Historical city landmark recognized

Warnors Theater, located in downtown Fresno, celebrates its 90th anniversary with a pipe organ performance and film premiere. People from all over the San Joaquin Valley drove in to see the showcase, Oct. 20. Warnors is the gem and cornerstone of Fresno’s Cultural Arts District. 

Friends, family and invited guests arrived around 1 p.m. and headed upstairs for hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Walls and ceilings covered in crown molding and colorful patterns provided beautiful scenery for the guests. A band, Scats on the Sly, played hits from shows from across the decades while everyone mingled and sang along.

Attendee Sally Caglia enjoyed the monumental celebration. Participating as a board member with her sister Rose, they reflected on the many memories they had as kids with their father and previous Warnors owner, Frank Caglia.

“The theatre was supposed to be torn down in 1970, so this anniversary is very special to me,” Caglia said. “The fact that it was able to be saved and continue operating is amazing. Instead of operated by a private enterprise, it is a community asset and a non-profit. There’s nothing else in town like it. We used to come every Sunday after church and go see a movie. We saw all the classics! I have a lot of fond memories as a little girl.”

Bought by the Warner Brothers in 1929, the Pantages Theatre changed their name to Warners Theatre. The title needed to be changed for copyright purposes to what we know it as, Warnors Theatre. The theatre was then purchased by Frank Caglia in 1973 with visions to restore.

Rosa Caglia, daughter of Frank, has worked, helped and volunteered for the theatre since the late ‘80s. She loves volunteering for them because she has always enjoyed the arts and history.

Morgan Parker interviews Sally Caglia about childhood memories at Warnors.

“After it was turned over to a non-profit I became a board director,” Rose said. “I think they tore down too many great buildings in Fresno such as the courthouse. The architecture is stunning in the theatre including Greek and renaissance styles. I have an attachment to it because my father was so in love with it. The deep respect I have towards it is centered around my father’s belief in preserving for the future generation. Not only did he want to preserve the history of Warnors but the history of Fresno.” 

The purpose of the event was to show the legacy of the theater and display the years past. Congressman Jim Costa presented Rose with an award for the 90 years of Warnors in Fresno. Pipe organist, Richard Cencibaugh made an appearance in front of the crowd as well. The audience engaged with live music played by Dave Moreno and Cactus Harris while the organ would not rise out of the orchestra pit. Cencibaugh was not able to play since the organ was stuck, risen halfway.

Feather staffer @morganparker321 is with @WarnorsCenter board director Rose Caliga at a 90th anniversary celebration today, Oct. 20.! Warnors: A Legacy Documentary Film. Look for #thefeather article next week. @jboren4507 #fresnohistory @fresnodowntown @FultonDistrict pic.twitter.com/lBqixIxs0g

— The Feather Online (@thefeather) October 20, 2018

Many looked into the pit and video taped as the pipe organ played below. The organ is one of the only instruments still playing in theaters. It uses old mechanics and computers that make it work. Cencibaugh has played the organ for 50 years and also received an award by Jim Costa.

“Warnors is a focal point for arts and entertainment,” Rose said. “Before the theatre opened, what was Fresno? Pantage, who owned it first saw future for it, He owned 80 theaters but he wanted central California to have one. It became the center for performing arts in Fresno. Once Warners Brothers bought it, all the new and popular movies were brought in. My father brought rock shows once he owned it. Then, soft rock, pop, jazz, comedy, and Broadway show hits.

“This event means being able to survive,” Rose continued. “We’ve sustained for so long especially for being a theatre. This is a remarkable landmark which has been able to stay running for 90 years. We are dedicated to keeping it current and working.”

Up first on the big screen was an old ‘talkie’, a silent movie with music and a few typed conversations. It kept the crowd engaged and brought out waves of laughter. Following an intermission was the film, Warnors: A Legacy Documentary Film. It included family history, Fresno’s past, important dates, and interesting facts.

Chuck Carson, writer and director of the documentary for the two years, enjoys the center of entertainment that Warnors is for the city. He shares how far the theatre has come about and his favorite things about it.

“The anniversary is a symbol of what it was like back in Fresno during the 1920s,” Carson said, “and how everything has progressed but the theatre has stayed the same as an institution of entertainment. Warnors is the most ornate theatre in the San Joaquin Valley. So many wonderful artists have been here in the theatre. My favorite thing I’ve watched here is when they did the Broadway show Cats.”

Director of photography on the film, Bob Tyrcha, explains the connection he has with Warnors and how it affected his life.

“The Warnors is a very unique building in Fresno because it’s almost remained in perfect condition from when it was built 90 years ago,” Tyrcha said. “It was built like a very fancy palace and they retained all of that flavor. They didn’t try to modernize it. I brought my first date here to see a movie when they were showing Cinerama films. Let’s say that was in the last century. It’s the last piece of history for Fresno. Old pictures of downtown was full of gingerbread looking buildings, towers, and architecture. You don’t see that anymore except at the Warnors theatre.”

Fulton District reopened last year and is a center for restaurants, urban development, and community gatherings. Having a classic building like the Warnors Theatre at the crossroads of Fulton District and the Cultural Arts District adds a focal point for the city. Theatre-goers have a vintage, working theatre to watch shows, movies, concerts, and musicals.

Warnors, mentioned in the film, is an “experience on the outside as well as the inside.” With all its activities and shows, Warnors ultimately brings locals together. The theatre stands to provide quality entertainment, enhanced education, and cultural opportunities for everyone who stops by.

The 90th Anniversary Celebration is just the beginning of the fall and winter festivities. Warnors Theatre hosts the Central Valley Comedy Competition, Oct. 27, A Nutcracker Like No Other, Nov. 17, and Klove Christmas featuring Kim Walker-Smith, Big Daddy Weave, and more, Dec.4.

For more articles, check out Home economics prepares students for future or EDITORIAL: Your vote matters.

Morgan Parker can be reached via email and via Twitter.