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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 4 |
| 1877 | 7 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 5 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 10 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1887 | 7 |
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 18 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 22 |
| 1892 | 45 |
| 1893 | 60 |
| 1894 | 41 |
| 1895 | 41 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1902 | 2 |
| 1903 | 22 |
| 1904 | 24 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 11 |
| 1910 | 2 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1923 | 1 |
361 stories matching theater
- The Variety Palace That Became a Business Block
John Cort's Standard Theater, where rival bands paraded in Pioneer Place and 'box rustlers' rode through the streets, is being remodeled into ordinary commercial space at South Second and Washington.
- Tacoma’s Theater Safety Crisis
Following the horrific Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago, local inspectors scramble to identify hazards in Tacoma’s aging entertainment venues.
- 'As Cold as a Barn': The Olympia Theater Fight That Spilled Into Print
When the Tribune panned the Olympia Theater, the rival Standard accused it of kicking without reason. The rebuttal names icy dressing rooms, one-dollar seats and a manager in over his head.
- Spokane's Council Narrowly Votes to Dry Out Variety Theaters
After a three-hour hearing, aldermen voted 9–6 to ban liquor in variety theaters—pitting ministers and reformers against theater managers and nearly 3,000 petitioners.
- Tacoma Methodists Refuse Theater Money for a Children's Home
A charity production of 'Richelieu' was meant to benefit the Crown Jewel Home—until the Puget Sound Methodist conference called the stage off-limits and the donation tainted.
- The City Clamps Down on Variety Theaters
Seattle authorities arrest variety theater owners for allowing singing in venues where alcohol is served.
- The Fire That Killed a Hotel
A disastrous downtown blaze consumed the Star Theater, inadvertently scuttling a major quarter-million-dollar property deal.
- City Council Scrutinizes Public Safety After Theater Horror
Prompted by the deadly Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago, Walla Walla officials launch an immediate investigation into local venues to prevent a similar catastrophe.
- The Man Who Brought the Stars to Seattle
John Maguire opens at the Seattle Theater with Maude Granger in 'Inherited.' He recalls the early days of Northwest theater, when he played at Tester's hall across from the P-I office and lost his equipment in the great fire.
- Fireproofing the Tacoma Theater
Mayor Campbell mandates safety overhauls to ensure audience egress and stage safety at one of the city's premier theaters.
- The Haunted Theater of Seattle: A Superstition of 1876
A group of locals at the Occidental Hotel exchange tales of theater lore, specifically the peculiar story of a spider that allegedly predicted the success of a New York stage house for ten consecutive seasons.
- Tacoma’s Theaters Put on Notice
Mayor Campbell issues a firm mandate requiring local theaters to meet new fire safety standards or face closure.
- The Mother’s Search and the Tacoma Variety Stage
A mother’s desperate attempt to rescue her daughter from a life in the variety theaters leads to a public confrontation in 1887 Seattle.
- The Vanishing Proprietor of the People's Theater
A court case against John Considine exposes a shell game at the People's Theater, where a mysterious owner named 'J.J. Clark' remains conspicuously absent.
- Tacoma’s Theaters Under Fire Safety Review
Building inspectors find local stages lacking modern fire protections, prompting calls for new safety ordinances.
- Tragedy Challenges Church Dogma
The death of a prominent Methodist in the Iroquois Theater fire forces Tacoma’s religious leaders to grapple with the church's strict ban on theater-going.
- The Man from Mexico Comes to Town: Wenatchee’s New Theater Opens with Star-Studded Fanfare
As the city celebrates its new cultural landmark, the Watson Stock Company arrives to perform 'The Man from Mexico,' promising a week of high drama and comedy that rivals Seattle's biggest hits.
- Tacoma’s Theaters Face Shutdown Over Fire Safety
Following a disaster in Chicago, Mayor Campbell orders city officials to inspect local entertainment venues for fire hazards.
- A City Turns Out for Its Dead: Seattle's Memorial Day, 1895
Three hundred and five veterans, three militia companies, high-school cadets and a twelve-foot column of flowers marched Front Street and filled the Seattle Theater — while the Board of Health kept the schoolchildren from singing.
- The Theater Owner's Vicious Reckoning
After a gambling raid, a theater owner allegedly beat his accuser within the walls of his own business.
- A Night at the Chinese Theater in Tacoma
Despite warnings of anti-Chinese agitation, a traveling troupe’s performance at the Tacoma Theater draws a packed and appreciative crowd.
- The City Hall Crackdown on Variety Theaters
A municipal judge enforces a new ordinance targeting variety theaters serving alcohol, sparking a legal battle over the city's power to revoke business licenses.
- The Silent Stage: Walla Walla Theater Musicians Walk Out
A labor dispute between the Opera House management and the local Musicians' union leaves the stage quiet and the future of live theater in doubt.
- Public Feud at the Bijou Theater
The proprietor of the Bijou Theater hits back after a constable allegedly threatened him and attempted to enter the venue without paying.
- The Battle for the Sabbath
Tacoma sees its first-ever Sunday theatrical performance, inciting an immediate protest from the city's Ministerial Alliance.
Also about this, in other words
- The Grand Opening of Seattle's New Theater
A whirlwind of operatic and dramatic performances marks the unveiling of a theater still under construction.
- The Grand Opening of the Seattle Theater
A glittering, capacity crowd inaugurates the city's premier venue, setting a new standard for Pacific Coast entertainment.
- The Theater vs. The Saloon
A surprising social trend sees Walla Walla residents choosing stage entertainment over the local drinking houses.
- Confessions of a Theatrical Manager
Daniel Frohman, the famous theater manager, discusses the high-stakes gamble of producing stage plays in the late 19th century.
- The Struggle for a Proper Stage
A popular movement takes off to build Seattle its first dedicated grand opera house as performers complain about the city’s cramped, inadequate venues.
- Seattle's New Grand Theater
A massive new theater is coming to Second Street, promising to be the largest entertainment venue in Washington or Oregon.
- The Palace of the Drama Rises from the Ashes
After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 destroyed the old Opera House, the city finally secures a world-class theater built entirely with local capital and zero debt.
- The Theater vs. The Newsroom
Local journalists take to the baseball diamond to soundly defeat Cordray's Theater team.