JOSEPH MUSIL'S AMERICAN MUSEUM OF THEATRICAL DESIGN
in Santa Ana's handsome Artists Village, tucked into a cozy corner on the top floor of the Santora Arts Building, is a haven for anyone interested in Classic Theatre Design...
Like the best theatres, here the show begins out front.
The left window showcases historic memorabilia of the Fox Theatre in San Francisco.
The Right window display features a model of one of Mr. Musil's most famous design projects, the glorious El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
As you pay your $3 admission, a dark figure emerges from the shadows. It's a hard to imagine this modest visage contains the wild imagination that created what's inside...
Joseph Musil welcomes you to his Salon of the Theatres!
One of the first thing to meet your eye is this handsome this rendering Mr. Musil created for a proposed acquisition and restoration of the Fox West Coast Theatre on Main Street at 3rd, in Santa Ana. The actual theatre is just a short walk away from the museum.
Mr. Musil created this model of an Italian Opera House for the Walt Disney Company, as a proposed attraction project for the Tokyo Disney Sea theme park.
This stunning model was created by Musil in the style of the original Ziegfeld Theatre, home to live stage spectaculars including the famous Ziegfeld Follies, which stood on New York's (6th) Avenue of the Americas between 54th and 55th street. The original legitimate Ziegfeld Theatre was replaced in the late 60s by an office building. The Ziegfeld name survives, however, on a movie theatre on 54th st. behind the office building.
Many stylish theatres through the ages have been named the Rialto. Mr. Musil combined the style of several grand Rialtos in this model, which is accented by theatrical lighting, with several moving curtain and stage drops.
Early European Toy theatres were printed with fine intricate detail on heavy cardboard and assembled by hand. This real toy theatre from Germany was created in the early 20s...
...but the theatre's charm and full dimensions come to life with Mr Musil's theatrical lighting.
Original plans for the Disney-financed makeover of Pacific Theatres' Paramount on Hollywood Boulevard honored Pacific's desire to divide the theatre into two. This rendering was Mr. Musil's proposal for the upstairs theatre of what is now the El Capitan.
This model was Musil's rendering of the downstairs theatre in the proposed division of the El Capitan. As much as Pacific Theatres wanted a commercial 2 screen cinema, The Walt Disney Company was looking for a large capacity theatrical venue with a fully functioning stage, to accommodate live shows along with a movie. Though Pacific paid for the architect's plans, the actual makeover of the Paramount into today's grand El Capitan was paid for by Disney, in exchange for the right to exclusively program Disney pictures.
A similar deal was made with Disney for Pacific's Crest theatre in Westwood. This is one of Mr. Musil's designs that were used to transform a plain Westwood theatre...
...into a spectacular showplace...
With a marquee that can capture your attention from blocks away.
Eventually Disney took over the El Capitan, and now operates the theatre under their own banner, Buena Vista Theatres, while Pacific's involvement is limited to listing the theatre in their directory ads. Pacific eventually sold the Crest to an independent operator, who has renamed it The Majestic Crest.
In addition to his handsome models and renderings of the El Capitan and Majestic Crest, Mr. Musil also created a model for a very theatrical makeover of the Cinerama Dome.
A recently discovered photocopy of a photograph of the model reveals a little of the detail. Musil's concept was infinitely more interesting than the navy blue darkroom look the Dome has now. His plans included a contour curtain that would rise to reveal a signature traveler with the Cinerama logo, an attractive light show projected onto the Dome's ceiling, and even weaving the Cinerama logo into the carpeting.
A theatre designer who understands showmanship is rare, but Musil is also a showman himself. Musil created the very theatrical curtain/light prologues that originally began the shows at both the El Capitan and Majestic Crest theatres. The El Capitan had three curtains, and the Crest has two, all were programmed by Musil and timed to specially chosen music. Not to be outdone, Joseph Musil's own Strand Theatre has more curtains than most of us can count.
The first Saturday of every month, Musil's Stand Theatre presents a special program to the public. Here the show is emceed by former stage manager Simon Overton.
The program includes shorts about other theatres, vintage film clips, and sometimes live acts.
The Strand shows are done from 7-10 PM on the 1st Saturday of every month.
The Museum is open to the public, but daily hours may vary. Admission is $3. If you plan to visit the museum sometime other than the first Saturday of the month, Please call in advance to ensure access.
American Museum of Theatrical Design
714-667-6959