Habermaas in March 1999, by the late 1950s the organ console, pipework, percussion, and main blower had all been taken out of the theatre leaving behind organ chests, relays and regulators. One of the basement lounges originally contained a mirrored aquarium with 1,000 tropical fish, however it was later converted into a fireplace.Ī Wurlitzer theatre organ (Style 260 Special opus 1592) was installed for the theatre’s opening. The lobby also contained twin fountains flanking the stairs descending to the lounges in the basement, but the running water was found to urge patrons to use the restrooms and so the fountains were turned-off at an early stage of the theatre’s life. Following the theatre’s opening, John Eberson described the mosaics as “an individual attraction as well as a harmonizing element importantly contributing to the atmospheric scheme of the Oriental architecture and decoration”. The mosaics were designed by Chicago-based architect/artist Charles Morgan, who was later associated with noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The effect is of an ornate Persian rug suspended from the ceiling, studded with glass jewels and surrounded by glass bead lights.Īt the main floor level of the lobby, extending fully to the second level, are several wood block mosaics which are set within Persian arches and lit with cove lighting, depicting scenes of Middle Eastern city life – traders bartering their wares and exotic travelers exchanging conversation. The theatre’s lobby contains many features, the largest and most impressive of which is the ceiling decoration, running most of the width of the entire building and which depicts a flying carpet.

It was a similar design as that used to surround the stage at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, also designed by John Eberson and opened July 1926 (a year prior to the Avalon Theater’s opening).Īccording to After the Final Curtain, the house right side wall of the auditorium was modeled after a garden with arches at main floor level, a reflecting pool, and stuffed flamingos the house left side was designed to resemble a Persian palace, with a dome and minarets.Ī bridal fountain was located on the house left side, executed in a special plaster inlaid with back-lit tile and foiled jewels.Īt the time of building, Eberson noted that the construction of the garden walls and the reproduction of exterior façades in the theatre auditorium permitted the locating of ventilating ducts and other mechanical apparatus, to good advantage, resulting in lower costs. The proscenium arch was designed to resemble a fortified wall topped with a cloth canopy suspended on spears. The auditorium features authentic Arabic writing on the house left side, with English translations – stylized as Arabic text – on the house right side such as “Welcome To You” and “Be Seated I Beg You”. The theme Eberson chose for the Avalon Theater was Persian/Moorish, allegedly inspired by an ornate Persian incense burner he found at an antique market in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The theatre was designed by renowned theatre architect John Eberson, famous for the Atmospheric theatre style he popularized in the mid-1920s, which afforded patrons an escape into exoticism by designing auditoria to resemble outdoor arenas from far-off countries such as Italy and Spain.

Auditorium in 2012, courtesy After the Final Curtain

Avalon movie theater