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Henry Broderick, in his book, Early Seattle Profiles discussed the range of theatrical entertainment available in Downtown Seattle in 1909: "Dance halls were spattered all over the business area. Of these, there were types to fit any demand, however depraved or dignified. The Lyric at the corner of Occidental and Washington was representative of the rowdy class. It put on short vaudeville numbers on stage. In the boxes bordering the sidewalls, convenient cloistered cots were installed to accommodate customers who were not at the moment interested in dancing or song and dance teams." (See Henry Broderick, Early Seattle Profiles, [Seattle, WA: Dogwood Press, 1959], p. 28-29.) As he stated elsewhere in his book, Broderick noted that burlesque performances at the Lyric were "uninhibited." He continued later. "Only one theatre operated on the street [Skid Road]--The Lyric. Theatrical acts were just one of the attractions at the Lyric. Name it, and no one would have to wait long. Among loggers and fisherman, the Lyric was known as a 'Box-House.'" (See Broderick, p. 40.) "Box houses" were bars that also featured live entertainment; the entertainment was meant to engage visitors long enough so that they would order as many drinks as possible. Boxes on the sides of the stage and (sometimes on balconies) were cordoned spaces where patrons sat to watch the show and order liquor. Waitresses, who were also part of the show, went from box to box taking drink orders. Some box houses had unsavory reputations, while others actually did focus on vaudeville-style entertainment. Broderick implied that prostitution went on in the boxes at the Lyric.

The Lyric Theatre, in operation c. 1909, had a gimcrack appearance, suggesting it was a remodeling of an existing building. It was a three-story building comprised of two parts: a projecting portion, housing the front lobby, was covered with a flat roof, behind which stood a taller, gable-roofed auditorium. The projecting front portion rose three stories and had a symmetrical fenestration on its main Occidental Street facade. The first floor contained the main entry. The second and third floors had a tripartite composition. An oriel jutted out from the center of the second story, framed by two large Palladian windows on either side. On the third story, two bands of four small Romanesque windows illuminated the two end bays. The Washington Street wall was punctured by small lunettes on the second story and portholes on the third.

Demolished.

PCAD id: 17360