Warnors Theatre photo by Frank Lopez

On the corner of Fulton and Tuolumne streets in Downtown Fresno stands a landmark many in Fresno have spent the better part of the last three years passing by.

Shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic, many in Fresno feared that the historic Warnors Theatre building may suffer the same fate as other aging theater buildings throughout the city and across the country.

But the Warnors Theatre’s days were, and are, far from over. While much of Downtown Fresno’s pre-pandemic bustle slowed to a halt, behind the scenes at the Warnors, work was underway to bring back a longtime Fresno staple, preparing for the day when it could once again host the likes of Broadway stars, blues legends and everything in between.

With the return of live performances and triumphant homecoming of Broadway superstar and Fresno native Audra McDonald recently — and Cheap Trick, Brit Floyd, Air Supply and the Little River Band and many others on the schedule this year — that wait is finally over.

History of the Warnors complex

The Warnors Theatre was built in 1928 by vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages as the 16th of 17 Pantages Theatres. Pantages, whose theatres are often associated with the glitz and glamor of the early 1900s, improved upon his creations with each completed project, setting the future Warnors Theatre up for a long life of success in the entertainment industry.

The theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was sold to Warner Bros. in 1929, and operated as the Warner’s Theatre (with an “e”) until the 1960s, when Congress stepped in with concerns about industry monopolization since Warner Bros. was making and exhibiting movies in its own theaters.

The building operated as a cinema until 1973, when the aging complex was purchased by Frank Caglia, whose family owns and operates the Electric Motor Shop, in the hopes of saving the venue Caglia visited as a child.

“He wanted to save the organ,” said Ron Thomas, president of the board of directors for the Warnors Center for the Performing Arts, the nonprofit that operates the complex. “The running joke has been he bought an organ that happened to come with a theatre.”

The organ, similar to the building, is a one-of-a-kind Robert Morton pipe organ, originally installed to complement silent movies.

“It makes gunshots; it makes sirens; it makes dialogue,” Thomas said. “It does all the things that go along with a movie to bring it to life.”

Thomas said the organ is the last of its kind.

The Caglia family owned and operated the theatre until 2005, when the Warnors complex was donated to the newly formed nonprofit organization. The Warnors Center includes the theatre, nearby Frank’s Place and Star Palace and several storefronts along Fulton and Tuolumne streets.

Throughout the years, the Caglia family invested several million of their own dollars into the theatre, which faces a unique challenge in maintenance. Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theatre must aesthetically maintain the themes and appearance of its original state.

 

The pandemic

In spring 2020, all indoor entertainment venues were forced to shutter their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plunging many theaters into an unending ocean of uncertainty.

The Warnors Theatre, however, operated in a unique manner; during the pandemic, the Fresno Fire Department was invited to inspect the building.

Thomas said this was a move that surprised many and drew some attention from those in the arts community. Oftentimes, fire department inspections reveal previously unknown issues that could go unnoticed for months or even years, eventually resulting in risks to guests, employees and performers.

Thomas, however, said that the timing of the inspection paired with the efficiency of the fire department and teams working on the building have been nothing short of beneficial.

“It truly was a blessing in disguise,” Thomas said. “They have been phenomenal to work with.”

The angst felt by many businesses and organizations that are inspected is not undue. Thomas said that around $600,000 worth of repairs had to be made to bring the building up to code. Of those improvements were a new fire-prevention and alarm system, including 17 pull alarms and a new emergency smoke filtration system.

“If there’s ever a fire, the baffles on this thing open up and literally suck the smoke out of the building,” Thomas said, adding that the louvers are heat-activated as opposed to the original glass, manually operated louvers.

According to Thomas, the building is now as safe as it’s ever been.

Additionally, restoration to the building’s appearance has been completed, with everything from the roof to the floors undergoing upgrades. The Warnors Complex partnered with locally owned companies, including Allstate Roofing, B&L Mechanical, James Ashjian Lighting Co., and Pacific Contract Flooring to renovate the building.

Those renovations were in addition to the $600,000 in required renovations, much of which was covered through COVID-19 assistance grants.

“We were able to get some grants during the pandemic,” Thomas said. “That is really what has helped us do all that we’ve been able to accomplish.”

 

Revitalizing the Neighborhood

The Warnors complex operates not only the theater itself, but nearby venues Frank’s Place and the Star Palace located off Fulton Street. These venues are available for smaller, more intimate performances as well as providing space for conferences and events.

“If we can draw folks down here to the Warnors that means all the businesses up and down Fulton and Van Ness [will do well],” Thomas said. “These people are just going to trickle over and their businesses are going to do well.”

Like the theater, Frank’s Place and the Star Palace have undergone significant restoration since the pandemic, featuring two bars and seating around 300, while the upstairs Star Palace can host around 700 for private events.

Frank’s Place is also open for happy hour from 4-8 p.m., and features performances as well, with nearby New Rock 104.1 partnering with the venue to feature rock band Pierce the Veil in May, and blues guitarist Carvin Jones scheduled for Aug. 4.

“I think people need to understand there’s a lot of vibrancy that goes on down here and it’s almost flying under the radar,” Thomas said. “We need to open that radar.”

Located on the other side of the complex off Tuolumne Street are a small selection of storefronts. Fulton Street Coffee and newly opened Summoned Clothing have established themselves along the street and the complex is in the process of filling other available retail space.

The Warnors Complex also hosts a stop at the monthly ArtHop, with Frank’s Place offering entertainment and a full-service bar opening at 5 p.m. every first Thursday of the month.