Overview

The 2,600-seat Garden Theatre (Kansas City’s largest theatre at the time) opened in mid-August 1912, designed by architect firm the Boller Brothers. The auditorium was designed to afford patrons the sense of sitting within an actual garden and the theatre was to be devoted “to the lighter forms of entertainment”.

Representing the exterior of other buildings, the theatre’s interior was dark red pressed brick. The ceiling of the theatre was colored to resemble the sky and incorporated paintings of clouds and tiny, twinkling lights to serve as stars. Trellises of wisteria and morning glories, flowers, and ferns adorned the walls. Cottages on each side of the auditorium added to the outdoor effect.

In 1921 the theatre was remodeled in favor of “a more sedate combination of white and gold walls accented with scarlet drapery”.

Waning interest in vaudeville acts contributed to the theatre’s decline, and sadly it was demolished in the summer of 1930.