|
Closed for years and near demolition by neglect,
San Jose's historic California Theatre reopened in September 2004.
Its restoration designed both for live stage performances and for motion pictures,
it is the new home of
Opera San Jose and
Symphony Silicon Valley.
“The renovated California offers a luxurious taste of old-fashioned design ... it's a dark, warmly upholstered palace in the old style, full of patterned carpeting and plaster ornamentation. To walk into [its historic entrance lobby] is to be plunged into a bygone world of plush opulence.” Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle - September 21, 2004
|
 | |||
|
Photo gallery: Click on a small image below to view one or more larger images, then use the Back button on your browser to return to this page. Jump ahead to The Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organs photo section |
| In the historic First Street lobby and auditorium foyers: | |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
| Orchestra seating | Grand Tier and Mezzanine | Views from the mezzanine | |||||
| View The Stage From Various Seats | Opera, symphony, and film screening | ||||||
|
|
|
| ||||
| Historic Plaster Grillwork | Juliet Balconies | ||||||
| |||||||
|
|
| |||||
| Chandeliers | Acoustic shell for Symphony Silicon Valley |
View from the stage | |||||
| First Street Side: | |||||||
Entry and box office |
|
|
| ||||
| Above: Entry ceiling Right: East Conference Room overlooks courtyard and fountain |
| ||||||
| New construction - Market Street Side: | |||||||
|
|
|
| ||||
| Rehearsal Room on third floor |
West Conference Room and foyer |
Musicians' Room | Dressing Rooms | ||||
|
|
|
| ||||
| Market Street Exterior View |
Market Street Lobby and the original 1927 stagehouse rigging |
Market Street Marquee contrast with the -- |
First Street Historic Marquee |
||||
|
|
|
| ||||
|
|
| |||||
|
|
| |||||
| Hoist has raised orchestra pit floor to stage level |
Backstage fly lines |
In the auditorium ceiling |
California Vertical Sign | ||||
|
|
|
| ||||
| Orchestra pit Opera San Jose | Traps under stage | In the projection booth: Follow spot and movie projection equipment | |||||
| To top of page | ||
| ||
|
|
|
| Organ console elevated to stage level for pre-movie concert |
Auditorium Organ Console Page | First Street Lobby Organ Page |
|
The four manual 1925 Wurlitzer console was restored in the California Theatre.
Originally installed with the 28-rank organ in Chicago's Uptown Theatre,
it now plays the 21-rank California Theatre organ
(1521 pipes plus symphonic percussion and four 32-foot diaphones).
Most of the theatre organ itself (pipes, wind chests)
is from the Palace Theatre in Dallas, Texas.
A second organ is in the First Street lobby with 10 pipe ranks and a two manual Wurlitzer console. This organ made its public debut September 20, 2008 as guests arrived for Opera San Jose's 25th Anniversary Gala. Symphony Silicon Valley and Opera San Jose regularly offer informal lobby organ concerts preceding their season performances. Organ Stop Lists: Theatre organ Lobby organ |
Pipe chambers page | |
| ||
Copyright © 2013 Bob Shomler. Please see the Copyright Page. | ||
| ||
| Index of pages with multiple California Theatre photos | ||
| ||
|
The California was the Fox California for some of its time. Here is a 1987 photo of the shuttered theatre with the Fox name on the marquee, and some historical notes on the vertical and marquee signs from Gary Parks. This California Theatre was the third theatre in San Jose to carry the California name. From 1879 to 1892 a “first class 958-seat California theatre” occupied a building that extended from First Street through to what is now close to 85 South Second Street (between Santa Clara and San Fernando Streets). Then in 1912 Turner & Dahnken's Theatre de Luxe (later called the T&D) opened at 236 South First Street. It was renamed in 1924, becoming San Jose's second California Theatre until 1927 when its name and vertical sign were transferred to the present California. Thanks to Clyde Arbuckle's History of San Jose (1985). California Theatre operation and schedules: These web pages contain photos with some building architecture and restoration information. This is not an official site for the California Theatre. I am not involved with the California Theatre itself; I assist the opera, symphony and others who perform there, and have set up these personal-site pages to share theatre photos with many who have requested. The theatre, 345 South First Street in San Jose, is owned by the city of San Jose and managed by Team San Jose, a non-profit established to operate San Jose's city-owned performance venues. The First Street entrance is closed except for performances and events. The building is open to visitors only by special arrangement or by attending an event there. Box office sales are handled by each organization that uses the theatre; the theatre's box office windows are usually not open except during events at the theatre. A partial list of scheduled events may be found under the Upcoming Events link at bottom of the Team San Jose California Theatre Venue page. | ||
| ||
| To top of page | ||
| |||
|
){kind=link}