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Saenger Theatre (Pensacola, Florida)
Encyclopedia
The Saenger Theatre, also known as the Saenger Theater, is a historic theater
in Pensacola
, Florida
. It is located at 118 South Palafox Place. On July 19, 1976, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
.
In 1989, the Saenger Theater was listed in A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, published by the University of Florida Press..
Construction began on top of the same site where the old Pensacola Opera House originally stood, which was destroyed by the 1917 Pinar del Río hurricane
. The Saenger was built with the very bricks which housed the original opera house as well as the railings. The overall cost to build the Saenger was a total of $500,000 and was constructed by C.H. Turner Company, General Contractors.
The building featured a Robert Morton organ which currently is in reconstruction, but also 2,250 leather-backed seats, extravagant chandeliers and more than eight pounds of silver for its silver screen
. The Saenger also boasted using "Dr. Mendenhall's new transvertical non-statical projectographic machine" as the projector.
Doors to the Saenger opened on April 2, 1925 to "The Star-Spangled Banner
" followed by the "Dance of Old Seville," performed by a local dance class as well as a solo sung by yet another member of the community. The main event, which was Cecil B. Demille's The Ten Commandments
, was finally shown which completed their sold-out grand opening day.
The Saenger was host to a variety of entertainment. In addition to silent motion pictures, and later motion pictures with sound, Vaudeville
and Broadway shows
were frequent favorites. Local entertainers were also invited to perform at the elite Saenger.
During World War II
, the theater stayed opened twenty-four hours a day so that local citizens were able to watch newsreel
s at any time of the day, or night.
As the years passed, the illustrious theater began to fall out of favor due to competition with drive-ins, as well as other factors, and slowly fell into disrepair. Like so many other palatial movie houses, the Saenger sadly suffered from lack of interest. The Saenger's gradoise moments became a shadow of the past, as the 1960s brought risqué adult entertainment to the theater instead.
1975 brought sadness as the doors to the once magnificent Saenger closed, however it was not forgotten. The theater was donated to the City of Pensacola who, with the combined efforts of the University of West Florida, worked to restore her to her original majestic structure. In 1981, her first grand re-opening took place alongside a performance by "The Duke Ellington Orchestra
," a well renowned jazz ensemble.
More recently, the theater underwent another renovation totaling over $15 million, exceeding original estimates by nearly $5 million dollars. The latest renovation was to extend the stage as well as enlarge the dressing rooms. The seating was to become more spacious and comfortable as well. This second grand re-opening took place on the 26th of March 2009 to "Jesus Christ Superstar."
Today the structure remains at its original location on the Northeastern corner of South Palafox Place and East Intendencia Street and continues to provide a variety of entertainment as in its older days.
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
in Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It is located at 118 South Palafox Place. On July 19, 1976, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
In 1989, the Saenger Theater was listed in A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, published by the University of Florida Press..
History
The theatre, often referred to as the Grand Dame of Palafox was first built in 1925 and was designed by architect Emile Weil in the style known as Spanish Baroque architecture. This style was selected due to the extensive Spanish history of the Pensacola area. Mr. Weil is also known for designing theaters in Mobile, Alabama, as well as New Orleans and Shreveport, both of Louisiana.Construction began on top of the same site where the old Pensacola Opera House originally stood, which was destroyed by the 1917 Pinar del Río hurricane
1917 Pinar del Río hurricane
The 1917 Nueva Gerona hurricane was the strongest Atlantic hurricane of the 1917 Atlantic hurricane season. The fourth tropical cyclone, second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the season, it developed east-southeast of Martinique. It moved west-northwest, passing between Saint Lucia...
. The Saenger was built with the very bricks which housed the original opera house as well as the railings. The overall cost to build the Saenger was a total of $500,000 and was constructed by C.H. Turner Company, General Contractors.
The building featured a Robert Morton organ which currently is in reconstruction, but also 2,250 leather-backed seats, extravagant chandeliers and more than eight pounds of silver for its silver screen
Silver screen
A silver screen, also known as a silver lenticular screen, is a type of projection screen that was popular in the early years of the motion picture industry and passed into popular usage as a metonym for the cinema industry...
. The Saenger also boasted using "Dr. Mendenhall's new transvertical non-statical projectographic machine" as the projector.
Doors to the Saenger opened on April 2, 1925 to "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" followed by the "Dance of Old Seville," performed by a local dance class as well as a solo sung by yet another member of the community. The main event, which was Cecil B. Demille's The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (1923 film)
The Ten Commandments is a 1923 American epic silent film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Theodore Roberts as Moses, Charles de Rochefort as Pharaoh Ramesses, Estelle Taylor as Miriam the sister of Moses, and James Neill as Aaron, the brother of Moses...
, was finally shown which completed their sold-out grand opening day.
The Saenger was host to a variety of entertainment. In addition to silent motion pictures, and later motion pictures with sound, Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and Broadway shows
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...
were frequent favorites. Local entertainers were also invited to perform at the elite Saenger.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the theater stayed opened twenty-four hours a day so that local citizens were able to watch newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s at any time of the day, or night.
As the years passed, the illustrious theater began to fall out of favor due to competition with drive-ins, as well as other factors, and slowly fell into disrepair. Like so many other palatial movie houses, the Saenger sadly suffered from lack of interest. The Saenger's gradoise moments became a shadow of the past, as the 1960s brought risqué adult entertainment to the theater instead.
1975 brought sadness as the doors to the once magnificent Saenger closed, however it was not forgotten. The theater was donated to the City of Pensacola who, with the combined efforts of the University of West Florida, worked to restore her to her original majestic structure. In 1981, her first grand re-opening took place alongside a performance by "The Duke Ellington Orchestra
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
," a well renowned jazz ensemble.
More recently, the theater underwent another renovation totaling over $15 million, exceeding original estimates by nearly $5 million dollars. The latest renovation was to extend the stage as well as enlarge the dressing rooms. The seating was to become more spacious and comfortable as well. This second grand re-opening took place on the 26th of March 2009 to "Jesus Christ Superstar."
Today the structure remains at its original location on the Northeastern corner of South Palafox Place and East Intendencia Street and continues to provide a variety of entertainment as in its older days.