Pasadena Playhouse
The
Pasadena Playhouse is a historic
theatre located in
Pasadena, California.
The Playhouse's history began in 1917 when actor/director
Gilmor Brown began producing a season of plays at an old
burlesque house, which he renamed the Savoy. By 1925 the Savoy Players had become popular enough that a new theatre building was constructed, designed by architect
Elmer Grey. In 1928 Brown opened a theatre school on the premises. In the early 1930s the Pasadena Playhouse became a showcase for
Hollywood, and many
silent film stars came there to prepare themselves for speaking parts in "
talking pictures."
In 1937 the
California Legislature designated the Pasadena Playhouse as the official state theatre. It continued to serve as a training ground for young actors through the 1940s and 1950s, but by the 1960s many
universities had opened theatre departments and the Pasadena Playhouse found it difficult to compete. The school closed in 1969 and the theatre closed soon after.
During the 1970s the building was threatened with demolition, but a group of local citizens were successful in getting it placed on the
National Register of Historic Places. Eventually the Pasadena City Council located a private developer to restore the facility, and The Pasadena Playhouse reopened in 1986. As of 2006 it remains an active and important theatre company, producing a year-round six-play season of 275 performances.
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Pasadena Playhouse official website*
Pasadena Playhouse blog*
Pasadena Playhouse MySpace page
