Photo Credit: Bob Cerelli
The Moore Theatre is as much a part of Seattle's history as the Denny Regrade, salmon runs, and Starbucks. It's a part of our collective DNA and is a place where our cultural heritage has lived and thrived. History has been made at The Moore and the future is about to get brighter.
Built in 1907, The Moore is the oldest operating theatre in Seattle. If you haven't been to The Moore in a while, this fall would be a great time to renew your relationship with this iconic piece of our Northwest legacy.
For the last 20 years, Seattle Theatre Group has stewarded and programmed The Moore, presenting diverse artists and hosting programs for developing young artists on the grand stage. From an illustrious past that included vaudeville, symphonies, films, and musicals, to a more recent history as the favored performance venue for legendary local artists reshaping the music scene – Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam – The Moore Theatre has always been a cultural jewel.
This summer, STG plans to enhance this community treasure with critically needed improvements such as:
New Curtain System – A new curtain system will enable STG to further develop Seattle's world-class arts and cultural community by originating Off-Broadway and small, local productions. The Theatre will have the versatility to temporarily transform from its current 1,800-seat capacity into a 400-seat space that appropriately accommodates more intimate productions.
This adaptability inspired a new collaboration with Seattle's Balagan Theatre that will bring three productions to The Moore during STG's 2013/2014 season, each with two-week runs for a total of 32 performances.
Seat Replacement – The replacement of all 1,800 theatre seats will provide a much more comfortable experience for attendees.
HVAC Upgrade – An HVAC system upgrade will accomplish greater climate control and higher efficiency.
Paint – A fresh coat of paint for the walls will keep them in good shape.
All of these upgrades offer a more comfortable and functional experience for artists and audiences alike.
This much-needed facelift is only possible with generous support from donors like you.
The National Historic Preservation Act states that preservation of irreplaceable heritage "is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans."
Please help us take care of this valuable community asset. If you would like to contribute, contact: Maura Ahearne, STG Development Director, at 206.467.5510 x 1148 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
With your support, the legacy will continue, Forever Moore!
Venue History
Built in 1907, the Moore Theatre is the oldest remaining theatre in Seattle. The original owner, James A. Moore, was a flamboyant developer responsible for many of the early homes and structures in downtown Seattle and Capitol Hill. The first building on the regraded Second Avenue, the Moore created a general shift away from Pioneer Square as the central business district while firmly establishing Second Avenue as the "film/theatre district" for Seattle. Architect E.W. Houghton gave the theatre a simple exterior with Italian and Byzantine terra-cotta details, while focusing much of the visual beauty on an opulent interior. Hailed as one of the most beautiful and completely equipped playhouses in the United States, the Moore boasted a grand lobby with mosaic floors, marble, onyx, carved wood, stained glass, and metal. There was also a ceiling fresco in old rose, cream and gold. Beams were supported by Muses representing Drama and Music. The theatre interior was resplendent with clusters of lights, rich hangings, and stained-glass paneling.
Twenty-five hundred enthusiastic Seattleites arrived for the opening night celebration. The program featured a locally written and produced comic-opera entitled "The Alaskan" which went on to a successful Broadway run. Throughout the first ten years the new Moore Theatre presented stage plays, operas, symphonies, and musicals.
For the next decade the Moore was host to the famous Orpheum vaudeville circuit. The largest of its kind in North America, all the legends and wonders of American vaudeville played the Moore stage. In fact, the Moore was also home to "The Negro Ensemble," a popular local group of vaudevillians. However, while the Moore Theatre certainly has a history of diverse programming, receptivity to diverse audiences has not always been the case. Built into the theatre was a separate side entrance leading directly to the top balcony. Despite being the home to many, many black performers, African-Americans were not allowed entry into the theatre except through this "back door" to the balcony. When the Orpheum Theatre was built in 1927, the Moore's vaudeville contract came to an end.
The Great Depression was, ironically, perhaps the most active and exciting time at the Moore. Due to the leadership of Cecilia Schultz, one of the great pioneers of the arts in Seattle, the Moore presented many of the most distinguished European and American singers, musicians, and dancers. Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtry, the Barrymores, Marie Dressier, and Anna Pavlova were just a few of the first-class performers seen at the Moore throughout the thirties.
The following decades at the Moore were rather unstable; programming at the Moore was less established as the theatre searched for a niche in an ever-changing market. After a three-year lease between 1949-51 in which the Moore was used as a revival house, the theatre became strictly a rental house. Throughout the 50's and 60's road shows, boxing matches, travel-films and special events were the mainstay of the Moore.
After re-modeling in 1955, the Moore re-opened with a season featuring local "artists-in-residence" such as the Amusa Kabuki troupe. Other local visual artists were featured in the newly converted mezzanine art gallery. Among those presented in the first exhibit were Mark Tobey, George Tsutakawa, Guy Anderson, June Nye, and Kenneth Callahan.
In 1974 the Moore Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This status, however, did not guarantee financial or artistic stability as the theatre struggled to remain open. One year later two local film connoisseurs leased the theatre and after several months of cleaning and slight remodeling the theatre re-opened as the "Moore-Egyptian"--this time a foreign and "revival" movie theater. Home to the first Seattle International Film Festival, the Moore returned to stage arts when the pair lost the lease after five years and went on to open the Egyptian on Capitol Hill.
In the last twenty years the Moore has defined itself as a venue for both local community events, such as lectures, beauty pageants, and local dance or musical groups, and as a home for more "alternative" touring musicians and theatre. Virtually every musical genre, from the most hard-core punk to flashy funk, has had a place on the Moore stage in recent years.
-- Sean McIntyre
