Balboa Theatre’s 100th Anniversary Celebration Kicks Off Thursday Evening

A celebration of the downtown Balboa Theatre’s 100th anniversary will kick off Thursday with a reception and music, followed by events for children and performances by local community groups over the weekend.

Organizers said the Thursday reception will start at 4:30 p.m. with organ music played by Ken Double, and pianist and playwright Hershey Felder will perform the American Songbook starting at 6:30 p.m.

Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, there will be a silent movie night to honor members of the military.

Saturday will feature children’s cartoons starting at 10 a.m., followed by evening performances by San Diego community artists and art groups beginning at 6 p.m.

This weekend, Double will play a restored Wonder Morton Organ, “an icon of the silent film era and a nod to the Balboa Theatre’s early programming of silent films and vaudeville performances,” that will allow attendees “to experience a unique blend of historical authenticity and modern entertainment,” organizers added.

Refurbished in 2008, the theater is “architecturally and culturally significant to San Diego,” organizers said in a news release.

When it opened on March 28, 1924, the venue started as a vaudeville house. During World War II, it served “as a place of respite for military men,” organizers said.

“Today, the Balboa Theatre is home to diverse performing arts shows, including comedy, dance, and musical performances,” they added. “Thousands of San Diegans attend shows staged at the Balboa every year.”

For nearly 50 years, “we’ve been thrilled to present the best of Broadway in San Diego,” said Nick Scandalios, chief operating office of The Nederlander Organization, parent company of local presenters Broadway San Diego.

“The Balboa Theatre has been home to many of our events along with Broadway San Diego’s annual local high school musical theatre awards,” he added. “We couldn’t be more proud to recognize and celebrate the 100th anniversary and look forward to sharing stories from her stage for many years to come.”

Proceeds from the Thursday anniversary gala will fund the Balboa Theatre Grant Fund, which underwrites performances “to make the production of an event there as affordable and accessible as possible to the San Diego Community,” organizers said.

Event sponsors include The Nederlander Organization — which presents Broadway San Diego — and philanthropists Les and Andi Rothschild Silver.

Twenty-seven sponsors contributed more than $250,000, organizers said.

–City News Service