"Commissioned by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels, this historic theater hosted elaborate productions in its heyday. Thanks to large double doors on either side of the stage, it evenheld a horse-drawn-chariot race in 1923. Today, however, programming more likely includes Billy Elliot the Musical or the band Blitzen Trapper. Upon arrival, a dramatic marquee on Broadway welcomes guests into a restored grand lobby with onyx ceilings and the theater’s original box office. In the Baroque-style, 1,915-seat auditorium, the proscenium’s allegorical paintings and sculptures provide eye candy during intermissions. The Spreckels has had many lives: It opened in 1912 as a vaudeville house, then became movie theater, and now hosts a variety of live productions, from concerts to ballets to musicals."
