Nineteen-twenties El Paso was a growing metropolis with a population of 100,000 people. The interior design of the theatre and its technology made the Plaza a prize of the city. It’s ornately painted ceilings, mosaic-tiled floors, decorative metal railings and antique furnishings contributed to its title as Showplace of the Southwest. The theatre’s $60,000 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ accompanied vaudeville shows, sing-a-longs, and provided musical entertainment for show-goers before and after the feature performances. The organ was sold in 1972 to a private collector in Dallas, but was restored and returned to El Paso in 1998.
For many people the Plaza Theatre became a place of escape during the Great Depression and the duration of World War II. The décor and grand atmosphere of the theatre enhanced the film or performance. By the 1950s television and the sprawl of suburbia contributed to the decline of patronage. The advent of drive-in theatres, now almost extinct throughout the United States, also became a source of competition.
After years of inconsistent venues, the Plaza Theatre was scheduled for demolition to make way for a parking lot. The El Paso Community Foundation, along with large support from the El Paso community, began the daunting task of raising the required $1 million to save the theatre from imminent destruction. With only six weeks to raise the money, fundraisers were held across the El Paso community. Actress Rita Moreno played a key part in supporting and raising money the day before the deadline. In 1990, after receiving a new roof, courtesy of the Community Foundation, the Plaza was donated to the City of El Paso.
On July 30, 2002, the City of El Paso officially approved a public/private partnership with the El Paso Community Foundation to restore the neglected theatre. After renovations the exterior of the building was changed, but the interior has retained its appearance.
Interesting Facts: When Blackstone the Magician appeared at the Plaza Theatre, the trap door system on the stage floor was used to make a horse disappear. Among the many stars who appeared at the Plaza Theatre were Lillian Gish, Tallulah Bankhead, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne and Rita Moreno. During the 1930s and through World War II, the Plaza Theatre hosted the Mickey Mouse Club on Saturday mornings.
Most of the trees and shrubs that provide the background scenery are actual preserved plants - though some are a blend of silk like those used today. There are no columns on the main floor of the auditorium - hence no obstructed views. A sixty-ton I-Beam which supports the balcony and mezzanine levels makes the unobstructed view possible. It is reported to be the largest piece of steel in the state of Texas. The Plaza Theatre was among the first public buildings in El Paso to have refrigerated air conditioning and refrigerated water fountains. The theater had its own internal telephone system, which allowed the box office to communicate with the ushers, organist and projection booth.
Seating in the Plaza Theatre accommodates 2,410 patrons - almost as much as the Abraham Chavez Theatre which seats 2,516. The gold “paint” that decorates columns and ceilings in the Plaza Theatre is actually real gold leaf, a rarity in many buildings of the 20th Century. The Plaza Theatre was built on the site of Ponceís Rancho, one of El Paso’s first settlements.
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