Circle Star Theater

Last updated

The Circle Star Theatre was a performing arts venue in San Carlos, San Mateo County, California. Its name is based on it being a theater in the round, featuring a rotating circular stage with none of its 3,743 seats further than 50 feet (15 m) from the stage. Unlike similar venues across the United States, the Circle Star Theatre stage had the ability to rotate in either direction without limit, thanks to the slip ring and brush system that supplied electrical/audio to and from the stage. The theatre's address was 2 Circle Star Way (1717 (1800?) Industrial Road [1] ), San Carlos, CA 94070.

Contents

History

Its original concept was as a dinner theater, similar to the Hyatt House Theatre in nearby Burlingame.

On 9 March 9, 1964, ground-breaking took place, financially backed by Debbie Reynolds, Steve Allen, Sammy Davis Jr. and others. [2]

On 13 October 1964, Opening Night was celebrated. [2]

In 1964, the Circle Star Theatre opened with Jane Powell starring in My Fair Lady . [3]

Lewis & Dare Productions hosted many Broadway touring shows, such as The Odd Couple, with Ernest Borgnine and Don Rickles.[ citation needed ]

In 1971, the revolving stage was introduced, [2] and the theatre was purchased by Marquee Entertainment, run by Don Jo Medlevine of the famed Chicago nightclub Chez Paree. Marquee Entertainment booked Las Vegas acts such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Liberace, among many others. In the mid-1970s the theatre was kept solvent by booking Motown acts to increase its diversity. [4]

Don Jo Medlevine sold the Circle Star Theater to Leonard Bloom.

In 1987, [5] Bloom sold the theater to a local car dealer, Jim Burney. [6] The new owner did not have the same elite relationships with the top entertainers as Bloom had, but leased to a booking agent, later locking them out in December 1993. [7] [8] [9] The building caught fire on April 18, 1997, damaging much of the backstage area, though by this time plans had already been made for its demolition. [10] The theater was ultimately demolished to make way for the Circle Star Center, a complex containing two four-story office buildings and a small hotel. [5] Since 2015 or 2014 Softbank owns the buildings and uses them as offices. The hotel is now an Extended Stay America.[ citation needed ]

Performers

The following musicians, actors, and comedians are among those who appeared at the Circle Star:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Lawrence</span> American singer and actor (1935–2024)

Steve Lawrence was an American singer, comedian, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop duo Steve and Eydie with his wife Eydie Gormé, and for his performance as Maury Sline, the manager and friend of the main characters in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Steve and Eydie first appeared together as regulars on Tonight Starring Steve Allen in 1954 and continued performing as a duo until Gormé's retirement in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California)</span> Concert hall in Oakland, California

The Paramount Theatre is a 3,040-seat Art Deco concert hall located at 2025 Broadway in Downtown Oakland. When it was built in 1931, it was the largest multi-purpose theater on the West Coast, seating 3,476. Today, the Paramount is the home of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and the Oakland Ballet. It regularly plays host to R&B, jazz, blues, pop, rock, gospel, classical music, as well as ballets, plays, stand-up comedy, lecture series, special events, and screenings of classic movies from Hollywood's Golden Era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciro's</span> Former nightclub in West Hollywood, California

Ciro's was a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California owned by William Wilkerson. Opened in 1940, Ciro's became a popular nightspot for celebrities. The nightclub closed in 1960 and was reopened as a rock club in 1965. After a few name changes, it eventually became The Comedy Store in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Repertory Theatre</span>

The San Jose Repertory Theatre was the first resident professional theatre company in San Jose, California. It was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber. In 2008, after the demise of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the San Jose Rep became the largest non-profit, professional theatre company in the South Bay with an annual operating budget of $5 million. In 2006, it was saved from impending insolvency by a $2 million bailout loan from the city of San Jose; this was later restructured into a long-term loan similar to a mortgage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola Falana</span> American singer, dancer, and actress (born 1942)

Loletha Elayne Falana or Loletha Elaine Falana, better known by her stage name Lola Falana, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1975 for her performance as Edna Mae Sheridan in Doctor Jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall</span> Historic theater and performing arts center in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is a historic theater building and performing arts center in Portland, Oregon, United States. Part of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, it is home to the Oregon Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, White Bird Dance Company, and Portland Arts & Lectures. It is also a concert and film venue. Originally the Paramount Theatre, it is also locally nicknamed "The Schnitz".

<i>The Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas</i> Stage musical

The Rat Pack - Live From Las Vegas is a stage musical produced by Flying Music Group Ltd. The stage show was conceived and created by Mitch Sebastian, who was also the show's director and choreographer.

Scott Beach was an American actor, writer and DJ, best known for his performance in the 1960s-themed 1973 film American Graffiti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Martins</span> Portuguese Film and Theatre director (born 1972)

Marco Martins is a Portuguese Film and Theatre director, best known for his 2005 film Alice, which premiered at Cannes and won the Best Picture Award at the Directors' Fortnight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spreckels Theatre</span> United States historic place

Spreckels Theatre is a performing arts center in San Diego, California. It was touted as "the first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi". It was designed for philanthropist John D. Spreckels, and was meant to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal. Built in 1912, it was originally created to host live theater performances, but was converted to allow motion pictures in 1931. The theater has been closed since being sold in 2021. There are currently plans to renovate the building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand 1894 Opera House</span> United States historic place

The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, Texas is currently operated as a not-for-profit performing arts theatre. The Romanesque Revival style Opera House is located at 2020 Post Office Street in Galveston's Historic Downtown Cultural Arts District. It was named "The Official Opera House of Texas" in 1993 by the 73rd Texas Legislature. It has a seating capacity of 1,040.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcada Theater Building</span> United States historic place

The Arcada Theatre Building is a theater in St. Charles, Illinois located on Main Street. The theatre was opened on Labor Day, September 6, 1926, engaging projection of silent movies and the staging of live vaudeville acts. Except for brief periods of renovation, it has remained continuously open. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Landau</span> American playwright and theatre director (born 1962)

Tina Landau is an American playwright and theatre director. Known for her large-scale, musical, and ensemble-driven work, Landau's productions have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally, most extensively at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago where she is an ensemble member.

James Faerron is an American set designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copa Room</span> Entertainment nightclub showroom in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

The Copa Room was an entertainment nightclub showroom at the now-defunct Sands Hotel on The Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was demolished in 1996 when the Sands Hotel was imploded.

The Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair is an entertainment venue located in the hamlet of Jericho, outside of Westbury, New York. Constructed as a theatre in the round style with seating for 2,870 that was originally developed as a means to present top performers and productions of popular theatrical musicals at a series of venues located in suburban locations on the East Coast of the United States.

Action Theatre is an improvisational performance technique developed by the American performance artist, Ruth Zaporah. Action Theatre is defined by its focus on embodied awareness, the tracking of the present moment through sensory experience, and by a structured training that uses exploration to build the performer's 'formal dexterity and the ability to “listen” to oneself and one’s acting partners'. This physical theatre technique is documented in Zaporah's 1995 book, Action Theatre: The Improvisation of Presence.

The Aliens is a play by Annie Baker. The play is set in Vermont, as are three of Baker's other plays, Body Awareness,Circle Mirror Transformation, and Nocturama. The Aliens premiered Off-Broadway in 2010 and won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, with Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela Gaye Walker</span> American actress, writer, director, and producer

Pamela Gaye Walker is an American actress, writer, director, and producer for film and theatre. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA), and Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA). She is the founder and President of Ghost Ranch Productions. She is known for Shakti's Retreat (2013) and Trifles (2009).

References

  1. ↑ "Circle Star Theatre, San Carlos, CA, USA Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  2. 1 2 3 Calic, Dan (2022-05-20). "Blog: Hollywood Comes Calling". Redwood City Pulse. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  3. ↑ "A look back at the Circle Star". Climate Online. 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  4. ↑ Svanevik, Michael; Burgett, Shirley (2006-09-30). "Matters Historical: A brief time in the spotlight". San Mateo Daily News. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  5. 1 2 "Office Towers A Possibility For Circle Star" . Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  6. ↑ "Chappaquiddick staged?". Tulsa World. 1989-11-02. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  7. ↑ Wildermouth, John (1995-01-06). "Bank Buys Circle Star Theater". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  8. ↑ "Circle Star for Sale" . Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  9. ↑ "BAY AREA REPORT -- PENINSULA / Tentative OK for Plan To Demolish Circle Star" . Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Marshall (1997-04-19). "Fire Damages Closed Theater: Cause unknown in smoky blaze at Circle Star Center". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  11. ↑ https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/North-s-speech-draws-cheers-and-jeers-in-San-5548481.php [ bare URL ]
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 https://www.sfchronicle.com/oursf/article/Remembering-the-odd-Bay-Area-theater-that-put-16403483.php [ bare URL ]
  13. ↑ "Sinatra Sells Pasta Sauce, Songs of Past with an Easy Charm". Chicago Tribune . 13 November 1989.
  14. ↑ Clark, Sondra Rae (1971-08-28). "Ike and Tina Boggle Audience". Palo Alto Times. p. 31. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  15. ↑ https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Roy-Orbison-show-at-Circle-Star-Theater-4412636.php [ bare URL ]

37°29′52″N122°14′26″W / 37.49778°N 122.24056°W / 37.49778; -122.24056

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.