Historic California Theatre Presents Timeless Shows to Inland Empire Audiences

SAN BERNARDINO >> It was the center of vaudeville in the 1920s, the star of Hollywood and birth site for films familiar on every American’s tongue. The California Theatre of the Performing Arts, located in downtown San Bernardino, espouses much of the rich history the Inland Empire is now well-known for. Built in 1928, it was the home of top-quality performing arts, particularly vaudeville, but transitioned to featuring famous Hollywood movie stars, silent films, and regular movies over time. Some more notable names that have been associated with the California Theatre include “King Kong,” “The Wizard of Oz” and even Will Rogers. Other performances include musicals and plays like “Mary Poppins,” performing arts groups like Sinfonia Mexicana and music organizations like the San Bernardino Symphony. The beloved movie palace has withstood the test of time, and with a new upcoming season, volunteer and employment opportunities, continues to “wow!” Inland Empire residents and visitors with top-of-the-line entertainment. Joseph Henson, director of “Frankenstein” at the California Theatre, said "there was a saying that said if you did not make it in San Bernardino, it was off to the tumble weeds for you." At the time of its construction and heyday, the California Theatre was the largest in Southern California and very prominent for the performing arts industry. As mentioned before, it began with the intentions of being a vaudeville theatre. Soon, however, it added silent films to its repertoire. In the 1930s, the California Theatre featured two films familiar to millions of people globally: “The Wizard of Oz” and “King Kong.” People flocked to see these features, which were in fact the premieres of the movies and the first time anybody had seen them. Cowboy, vaudeville performer and actor Will Rogers also gave his final public performance at the California Theatre before his death in 1935. Rogers’ legacy was commemorated by painter Ken Twitchell in two murals located on the east and west facades of the building. The theatre itself, which has 1,718 seats and serves 26 million people in the Inland Empire, has gone through several renovations in the past, but was originally designed to house orchestral productions and continues to do so today. It has also preserved its original Wurlitzer Style 216 pipe organ. Some orchestral productions that have been featured at the California Theatre include the San Bernardino Symphony and the String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra. The San Bernardino Symphony performs most of its pieces at the California Theatre and has done so since 1929. Its matinee concert “Peter and the Wolf” is presented annually. In 2014, it not only featured the tale by Sergei Prokofiev, but also included Carlos Chávez’s “Sinfonia India,” Aaron Copland’s “Billy the Kid” and Manual de Falla’s “Fire Dance.” The production as a whole was presented by the San Manual Band of Mission Indians. Judith Valles, former San Bernardino mayor and symphony board president, narrated “Peter and the Wolf” that year. “The commanding timbre of her voice and her natural abilities on the stage will make this a performance to remember,” said Frank Fetta, music director and conductor, in an article with City News Group at the time of the performance. More recently, the San Bernardino Symphony has also performed “Musical Genius in America,” a special event that was part of its 2015 season of “By Request: The Music You Want to Hear.” The event featured student concerts performing ragtime music from Scott Joplin, songs from Duke Ellington and William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony. “We felt this set of selections would both support and broaden the multicultural emphasis in the classroom during Black History Month,” said Dr. Anne Viricel, symphony executive director. The California Theatre also shows musicals and plays, one of which was the 2014 production of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Actors used body language to sway the audience’s emotions, as well as strobe lighting to create the mood for some of the more intense scenes. The interior feel of the theatre drew audiences into the dark storyline, but also left them wanting more performances in the future. Other musical productions include the 1940s musical revue “In the Mood,” which gave tribute to musical greats like Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman with singing and choreography. The California Theatre is currently in the middle of its 2015-2016 season, and has presented shows like “Echoes of America,” “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” “Masterwork Melange” and “Mary Poppins.” Upcoming shows include “West Side Story” on April 23, Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” May 20-22 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s joint piece “Finale Bravura!” on May 28. Tickets are available through the theatre’s website. Presenters that frequent the theatre other than the San Bernardino Symphony include Inland Dance Theatre, Sinfonia Mexicana, Worldwide Theatricals and Theatrical Arts International, which now manages the theatre and is the largest theatre company in the Inland Empire. The California Theatre also offers volunteer and internship opportunities. Volunteers can usher and should contact Ann Marie Fowler at annmariecatheatre@yahoo.com. For those interested in internships, working with producers, directors and other professional staff, contact jbond007@gmail.com.