Plaza Theatre

Opening with great fanfare to a capacity crowd on September 12, 1930, El Paso's Plaza Theatre manifested the cultural interests of that city in a noteworthy example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Originally conceived as a deluxe vaudeville house, the Plaza was known as the "Showplace of the Southwest" when it opened to the public. It was a lavishly appointed motion-picture palace effectively portraying the early, golden years of cinema. Elaborate interior architectural elements, combined with advanced musical and mechanical equipment, created a dazzling interior that could easily accommodate a variety of entertainments. Although the original entrance facade has been altered in recent years, the Plaza continues to function as a movie theater in sound structural condition with its interior integrity intact. It served the area of the Southwest around El Paso as a major cultural center until the 1960s. Prominently located in the central business district, it is one of the relatively few remaining theaters of its kind in this country, and the only one in El Paso representing the high degree of architectural extravagance associated with the glamorous early era of the motion-picture industry.

Because of its massing and site orientation, the exterior references to the Spanish Colonial style were sparsely applied. In contrast, the interior carries the Hispanic theme in a grandiose manner. Mosaic tiled floors, textured plaster walls offset with elaborate three-dimensional molding, intricately painted ceilings, and decorative metal railings, balconies, and light fixtures enhance the entrance foyer and lobby areas, pre- paring one for the splendor of the auditorium. Furnishings included art and antiques of considerable value to heighten the effect. Arched loggias provide access down both sides of an auditorium that culminates in a proscenium stage framed with embellished columns. To create an illusion of the outdoors, the auditorium's side walls are stepped in a series of terraces above the arched passageways and draped with abundant foliage. A cloud machine, bird machine, and ceiling equipped with twinkling pin lights were incorporated to heighten the outdoor effect.

Touted, when it opened, as being the largest theater of its kind between New Orleans and Los Angeles, the Plaza provided live entertainment as well as motion pictures for its patrons. Stars such as Nae West, Ethel Barrymore, Tallulah Bankhead, Blackstone the Magician, and John Wayne appeared there. While the building featured the most technically advanced sound, projection, and stage equipment available, perhaps its most impressive piece of equipment was the Wurlitzer organ. Purchased for approximately $60,000, it featured 15 ranks of 61 pipes and a console that was elevated from the floor for playing, so that theater-goers could be entertained during the intermissions. The grillwork behind which the pipes were mounted can still be seen on both sides of the stage, although the organ was purchased and removed in the early 1970s.

Although several other theaters existed in El Paso at the time the Plaza was built, its size, resplendent decor, and technical equipment allowed it to stand out. A team of 42 technicians, artisans, and service staff was required to accommodate the crowds' property. Catering to a variety of tastes, the theater hosted musical performances, plays, and operas as well as motion pictures. During the 1930s and up until World War II, the Plaza hosted a Saturday morning, Mickey Mouse Club for the city's youngsters. The Plaza operated as such well into the 1960s when neighborhood movie houses began to draw away its clientele.

In 1973, ABC Interstate sold the building to Mike Dipp of El Paso, and it stood unused until 1978 when a treater operator from Dallas leased it to show Spanish-language films. The city's awareness of the historical and architectural value of the theater and its potential for various uses by the community has grown in recent years, and local preservation groups are examining the possibility of returning the elegant old building to its former grandeur.