H Street Playhouse
| Company type | Non-profit theater |
|---|---|
| Industry | Theater and arts |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
| Products | Theater performances, art exhibitions |
The H Street Playhouse functioned as a black box theater and art gallery situated within the Atlas District of Washington, D.C.. It served as the home base for resident troupes such as Scena Theatre, Theater Alliance, and Forum Theatre. Additionally, it welcomed performances from African Continuum Theatre Company, Musefire, Landless Theater Company, Theater Blue, Journeymen Theater Company, Madcap Players, Solas Nua, Restoration Stage, Capitol Renaissance Theatre, and Barnstormers. Established in 2001, the Playhouse—together with Theater Alliance—played a pivotal role in spearheading efforts to rejuvenate and develop the commercial corridor along H Street. The venue ceased operations in 2012.[1]
History
Constructed in 1928 by William Oshinsky, the building was leased to various enterprises or remained unoccupied throughout his ownership period lasting until 1959.
Initially, Sam's Garage and Moller Motors occupied the premises according to the 1928 Business Directory. There is no indication that the structure was specifically designed for their operations. Instead, available evidence suggests it was built on speculation to meet rising demand tied to the booming automobile industry and its dynamic sales environment. In June 1928, Mott Motors, Inc. was identified as the local distributor for Hupmobile vehicles in D.C., with sales and service locations at 1507 14th St., NW and Union Station Garage at 50 H St., NE. A Washington Herald article dated July 15, 1928, titled 'NEW HUPMOBILE IS IN BIG DEMAND,' quoted distributor TT Mott discussing unprecedented demand for new Hupmobile Century models and ongoing communications with factory officials to secure inventory. This high demand—alongside competition from new models like the Plymouth 4 (model Q) launched in July 1928—likely motivated Mott Motors to expand into the 1300 block of H Street NE.[2]
Between 1929 and 1930, 1365 H St NE operated as a branch showroom for Mott Motors, Inc., owned by Thomas T. Mott. The primary showroom was located at 1512–1520 14th Street NW as a Hupmobile dealership; another location existed at 1738 14th Street NW. This expansion at 1365 H St NE was brief and appears to have ended by the early 1930s. At that time, Thomas T. Mott resided in Bethesda, Maryland. Another Washington-based Hupmobile dealership was owned by Sterret and Fleming with locations on Champlain Street at Kalorama Rd NW and at 1223 Connecticut Avenue NW.
By 1931, Nash RJ Motor Co. occupied the building. The following two years listed Nash Rohr Barsky, Inc. as tenants at this address. In 1934 Kingston-Otey Motors took over occupancy. From 1935 through 1939 Duke & Otey Motors, Inc. operated there; between 1940 and 1942 Duke & Cooksey were recorded as occupants.
Starting in 1943, the property entered a phase characterized by frequent changes in use and periods of vacancy—a pattern continuing until its sale by the Oshinsky family in 1959.
In that year, the Plymouth Theatre was established as a neighborhood cinema catering specifically to Black audiences. Architect Morris Hallett led this adaptive reuse project which transformed the former Plymouth automobile showroom into a movie theater with seating capacity ranging from approximately 300 to 400 seats depending on sources. The renovation cost amounted to $3,500. Ike Weiner assumed management of the theater in 1945 until its closure in 1952. City directories indicate that by 1954 the building was vacant and likely remained so from theater closure until about 1955.
King Furniture Company—originally located at 8203 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland—expanded in 1955 by opening a store at this address on H Street NE. This operation lasted until around 1957 when both King Furniture and Jet Arena were listed simultaneously in telephone directories.
The Jet Arena roller skating rink appeared briefly in one edition of the telephone directory for skating rinks during that period.
By September of 1958 King Furniture’s sole listed location was at this H Street address according to white pages listings.
In 1959 ownership transferred from the Oshinsky family to Clements Printing—a longstanding business on the same block—which occupied the building until approximately 1984.
Following this period, John French—former Vice President at McDonald's Corporation—acquired the property from Clements Printing and undertook renovations to establish French's Restaurant specializing in southern soul food. The restaurant operated until late 2001 when Adele and Bruce Robey purchased the building with intentions focused exclusively on converting it into a live performance venue; they were also publishers of Voice of the Hill newspaper and owners of Phoenix Graphics.
See also
- Hupmobile Dealership (Omaha, Nebraska)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in the District of Columbia
- Theater in Washington D.C.
References
- ↑ "H Street Playhouse Priced Out of H Street, Looking For New Spot". Washington City Paper. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ↑ Bell, T. David. [[[:Template:NRHP url]] "Plymouth Theater"]. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help)
External links
- Theater Alliance
- Forum Theatre
- The H Street Guide Archived April 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine