The Moore Theater - Seattle’s Oldest Theater
On the corner of 2nd & Virginia, just two blocks from the Pike Place Market, stands the oldest remaining theater in Seattle — The Moore.
The Moore Theater was built in 1907, and was part of establishing 2nd Avenue as the film/theater district of Seattle. Its exterior was simple and plain, but the interior was opulent. Recognized as one of the most beautiful theaters in the U.S., The Moore had a grand lobby with mosaic floors, marble, onyx, stained glass, and carved wood. The ceiling had a fresco done in colors of rose, ream and gold, and the Muses of Drama and Music supported the beams.
On opening night, 2,500 people attended a performance of “The Alaskan,” a locally written and produced comic opera. The play later went on to a short Broadway run.
As the decades passed, the Moore both flourished and floundered. It was host to the famous Orpheum vaudeville circuit, and during the years of the Great Depression presented some of the most distinguished European and American performers.
Subsequent years were unstable, as the Moore searched for a niche. During the 1950-60’s the Moore was home for road shows boxing matches, travel films and special events. It reached out for stability with its season of local artists-in-residence program.
In 1974 the Moore Theater was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Still it struggled, and a year later a couple of local film buffs cleaned, remodeled, and reopened the building at the Moore Egyptian Theater. Under this name, the venue served as a foreign and “revival” movie theater, and was home to the first Seattle International Film Festival. The Egyptian Theater eventually re-located to Capitol Hill, leaving the Moore to re-create itself once again.
Since that time, the Moore has gone through more renovations and changes, and it has finally found its niche as a venue for community events (lectures, meetings, local performers, etc.) and the more “alternative” touring musicians and theater. A current schedule of events can be found here. Tickets are available at the box office, at the Paramount Theater box office, online through Ticketmaster, or by phone (206) 628-0888.
While it has never regained the splendor of its original days, the Moore is still a beautiful and architecturally impressive building.
Location: 1932 2nd Avenue (corner of 2nd & Virginia)
Photo credit: flickr
Tags: b5media, Moore-theater, seattle, seattle-traveler, the-seattle-traveler, theater, travel, vacation, WashingtonRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Music, Nightlife, Performing Arts - Theater & Dance
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