500 and $5,000 per week, for six to eight weeks per show. Jacksonville also offered comfortable accommodations at the beach, generally nice, sunny weather, and days free to golf, shop and sightsee.The era of using former stars ended when old-timers started getting more opportunities for television and commercial work. "They could make more in a day doing a commercial than they could make during the entire run of dinner theater show, and they didn't have to travel," Booth said. "Plus, a lot of the stars just started dying off." Dinner Theatres as a whole had been dying, too. Actors' Equity Association (AEA) is the union that represents professional stage and film actors. In 1976, there were 147 dinner theatres associated with AEA across the country. In 1999, there are only nine, and 14 in 2003. The performers are professionals, and many boast lengthy resumes including movie, television and stage roles. Some may be stars of tomorrow, but few have names you’d recognize. The buffet-style dinners offer a standard menu: baked chicken, barbecue ribs, roast beef and seafood newberg. Four levels with 400+ seats surround the stage on three sides, assuring that all tables have an unimpeded view. [ [http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2840458-alhambra_dinner_theatre_jacksonville-i Yahoo! Travel: Alhambra Dinner Theatre] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.alhambradinnertheatre.com/ Alhambra Dinner Theatre website]
* [http://www.ndta.com National Dinner Theater Association website]