As a member of the Tacoma cannabis community, Clear Choice loves to shine a spotlight on local areas of interest for our clientele. Washington is an amazing state with a cornucopia of places and activities to explore, and the experience is only enhanced with any of the potent cannabis products available on our Bremerton menu.
This week, Clear Choice is featuring the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton, about a 40-minute drive from Tacoma. The Admiral Theatre is a local institution that has been servicing western Washington’s entertainment needs for decades, and its prestige has turned it into something of a historic landmark in the area. Though this venue might be well-aged, it’s still a destination for major concert tours and live events, making a trip to the Admiral a thoroughly satisfying endeavor from start to finish.
Origins and History
The Admiral Theatre in Bremerton was built in 1942, designed by the famous theater architect B. Marcus Priteca, who also designed Los Angeles’s famous Pantages Theater in Hollywood. When the Admiral was founded, movie tickets were offered for only 2 dollars, with a 99 cent ticket special on Tuesdays. The theater operated for decades, but experienced financial difficulties throughout the 80s which resulted in its shuttering in 1988.
In 1990, a community-oriented movement was initiated to save the Admiral and revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. This drive turned out to be a massive success, and within a few years, energetic citizens had raised over $4.2 million for the purpose of rejuvenating the theater. The Admiral was reopened in 1997 and remains open to the public to this day.
Because of the rags-to-riches story of the Admiral, the U.S. National Register of Historic Places has designated it an official landmark, affording it special privileges of existence. As of 2016, there have been plans to renovate the theater a third time, although those have not yet come to fruition.
Community Activism
Far from being merely a theater, the Admiral takes care to participate in the surrounding community. In fact, the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton is not a business but a non-profit organization managed by the community project which revived it from the dead, the Admiral Theatre Foundation.
Every year, over 10,000 school kids are able to access educational entertainment with complimentary tickets to many of the over 60 events featured at the Admiral. In addition, the Admiral organizes a 2-week musical summer camp annually, offering a swath of kids from across the western Washington area an opportunity to immerse themselves in the performing arts.
Upcoming Events
Being a prestigious destination means the Admiral often houses some fantastic talent. Whether you’re craving a jazz performance like Herb Alpert, an interactive event like The Price Is Right Live, or classic rock icons like The Eagles’ Don Felder, the Admiral has a wide range of tastes and styles covered.
The Admiral also hosts theater troupes from around the world alongside American performers. In October, the theater is presenting the New Chinese Acrobats, a circus-like outfit which dazzles audiences with a creative synergy of props and aerobics.
The Admiral, staying true to its roots, also doubles as a movie theater, putting on special screenings of cult classics such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Every screening at the Admiral is an experience unto itself, as the 802-seat theater always lends a sense of grandeur to the silver screen feature -- making the Admiral an excellent destination for any stoner looking for a mindblowing experience!
Interested in more Washington-oriented blog posts, or simply want to check out our expansive menu of cannabis solutions in Bremerton? The Clear Choice blog has you covered for all of this and more.