Al. Ringling Theatre
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The Al. Ringling Theatre is a performance center located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States. It opened its doors in November 1915 and has been operating continuously ever since. Designed by the architectural firm Rapp and Rapp, it was commissioned by Albert Ringling, one of the circus Ringling Brothers, for $100,000. Over the years, it has featured performances from vaudeville and silent movies to grand opera starring such notables as Lionel Barrymore and Mary Pickford.
Design
The design of the Theatre is based on the Orpheum Theatre, built by Rapp and Rapp in Champaign, Illinois in 1914. The decor of the auditorium is said to have derived from Ange-Jacques Gabriel's opera house of 1763-1770 in the Palace of Versailles but some believe it to be at least equally based on Victor Louis's 1780 Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. As of May 2024, the Theatre's capacity is 710 seats.[1]
Features
Originally the Theatre had a Style 1 Wurlitzer[2] theater pipe organ. Later a 9 rank, 3 manual Barton with a "circus wagon" style console replaced the Wurlitzer. As of early 2025, the Theatre is undergoing a $1 million renovation that includes the installation of an automated stage rigging system.[3]
In media
The Al Ringling Theater was featured in an episode of PBS's History Detectives, where they investigated whether it was the country's first great movie palace.[4]
Notes
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External links
Template:Baraboo, Wisconsin Template:NRHP in Sauk County, Wisconsin Template:Authority control
- Pages with script errors
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- Beaux-Arts architecture in Wisconsin
- Movie palaces
- Theatres completed in 1915
- Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin
- Tourist attractions in Sauk County, Wisconsin
- National Register of Historic Places in Sauk County, Wisconsin
- 1915 establishments in Wisconsin
- Baraboo, Wisconsin
- 1910s architecture in the United States