On July 23, the Sierra Madre Playhouse was formally granted historic landmark designation by a Decision of the Metropolis Council. This prestigious recognition is a testomony to the wealthy historical past and cultural significance that the beloved Playhouse has delivered to the neighborhood for over 100 years.
On February 2, 1924, what had been a furnishings retailer reopened because the Wistaria Theater, exhibiting silent motion pictures. It was transformed for the talkies and remained in operation for almost half a century earlier than turning into a theater within the Nineteen Seventies. The Playhouse’s new iteration as a performing arts heart will embrace silent movies with piano accompaniment, making the Playhouse one of many uncommon buildings on this planet that confirmed motion pictures a century in the past and nonetheless does so in the present day.
About Sierra Madre Playhouse
Sierra Madre Playhouse is a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a wealthy historical past spanning a century, that energizes audiences and the neighborhood with distinctive theatrical productions and charming reside performances. Hailed as a “jewel” by Pasadena Weekly, it has garnered accolades for its diversified repertoire and thought-provoking training and outreach packages curated with social impression in thoughts.
The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse gives an up-close and private connection to performances that resonate deeply. It has earned a number of Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Occasions Critics’ Alternative honors. In 2023, Rep. Judy Chu named the Sierra Madre Playhouse as a number one ‘Nonprofit of the 12 months’ within the San Gabriel Valley. The playhouse was given the glory through the 2023 Congressional Management of the 12 months Awards, which acknowledges the management and volunteerism within the cities making up California’s twenty eighth Congressional District. It’s nestled right into a historic constructing on the Foremost Avenue of Sierra Madre, within the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
The Playhouse retains its distinctive movie show façade and immediately recognizable marquee. The construction has undergone many transformations since opening in 1910, from furnishings emporium to silent film theatre to the creative establishment that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the area’s wealthy cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all whereas celebrating the wealthy tapestry of the American expertise and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.
