Paduanos Image #1 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Please help us identify these women and the time period that they worked at the Theatre.
|
Paduanos Image #1 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner Please help us identify these women and the time period that they worked at the Theatre. |
In her book, Mexican Serenade: The Story of the Mexican Players and the Padua Hills Theatre (1961), Pauline B. Deuel tells how Bess Adams Garner and Herman Garner were inspired by a dining experience in Italy shortly before the opening of Padua Hills Theatre. She says they “were entertained by strolling musicians who played and sang for them. This dinner program so impressed the Garners that they decided to initiate it at home.”¹
The Garners hired Mexican and Mexican-American youth to serve as waiters and waitresses, and as musicians, singers and dancers in the dining room during the meals. Little did the Garners realize, when they hired their dining room and kitchen staff, that these talented, hard working performers would become the future and legacy of the Padua Hills Theatre.
Paduanos Image #2 — Photo by Irene Welch Garner Mr. Garner with members of the Padua Hills Theatre staff |
Promotional Flyer |
In July of 1932, when the Theatre normally would go dark for most of the summer, the dining room staff presented a new production, opening Serenata Mexicana on July 2 as an attraction during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The popularity of the program finally caught the attention of the Theatre organizers who scheduled Serenata Mexicana in performances during the regular performing year, and The Mexican Players began their official existence.
Paduanos Image #3 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
This play ran from March 19 - 30, 1934, performed by the Pasadena Community Playhouse as The Padua Players.
Members of The Mexican Players are shown in this photograph and the next. Please help us identify them:
Woman with mandolin: ________________ Man with guitar: ________________ Woman observing: ________________
The Claremont Community Players continued to present plays for three seasons, until June of 1933, before pressures from the Great Depression finally closed this community theater project. During the last season, they shared the stage with The Mexican Players who filled in for the struggling community theater group. Starting October 30, 1933, the Pasadena Community Playhouse as The Padua Players produced plays in the Padua Hills Theatre, sharing the space with The Mexican Players. They produced plays for two seasons. With the opening of the new season on October 9, 1935, The Mexican Players became Padua Hills’ only theater group.
Paduanos Image #4 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Los californios® Collection
Los californios® Collection
Los californios® Collection
The entrance to the Padua Hills Theatre and Dining Room was used often as a background for publicity photographs. It was an easily recognized icon for several generations of fans.
Paduanos Image #5 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #6 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #7 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #8 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Image #9 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Image #10 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Image #11 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
The curtain at Padua Hills Theatre was a map of Mexico painted in bright colors. Pauline Deuel³ records that the map was “designed and painted by Charles Dickinson,” but paduanos also remember proudly being involved with the design and execution with particular credit going to Alfonso Gallardo.
Paduanos Images #12 & #13 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
“Enjoyed these Mexican Players very much the other evening. One's waitresses and bus boys turn actors and actresses following dinner for theater. All Spanish dialogue but a lot of fun nevertheless.”
Paduanos Images #14 & #15 — Historical photographs by Irene Welch Garner
Color foto is a historic postcard in the Los californios® Collection
Black and white is from the same photo session from the Alfaro Family Collection.
Paduanos Image #16 — Color foto is a historic postcard attributed to Irene Welch Garner from the same foto session as images #11 and #12.
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #17 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Images #18 & #19 — Photographs attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #20 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Image #21 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Image #22 — Photo by Vykki Mende Gray & Image #23 — Historical photograph attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Images #24 & #25 — Photograph attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #26 — Photograph attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #27 — Historic photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner. Paduanos Image #28 — Mural photo by Vykki Mende Gray.
Los californios® Collection
This historic image of The Mexican Players has been recaptured in modern Claremont as part of the Claremont Village Mural.
Paduanos Image #29 — Photo by Vykki Mende Gray
Los californios® Collection
Paduanos Image #30 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Click the thmbnail images below to access larger versions. Historical photographs by Irene Welch Garner from the Alfaro Family Collection.
Paduanos Images #31 & 32 — Jacinta Chávez
Paduanos Images #33, 34, 35 & 36 — These pictures of Margarita Quintana were taken in 1948.
Paduanos Images #37
Paduanos Images #38, 39, 40, & 41 (1973) — Rogelio Alfaro.
Paduanos Images #42, 43 & 44 — These pictures of Beatrice Melendez were taken about 1948.
Paduanos Images #45 (Trinidad Guzman), 46, 47 (Vida Amador) & 48 (Rogelio Alfaro & ?) — Tehuantepec Costume used in production of Solo por amor, a comedy
Paduanos Images #49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 (Celia García) & 56 — Rogelio Alfaro with various leading ladies
Paduanos Images #57, 58, 59, 60, & 61
Paduanos Images #62, 63 (Gustavo Alfaro), 64, & 65
Paduanos Images #66, 67, 68, 69, & 70
Paduanos Images #71 (Rene and Chachi), 72, 73, & 74
Paduanos Images #75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, & 81
Paduanos Images #82, 83, 84, 85, 86, & 87 (Casilda Amador Thoreson)
Paduanos Images #88, 89, 90, 91, & 92
Paduanos Images #93 & 94 (May 1946) — María Sosa
Paduanos Images #95, 96, & 97
Paduanos Image #98 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
Paduanos Image #99 — Photograph by Vykki Mende Gray
Paduanos Image #99 — Photograph by Vykki Mende Gray
Paduanos Image #99 — Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
Alfaro Family Collection
¹ Pauline B. Deuel, Mexican Serenade: The Story of the Mexican Players, 1961, Padua Institute, page 13.
² Information on the timeline of events at Padua Hills Theatre comes primarily from Pauline B. Deuel, Mexican Serenade: The Story of the Mexican Players, 1961, Padua Institute.
³ Pauline B. Deuel, Mexican Serenade: The Story of the Mexican Players, 1961, Padua Institute, page 55.
|
If your family has recollections of Padua Hills Theatre that you would like to share on this web site, © Vykki Mende Gray, 2007 All rights reserved.
Los californios® is a registered trademark |