Mazda Theatre
293-295 Madison Avenue,
Memphis,
TN
38103
293-295 Madison Avenue,
Memphis,
TN
38103
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: John Gaisford
Styles: Beaux-Arts
Previous Names: Jefferson Theatre, Lyric Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the Jefferson Theatre on November 16, 1908. It was programmed primarily with drama, opera and music. It was named after theatrical personage Joseph Jefferson. Renamed Lyric Theatre from 1911, it had a period of vaudeville in the teens and competed with the Lyceum Theatre and the Orpheum Theatre. Sarah Bernhardt appeared at the Lyric Theatre, and in the 1920’s it began screening movies.
After the big movie palaces opened in the 1920’s, the Lyric Theatre fell on hard times partly because of its location far from Main Street. It was much plainer and far less luxurious than the new, cooler movie palaces. It, however, was the site of the first opera broadcasts in Memphis from WMC Radio in January 1923. The most famous incident happened in 1929 when “King of Kings” (released in 1927) ran into trouble with local censors because of scenes not included in the Gospels. The censors won in a court battle and the movie was banned in Memphis.
The Mazda name (1930) is from the Mazda Grotto, a fraternal organization. Its aim was to organize a recreational center, which failed, and the Junior Order of Mechanics too over in 1932. Some boxing matches were held in the building. The city owned the building (in receivership) when it burned on January 23, 1941, probably a victim of a lightening bolt. The city hadn’t even insured the building and it had been virtually abandoned.
Located where today the Madison overpass crosses Danny Thomas, there is new construction and parking at this address in 2013.
Contributed by
Jack Coursey, Vincent Astor
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Have found and retrieved my theatre memorablilia from Schwab’s, now starting a new project concerning same for Memphis Heritage. This explains my return to the discussion after, say, 25 years.
293-295 Madison shows a Jefferson Theatre in 1910 and a Lyric Theatre in 1912 in the Polk City Directories for those years. The 1908 directory shows a Germania Hall (the German community auditorium which did have stage presentations) at 190 Jefferson but only a coal company and Patterson Transfer at the 309-311 address. What year was your information?
Vincent, it’s been too long since I did this research and can’t tell you a date anymore. Seems odd that there would be a Jefferson Theatre on Madison Ave when Jefferson Ave is just a block away. It is certainly possible, but you have to hope that the owners weren’t that blind to the possibility for confusion. Since you have access to the city directories maybe this will help: the storefront at the far left, the big sign is cut off but says “…aus and Co. Dyers” and the small sign up under the canopy says “..raus and Co. Cleaners.” The word “Dyers” appears again right next to the entrance. Could be Straus or Kraus.
Immediately to the left of the theatre’s lobby appears to be a barber shop. (What is it about theatres and barber shops?) For all the world I think the name is “Ed’s.”
Can’t make out what’s immediately to the right of the lobby, one word on the window might be “buffet.” Did they have buffet’s in 1910?
The building at far right looks like “Memphis Storage Company.” Can’t make out the first word well, but it’s “something Storage Company.”
What I wouldn’t give to be able to read the poster cases at the theatre entrance and the little A-frame sign on the sidewalk. (And did you notice the horse at the far right?)
Re the Germania Hall, I remember seeing that in a different context entirely. Correct me if I’m not wrong, but wasn’t that where Oscar Wilde spoke in 1882 (1883?). Probably a different venue from this entirely.
Trade publication The Billboard noted in its issue of December 5, 1908, that the Jefferson Theatre in Memphis had opened on the 16th of the previous month. A 1912 book called “Standard History of Memphis, Tennessee: From a Study of the Original Sources,” by John Preston Young and A. R. James, devoted several paragraphs to the Jefferson Theatre ( Google Books scan here.) As it is out of copyright, I’ll quote the entire passage:
Trade journal The Bridgemen’s Magazine reported in its May, 1908, issue that the Jefferson Theatre had been designed by Memphis architect John Gaisford.Joe: what a great article! And I stand corrected. The Jefferson Theatre, stood on Madison, not on Jefferson, a block away. It soon became known as the Lyric and later the Mazda. Thanks for the addition. Now if we can just find some more photos…
There’s a photo on this page, where it’s listed under the name Lyric Theatre, but it’s very similar to the photo above.
From Paul Coppock’s book “Memphis Memoirs.” Paraphrased.
As the Jefferson (opened September 1908) it was primarily drama, opera and music. It was named after theatrical personage Joseph Jefferson, not Thomas Jefferson. As the Lyric (from 1911) it had a period of vaudeville in the teens and competed with the Lyceum and the Orpheum. The Lyric did show movies in the 20s. Two titles referenced are “The Big Parade”(1925) and “The Covered Wagon” (1923). The most famous incident happened in 1929 when “King of Kings” (released 1927) ran into trouble with Lloyd T. Binford because of scenes not included in the Gospels. The censors won in a court battle and the movie was banned in Memphis. After the big palaces were all open in 1921 the Lyric fell on hard times partly because of its location far from Main St. It was much plainer and far less luxurious than the new, cooler, movie palaces. It however was the site of the first opera broadcasts in Memphis from WMC in January of 1923. The Mazda name is from the Mazda Grotto, a fraternal organization. Its aim was to organize a recreational center, which failed, and the Junior Order of Mechanics took over in 1932. The city owned the building when it burned January 23, 1941 probably the victim of a lightning bolt. The city hadn’t even insured the building and it had been virtually abandoned.
A 1909 Plan View of the Jefferson auditorium has been posted. The plan view includes the orchestra, balcony, gallery, dressing rooms, prop rooms, offices, stairs, toilets, and exits. It’s from a Jefferson Theatre Program dated March 1909.
John Gaisford, architect of the Jefferson Theatre, also designed the Marion (later Paramount) Theatre in Clarksdale, Mississippi. I’ve also found references to a theater project in Little Rock that Gaisford designed for New York theater owner Albert Weis in 1909, but I’ve been unable to discover if the house was built or, if it was, what it was called.
The Jefferson theatre opened on November 16th, 1908. Grand opening ad posted.