View of the interior of the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch, Calif., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The El Campanil Theatre was built in 1928 and seats about 650 people. The theatre was built as a venue for live vaudeville performances and silent films. Long ago, Bay Area residents left their homes to be entertained.
The three-year renovation culminated in a grand reopening in 2004. Opera San Jose, founded by the globally renowned Irene Dalis, who had watched movies here as a child, presented Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” The California Theatre in Pittsburg was built in 1920 as a venue for live vaudeville performances and silent films. Berkeley Rep’s new season: From Mexican underground railroad to a Holocaust mystery
Near the turn of the 21st century, city leaders and arts lovers in both cities realized that putting their historic theaters back to work could bring residents back downtown. Each town raised millions to rehab pipe organs and refurbish light fixtures and decor, restoring a mural of two winged nymphs dancing alongside the stage at the California Theatre and the two nudes who caused such a fuss at El Campanil.
In March 1948, the Menlo reopened for movies only as the Guild, with David Lean’s adaptation of playwright Noel Coward’s “This Happy Breed” christening the big screen. Articles and ads in the the Palo Alto Times trumpeted the “abstract” decor, a live flower garden in the foyer and state-of-the-art projection and sound systems.
The theater is heavily booked and drawing well. “We did 174 shows/events in 2023, and we’re looking at 200-plus in 2024,” general manager Tom Bailey said.Grahame Lesh & Friends with special guest Stu Allen, May 3; Susto Stringband, May 17; Stephen Marley, May 27; Ryan Adams, June 7 and 8;Built in 1928, Littlefield Concert Hall swiftly became “ground zero” for 20th-century music innovation, a place where “the future of music arrived first,” according to one music critic.
During an extensive 18-month renovation in the late 2000s, old and damaged wall tiles were replaced with elegant new acoustic panels that enhanced the hall’s sound. Alas, Mills’ music department closed after financial challenges forced the campus to merge with Boston-based Northeastern University in 2022. Bernstein said it’s not certain what the future holds, but Littlefield Hall still hosts a concert series that allows people to experience music in a beautiful, uplifting setting.