Iao Theater
Encyclopedia
The Iao Theater is a Spanish Mission style theater opened in 1928, in the city of Wailuku, Maui
Hawaii
. It was originally both a movie
and vaudeville
house, until it fell into disrepair in the 1980s. Facing possible demolition, in 1994, it was listed on the State of Hawaii's
Register of Historic Places. It was placed on The National Register of Historic Places
in 1995. It later became the home of Maui OnStage, a community-based theatrical organization.
at night.
The theater was one of several theaters in Wailuku, and was named after a small bait fish named the iao. Aside from screening movies, the theater also hosted live onstage performances. Notable events included appearances by Bob Hope
, Betty Hutton
, and Frank Sinatra
for USO shows during World War II
, plus showed such movies as Rio Rita
, and the X-rated film Deep Throat
(which got the theater owner arrested). In 1953, the Hawaii debut of From Here to Eternity
was staged at the Iao. A snack concession was run by Harry Kaya for almost 40 years, from 1930 to the mid-1970s, called Harry's Sweets. The location was just outside of the main theater entrance. Local Hawaiian music artists such as Kealiʻi Reichel and Amy Hanaialiʻi Gilliom also gathered experience at the Iao.
By the early 1980s, after the theater closed down, the threat of demolition loomed. Maui Community theater first occupied the theater in 1984 for $200 a month, and community efforts commenced to help save the Iao from demolition. In July 1993, Maui County paid $882,000 to buy the 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) site and the theater itself from the Lyons family trust after plans to demolish or convert the theater for other purposes materialized and spent $1.8 million on a partial restoration. The Hawaii State Register of Historic Places listed the Iao as the oldest theater building in Hawai'i on June 24, 1994. The Department of the Interior placed the theater onto the National Register of Historic Places
on February 9, 1995.
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It was originally both a movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
house, until it fell into disrepair in the 1980s. Facing possible demolition, in 1994, it was listed on the State of Hawaii's
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
Register of Historic Places. It 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 1995. It later became the home of Maui OnStage, a community-based theatrical organization.
History
In December 1927, Manuel Gomes Paschoal and H. B. Weller broke ground for Iao Theater on Market Street. The theater was designed by Edward Walsh. After nearly 9 months and $40,000 in construction costs, Iao Theater opened on August 22, 1928. The theater opened with a local play featuring local actors, and the showing of Sporting Goods starring Richard DixRichard Dix
Richard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
at night.
The theater was one of several theaters in Wailuku, and was named after a small bait fish named the iao. Aside from screening movies, the theater also hosted live onstage performances. Notable events included appearances by Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Betty Hutton
Betty Hutton
Betty Hutton was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedienne and singer.-Early life:Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg, daughter of a railroad foreman, Percy E. Thornburg and his wife, the former Mabel Lum . While she was very young, her father abandoned the family for...
, and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
for USO shows during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, plus showed such movies as Rio Rita
Rio Rita (1929 film)
Rio Rita is a 1929 RKO Pictures musical comedy starring Bebe Daniels and John Boles along with the comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey. The film is based on the 1927 stage musical produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, which originally united Wheeler and Woolsey as a team and made them famous...
, and the X-rated film Deep Throat
Deep Throat
Deep Throat is the pseudonym given to the secret informant who provided information to Bob Woodward of The Washington Post in 1972 about the involvement of United States President Richard Nixon's administration in what came to be known as the Watergate scandal...
(which got the theater owner arrested). In 1953, the Hawaii debut of From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. It deals with the troubles of soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the...
was staged at the Iao. A snack concession was run by Harry Kaya for almost 40 years, from 1930 to the mid-1970s, called Harry's Sweets. The location was just outside of the main theater entrance. Local Hawaiian music artists such as Kealiʻi Reichel and Amy Hanaialiʻi Gilliom also gathered experience at the Iao.
By the early 1980s, after the theater closed down, the threat of demolition loomed. Maui Community theater first occupied the theater in 1984 for $200 a month, and community efforts commenced to help save the Iao from demolition. In July 1993, Maui County paid $882,000 to buy the 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) site and the theater itself from the Lyons family trust after plans to demolish or convert the theater for other purposes materialized and spent $1.8 million on a partial restoration. The Hawaii State Register of Historic Places listed the Iao as the oldest theater building in Hawai'i on June 24, 1994. The Department of the Interior placed the theater onto 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...
on February 9, 1995.