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==Early Years==
{{cquote|We have an abiding faith in the future of Pensacola and are not only keeping faith with the Pensacola people, whom we promised to give a theatre, but we are planning for the future.|40px|40px|E.M. Clarke, Secretary, Saenger Amusement Company}}
[[Image:RobertMortonOrgan.jpg|thumb|left|The Robert Morton organ installed in 1927]]The Saenger Theatre is one of several Pensacola theaters opened by the [[Saenger Amusement Company]] (the others being the [[Bonita Rex Theatre|BonitaRex]] and [[Isis Theatre]]s). It was designed by New Orleans architect [[Emile Weil]], who designed many theaters of the same name across the country (including the [[Saenger Theatre (Mobile)|Mobile Saenger]]). Bricks and iron railings were salvaged from the rubbled of the old [[Pensacola Opera House]], demolished after being damaged in the hurricanes of [[Hurricane of 1916|1916]] and [[Hurricane of 1917|1917]], and incorporated into the Saenger's construction by builder [[C.H. Turner]].
The Pensacola Saenger opened on [[April 2]], [[1925]], at the peak of Vaudeville popularity; its first performance, emceed by County Solicitor [[William Fisher]], included an orchestra performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner," followed by [[Miss Kehoe's Aesthetics Dancing Class]] performing the "Dance of Old Seville," then a solo by [[Agnes Neudorff]], the crowning of [[Blanche Morgan]] as Miss Pensacola, and finally the main feature: Cecil B. de Mille's ''The Ten Commandments'', projected from "Dr. Mendenhall's new transvertical non-statical projectographic machine."<ref>[http://www.pensacolasaenger.com/history-art-saenger.asp The Pensacola Saenger, by Christine Englert]</ref> In 1927, a Robert Morton organ (later nicknamed "Lola") was installed in the theater.<ref>http://www.ellises.org/gcatos.htm Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society]</ref>
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==External Linkslinks & references=={{refbegin}}
*[http://www.pensacolasaenger.com/ Official site]
*[http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221716 TicketMaster]
*[http://www.saengeramusements.com/theatres/pensacol/saenger/pcsaenger.htm Saenger Amusements history]
{{refend}}==References==<references/>{{reflist}}
[[Category:City of Pensacola Enterprise Operations]] [[Category:Historic theaters]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places]] [[Category:Palafox Street buildings]] [[Category:Properties owned by the City of Pensacola]]
