Show Cake

The Municipal Auditorium was opened on April 21, 1934, with a production of Aida, starring stars from the New York Metropolitan Opera.

 

It had 3,500 seats and included a 9,000 seat Convention Hall. It featured an ornate main theatre, four small side theaters, with up to 700 seats each, an exposition hall, basement restaurant/bar space, offices, dressing rooms and other spaces.

 

It features classic architecture with eight Corinthian columns with sculptured panels  entitled “Discussion” and “Recreation”. There are two 10-ton limestone Missouri bears which crouch on pedestals guarding either side of the entrance.

 

During the height of its day, the Municipal Auditorium/Kiel Auditorium attracted the world's finest performers:

• Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Hope, Red Foxx, Judy Garland, and Liberace.

• Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. organized a benefit concert for Dismas House. The concert was broadcast on closed circuit television because tickets were sold for other viewing rooms.

• King and I with Yul Brenner, My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison, Hello, Dolly with Carol Channing

• Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Doors and Bruce Springsteen.

• The Rolling Stones sold-out in 75 minutes after a one radio announcement on two St. Louis radio stations.

• In 1972, after Emerson, Lake and Palmer played, rock concerts were banned from playing because of the thousands of dollars worth of damage by fans.

• It was home for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

• President Harry S. Truman gave a nationally-broadcast speech.

On May 4, 1991, a performance by the St. Louis Philharmonic marked the final event.

 

On October 1, 2011, the Peabody Opera House reopened its doors with a Grand Opening Gala featuring headliners Aretha Franklin and Jay Leno.

 

And on March 15 was my first time going here. We went to see Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias.

Cake artist - Marilyn Callahan
 

Sixteen down 234 to go.