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A HISTORIC LANDMARK
Within the Taliesin Fellowship, artistic expression was not just encouraged but celebrated. At Taliesin, being an architect meant more than mastering drafting skills; it meant embracing a spectrum of talents, from tending to crops to mastering musical instruments. The theater became a hub for creative energy, hosting vibrant productions and performances that reflected the Taliesin Fellowship’s diverse passions. Evenings were often dedicated to immersive art experiences, with Frank Lloyd Wright inviting the community to film screenings. By hosting performances, we strive to maintain the vibrancy of the theater as a place where creativity thrives, which is crucial for preserving its cultural heritage.
Hillside Home School gymnasium in 1902. Photo from a Hillside booklet owned by Peggy Travers, whose mother went to the Hillside School.
“Performances at Taliesin have always contributed significantly to its life. They interrupt the routine of mundane living with focused preparation, presentation, and participation. Hillside Theater did not displace the music, talks, and dramatic readings that took place in the magical living room at the Taliesin house, but it was the place where Wright invited the world beyond Taliesin to share in its creative life.”—Sidney K. Robinson, Author, Architect, and former Emeritus Educator at Taliesin School of Architecture
Original sign on display at the theater. Photo Taliesin Preservation.
Since the start of the Fellowship in 1932, the Hillside Theater evolved from a multipurpose room with a small stage and suspended running track to a dedicated playhouse for entertainment. On Sundays, Wright welcomed the public to enjoy movies, with admission and coffee by the fire priced at just 50 cents. From its earliest days to the 1955 structure that stands today, the theater has served as a gathering place for communities and a hub for shared appreciation of the arts.
Following a fire in 1952, the Playhouse underwent several modifications: The roof and floor were lowered to accommodate additional seating, while square windows were added to the north and south walls. Completed by apprentices in 1954, the theater assumed its present form.
During the Playhouse’s evolution, Wright was concurently designing the Guggenheim Museum. Completed in 1954, the Hillside Theater ceiling featured a unique integration of plaster and metal lath, reflecting Wright’s innovative approach to materials, similar to his endeavors with steel and concrete in the construction of the Guggenheim.
HILLSIDE THEATER CURTAIN
Handcrafted by apprentices, the Hillside Theater curtain was presented to Wright as a birthday gift in 1957. The curtain features multicolored pieces of felt and yarn meticulously sewn onto large strips of cotton muslin. Over the years, Wright occasionally modified the curtain by cutting some yarn lines, altering their orientation from horizontal to vertical.
Originally Published in “Create a Landscape Abstraction” on franklloydwright.org. Derived from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (The Museum of Modern Art | Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York). All Rights Reserved.
Designed in 1952, Hillside Theater represents Wright’s abstract interpretation of the Taliesin estate. If you look closely at the Hillside Theater curtain abstraction, you can see how it is divided in half by a diagonal line, with green from the upper right side down to the lower left side of the curtain, depicting the green hills of the valley (1). In the upper right-hand corner, there are outlines of his own house, Taliesin (2), with the long Birdwalk and smoke rising from the fireplace. The large band of black felt on the left half of the curtain represents the Wisconsin River (3), and the red line of felt above the river is the large Highway 23 bridge (4) crossing over the river. In the lower right-hand corner, you’ll find Frank Lloyd Wright’s signature red square (5).
Originally Published in “Create a Landscape Abstraction”
THE PATH TO PRESERVATION
After four years of meticulous renovation, Hillside Theater is now poised to embark on a new chapter of artistic exploration and expression. Take a look at the chapters along the way and discover the lessons learned throughout the restoration process:
EXPERIENCE THE REVITALIZED HILLSIDE THEATER
