Removal of Capitol Theater marquee brings sadness but uncovers beauty

Stained-glass windows from 1924 exposed to public

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published January 29, 2008

OLYMPIA – The marquee of Capitol Theater, which advertised movies, plays and events downtown for nearly 70 years, is being removed.

Photo gallery: Capitol Theater's marquee comes down

But in a bittersweet twist for history buffs, the removal has exposed four stained-glass windows that were part of the theater when it opened in 1924 — windows passers-by haven't seen for decades.

Capitol Theater, located at 206 E. 5th Avenue, and its biggest tenant, the Olympia Film Society, haven't closed, and movies will go on as usual. But years of rust and neglect have caught up with the marquee, and the theater's property manager is having the sign removed.

Reaction ranged from dismay that the icon was going away to joy at the sight of the stained glass.

"I think that it's the end of an era," said Olympia City Councilman Jeff Kingsbury, whose Capital Playhouse began in the theater in 1986 and who often stood on the marquee to put letters on it. "That has been iconic."

A small crowd gathered Monday, and some people snapped pictures as crews painstakingly tore away pieces of the sign.

Dan Auduer of Olympia Construction, which is demolishing the sign, said it should be gone in the next three days. Crews were careful not to disturb the stained glass.

The round windows were fashioned by Northwest artist Ray Nyson and depict four of the nine muses of Greek mythology, said Bill Hillman, owner of Mansion Glass in Olympia. He first saw the windows nearly 25 years ago, tucked beneath the sign, and was excited to see them exposed. He considers Nyson his patron and the reason he got into the stained-glass business 30 years ago.

"It's like running into an old friend," Hillman said. "An especially beautiful old friend."

As old as the marquee is, it wasn't part of the original theater. A vertical "Capitol" sign hung in front of the theater until the newer sign was installed in 1940, said Andy Crow, owner of Capitol theater.

Audrey Henley, theater manager for the Olympia Film Society, has mixed emotions about the marquee's removal but said she and other society members hope a replica of the original 1924 sign can be installed.