Jayhawk State Theatre of Kansas

More information about the theater and its history is available at www.jayhawktheatre.com

The Jayhawk Theatre is located at 107 W. 7th Street and it seated 1344 people.

Tour of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas Theatres in 2004
From June 26 through July 1, 2004 the Theatre Historical Society of America will tour a number of theatres in Kansas City Missouri and surrounding areas, including theatres in Lamar, Joplin, Richmond, St. Joseph and Springfield, MO, as well as Miami, OK, and these cities in Kansas: Leavenworth, Kansas City, Emporia, El Dorado, Augusta, Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, Salina, Concordia, and Topeka. More information is contained on their web site: http://www.HistoricTheatres.org and special photos and information concerning the Kansas City theatres: UPTOWN and the MIDLAND is available on this temporary page of their site at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/fromarch.html A glossy brochure about this "Heart of America" Conclave is available from the Society's headquarters listed on their homepage, via E-mail to the Ex. Director, or via snail mail. Membership in the Society is not required to attend the Conclave and tour the theatres, but fees do apply as detailed on their site. Bring your camera and lots of film, for it is usually difficult or impossible to enter these theatres for photos, and some of them will surely not be with us in the years to come.

My wife is a board member of this. I want to pass on the news that the schedule to have the Jayhawk Theater fully restored is scheduled by December/January 2007/2008. They have limited openings to the theater now. They will be open for St. Patricks day 2005 from 11-3pm to tour the theater. Please visit offical website for future details.

Here is a link to the Kansas Historic Theatre Association with a brief history of the theatre and a couple photos.
http://www.khta.com/theatrepage.cfm?ID=17

Sorry I forgot to include the offical website of the theater which does contain pictures and other information, it is;
http://www.jayhawktheater.com
It is an intro page that will take you to the welcome page.

Sad news... the schedule has been pushed back for when the Jayhawk will be open fully. The theater is run by a non-profit group that is tax deductable, see site for details. The contributions are behind schedule, hence the delay.

They will take you on tours of the Jayhawk if you ask. Their phone number is listed on jayhawktheatre.com. You dont necessarily need to be in a group either. There are usually people available through the week from 1 to 3 pm.
I am going on a tour wednesday Feb 15th, and I am gonna pop the big question as to whether or not the Jayhawk could bring back the midnight movie circuit long abandoned from when the Dickinson closed in the 80's. Topeka needs a place to show Rocky Horror Again.

The Jayhawk State Theatre of Kansas is located in Jayhawk Towers and The Commonwealth Building in Downtown Topeka, Kansas, near the corner of 7th and Jackson. The theatre is the official state theatre of Kansas, as designated by the Kansas Legislature, and is a 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions to the organization are tax deductible. For extensive infomation on the theatre's past and future, please visit the History and Future sections on this web site.

Tours of the theatre are available to individiuals or groups at any time by simply scheduling an appointment. Although the theatre is not yet renovated, meetings and other special events can still be held within the theatre. For more information, or to schedule a tour, call (785) 233-HAWK (4295).

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1982

Jayhawk Hotel, Theater and Walk ** (added 1982 - Building - #82002675)
Also known as Jayhawk Theater and Jayhawk Walk;The Jayhawk Complex
700 Jackson Ave., Topeka
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Williamson,Thomas W., Leepr,John M.
Architectural Style: Other
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Hotel, Specialty Store, Theater
Current Function: Vacant/Not In Use, Work In Progress

Thomas W. Williamson was the architect for the entire complex but the Boller Brothers designed the theater.

The theater address should be:

720 SW Jackson St
Topeka, KS 66603

I just took a tour and found out that they are in the process of going out to local businesses to get money.

Here is a photo of the interior in 2007: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/467368107_89f236030a.jpg

Here is a photo of the neon sign that is on top of the Jayhawk Hotel in 2006: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/436391552_3cd4cdec84.jpg

Here are the original flickr links.
sign: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/436391552_3cd4cdec84.jpg

interior: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/467368107_89f236030a_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/467368107_89f236030a_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/436391552_07184a3794_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/historian77/467368107/in/set-72157594534889905/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/historian77/436391552/in/set-72157594534889905/

A Kilgen theater organ opus 3614 size 3/9 style U020 was installed in the Jayhawk Theater in 1926.

Here is a 1938 photo of the Jayhawk Theater.

The Jayhawk opened in August 1925 with seating listed at 1,344.