Avenal Theater

A friend of mine and I visited this theatre just a couple of weeks before the fire, so that he could add the theatre to his series of art photos of theatre neon at dusk. This little theatre was a gem among smalltown California theatres. The manager and assistant manager were beyond hospitable in welcoming us to the theatre and showing us around. We observed how the theatre was a magnet to local children and teenagers, all of whom seemed to be having a wonderful time meeting friends there, and greeting each other on the street. It seemed like they and the staff all knew each other as well. Recently I visited the ruins, and indeed it looks like there is enough of the structure extant that, combined with photos and local folks' memories, a decent replication would be possible. The photo my friend took of the neon would be an excellent resource in replication of the neon colors. The terrazzo, bottom portion of the box office and some of the entrance walls are extant. Enough survives of the entrance doors and their etched glass swans for replication to be possible. The wonderful "Mission-Meets-Moderne" style entrance tower was totally destroyed, to the point of the steel beams melting. The concrete shell of the auditorium stands complete, but I couldn't tell the condition of the interior, except that the roof was gone. I wish the people of Avenal the very best in their efforts to bring this theatre back.

My company, Synthesis Design Group, has been hired by the city of Avenal to restore the Avenal Theater, after its demise by a major fire. If anyone has pre-fire or historic photos of the theater, please contact me, via e-mail at synthesisdesign@sbcglobal.net Any help would be very much appreciated, as we are trying to restore the building as accurately as possible to the original condition. It is a very special building and with time it will return to its former beauty.
Thanks!
Roger Klemm

Couple photos of the Avenal Theatre.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/AvenalTheatre241E.jpg
Box Office & Entrance
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/AvenalTheatreBoxOfficeAvenalCa.jpg

Many more photos of this theater can be seen here. Click on each photo to enlarge.

I made a brief stop in Avenal on my way to Visalia this past weekend. Some rebuilding has been undertaken at the theatre site. Storefronts to the right of the theatre entrance have been rebuilt in a contemporary style, but are not yet occupied. Storefronts to the left of the theatre are framed and not yet completed, and look to be a replication of what was there formerly. The theatre entrance has been cleared of debris, with the damaged box office and poster case areas somewhat cleaned up and temporarily stabilized. Looking into the now roofless lobby and into the auditorium, it appears debris has been cleared out of there as well.

Well, here I am again one year later. This last weekend we did our family gathering in Visalia, and we swung by the Avenal on the way home. It looks the same in front as it did when I last posted. Around the back, however, it was a slightly different story. The "sound blister" has been cut away, and that enabled me to see into, and photograph, the ruins of the auditorium. Debris has been cleared away, and the charred heavy beams of the roof are still silouhetted against the sky. The interior wall surfaces look saveable--scorched, and in some places crumbled. The matching circular mural vignettes depicting spear-wielding men on horseback which flank the proscenium are damaged, but restorable. The fluted plaster proscenium is scorched and water-damaged, and will have to be replaced.

During the intervening past year, I have been told that the legal proceedings regarding the cause of the fire, and who was responsible, have been continuing.

Does anyone know where I can find photos of the interior of this theater prior to the fire?

First, to answer the above poster: I, for one, have never seen any interior photos of the theater--vintage or otherwise. How I wish I'd taken photos when inside on the night my friend took the abovementioned neon photo of the exterior!

We visited the site once more last weekend on the way to our usual yearly family event in Visalia. Absolutely nothing has been done to the theater itself since my last visit/posting, save for the installation of a tidy wooden fence across the entrance/ticket lobby, complete with decorative lattice along the top, and a locked door. Reconstruction of the storefront to the left of the theater entrance was undertaken this year, and is almost complete. Like the storefront to the right of the theater which was rebuilt a couple of years ago, it is not an exact replica of what was originally there, but harmonizes fine with the streetscape. At some point, the reconstruction of the theater facade will necessitate removing portions of these new storefronts. The streamlined walls bearing the poster cases which face the street have been carefully retained and built around. It almost looks a little surreal.

The opening date given in this article is Oct. 19, 1935.

Vintage photo of the Avenal.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveglass/347078954/sizes/o/

Here is a 1942 photo:
http://snipurl.com/gjt0p

It's called a "print" on their website.

I was just informed today that the rebuilt tower of the Avenal facade is nearing completion. I am scheduled to stop by the theatre in early October to see the progress. I will report more after then.

I did get the aforementioned look-see of the Avenal last Thursday. My thanks to Terry Headrick and his associates on the site for letting me have a good look at the rebuilding progress. It is truly going to be a class act. The facade tower is essentially done, except for the neon. The marquee is under construction, and will reuse the original metal AVENAL letters. The circular lobby is well underway, with the metal mesh in place for plastering the layered ribbed coves of the ceiling. Removal of fire-damaged surfaces on the auditorium walls revealed remnants of the original 1930s painted decoration, dating from before the more well-known Moderne redo and enlargement of the theatre in the 40s. The auditorium will be triplexed, with a larger theatre for both movies and live events down front in the original stage/screen area, and two small movie theatres to the rear and sides. The original wall and ceiling murals are going to be replicated. Light fixtures are also being replicated. The original blueprints have been carefully consulted on all points. Nearly everything that will greet the public when the theatre reopens will be new--replicated from the old, except the terrazzo sidewalk and the tilework in the Ladies restroom. However, one will truly feel they are seeing the original theatre in its pristine glory. It is going to be amazing. The concrete shell of the auditorium has been retained. Between the side of the auditorium and an alley out back is a little complex of new structures and a courtyard, which will act as an adjunct facility for events held at the theatre.