NATIONAL REGISTER of HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM •It
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•vo-1 zorm No. 10-300 DATA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM •it SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOWTO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS ____________TYPE ALL ENTRIES - COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS______ NAME HISTORIC Pasadena Playhouse AND/OR COMMON Pasadena Playhouse LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 39 South El Molino Avenue _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Pasadena __ VICINITY OF 22nd STATE CODE COUNTY CODE California 91101 06 Los Angeles 037 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE —DISTRICT —PUBLIC —OCCUPIED _ AGRICULTURE —MUSEUM X_BUILDING(S) —PRIVATE —UNOCCUPIED —COMMERCIAL —PARK V —STRUCTURE —BOTH —WORK IN PROGRESS —EDUCATIONAL —PRIVATE RESIDENCE y —SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE tLENTERTAINMENT —RELIGIOUS V —OBJECT X_IN PROCESS —YES: RESTRICTED —GOVERNMENT —SCIENTIFIC —BEING CONSIDERED — YES: UNRESTRICTED —INDUSTRIAL —TRANSPORTATION MOTHER:V cneauref-Vi p o f TP —NO —MILITARY flTi-S (OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME City of Pasadena (in escrow) STREET & NUMBER 100 North Garfield Avenue CITY. TOWN STATE Pasadena VICINITY OF California 91101 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Bank of , pasadena City Center STREET & NUMBER 111 South Marengo CITY. TOWN STATE Pasadena California 91101 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE State Historical Landmark - Reg. #887 DATE July 11, 1975 —FEDERAL X—STATE _COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS state Historic Resources Commission, Dept. of Parks and RecHation CITY. TOWN Sacramento DESCRIPTION CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE —EXCELLENT —DETERIORATED —UNALTERED -ORIGINAL SITE —GOOD —RUINS ^-ALTERED —MOVED DATE ________ X_FAIR —UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Built in 1925 and designed by architect Elmer Grey, the Pasadena Playhouse is of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. The main auditorium faces east, seats 700, has near perfect acoustics, a stage 72 feet wide and 36 feet deep and boasts an ambience of warmth and intimacy. It sits between flanking wings which surround a rough slate flagstone patio. The north wing has two stories. The first floor contains offices and a 50-seat theatre opening onto the patio. The second floor, reached by both an interior stairway and an outdoor stairway off the patio, contains offices and two additional 50-seat theatres, both of which open onto a balcony overlooking the patio, The south wing is one story and contains a large rehearsal room and a small kitchen. Over the lobby is a paneled library. The patio has a Spanish style fountain. The building has a concrete frame with hollow tile walls and a cement stucco finish. It has a Spanish tile roof. It is located on the street and landscaping consists of several large trees on the patio and a row of palms on the street. Directly behind is a six story school building built in 1936. The alterations to the 1925 building have been minimal. The two second story theatres were originally one large room. A removable thrust stage has been added to the Main stage. The overall dimensions are approximately 100 feet wide by 200 feet deep. HI SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD AAREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW —PREHISTORIC _ ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC —COMMUNITY PLANNING —LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE —RELIGION —1400-1499 —ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC —CONSERVATION —LAW —SCIENCE —1500-1599 _ AGRICULTURE —ECONOMICS —LITERATURE —SCULPTURE —1600-1699 •^ARCHITECTURE X.EDUCATION —MILITARY —SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN —1700-1799 _ ART —ENGINEERING —MUSIC X_THEATER —1800-1899 —COMMERCE —EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY —TRANSPORTATION X.1 900- —COMMUNICATIONS —INDUSTRY —POLITICS/GOVERNMENT —OTHER (SPECIFY) _INVENTION SPECIFIC DATES 1925 BUILDER/ARCHITECT Elmer Grey STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The "Pasadena Playhouse" with its adjacent "College of Theatre Arts" has brought international recognition to the City of Pasadena, has generated outstanding cultural attractions for Pasadena, and has produced a great segment of the trained acting professionals in cinema and television. An excellent example of the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in a public building, was probably the outstanding project of the architect, Elmer Grey, He also designed the Beverly Hills Hotel and, in conjunction with Myron Hunt, the Huntington Library and Gallery. At the time of its opening, the Playhouse was termed an "architect's masterpiece" which "radiates warmth" by the May 18, 1925 issue of the Pasadena Evening Post. The Christian Science Monitor (May 28, 1925) said "For beauty, completeness and technical equipment it sets a new standard of theatre building in America." In consideration of the Pasadena Playhouse as a landmark site there is validity in stating an historical and institutional preface to the present building. As a result of community interest and support the Community Players of Pasadena was formed in 1917 and on November 20, 1917, the first production was presented at the Pasadena Shakespeare Clubhouse, Later that year the Savoy Theatre in Pasadena became the official base for the group and the location became known as the Community Playhouse of Pasadena. In spite of limited facilities the Playhouse gained community support, accented by theatrical values, artistic integrity and participation at every level of operation by the community. It was this spirit and strength of community acceptance that prompted the campaign to create an adequate and attractive site for the Playhouse. The success of that campaign during 1923-4 was a tribute to the worthiness projected by the Playhouse. With the world premiere of Victor Mape's "The Amethyst", the present Pasadena Community Playhouse was officially opened in 1925. It was termed by one and all a success and during the years that followed compiled an incredible record. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Gall Leo Shoup, Jr., The Pasadena Cotnmunitz Playhouse; Its Orpins and History from 1917 to-1942.-U.C.l^A,, 1968 ———— Pasadena Evening Post, May 19, 1925 Pasadena Cultural Heritage Landmarks published by the City of Pasadena, 1973 Pasadena Area History, Manuel Pineda and Caswell Perry, published by J.W. Anderson, 1972, pages 47, 53, 65. ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY. UTM REFERENCES A|l.l| I 3| 9. 5| 2, 3. 0| 13.717,816.2.0] B! . l l i . L I I . I . I ZONE EASTING NORTHING ZONE EASTING NORTHING Cl . I I I . I . .I I , I . I . I I I . I . VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME/TITLE Peggy S. Ebright, president ORGANIZATION DATE Playhouse Association, Inc. July 30, 1975 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 2990 Lombardy Road CITY OR TOWN STATE Pasadena California 91107 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL__ STATE X LOCAL___ As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and cer^tfy-tn"at it has~"Bgp»^evaluah*<j according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park.Sj TITLE Form No. 1fl-300a (fW 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT QE THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM CONTINUATION SHEET _____________ITEM NUMBER________PAGE 1_____________________ 1. Extension of #6: Title of Survey: Pasadena Cultural Heritage Landmark Date: August 20, 1972 Local (City) Depository for Survey Records: Cultural Heritage Committee, City of Pasadena, 100 N. Garfield, Pasadena, California 91101. 2. Extension of #8: Over 1600 plays were staged on its four stages. World attention was achieved with the world premiere of "Lazarus Laughed" by Eugene 0*neill in 1928. Play house policy pattern make possible a host of important world and American premieres providing a calibre of testing ground of play value that was highly prized by playwrights. In 1937, under Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 17, the Playhouse was named "The State Theatre of California." This honorary action inspired a complete Midsummer Drama Festival devoted to the "Story of the Great Southwest", trac ing western growth from Montezuma through the days of gold discovery. The "State Theatre" title also inspired the annual week-long state One-Act Play Tournament and the State Theatre Players. As early as 1920 the Playhouse sensed the need for formal training in the communication arts and the Summer Art Colony was established. This growing need for training evolved into the College of Theatre Arts, which began in 1928 and established the pattern of a two year training period with an optional third year and a granting of degrees of Bachelor and Masters of Fine Arts with full accreditation. The Playhouse was called the "biggest single supplier of Hollywood stars". The Pasadena Community Playhouse; Its Origins and History from 1917-1942 by Gail Leo Shoup, Jr., U.C.L.A. 1968, p. 202-204. Jlbid., p. 308. JTIbid., p. 270-274. ^Richard Tregaskis, "Prep School of the Stars" in Nation's Business, 41, March 1953, 43. Form No 1{)-300a (Aev 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OE THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONiY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVE6CT31 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF fflSTORIC PLACES HOV 1 1 INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM CONTt NUATION SHEET_________________ITEM NUMBER_______PAGE 2___________________ Form 10-300a National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form -