Let’s remember the Pantages Theater in Tacoma, which opened on this day in 1918 (January 7)
When the Pantages Theater opened 101 years ago, it was built to be an office building and vaudeville theater. While vaudeville might have mostly died off in the 1930’s, it hasn’t strayed far from its inception, and has been one of the most iconic buildings in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century now.
Of it’s exterior, Wikipedia says:
It stands at the end of a block formed by Commerce Street, Ninth Street, and Broadway Plaza. The setting is characterized of downtown commercial activities and remains faithful to late 19th and early 20th century streetscapes. The theatre-office building measures 100 feet (30 m) on the north (Ninth Street) by 115 feet (35 m) along the west (Broadway). The building uses a steel framed with reinforced concrete walls. The Ninth Street and Broadway facades are white, glazed terra cotta in a matt finish. The Commerce Street façade is yellowish-toned brick.[2] The Ninth Street facade of the Theater is divided horizontally into three major sections, and vertically into five bays. The lower level of the facade, which conforms to the steep Ninth Street grade, has received a minimum of elaboration — typical of a Renaissance, palazzo base. The central level of this elevation, equivalent to three stories in height, features a triple-arched blind arcade set within the three central bays. Each individual archway: is punctuated by a pedimented, structural opening with a large ornamental cartouche above. These central bays are each framed by imposing, pseudo-Corinthian pilasters and half pilasters, full three stories, in height. The blind arcade is solidly flanked by sparsely-decorated outermost bays. Structural openings on the same level as those of the central bays are capped with segmental-arched pediments. Five bracketed balconettes underline these openings, creating a strong horizontal course, which firmly ties the variant bays together. A heavily proportioned entablature repeats the-horizontal movement across the full five bays on this facade. The entablature has a simple architrave, festooned frieze, and cornice with a boldly projecting dentil course. A substantial parapet above the cornice is simply ornamented with raised terra cotta rosettes, and rectangles.
When it reopened last year after a $24.5 million renovation, a guy from Tacoma Arts Live described it as “balanced elegance.”
It wasn’t always, though, a home for live performances as it was converted to a movie theater and sold to RKO in 1926, which changed the name to the Orpheum. In 1932, it was again sold and became the Roxy, until the 1980s, when it became the Pantages once again. Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, and Steve Allen are some of the legendary performers who graced that stage throughout its history (Allen was the first when it became the Pantages again in the 1980's).
That continues, as you can see comedian Lewis Black there in just a few days.
For further reading:
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