Elitch Theatre

The Historic Elitch Theatre is located at the original Elitch Gardens site in northwest Denver, Colorado. Opened in 1890, it was centerpiece of the park that was the first zoo west of Chicago. The theatre was Denver's first professional theatre, serving as home to America's first and oldest summer-stock theatre company from 1893 until the 1960s. The first films in the western US were shown there in 1896. Cecil B. DeMille sent yearly telegrams wishing the theatre another successful season, calling it "one of the cradles of American drama."

Elitch Theatre
LocationW. 38th Ave. and Tennyson St., Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°46′6″N 105°2′46″W
AreaHighlands
Built1890
ArchitectLee & Liden
Architectural styleStick/Eastlake, Shingle Style
NRHP reference No.78000844[1]
CSRHP No.5DV.143
Added to NRHPMarch 21, 1978
Elitch Theatre, as it appeared in 1923

The theatre closed in 1991 and exterior restoration on the historic auditorium was completed in 2007. Fundraising continues for interior renovations before opening to the public. The vision is to reopen as a year-round multimedia performing arts complex for the community offering education, film, live music, and theatre.

History

John Elitch and Mary Elitch Long first opened Elitch Gardens on May 1, 1890, with animals, bands, flowers and an open-air theatre where Mayor Londoner of Denver spoke.[2] Inspired by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the first shows were vaudeville acts by accomplished local and national performers. In 1891 the theatre was enclosed and rebuilt for $100,000. The Boston Opera Company performed musicals, and light opera starting with The Pirates of Penzance. In 1893 the first summer stock theatre company, the Norcross Company, was organized in the East and brought to the gardens. Vaudeville shows continued until 1900.

In 1896, Edison's Vitascope was exhibited at the theatre showing the first films in Colorado.[3]

The Elitch Gardens Stock Theatre Company began performing in 1897 under the management of Mary Elitch Long. Its first season in 1897 opened with leading man James O'Neill, who had promised John that he would act in the new theatre when it was ready. The first show performed there was Helene.[4] The company became known for putting on ten plays in a ten-week summer season and attracting internationally known stars of the theatre and screen.

Sarah Bernhardt came to Denver in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake destroyed the California Theatre where she was scheduled to perform. At Elitch's she played Camille at the matinée and LaSorcier at night. Douglas Fairbanks was hired into the same company. Prior in 1905, he was hired to sweep the stage for theatre tickets. Operating the park became too costly for Mary Elitch. With the purchase of Elitch Gardens by John Mulvihill in 1916, she relinquished control of the Gardens and theatre. (two theatre boxes were always reserved for her and her friends). Mulvihill oversaw the theatre until his death in 1930[5] and was succeeded by his son-in-law Arnold Gurtler.[4]

In 1953, the Elitch Theatre was used to film scenes for The Glenn Miller Story.[6]

The Elitch Garden Theatre Company became its own incorporated business, separate from the Elitch Gardens Park, renting the theatre in 1963. The company stopped operating as a traditional resident summer-stock, switching to single, star-packaged shows from New York. The company had many successful years, but as time and culture changed the theatre building was neglected.

The park's Trocadero Ballroom was bulldozed in 1975. Fearing a similar fate, the community added the theatre to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The Elitch Theatre Company's last season was in 1987. The park booked the "Incredible Acrobats of China" for a season,[7] then one night musical acts before it was officially closed in 1991. The Robber Bridegroom was performed with Patrick Cassidy for the theatre's centennial anniversary.[8] Actor Raymond Burr raised $2 million for an educational program at the theatre. The money was instead donated to local Cole Middle School.

The Elitch Gardens amusement park moved to the current central Platte Valley location in 1994. The new $94 million park was opened in 1995 with attendance reaching one million. Two fires in 1995 on the old Gardens property near the theatre cause public outcry for additional security.[9] The original Elitch property was sold to Perry Rose LLC in 1996 with the conditions that the theatre and carousel shell never be demolished.[4][10]

A nonprofit organization, the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation, was formed in 2002 to raise funds, maintain, preserve and restore the Elitch Gardens Theatre and carousel pavilion.[11] In 2006, groundbreaking for the renovation of the theatre began with restoring the building's exterior, including a cement foundation for the building.[12][13]

As of 2010, the exterior restoration of the building is complete but the interior remains unrestored. [14] In 2011, Barbara Medill, a friend of Mary Elitch Long, donated some of Long's possessions to the Foundation, including an engraved silver table setting.[15] After a massive volunteer cleanup, the interior was opened for Doors Open Denver in April 2012.[16] Musicians and Shakespearean performers were the first acts on stage in the 22 years since the building closed.

Restoration
Interior of the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre, June 2010

Prior to 2006 a section of dressing rooms and shops on West side of the building was demolished.

In 2006, the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation received $5 million in federal, state, city, grants and private donations. Work began on saving and restoring the historic exterior.[17] A concrete foundation was poured under the exterior walls. The roof, gable, main entrance/lobby, and exterior walls were replaced and painted. Five years later work began to restore the theater's interior, and was completed in 2014.[17]

In 2011, the hand-painted decorative historic "Anne Hathaway" curtain, (oil on canvas: circa early 1900s), was removed from its original wooden bats and stored for construction work. After years of neglect and severe water damage the curtain was rolled and stored in a backstage room at the theatre. In the hopes it could be digitally photographed and reproduced. Pidgeon living in the theatre were evicted in 2011.

2012: Roof repaired in the fly building due to leaks above the stage. The repairs were not suitable, and the roof still has some leaks. Toddler swimming pools have replaced buckets in the back stage area.

2013/2014: A fire suppression sprinkler system was upgraded, and restoration work for code compliance and safety issues was instituted.

2016: "Curtains Without Borders" (a non-profit organization promulgating proper storage etiquette of antiquated theatre curtains and drapes.) Representatives from the group gave a lecture at the Elitch Theatre about theatre grand drapes and curtains. They were asked to review the Elitch Theatre's "Anne Hathaway" grand drape and consult on its restoration. The drape was removed from storage, and unrolled by CWB representatives and theatre volunteers who discovered improper storage. The drape was illegible, and the paint dissolved into dust as the curtain was unrolled. The curtain was displayed on the backstage theatre floor for lecture attendees to view. Those who regarding it as a piece of Colorado history were devastated that it had been destroyed by time and neglect.

Interior historic restoration work is still needed. Currently without plumbing or air conditioning, the building needs modernization while preserving the original woodwork and design. Fundraising continues by the Historic Elitch Theatre Foundation to reach those goals.

In 2018 the outdoor films and summer children's programming at the theater were cancelled. Due to $800,000 in damages caused by a hail storm.[18]

Stars Who Appeared at The Elitch Theatre
Elitch Theatre lobby showing part of the photograph collection, c. 1930-1940.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "Elitch Gardens Opens: Crowds Brave Rain". Rocky Mountain News. 2 May 1890.
  3. "Edison Invention At Elitch's". Rocky Mountain News. 16 August 1896.
  4. Moore, John (16 April 2006). "Famous, soon-to-be-famous crossed Elitch stage". Denver Post.
  5. "John M. Mulvihill, Theatre Man, Dead; Succumbs in Denver to Illness Dating From His New York Visit". New York Times. 15 January 1930. p. 25.
  6. Otte, Jef (6 June 2012). "Radium and roller coasters: A brief, dirty history of Elitch Gardens". Westword. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  7. "Acrobats of China bring an incredible act to Elitch's". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. 15 July 1988.
  8. Rosen, Steven (15 June 1991). "'Bridegroom' opens Elitch's 100th year". Denver Post. p. 1D.
  9. Robinson, Marilyn (4 November 1995). "Fire spurs call to up security Old Elitch park scene of blaze". Denver Post. p. B1.
  10. Sinisi, J. Sebastian (29 August 1995). "Landmark status urged for Elitch Theatre". Denver Post. p. B3.
  11. "Elitch Theatre announces restoration plan". Denver Business Journal. 17 April 2006.
  12. Chandler, Mary Voelz (15 August 2006). "Cleaning up its act; Elitch Theatre restoration raises money and spirits". Rocky Mountain News.
  13. Moore, Paula (30 March 2008). "Restoration of Elitch theatre needs at least $5M more". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  14. Frazier, Donald (October 2010). "Beyond the Lighted Stage". 5280. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  15. Jefferson, Elena Ashanti (19 February 2011). "Friend of Mary Elitch helping with theatre's restoration effort". Denver Post.
  16. Painter, Kristen Leigh (16 April 2012). "Denver opens doors to unique buildings, landmarks". Denver Post. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  17. Staff, Westword (2017-08-23). "Historic Elitch Theatre Hosts First Major Concert in Decades". Westword. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  18. "You Are Here: 100 years later, The Historic Elitch Theatre is still entertaining Denver families". KUSA. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
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