"I feel like the Balboa is San Diego's jewel. It is ... in some cases a hidden gem, but it is the epicenter of all kinds of arts, performing arts within San Diego," said Abigail Buell of the nonprofit San Diego Theatres.
The nonprofit manages both the 100-year-old Balboa Theatre and the San Diego Civic Theater.
The Balboa opened on March 28, 1924, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and E Street. That evening's performances included an orchestral concert and a screening of the silent film "Lilies Of The Field."
In the silent movie days, films were accompanied by an organist.
The original organ at the Balboa was removed in 1929 and moved to the old Fox Theater. That theater is now Copley Symphony Hall at the Jacobs Music Center.
The Balboa was without an organ until 2009, when the city obtained a 1920s era Wonder Morton organ, which was completely restored.
"This is, I believe, is the best example of that model. It was built in 1929, near the end of the silent film era," said Russ Peck, the organist for the Balboa Theatre Organ Foundation.
A concert by playwright, pianist and performer Hershey Felder will kick off the celebration on March 28. The next day, there will be a screening of the 1929 silent film comedy, "The Flying Fleet." Some of the movie was shot in San Diego. The Wonder Morton organ will be played during the movie.
There will be a program of classic cartoons on the morning of March 30, and that evening a San Diego Spotlight event featuring performances by several local arts groups. Tickets for the events will be $3.50, to cover ticket processing fees. Buell said the low price is being offered so everyone can come to enjoy the events.
All proceeds from Felder's concert will go to the Balboa Theatre Grant Fund.
"It offers to subsidize partially or fully local arts nonprofits here in San Diego to ensure that they can use our space so that they can really focus on their art and being on stage, and we can do the background work," Buell said.
The fund has already awarded about $43,000 to six local nonprofit arts groups.
The Balboa's return to its current state began in 1985 when the "Save Our Balboa" nonprofit was formed to save the theater. That campaign continued for more than a decade. Eventually, it was taken over by the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC).
Years later, the money was finally raised to do a complete renovation. That happened in 2005 when the CCDC spent about $26.5 million to bring the Balboa back to life.
The job of keeping it in good shape now rests with San Diego Theatres. Buell said they're constantly doing maintenance. Just within the last few weeks, new custom-designed carpet was laid which features a design with ropes encircling the letter B. The ropes are a nod to San Diego's history with ships, be they commercial or military.
Buell discussed what the Balboa means to San Diego.
"The amount of people I've heard talk about how they were proposed to at the Balboa Theatre, birthdays at the Balboa Theatre, first performances at the Balboa Theatre, anniversaries," she said. "It holds a really special place in people's hearts, and I think the people that truly come to the Balboa, even if it's been once or it's been a dozen times, there's always a special story that goes along with that. And so it's a beloved space."
Balboa Theatre's 100th Anniversary Celebration
March 28-30, 2024
Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown
sandiegotheatres.org
