{"id":3068,"date":"2026-05-04T15:08:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T22:08:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.scu.edu\/arthursattic\/?p=3068"},"modified":"2026-05-04T15:08:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T22:08:52","slug":"taking-the-stage-50-years-ago-at-the-mayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.scu.edu\/arthursattic\/2026\/05\/04\/taking-the-stage-50-years-ago-at-the-mayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking the Stage: 50 Years Ago at the Mayer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Louis B. Mayer Theatre opened its doors in 1975, ushering in a new era of dramatic arts at Santa Clara University. With five floors and over 47,000 square feet, the Mayer Theatre has a main stage for seating audiences up to 570 people, and the smaller Fess Parker Studio for more intimate performances up to 130 people. It also houses the Department of Theatre and Dance faculty offices. Our spring exhibit, Taking the Stage: 50 Years Ago at the Mayer<\/a><\/em> celebrates the 50th anniversary of SCU\u2019s Louis B. Mayer Theatre by telling the story of the building\u2019s construction, its opening night and some of the first performances that graced its stage. Taking the Stage <\/em>features documents, images, and artifacts that illustrate the early history of the Mayer Theatre with materials from Santa Clara University Library Archives & Special Collections, and on loan from the Santa Clara University Department of Theatre & Dance. The exhibition will be on display on the third floor of the University Library until June 15th, 2026<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the Mayer: The Ship & The Lifeboat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Italianate<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Aerial<\/a><\/figure>\n
College Hall or “The Ship” from the corner of Alviso and Franklin Streets, c. 1905<\/a> (left) and an aerial view of the Alameda with the Lifeboat Warehouse<\/a> (right). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before enjoying its current home, SCU\u2019s Department of Theatre and Dance (originally the Department of Speech and Drama) put on productions in a 3,000 seat theater on the second floor of a dormitory building called College Hall. Generations of students affectionately referred to College Hall as \u201cThe Ship\u201d because its construction featured huge, wooden, dovetailed beams like that of the hull of a ship, and because it protected its occupants through many storms since its construction in 1886. It was moved from the corner of Alviso and Franklin streets to Franklin and Lafayette streets in 1912, but the durable Ship remained Santa Clara’s campus theater until 1962. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Ship\u201d sailed its last voyage in 1962. After its demolition due to concerns over fire safety, theatre productions moved to a temporary building appropriately named the Lifeboat Theatre, a 16,000 square foot warehouse on the Alameda that was donated for use at a reduced rate by James Viso. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mayer Theatre<\/h2>\n\n\n