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Moore Theatre (Seattle, Washington)
Encyclopedia
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, U.S.A. is a 1,419-seat performing arts venue located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Virginia Street, two blocks from Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers,...
in downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle
Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared to other city centers on the West Coast because of its geographical situation: hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by the Elliott Bay, and on the south by reclaimed land that was once...
. It is the oldest still-active theater in Seattle. The Moore hosts a mix of theatrical productions, musical concerts of many varieties, and lectures. It is currently operated by the Seattle Theatre Group, which also runs the 2,803-seat Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre (Seattle, Washington)
The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington is a 2,807-seat performing arts venue at 9th Avenue and Pine Street in Downtown Seattle in the United States of America. The theater originally opened March 1, 1928 as the Seattle Theatre with 3,000 seats, the theater was placed on the National Register...
and the Neptune Theater.
History
Built for Seattle real estate developer J. A. Moore in 1907 and designed by E.W. Houghton, the Moore was a lavish social venue for the Gilded AgeGilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age refers to the era of rapid economic and population growth in the United States during the post–Civil War and post-Reconstruction eras of the late 19th century. The term "Gilded Age" was coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their book The Gilded...
elite of early 20th century Seattle. The Moore Theatre and the adjoining Moore Hotel, were designed partly to accommodate and entertain tourists visiting the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
The Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition was a world's fair held in Seattle in 1909, publicizing the development of the Pacific Northwest.It was originally planned for 1907, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush, but the organizers found out about the Jamestown Exposition being held...
; the Moore opened in time for the originally planned date of the Exposition in 1907.
The theater was initially operated by John Cort, later founder of a major Broadway theater venue in New York. Excellent programming carried the Moore through the 1930s, but changes in entertainment gradually led to struggling to survive by the 1970s.
The Moore Theatre and Hotel 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 1974. The Moore became the Moore Egyptian, taking its moniker from a luxury cinema on The Ave
The Ave
University Way NE, colloquially The Ave , is the commercial heart of the University District and the off-campus extension of the University of Washington in Seattle. Once "a department store eight blocks long," The Ave has gradually turned into what now resembles an eight-block-long global food...
in the University District
University District, Seattle, Washington
The University District is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, so named because the main campus of the University of Washington is located there. The UW moved in two years after the area was annexed to Seattle, while much of the area was still clear cut forest or stump farmland...
, which had been converted to a drugstore c. 1960. The Moore Egyptian rescued the theater with innovative programming, and became the cradle of the Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
(SIFF, founded 1976). Dan Ireland and Darryl Macdonald were the leading talents in the success, but the Moore's owners declined to renew their lease. Ireland and Macdonald moved to a Masonic Temple
Masonic Temple
Masonic Temple is a term commonly used in Freemasonry with multiple but related meanings. It is used to describe an abstract spiritual goal, the conceptual ritualistic space formed when a Masonic Lodge meets, and the physical rooms and structures in which a Lodge meets...
on Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington
Capitol Hill is the most densely populated residential district in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the center of the city's gay and counterculture communities, and is one of the city's most prominent nightlife and entertainment districts....
, taking the "Egyptian" name with them.
The Moore has hosted touring musicians and theatrical productions since the 1980s, currently seating about 1,400.
Architecture
Built of reinforced concrete, (plus an enormous steel girder spanning the width of the house, carrying the weight of the balcony without the need for support columns,) and faced with a façade of white ceramic tile and terra-cotta, the theater is a mix of elements of the ByzantineByzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
and Italianate styles. Like most theaters, the exterior is relatively plain and stylistically neutral compared to the extravagant interior.
The staging area was the largest of any theater in Seattle, with an electrical system that was state-of-the-art for its time, and unusually numerous dressing rooms. Seating 2,436 in its original configuration, the Moore was one of the largest theatres in the U.S. at the time. The Moore was characterized by innovative architecture, luxurious materials, and sumptuous decor. The upper balcony, although well-appointed for its day, was originally racially segregated
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
from the rest of the theater hall. It once had separate entrances, and to this day has a separate staircase connecting it to just inside the front door.
The Moore's architect, E. W. Houghton, also designed the Seeley Theatre in Pomeroy, Washington
Pomeroy, Washington
Pomeroy is a city in Garfield County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,425 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Garfield County.-Geography: Pomeroy is located at ....
. Like the Moore, the Seeley, which currently seats 270 people, features a steel girder supporting the balcony without the need for supporting columns.
In popular culture
- Alice in ChainsAlice in ChainsAlice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
' Live FaceliftLive FaceliftLive Facelift is a video released in 1991 by the band Alice in Chains containing live footage of songs off of their debut album, Facelift...
home video release was filmed at the Moore Theatre in 1990. - Pearl JamPearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
's "Even FlowEven Flow"Even Flow" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Even Flow" was released in 1992 as the second single from the band's debut album, Ten . The song peaked at number three on the Billboard...
" video consists of video footage taken during a concert at the Moore Theatre in 1992. - Mad SeasonMad SeasonMad Season was an American rock supergroup formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1994 by members of three popular Seattle-based bands: Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees. Mad Season only released one album, Above, and is best known for the single "River of Deceit"...
's Live at the MooreLive at the MooreLive at The Moore is a home video featuring the final live performance by the American rock band Mad Season. It was released on August 29, 1995.-Overview:...
home video release was filmed at the Moore Theatre in 1995. - Jeff Tweedy of WilcoWilcoWilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
uses portions of the footage of his performance at the Moore Theater in the concert film Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific NorthwestSunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific NorthwestSunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest is a DVD featuring live performances by Jeff Tweedy. The DVD was released on October 24, 2006. The DVD enables the user to download MP3s of each track on the DVD and seven others from the same tour....
. - Wanda SykesWanda SykesWanda Sykes is an American writer, stand-up comedian, actress, and voice artist. She earned the 1999 Emmy Award for her writing on The Chris Rock Show. In 2004 Entertainment Weekly named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America...
filmed her comedy special Sick & Tired here. - Two Progman ComethProgman ComethProgman Cometh Music Festivals were two Canterbury scene music concerts held at the Moore Theatre in Seattle Washington in 2002 and 2003.-Friday, August 16th:* 7:00pm Glass * 8:30pm Hughscore* 10:00pm Pip Pyle's Bash! - world debut!...
music festivals were held here in 2002 and 2003, resulting in 3 live albums - Seattle progressive metal band QueensrÿcheQueensrÿchethumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
filmed home-DVDs Mindcrime at the MooreMindcrime at the MooreMindcrime at the Moore is a live album and DVD by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, that was released on July 3, 2007. The album and DVD were announced in an April 4 press release on the band's website....
and Live EvolutionLive EvolutionLive Evolution is a 2001 live album from American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. It was recorded over two nights at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington.-Disc One:#"NM 156" - 3:56#"Walk in the Shadows" - 3:37...
at this venue. - James BluntJames BluntJames Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
held a concert here on his All the Lost SoulsAll the Lost SoulsAll the Lost Souls is the second studio album by James Blunt, released on 17 September 2007. It is the follow-up to his hugely successful 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam....
world tour in 2008.' - Patton OswaltPatton OswaltPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
's Finest HourFinest Hour (Patton Oswalt album)Finest Hour is the fourth comedy album by Patton Oswalt. It was released in 2011 under Comedy Central Records. It followed the 2009 release My Weakness Is Strong.-Track Listing:#The Miracle of Sweatpants - 2:55#The Parking Ticket - 3:41...
album was recorded at the Moore.