The+Capitol+Theatre

Wheeling’s Grand Old Lady of Main Street

By Kate Quinn

Wheeling’s Capitol Theatre has stood for more than eighty years along the banks of the Ohio, quietly reminding those who attend events there of a Grand Opera House in Paris or of a Gilded Age of years gone by. Driving by the Beaux-Art façade brings back memories of a shared experience of plays, music, recitals, and movies that have been held there since 1928. But it also brings up questions: who built this fine edifice, what was it like when it opened, and how has it changed over the years?

The idea for a grand theater in Wheeling is credited to John Papulias, President of Tri-State Amusements and a former resident of Wheeling. Associated with theatrical business organizations in Wheeling from 1907 to 1912, he had successfully built a block-long theater in Steubenville in 1925. Called the Capitol, the theater, which seated 2,000, was located at the corner of South 4th Street and Adams. The theater opened to great aplomb. When this energetic, savvy businessman suggested to several counterparts in Wheeling that the city needed a showplace for performances, the Capitol Theatre Company was formed with Lee C. Paull as President, architect Charles W. Bates as Vice-President, and Carl O. Schmidt, Secretary.

There has been some speculation as to how the theater got its name. It was not, as some believe named the Capitol because Wheeling had once been the capital of West Virginia. The name “Capitol” just seems to be THE most popular name for theaters of that era with every city from New York to Sydney, Australia (and thousands in between) possessing a playhouse called ‘The Capitol”. The Capitol Theatre in Steubenville had a sign attached that depicted the dome of the capitol in Washington, D.C. so it may have been that same influence that attracted investors to the name.

The land which had previously been owned by Harry Breitenstein was sold to the company on March 28, 1927. The brick buildings occupying the lot were torn down and a building permit was issued by City Building Inspector Joseph Coberly in September of that year. Ideally located near the National Road and the Suspension Bridge, the theater was really in the heart of the city. It was estimated at that time that the theater would cost $250,000, but, as we know, the finished building cost over a million dollars.

Since it was planned to put an eight-story hotel atop the theater, the foundation had to be strong and hundreds of tons of steel supplied by J.E. Moss Iron Works of Wheeling were used in the structural frame with concrete and brick built around it. The river side of the edifice is six stories and the Main street side only two. Ralph Kitchen, Wheeling’s most famous contractor was in charge of construction. He had worked with Charles Bates before and together they designed and constructed the Scottish Rite Temple, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Riley Law Building, the Stifle Fine Arts Center and many more notable Wheeling landmarks. Charles Bates was an authority on making buildings as fire-safe as possible and the theater was no exception with a fireproof roof holding a water supply tank to serve the pipes of the sprinkler system.

On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve 1927, two workmen were injured at the site when a platform between the two first floor girders collapsed. The distance that the men fell, and the equipment that had been on the platform with them (wheelbarrows, etc.) falling on top of them caused serious injuries and both men were hospitalized at the Ohio Valley General Hospital.

By July of 1928, contracts for interior work were being awarded with Marr & Coulton being given the go ahead to install a pipe organ. Mr. Coulton himself inspected the theater before promising to design an organ perfectly suited to the new showplace. The Marr & Coulton Company built between 500 and 600 organs for theaters, churches, auditoriums, radio stations, and homes in their Warsaw, New York factory. The organs which had a symphonic registrator, had stop tabs across the front of the console which were color-coded. Each stop also carried a label listing the possible moods or emotions needed to convey various motion picture scenes such as Love, Mother, Lullaby, Hatred, Gruesome, Pathetic, etc. The organ installed in the Capitol Theatre was a 4 manual, Opus 22126 model with 1700 pipes and cost $50,000. The organ could be raised from the orchestra pit to the stage level by hydraulic lifts. In later years, the organ was played between features during movies and the audiences were able to sing along to words projected on the screen. In 1987 the organ was sold to the Connecticut Valley Theatre Organ Society for $450,000. The organ will be installed in the Warner Theatre, Torrington, Connecticut.

Seating for the theater was from E. H. Stanford Manufacturing of Chicago and it was so ergonomically correct that the same seats had been lauded by the National Board of Education as America’s “correct posture chair” that afforded comfort while keeping one in “a healthful pose”. The chairs had springs in both the seat and the back and were upholstered in leather and mohair. The theater installed 3,000 seats each of which was said to have an unobstructed view of the stage since the balcony was cantilevered and did not require large supporting posts.

The Holak Scenic Studios of New York City were given the contract for the stage decorations and scenery. The Wheeling News Register reported on July 8, 1928 that “special futuristic designs will be incorporated in the treatment of the stage creations, and scenes most pleasing to the eye will be manifest. The acoustic and optical advantages of the stage arrangement will prove effective and afford the stage presentations a most gorgeous background.” At forty-four feet, the stage was the largest in the city.

The proscenium arch (the area in front of the curtain) was described by the newspaper as “a marvel of delicate grace and color. Beautiful figures of perfect artistic proportions adorn the arch. The effect achieved is never for a moment one of ornateness or gaudiness, but only of finished artistry, fastidious and consummating taste.”

Whenever possible contracts were awarded to local companies such as Front Electrical which ran miles of electric wire through the structure. Four large copper, exterior bracket lights costing over $1000 were installed on the front of the building while the lobby sported a cylinder type lantern with prism heads and wall pocket lanterns on side walls opposite the ticket booths. The foyer had similar lighting. The elaborate fixtures in the main auditorium measured eight feet in diameter and contained hundreds of amber-colored prisms and diffusing bowls which “cast a spell of enchanting mellow light throughout the entire auditorium”. The company also provided both the stage lighting and that of the dressing rooms.

Not to be outdone, the Strope Sign Company of Wheeling constructed and erected an electric and neon sign on the copper marquee built by the roofing company Adkins and Company which also installed the two boilers for heating. Another Wheeling firm, A. Kutsch & Sons did the tile work in the vestibules incorporating pictures into their tile work. This work has since either been removed or covered with carpet, as it is no longer in evidence. Sheet metal from the Schenerlein Company lined the walls as insulation to assure the temperature stayed pleasant for patrons of the theatre. The Bellaire firm, J.R. Greenlee did the glass doors, windows and all inside glasswork. Heating, Plumbing and ventilating systems were installed by H. E. Neumann Company. The two large ventilating units each supply 45,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute that is purified by a special filtration system. Sam Crowe of Bellaire held the painting contract and all woodwork, staircases, and moldings were “touched up in fine style”. Greer & Laing provided the builders hardware for the new theater.

The first weekend in September was always “State Fair” time in Wheeling and patrons of the fair got glimpses of what was to come on Main Street as the barricades came down and the astounding façade of the Capitol Theatre was seen for the first time. The glazed terra-cota front of the new playhouse lent an aura of glamour to the building. The two-story arched window above the entrance has double Ionic columns on either side. And on either side of that is a niche containing an urn. Above the niche is a cartouche with the symbolic Greek lyre to represent the music that would be performed inside the theatre in the not too distant future. Below each lyre are garlands of acanthus flowers. Balustrades, garlands, and bas-relief panels also adorn the front of this magnificent structure. But one of the most beautiful aspects of the façade is the name CAPITOL THEATRE spelled out in gold letters. Above it is a cartouche with the letters T and C. The cartouche has a semi-nude on either side, each with an upraised arm embracing the elaborate border. Just above those letters is the face of a cherub.

In the same month a permit was issued for an addition to the theater of brick and tile between the theater and the Hawley building (now Mull Center). The addition was to house storerooms until the hotel was built above the theater at which time it would become the lobby for the hotel. The hotel was never built because the Depression struck not long after the opening of the theater. An interior entrance to the theater from the parking garage was also built.

Mrs. Florence Schoenlaub, an interior decorator from Stone and Thomas was in charge of the selection of the hangings in the foyer, the mezzanine and the “ladies’ retiring room”. Collaborating with C. W. Bates, architect, she chose furnishings in the predominant colors of ivory, dull gold, green and old rose. Two huge wall hangings set just inside the auditorium, were acquired at a cost of over $4,000. The other walls of the auditorium have a raised plaster border framing silken panels.

The exquisitely luxurious furnishings and accessories that graced the lounging rooms, lobby, and foyer exemplified Mrs. Schoenlaub’s good taste. Provided by J. B. Baum Co. from their unusual collection of fine lamps, many of the lamps were from the store’s Gift Ware section which featured artistic wares from overseas as well as rare bronze and marble statues, imported pottery, brassware, glassware, wall plaques, and other beautiful items. Mr. Baum stated, “It will be a complete surprise to the Wheeling public when they enter the Capitol and sense its majestic beauty. New York and Pittsburgh have nothing on Wheeling in fine theaters. I wish the Capitol much success”.

Long associated with the Court and Victoria theaters, George Otte was chosen as the manager. Although one of the youngest managers in the business, Otte had been the treasurer of these theaters for many years and had more than a dozen years experience in show business. He oversaw the installation of the three Western Electric projectors in the booth at the highest level of the building. One was for talkies, one for silent films, and the other covered emergency breakdowns of the first two. Otte did away with the tradition of buying films “in block”, that is of having to take the good films with the bad. Instead he purchased the films on approval. They were to be screened for officials of the movie house and shown only if they were the very best available.

The Capitol Theatre orchestra was to be lead by Earl F. Summers who was a master of the violin, clarinet, and saxophone. From the time he was sixteen, Summers had taken an active part in musical productions in the city and had been musical director of the Virginia theater (Wheeling), conductor at the Savoy and Keith theaters of Washington, D. C. and had a three-year stint with the Court and Victoria theaters of Wheeling. Both Summers and his son, Earl Jr. had been founding members of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. Summer’s father had played for the Opera House orchestra in the 1890’s.

Finally, at 12:30 on Thanksgiving Day, November 29,1928 the Capitol Theatre opened to a wildly excited audience. Four shows at a cost of sixty cents per person were to be given that day. For the evening performance, the air was scented with expensive perfume from the Geo. E. Stifel Company. A delicate perfume (designed not to clash with the women’s own fragrances) Mimosa by Isabey, was sprayed on the backs of seats and throughout the lobby and mezzanine. Broadway tenor, John Steele, the highest-salaried star ever to appear in Wheeling was the headliner. He had begun his career on Broadway in 1918 and came to the attention of Flo Ziegfield who hired him for a starring role in the 1919 Follies. He had recorded for Victor Talking Machine Co. and toured the Orpheum Circuit, but he preferred Vaudeville as it allowed him to sing what he liked. He eventually became an amateur boxer in Los Angeles and was sued for divorce twice. The Great Depression nearly ended his career and by 1931 he was considered second-rate. He died in 1971.

On the organ was the famous Dusty Rhodes who traveled the country giving organ concerts. He was booked so far in advance that the managers of the theater had trouble getting him on the opening date. Rhodes had played most of the major theaters in the country including the Paramount in New York. He had also played on the radio show “On the Air”. A humble artist, Rhodes declined to discuss his talent in advance of his performance, preferring that the audience be the judge.

More than 15,000 people viewed the opening performances which also included the Fantastic Revue, a melodious, futuristic comedy, that had a cast of eight. Parish and Peru were billed as accordion-pantomimists. The Three Adrians were an “oddity of comedy and song” and Trella and Co, described as “the famous Italian sensationalists”, were cyclists who climaxed their act by a “loop of death” in a large steel hoop. The first movie shown was a silent film starring Mary Astor, John Boles, Robert Elliott and Ben Bard called “Romance of the Underworld” which was billed as a thrilling comedy drama. The newspaper reviewed the movie by saying it “gives revealing peeps through the shutters of a whispering joint and the charming curtains of a happy home”.

The Gala Opening Advertisement that ran in the Wheeling Register on November 28, 1928 stated:

//A WHEELING INSTITUTION

With a generous spirit of progressiveness, and unlimited confidence in the future of wheeling, a group of its most representative citizens have banded themselves together, and have created and given to our city, a most magnificent Theatre, one that rivals the finest in the land. Large, commodious and beautiful in every appointment and furnishing, the Capitol Theatre marks a new era in the presentation of stage and screen entertainment. It is the aim of its management to give the local show goers not only the best offerings of the stage, but the latest and finest of the screen, together with the most wonderful musical programs the city has ever known. Remember our promise.//

A March 6, 1930 advertisement in the local paper read: “Tonight…Two famous features. No extra cost to the happy family of Capitol patrons…Greta Garbo speaks to you from the talking screen in “Anna Christie” and …on the same program the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra in a program of popular classics presented by a grand ensemble of over fifty musicians”. By 1930, Sunday matinees were added to the movie schedule.

About this same time, the radio station WWVA, which had first broadcast in 1926 decided that midnight Saturday night was an ideal time for a live radio show since many folks often stayed up late then. The power of the station had been increased to 5,000 watts in 1929, enabling WWVA to be heard at much farther distance. With this new wattage, those in the hills and hollows of the state could hear the music and yearned to see the stars of this new show in person. As the show’s popularity increased, requests to visit the studio and see a live broadcast caused the station manager to look around for a venue. The new Capitol Theatre seemed like an ideal spot since movies were over by midnight. Charging only twenty-five cents for a ticket, the theater held it’s first Jamboree show on April 1, 1933. Filling the aisles, and standing, the crowd of 3,266 packed the playhouse and over a 1,000 people were turned away. By train, wagon, or car people flocked to Wheeling and soon Jambo fans greatly out-numbered moviegoers.

To allow attendees to say hello to the folks back home the “Prowlin’ Mike” (later called the Inquiring Mike) was born and those in the audience were able to deliver personal messages to friends and family listening at home. Meanwhile, WWVA had moved its studios to the Hawley Building next to the theater which made the broadcasting even more convenient and had become a CBS affiliate. In February of 1934, the Jamboree had to find a new home as theatrical schedule changes occurred. In 1936, a musical variety show called “It’s Wheeling Steel” proved so popular that by 1939 it was being heard coast to coast. The show began broadcasting on Sunday afternoons in front of a live audience at the Capitol Theatre. Employees of Wheeling Steel and “the Steelmakers” orchestra made stars of some locals. Because of WWII gas rationing the show was discontinued on December 5, 1942.

Also in 1936, a renovation of the theater took place which saw the use of fifty pounds each of gold and silver leaf. Vincent Scatena of Rome, New York was the supervisor and Italian artisans did the work. It was at this time that the two semi-nude statues with up-raised arms holding a dish were installed in the organ grill rooms on either side of the stage. These statues were from the studio of the renowned Pittsburgh sculpture Frank Vittor who was born in Italy in 1888 and studied under Rodin in Paris. He came to the United States in 1906 and taught at Cooper Union, New York before moving to Pittsburgh where he taught at the Carnegie Mellon University. He contributed numerous statues, plaques, fountains, busts, and even bridge and road decorations to that city. Vittor died in 1968.

The Jamboree moved its show from the Virginia Theater, to Wheeling Island Exhibition Hall and then back to the Capitol in 1969, which was, renamed the Capitol Music Hall by the new owners – Columbia Pictures. The stage lighting and sound system were replaced. In 1979 yet another renovation of the theater took place while it was owned by Basic Communications. This work entailed refinishing and painting of floors and decoration. At a cost of $150,000 the carpeting and draperies were replaced and seating was re-upholstered.

The Capitol Theatre was also the home of the Wheeling Symphony. World renowned performers such as Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Leonard Bernstein, Yehudi Mehunin, Roberta Peters, Benny Goodman, Andres Segovia, Eleanor Steber, Arthur Rubenstein, and Arthur Fiedler tread the boards of the stage. With its perfect acoustics and unobstructed views, the theater gave one a comfortable elegant seat for unparalleled classical music performances. Children’s’ concerts were provided for school classes and an appreciation of classical music was often inspired by these events.

High school shows at the Capitol included the Linsly Minstrel and Wheeling Park’s choral concerts. An annual performance of the Nutcracker at Christmas time, with local children dancing alongside professionals was a special treat. One of the most popular local shows of all time was the Elks Minstrel which began in the Virginia Theater and moved to the Capitol when the Virginia closed in July of 1962. A fund-raiser for the Elks, the show featured local talents such as singer Bill Smoot, black-faced comedians, and emcee Bill Hollingsworth. Chorus lines (both male and female) and comedy skits were a regular offering of the show. Wheeling Steel garbage cans, rat traps, clothespins, and salt-water taffy were available for purchase and prizes. The crowd always left satisfied with an evening of delightful local fun.

One of the most interesting events ever held at the Capitol occurred in 1963, when the state legislature met at the theater. Appearing in costume, Governor Wally Barron signed the second Declaration of Rights to set the goals of the state for the second century of its existence. Commemorating the centennial of the state, this event attracted a crowd estimated at 25,000 and vehicles were banned from Market Street during the performance. The Linsly Drum and Bugle Corp was featured.

On the railroad tracks, just behind the theater the Freedom Train of 1947 paid a visit to Wheeling. It carried original versions of the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. The train visited 300 cities in 48 states and was the idea of Attorney General Tom Clark who felt Americans were taking the principals of liberty for granted in the post war years.

In 1993, the Capitol Music Hall stepped into the high tech world of Interbellum lighting, Sharpvision Projection and major theater production staging which reduced the seating to 2,500. Paul Heller undertook renovations to the theater at that time and restored the walls and ceiling.

Over the many years, the Capitol has come up with some unique advertising ploys. To celebrate their anniversary in 1930 they gave away yoyos, in 1935 they instigated Midnight Spook Parties during scary movies and had Miss America in person on stage. The New Years Eve midnight show of 1936 featured “Connie’s Hot Chocolates”, thirty-five copper-colored stars. The movie that night was Joe E. Brown, a vaudeville favorite, and the organ player was Sherwood Mertz. 1940’s feature was Gene Autry’s “Melody Ranch” with Gabby Hayes and Jimmy Durante while the 1941 anniversary show consisted of Abbott & Costello. Appearing live was Blackstone the Magician highlighting the amazing vanishing horse and the girl without a middle. Each child could take home a rabbit from that performance. By 1947, Thanksgiving Day was a day the whole family could attend a Walt Disney film, with Edgar Bergen, and Dinah Shore. Prices were relatively low at 60 cents for a matinee and 60 to 75 cents for the evening show.

Saturday night soon became Family Night and kids had free admission, but the show was “The Mob” starring Broderick Crawford! Most movies were now in Technicolor and Cinemascope by 1953. The stage saw Broadway shows such as “Guys and Dolls”, “Cabaret”, “Half a Sixpence”, and “Showboat”. Up in the ballroom, teen dances soon became very popular. In 1961, for a showing of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Hawaii” everyone took home an “Elvis lei”. By 1965, free coffee and donuts were offered to entice moviegoers to the Wednesday “Shoppers’ Matinees”.

The Grand Opening of the Capitol Music Hall featured two shows on December 13, 1969 with headliner Bill Anderson and of course, Wheeling’s own Doc and Chickie Williams. The Kiwanis organized a Charity Concert benefiting the Fresh Air Farm which featured the Glenn Miller Orchestra on August 2, 1970. But the biggest draws the theater ever saw were the Jamboree Shows during the 1990’s. Motor coaches lined both Main and Market and most shows were sold out as visitors from as far away as Canada came to Wheeling from November 1st to December 15th to see country music headliners like the Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Pride, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, and many more. Las Vegas acts like Wayne Newton were also popular. Visiting Oglebay Park for the Festival of Lights was always part of the plan and usually dinner and a night in a hotel was included. The revenue that these tour groups brought to the city was in the millions.

The Wheeling News-Register, in December of 2005 headlined a story about the Capitol saying the theater’s closing was imminent. The ‘movers and the shakers” were working behind the scenes to obtain a lease from Clear Channel Entertainment but they had difficulties reaching the company. By January of the next year, the theater’s last stage show under the auspices of Jamboree USA was a Christmas celebration held on December 17th. The Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau had commissioned a study by the Economic Research Associates that indicated the Capitol brought $10.2 million in revenue to the city and $5.8 million in job payroll. There had been 127,000 day trips annually (at the peak in the 90’s) and 41.000 lodgings at local hotels and motels. The tax revenue for the city was $680,000.

Clear Channel allowed the Wheeling Symphony to do their February concert at the theater, but stated there would be no more performances after that. The company was really only interested in the 50,000 watt radio station WWVA which they hoped to relocate to Cleveland. Protests from locals led to a decision by the FCC that the station must stay in Wheeling because it was the only one strong enough to reach the far- flung corners and the “backwoods” listeners downstate in an emergency. In April of 2007, a fire inspector found twenty-three fire code violations in the theater including improper alarms, sprinkling systems, and fire escapes. The following month, Live Nation, a subsidiary of Clear Channel put the theater on the market at a price of $850,000 and issued a statement that the six radio stations in the building would continue to operate from there.

Several offers were made on the theater, both public and private, but when the estimated cost of repairs was $3 to $5 million, they backed out. In June, one more show, the Toni Zeakes dance recital was held in the theater with two firemen patrolling the premises. A Benedum grant through the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation funded a $63,250 feasibility study and a non-profit consortium was formed among the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Regional Economic Development Partnership, the City of Wheeling, and the Ohio Valley Development Corporation since only a non-profit organization was eligible for the City Tax Increment of $2.5 million. Repair work began on the structure in 2009 and handicapped accessible restrooms plus the correction of the fire code violations were the priority.

The Capitol Theater will reopen in September of 2009 because of the sentimental attachment for “the Grand Old Lady’ in the hearts of Wheeling. For more than eighty years, through depressions and world wars, she has brought entertainment to a city that dearly loves a good show. She has opened her arms and welcomed visitors from all over the country and stars from around the world. Her opulence and glamour never ceased to put the awe in audience, and she is like a warmly sentimental member of the family …full of great memories. With the help of the people of Wheeling through financial contributions and support for the upcoming shows, the Capitol will be around to celebrate yet another hundred years.