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The California Theatre (San Francisco), was located at 414 (now 440) Bush Street, San Francisco.〔K. Baedeker (1904) ''The United States: with an excursion into Mexico''〕 It was built in 1869 by William Ralston, at that time the treasurer of the Bank of California. S. C. Bugbee & Son were the architects and the theatre cost $250, 000 to build.〔〔Another source puts the figure at $150,000. (ref.''The Oxford Companion to American theatre'' (2004)〕 The original theatre was demolished and rebuilt in 1889. It was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The former site (north side of Bush Street, between Kearny and Grant) is now a California Historical Landmark, with a historical marker commemorating the theatre and its artists.〔 ==History== Ralston's decision to build the theatre was inspired by the acting of John McCullough and Lawrence Barrett, whom he felt deserved a theatre of their own to showcase their talent and which he believed would be a lucrative investment. He was right, for the theatre was successful beyond his expectations. It opened on January 18, 1869 with a performance of Bulwer-Lytton's play ''Money''.〔Don B. Wilmeth (2007) ''The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre'', Cambridge University Press; 2 edition ISBN 0521835380〕 it was the leading theatre in the city until its demolition in 1888. There were elaborate murals of San Francisco painted by local artist G.J. Denny and a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay on the drop curtain. The theatre claimed to be the first on the West Coast to use calcium light (limelight) with parabolic reflectors, aimed from the house, to light up the stage.〔 On the first anniversary of the theatre's opening, a Scandinavian bandleader had the following to say, The first year () the California Theatre cleared $100,000. On the evening of our first anniversary, Mr. Barrett stood at the stage door and invited every single individual belonging to the theatre, saying that after the performance we should all meet up in Pacific Hall on the second floor of the California Theatre building, facing Bush street. Upon coming into the hall we were surprised with a large banquet table set in the form of “T” and furnished from the best caterer, Maison-Doree, at $5 a piece.〔''Musical and Theatrical New, San Francisco'' (1922) "The Journal of August Wetterman", California State Library, Sacramento〕 In spite of the theatre's success, the Bank of California, which owned the theatre, failed in 1875. Soon thereafter, Ralston went swimming and drowned, leading to speculation that he might have committed suicide.〔This is somewhat belied by the evidence that he was seen thrashing about in the water at the time of his drowning.〕 The theatre then went into a decline.〔James R. Smith (2004) ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Linden Publishing ISBN 1884995446〕 In addition to plays, the theatre was also host to opera, and soprano Inez Fabbri performed there on many occasions until the Grand Opera House opened in 1876, as did Nellie Melba.〔''New York Times'' (May 9, 1898) "Melba in a Panic"〕〔Melba's performance was cut short by a fire in the neighbouring building causing a stampede for the exit by San Francisco's Social Register who were there ''en masse'' and decked out for the occasion, leaving behind furs and other valuable belongings in the pandemonium, with an estimated value of $4000.()〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「California Theatre (San Francisco)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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