 5th Avenue Theatre marquee, Holiday 2016 | |
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| Address | 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 |
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| Coordinates | 47°36′33″N 122°20′02″W / 47.6092°N 122.3340°W |
| Owner | University of Washington |
| Operator | 5th Avenue Theatre Association |
| Capacity | 2,130 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1925 |
| Opened | September 24, 1926 |
| Architect | R.C. Reamer |
| Website | |
| www | |
Skinner Building / Fifth Avenue Theater | |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th century revivals, Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002756[1] |
| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1978 |
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in the Skinner Building, in the downtown core of Seattle, Washington, United States. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned by the University of Washington and were once part of the original campus. The theatre operates as a venue for nationally touring Broadway and original shows by the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre Association.
The 2,130-seat theatre is the resident home to the 5th Avenue Musical Theatre Company, and employs over 600 actors, musicians, directors, choreographers, designers, technicians, stage hands, box office staff, and administrators, making it the largest theatre employer in the Puget Sound region. A non-profit, the theatre company is supported by individual and corporate donations, government sources, and box office ticket sales.
The 5th's subscriber season programming includes six to seven shows per year, a mix of locally produced revivals of musical theatre classics, and premieres of bound-for-Broadway shows, and national touring musicals. The 5th Avenue Theatre has established a tradition of being a "testing ground" for new musicals before they make their debut on Broadway, launching hits such as Jekyll & Hyde, Hairspray, and The Wedding Singer. The theatre also hosts a variety of special events, and offers education and outreach programs to school-age children and adults reaching over 61,000 students, professional performers, and audiences each year.