5th Avenue Theatre

The 5th Avenue Theatre is a special place to watch plays and movies in downtown Seattle, Washington. It opened in 1926 and has shown many kinds of shows since then. The theatre is inside the Skinner Building, and the land and building belong to the University of Washington.

With space for 2,130 people, it is the biggest theatre employer in the Puget Sound area. Over 600 people work there, including actors, musicians, and many others who help with the shows. The theatre is supported by people who give money, government help, and ticket sales.

Each year, the 5th Avenue Theatre puts on six to seven shows. These include classic musicals, new shows that might go to Broadway, and shows that travel around the country. The theatre is famous for helping test new musicals before they go to Broadway. Some of these shows, like Jekyll & Hyde, Hairspray, Aladdin, and The Wedding Singer, became very popular. The theatre also has special events and programs for students and other groups, reaching thousands of people each year.

Architecture

The 5th Avenue Theatre is inside the Skinner Building, a historic building with shops on the first floor. The theatre has a big auditorium that could hold many people. It also has a grand entry hall and a mezzanine that used to have a tea room, a waiting room, and a special area.

The theatre’s design was inspired by famous buildings in Beijing, China. Inside, it looks like an old Chinese temple with red columns and painted beams. There are decorations such as dragons and flowers. The theatre’s design is special because the outside of the building looks like older European styles. Only under the marquee can you see hints of the Chinese style inside.

History

Planning and construction

In the mid-1920s, Harry C. Arthur, who led Pacific Northwest Theatres, Inc., thought Seattle was a good place to invest because movies were getting popular. His company bought many theaters and wanted to build more. C. D. Stimson, a big shareholder, wanted to create a theater district like one he built in Los Angeles, California. The Skinner Building, which would hold the 5th Avenue Theatre, was part of this plan.

Architect Robert Reamer designed the building. Construction began in October 1925 and took 11 months to finish. It cost $1.5 million.

Grand opening

The theatre opened on September 24, 1926, with movies and live performances. The first show had a silent film, a stage show, and music. Outside, Seattle streets were closed, and thousands of people came to celebrate. There were lights, music, and a big party atmosphere.

Decline and restoration

After opening, the theatre showed movies and live shows until the 1970s when fewer people came because of television and new movie theaters in the suburbs. The theatre closed in 1978. In 1979, local leaders formed a group to save it and raised money for repairs. They kept many original features and made the theatre ready for live shows again. It reopened in 1980 with a Broadway musical.

Post-1980 history

Since 1980, the 5th Avenue Theatre has been an important part of Seattle’s arts scene. In 2001, an earthquake caused small damages, but the theatre was repaired. In 2009, a new marquee was added thanks to a donation, making the theatre look even better.

The 5th Avenue Musical Theatre Company

From 1980 to 1985, the 5th Avenue Theatre showed Broadway shows. But when the economy was bad from 1985 to 1989, fewer shows came to towns like Seattle. The theatre stayed open with fewer workers and held community events.

In 1989, the theatre started its own company to make musicals locally. Each year, they show 6 to 7 musicals, including famous ones, older classics, and new shows that might go to Broadway. The theatre works with other famous groups and has helped many new musicals before they went to Broadway. Some of these shows include Jekyll & Hyde, Hairspray, and The Wedding Singer. The theatre also helps students and schools with special events and awards.

Productions by season

The 5th Avenue Theatre has many fun shows each year. Here are some from recent seasons:

2025-2026 season

• Suffs (Sept 12 - Sept 27, 2025)
• Chicago (Oct 22 – Nov 2, 2025)
• Elf (Nov 28 – Dec 28, 2025)
• Monty Python's Spamalot (Feb 4 - Feb 15, 2026)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (May 2 – May 17, 2026)

2024-2025 season

• Mary Poppins (Nov 22 – Dec 22, 2023)
• The Last Five Years (Feb 8 – Mar 16, 2025), co-production with ACT Theatre
• Waitress (Mar 11 – Mar 30, 2025)
• Parade (Apr 16 – May 4, 2025)
• Bye Bye Birdie (June 10–29, 2025)
• After Midnight (Aug 5 – 24, 2025)

2023-2024 season

• (/wiki/1776(musical))_ (Aug 2 – 6, 2023)
• The Little Mermaid (Sep 8 – Oct 8, 2023)
• Cambodian Rock Band (Sep 29 – Nov 5, 2023), co-production with ACT Theatre
• White Christmas (Nov 25 – Dec 27, 2023)
• Something's Afoot (Mar 1-24, 2024)
• Spring Awakening (Jun 7-30, 2024)
• Clue (Jul 9-21, 2024)

2022–2023 season

• The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation (Sep 10 – Oct 2, 2022)
• Choir Boy (Sep 11 – Oct 23, 2022), co-production with ACT Theatre
• The Wiz (Nov 20 – Dec 23, 2022)
• Into the Woods (Feb 10 – Mar 5, 2023)
• Sweeney Todd (Apr 21 – May 14, 2023)
• Les Misérables (May 24 – Jun 17, 2023)

2021–2022 season

• Beauty and the Beast (Jan 12 – Feb 6, 2022)
• Afterwords (Apr 29 – May 21, 2022)
• And So That Happened... (May 17 – Jun 26, 2022), presented at ACT Theatre
• The Prom (May 31 – Jun 19, 2022)
• Come from Away (Jul 20 – Aug 7, 2022)

2019–2020 season

• Austen's Pride (Oct 4–27, 2019)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (Nov 26 – Dec 29, 2019)
• Bliss (Jan 31 – Feb 23, 2020)

Some shows for the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 seasons were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2018–2019 season

• Come from Away (Oct 9 – Nov 4, 2018)
• Annie (Nov 23 – Dec 30, 2018)
• Rock of Ages (Feb 1–24, 2019)
• Marie, Dancing Still (Mar 22 – Apr 14, 2019)
• Urinetown (Apr 6 – May 26, 2018), co-production with ACT Theatre
• The Lightning Thief (Apr 23–28, 2019)
• West Side Story (May 31 – Jun 23, 2019), co-production with Spectrum Dance Theater

2017–2018 season

• Something Rotten! (Sep 12 – Oct 1, 2017)
• Ragtime (Oct 13 – Nov 5, 2017)
• Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn (Nov 24 – Dec 31, 2017)
• Mamma Mia! (Feb 2–25, 2018)
• Ride the Cyclone (Mar 10 – May 20, 2018), co-production with ACT Theatre
• Kiss Me, Kate (Apr 6–29, 2018), produced as part of the Seattle Celebrates Shakespeare citywide festival
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Jun 1–24, 2018)

Previous seasons