Lyceum Theater

One of the first few movie houses in Maui was the Lyceum Theater, which was originally an old mill. The 800-seat Lyceum Theater opened its doors by H.B. Weller on September 7, 1912.

On November 17, 1917 at approximately 8:00 PM HST, Hawaii witnessed one of the worst theater fires in Hawaii’s history. Just before one of the reels was set to roll in during a packed showing of Jack Pickford’s “Freckles”, the projector jammed causing all three combinations of a smoke, sizzle, and a flame.

With an unexpected jam from the machine room, the entire audience seemed to grasp the fact that trouble was ahead. The audience can hear the projection jamming in the background. People were forced to evacuate with no excitement or hurrying, not even a single scream. At the time, in order to exit for emergencies at the Lyceum Theater has two unique exit doors. People going out the door to the left found themselves trapped against a high fence, and people had to return and pass through the theater again. However, the right door was locked at the time the fire occurred, but was broken off by an unknown Hawaiian.

Weller along with their men turned their attention on saving films and whatever property they could. When the theater crowd had reached the opposite side of the street in front of the theater building, the rapid flames and fire were coming through the roof and later the front.

Prior to the movie’s showing comes a piano player who recently installed the piano in the theater forced to evacuate while heavily carrying his piano. Unfortunately, right when the blaze burst out in front, his piano unexpectedly catches fire and was burned down into ashes in front of everyone.

Not only the theater, but the fire also damaged the Ah Kip Restaurant, K. Machida’s Drug Store, and Mrs. A. Yashima’s General Store among others. Fire extinguishers were immediately rushed from local stores. They were used until the Wailuku Fire Department arrived on-scene. They started fighting the fires but at first it had a weak pressure of water until it became stronger and stronger. They tried but its no-use. Several buildings including the theater were destroyed, except for one or two both belonged to the Kahului Railroad Company, the company that constructed the Lyceum Theater back in 1912.

The damage in total caused an estimate loss of $32,000 along with $13,500 insurance. The Lyceum Theater’s estimate loss was $8,500 for the theater building, and $4,000 for the theater’s furniture, fixtures, appliances, and the piano.

H.B. Weller along with the Kahului Railroad Company would later build the fireproofed 750-seat Kahului Theater that same location and would later open its doors to the public on May 17, 1918.

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