This week in history: Big theater opening

The Fifth Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle opened its doors on Sept. 24, 1926, with an elaborate opening ceremony and street festival.

Zoom in: The theater was originally a home for Vaudeville tours, and later became "the city's most popular movie palace," according to its website.

• But it closed in the late 1970s and fell into disrepair after TV and movieplexes became popular.
• A coalition of business leaders rallied to save and restore the theater, which reopened in 1980 with a focus on touring Broadway shows.
• The theater later began producing its own shows and continues to do so today.