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CapturingtheTrueIdentityoftheCrestTheatre
TheCrestTheatreoriginatedandbuiltin1912whichwascalledtheEmpressTheatre
(Aboutthe'CrestTheatre'n.d.).ThecosttobuildtheEmpressTheatrewas$3,100(HalpertJuly
28,1980).CrestTheatretookovertheplaceoftheexistingEmpressTheatreon1013KStreet,
Sacramento,CA(HalpertJuly28,1980).ItwasdesignedandbuiltbythearchitectLeeDeCamp
andaswellasSullivanandConsidinevaudevillecircuitbuilders(HebergerGarican.d.)(Halpert
July28,1980).Thefirstopeningdaywasin1913.Itwasoneofthefirsttheatrebuiltin
Sacramento,CA(HebergerGarican.d.).Duringthetimein1912itwasusedforvaudeville
palace(HebergerGarican.d.).Thepublicusedthistheatricalgenreentertainmentwith
musicians,singers,dancers,comedians,acrobats,magicians,plays,etc(Aboutthe'CrestTheatre'
n.d.).Thevaudevillepalacewasverypopularduringthelate1880stotheearly1930s(Crest
Theatren.d.).Thepropertywasheldonitsfoundationof160by160lot(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Lateronin1918,itwasfixedupanditwasrenamedLoewHippodromeTheatreaftermanname
MarcusLoewwheremoviestookovershiftofthetheatrebecauseofthemoviebusinessand
technologystartedbooming(HalpertJuly28,1980).Alsotheproperty1918,theBriggsfamily
werethelandownerswhichwascalledBriggsEstates(HalpertJuly28,1980).InAugust19,
1918thetheatrehadafirewhichhadneighboringstores(HalpertJuly28,1980).Anotherserious
firebrokeoutinOctober28,1921wheregasfilledthebasementandthelobbyfloorscollapsed
(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thereweresomementhatdiedduringthefireandlatertheownerhad
tocompensateforthemenwives.Aftertheincidenttheownerfeltlikehehadto(force)reduce
thepriceofadmissiontotencentstogetpeopletocomebacktothetheatre(HalpertJuly28,
1980).TheHippodromeTheatrewasclosedforfouryearsfrom1942to1946becauseofan

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incidentwheremarquee(partofthebuildingabovetheentranceofthetheatre)fellandcollapsed
onsomeonethepersonsfamilysuesfor$100,500andtheothermenthatwereinjuredrequested
$75,844.50,whichthetheatrewentunder(HalpertJuly28,1980).Finally,afterremodelingthe
building,theykeeptheshelloftheHippodromeTheatre(EmpressTheatre)andkeepingmostof
thebuildingsformwhichreopenedthetheatre,andrenamingittheCrestTheatrein1949
(HebergerGarican.d.).Itwasredesignedintheinsidebyarchitects
AlexanderAimwellCantin
andson
AlexanderMackenzieCantin
(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).Lateronin1979,
thepublicclosestheCrestTheatreforaboutsevenyearsbecausetherewasnotenoughticket
salesandtheKstreetmallwasdeclining(HalpertJuly28,1980).InDecember1979,therewere
eighthundredsignpetitionstotheCityCounciltokeeptheCrestTheatreopen(HalpertJuly28,
1980).Thereweremanyattemptstotransformandrevivethetheatretosaveit.Itlateropens
backupin1986,whichlatercompletesrestorationoftheCrestTheatrein1995(Aboutthe'Crest
Theatre'n.d.).TheCrestTheatreisnowcontinuouslyusedforprivatemoviescreenings,
conferences,politicalfundraising,weddings,andemployeeorientations(Aboutthe'Crest
Theatre'n.d.).
BriefDescriptionoftheArchitects
LeeDeCampwasthefirsttoarchitecttobuildtheCrestTheatre,butwasoriginally
namedtheEmpressTheatre(TheMoviePictureWorldn.d.).Aswellasthefounderof
vaudevillecircuitJohnConsidine(SullivanandConsidinevaudevillecircuit)helpedwiththe
buildingoftheEmpressTheater(HalpertJuly28,1980).ThearchitectLeeDeCampseemstobe
knownorfamousforcreatinganddesigningtheEmpressTheatresinmanyotherdifferentstates
andsomeinothercountries(TheMoviePictureWorldn.d.).Hewasfamousforgettingthe

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entertainmentbusinessgoingandexceedlaterintothemoviepicturebusinessallaroundthe
world(TheMoviePictureWorldn.d.).
AlexanderAimwellCantin
and
AlexanderMackenzieCantin
werebothfamous
architects.A.AimwellCantinwasthefatherofA.MackenzieCantin(Cantin,Alexander&
Mackenzien.d.).A.Aimwellstartedasanarchitectandlaterinvolvedhissoninconstructing
buildingslater,whichtheybecomepartners(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).A.
AimwellwasknownfordesigningPacificTelephonesandTelegraphbuildingsinSanFrancisco
(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).Hewasalsotheonewhocreatedthefirstmajor
buildingsforacampuscalledCollegeofMarin,andlateroninthe1920shewasfamousfor
creatingmovietheatresthroughouttheBayArea(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).A.
MackenziewenttoUCBerkeleySchoolofArchitecturein1935,andlatergraduatingwithan
architecturaldegreeandlicensein1945(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).Thenlaterin
1948hejoinedhisfatherfirm(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).Finally,titlingtheir
companyCantin&Cantinwheretheyfocusedmostlyoncreatingmovietheatres,someschools,
banks,andothermercantilebuildingsintheBayArea(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).
OneoftheirbiggestprojectswastoredesignHippodromeTheatre(originalnameEmpress
Theatre)becauseithadsomanyconstructionalproblemsthatdidnotholdupoverthepastyears
(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).Whenitwasreopened,A.AimwellandA.Mackenzie
CantinrenameittheCrestTheatre(Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzien.d.).
TheExteriorCrestTheater
DuringthefirstformationthatstartedastheEmpressTheatrethetheatrewascreatedto
beathreestorybuilding(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thefrontwasthelengthofanaveragestore

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front(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thefrontentrancehadanoverhangofametalcanopywhich
helpedshadeoverpartofthesidewalks(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thetowerroseaboveandhelda
seventyfivefeetonthelowerroofs,whichwasverydistinctive(HalpertJuly28,1980).The
towerwasmadeofplasteroverwood(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thesignhungdownastheletters
werewrittenwithlightswhichlooklikethesignwasfromtheRomanesqueperiod(HalpertJuly
28,1980).Thedomewassupportedbyfourrooflikearchesthathelpsupportthetopofthetall
squaredblocks(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thesquareblockshadtrimwoodthatwaspaintedwhite
withthreetierstrips(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thesamematerialoftheframeofthearches
showedsegmentalcorniceabovethetrimwhichwereplacedwithdecoratedformsofbrackets
underthecornice(HalpertJuly28,1980).Themostfamouspartofthisbuildingisthecreative
andromanticticketboothithasbeentheoriginalticketbooththatstayedthesamethroughall
thetransitions(MatiasBombalFeb.15,2013).Theticketboothismadeofglasswindows,and
goldleafreliefs(HalpertJuly28,1980).Aroundtheticketbooththerearepaintedgoldonthe
topandsilveronthebottom,whichlooklikestalkandleavesgrowingfromthegroundto
meetinguptothetopoftheticketbooth(HalpertJuly28,1980).Theledgeoftheticketbooth
holdingupwithplantlikeformstogiveitasupportiveandcreativelooktoit(HalpertJuly28,
1980).
AftertheEmpressTheatre,itwasremodeledinFebruary15,1918andrenamedLoews
Hippodrome(HalpertJuly28,1980).TheHippodromehadareasaddedlikethewomens
waitingroom,asmokingroom,personalphonebooths,andachildrensnursery(HalpertJuly28,
1980).Aswelltherewasaddedautomaticheatingandventilationthroughoutthebuilding
(HalpertJuly28,1980).In1927,thesignwastootallandnarrowwhichwasalmostastallasthe

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tower,sotheownersdecidedtoreplacethesign(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thesupportsofthe
towerwerereplacedaswell(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thereweretwoadditionalmodifications
theentrancetothelobbyin1921to1922wasrebuiltbecausethefiremadethelobbyfloor
collapse,andtheconcretewallstothelobbyhadfiredamagein1921(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Thefloorsandtheroofcosttheowners$23,454whichtookupahugeamountofthebudget
(HalpertJuly28,1980).Later,theroofagainwasinsulatedandreconstructedtobefireproof
whichcostthem$2,800(HalpertJuly28,1980).Aswell,theybuiltatunnelthatleadedfromE
streettotheauditoriumbecauseofthefiresitwasaneasyescapeforanyfuturefires(Halpert
July28,1980).
In1946,thebuildingstartedtoberemodelonlyleavingtheshelloftheoriginalbuilding.
Thebuildinghadtobeearthquakeproofaswellbecausethebuildinghadahardtimeholdingup
inearthquakes(HalpertJuly28,1980).Sincetheremodelofthebuildingfrom1946to1949,the
buildinghadanewmarquee(sign)built.Themarqueeisfivefeettallthathungdownfromthe
towerandmadeasanelectricsign(HalpertJuly28,1980).Themarqueehasbeenrenamedthe
CrestTheatre,whichhassimpleblockorangeandgreenletters,wavylines,andchainedleaves,
whichrepresentthetechniqueofAlphonseMucha(famousartistoftheArtNouveauera)
(HalpertJuly28,1980).ArtNouveauwasverypopularduringthistime.Whatmakesthesignso
ArtNouveauarethesimpleblockletter,embellishment,anditwastall(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Theentranceofthetileflooringwheretheticketboothisplacewasrebuiltandreplacedwith
spaceliketrapezoidthatlaidflat,whichisnarrowingfromthesidewalktotheentrancedoors
(HalpertJuly28,1980).Theentrancetileswereallplaceindividuallywithpebbledandyellow
sectionsthatformedleaves,curls,scrolls,andlicks,whichdarkredtrefoilwithpaintedends

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formsandhugstotheticketbooth,andtilefillsupthefloorwithshapescreatingaleaf(Halpert
July28,1980).
TheInterioroftheCrestTheatre
From1949intothepresent,theCrestTheatrehasbeenfixed,replaced,andmodified.As
youwalkinsidethedoorsoftheinnertheatreyouwillnoticethedifferentbeautifulstylesof
marksonthedoor(HalpertJuly28,1980).Whenyouenterintothebuildingyouwill
automaticallyenterintothelobbywherethelobbyisacurved,andnarrowsintothesnackbar
thatgoesintoanotherlobby(HalpertJuly28,1980).Onthewallsofthelobbyyouwillaswell
noticeallthelargesixteenfeetwidesculpturereliefspaintedwithgoldleaf,looksveryheavy,
andaremonumentalmodernstyle,andintheactualtheatresittingarea(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Thewallshaveaflowerlikedesignincertainareasofthelobby(HalpertJuly28,1980).Inthe
lobbythereareaswelllargepaintingofCaliforniahistoryofagricultureandresources(Halpert
July28,1980).Thephotographoftheoriginalbuildingfrom1932hangfromthebalcony
(HalpertJuly28,1980).Whenyoulookupinthelobbyarea,youwillseethelargedomethat
recessesofawhitetextureofconcrete(HalpertJuly28,1980).Ontheceilingitslantswith
curvingtwiningstalksthatconnectingtoheartshapelikeleavesingoldleaf(HalpertJuly28,
1980).Theceilingalsoisconnectingaquaintarchingoldleafwhichisasimplercarvingthat
makethismoreelegantthantherestofthedecorationinthebuilding(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Thereareothergoldleafrimaroundthedome,andfivefeetstructuresintothecenterofthe
spacewithsinglefeatherthatpointstotherim,whichrepresentstheNeoHollywoodstyle
(HalpertJuly28,1980).Fromthedomethereishangingdownatwotieredlargechandelierthat
islighted(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thewaterfountainsinthelobbyarestandingoneachofthe

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oppositesidesoneinthealcoves(smallarea),andoneneartheentranceofthelobby,whichare
paintedsilverandgoldwithawhitefountainspraythatresemblestheArtDecostyle(Halpert
July28,1980).Thelobbysignraiseabovetheentranceareanearthesnackbar,whichagain
aroundthesignyouwillseefeatherlikestructuresingoldleafpaint.Thesignhadafeltblack
backingtohelpholdeachindividualletterwithaglasscovering.Thewordonthelobbysignsaid
Whenyoupassthruthisportalyouleaveallyourcaresbehind(HistoryoftheMovieTheaters
inSacramento,CaliforniaJune6,2010).Finally,thereisanupstairsaboutthelobbywherethey
decidedtokeepoffices(HalpertJuly28,1980).
Theactuallytheatrearealookslikeastadiumplanwherethereweresixsections,three
sectionsofmainlevelareaandthreesectionsofthebalconyarea(HalpertJuly28,1980).The
theatreareastartedoutholdingupto2,000operachairswhenitfirstopenedastheEmpress
Theatre(HalpertJuly28,1980).Overtime,thechairshavetakenout,upholsteredinleather,and
lowertheamountofchair,whichcost$90,000(HalpertJuly28,1980).Currently,thetheatre
areahas1,077builtinoperachair,butcanexceedto1,400chairbecausetheycanbringother
chairsfromthebasement(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thewallsinthetheatreareaareplain,
massive,andmadeofconcrete,whichthewallweremadetobebulwarks(strongprotected)
fromthebacktothefrontofthesections(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thewallsarepaintedmostly
whiteuntilithitsadarkredtrimaroundthetheatrearea(HalpertJuly28,1980).Thedecoration
onthewallsarecarved,scrolled,andagainhasgoldleafmoldingsthatarecurvedanddiagonal
fromthebacktothefront(HalpertJuly28,1980).Onthewallsareplacedhurricanelampsmade
outofglassfromthebacktothefrontofthetheatre(HalpertJuly28,1980).Therearealsored
dimmedlightsthatborderthefloorofthetheatreforpeopletoenterandexitthetheatrewhilein

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thedark(HalpertJuly28,1980).Inthetheatrearea,thestagefloors,scenicdropstothebackof
thestage,neworgan,wiring,andropeshavebeenreplaced,whichcost$90,000(HalpertJuly28,
1980).
WhydoestheCrestTheatrehavesuchanimportancetoSacramento?
Thisisanobviousquestiontoaskbecauseitwasoneofthefirsttheatrescreatedinthe
Sacramentoarea.Therewasariseinmovietheatresoverthe1920sto1930sbecauseofthe
movieproductionstowardstheboomoftechnology.TheCrestTheatre(EmpressTheatre)atthe
timecamealongbeforethe1920s.Itdidnotstarttakingaplayinthemovietheatrebusiness
until1918.Theentertainmentwascapturedbyliveentertainmentbefore1918.Ialsobelievethat
thistheatrehadagreatimportancetotheSacramentoareabecauseofthealltheremodelsitwent
throughmanytimes.TherearemanythingintheCrestTheatrethatshowedsignificantlyto
Californiahistoryliketheticketbooth,signsinthelobbyandonthetower,artworks,shellof
thebuilding,operachairs,chandelier,lightsonthewallsofthemovietheatrearea,thewater
fountains,andthefloorsofthelobbyandtheentrancetothetheatre.

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Bibliography

AboutCrestTheatre.
http://www.crestsacramento.com/about/
.WebFeb.162015
Cantin,Alexander&Mackenzie.
http://archives.ced.berkeley.edu/collections/cantin
alexandermackenzie
.Web.Mar.302015
CrestTheater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crest_Theatre
.WebFeb.162015
CrestTheatre.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cresttheatresacramento
.WebFeb.202015

CrestTheatre(Sacramento,Calif)39thBirthdayCelebrationOctober1988MABArchives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifQCG1X_a8
.Web.Feb.202015

CrestTheatreopensinSacramentoOctober6,1949MABArchives.
https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=EvZoUH3x2rI.Web.Feb.202015
EarlyCrestTheatreHistory:MatiasBombal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qipzEQbsorE.Web.Feb.202015
GarciaHeberger,SidandStyger,Robert.
CrestTheatre.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/81
.
Web.Feb.162015
Halpert,Susanna.CrestTheatre.Essay.UCDavis.July18,1980.

HistoryoftheMovieTheatersinSacramento,California.
http://on.aol.com/video/history
ofthemovietheatersinsacramentocalifornia300995326.
Web.Feb.16

2015
HippodromeTheatreInterior.SacramentoRoomDigital.
http://cdm15248.contentdm.oclc.org/

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cdm/singleitem/collection/p15248coll1/id/1259/rec/1
.Web.Mar32015
TheMoviePictureWorld.HarvardCollegeLibrary.
https://books.google.com/books?id=J
ZksAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1031&lpg=PA1031&dq=lee+de
c
amp+architect&source=bl&ot
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t&f=false
.Newspaper.Vol.25.No.4.July24,1915.pg.1013.Web.Mar.302015

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BeforePicture

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Afterpictures

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