Bing Crosby Theater
Encyclopedia
Bing Crosby Theater is a performing arts
theater located in Spokane, Washington
that was designed by theater architect Edwin W. Houghton. The theater was originally built in 1915 as an 800-seat movie theater
called Clemmer Theater. Between May and October 1926, local singer Bing Crosby
and his band, Musicaladers, were the house band
for the theater.
Over the years the theater fell into disrepair until it was purchased by a local company in 1988 and refurbished. The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in December 1988. It was re-opened as the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center and was used for concerts, lectures, and movies. The Met was purchased by local businessman Mitch Silver in 2004 and in 2006 renamed after Bing Crosby when a local historian noticed that the city did not have any landmarks named after the notable singer, who grew up in Spokane.
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
theater located in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
that was designed by theater architect Edwin W. Houghton. The theater was originally built in 1915 as an 800-seat movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
called Clemmer Theater. Between May and October 1926, local singer Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
and his band, Musicaladers, were the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
for the theater.
Over the years the theater fell into disrepair until it was purchased by a local company in 1988 and refurbished. The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in December 1988. It was re-opened as the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center and was used for concerts, lectures, and movies. The Met was purchased by local businessman Mitch Silver in 2004 and in 2006 renamed after Bing Crosby when a local historian noticed that the city did not have any landmarks named after the notable singer, who grew up in Spokane.