Azteca Theater - Teatro Azteca

Azteca Theater: a center of art and culture in historic Chinatown

Fresno's Historic Chinatown, established in 1887, was the original center of Fresno's growing community and oldest commercial district. It has long been a multi-cultural business hub and home to many newly arrived ethnic communities.

The Azteca Theater first opened Nov. 30, 1948. It was run for many years by Arturo Tirado, whose family was also involved in theater in Los Angeles.

For most of its long history Chinatown grew and prospered. However, in the late 1900s economic blight affected the surrounding community. Now, the future of Chinatown is bright with many new businesses and renovations. The Azteca Theater is happy to be part of the reinvention of Fresno's historic Chinatown district and we invite everyone to participate in the new developments over the next few years.

Fresno's Chinatown

Central Chinatown is bordered by Fresno Street to Ventura Street, and Highway 99 to H Street. The redevelopment area also includes the island formed by the Highway 99 and Freeway 41 interchange.

Visit Chinatown group

Links:
Azteca Cinema Treasures
Arturo Tirado and the Teatro Azteca: An article for sale: California History
Romualdo Tirado films

References:
California History Magazine Volume 83, No. 4
Arturo R. Tirado and the Teatro Azteca: Mexican Popular Culture in the Central San Joaquin Valley, by Manuel G. Gonzales 83-46

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THE AZTECA THEATER IN CHINATOWN

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iPacific™ Gallery
Azteca Theater
838 F Street
Fresno, CA 93706
559-268-2625
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Shop online or call for an appointment.
559-268-2625.

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Romualdo Tirado
Birth: Sep. 3, 1880 Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Death: Oct. 17, 1963 Los Angeles, California
Romualdo's son Arturo ran the Azteca Theater for many years.

Excerpt: Brief History of Hispanic Theater in the United States

"The raggedly dressed underdog, the pelado, comes to the fore with his low-class dialect and acerbic satire. A forerunner of characters like Cantinflas, the pelado really originates in the humble tent theaters that evolved in Mexico and existed in the Southwest of the United States until the 1950s. With roots in the circus clown tradition, and a costume and dialect that embody poverty and marginality, the pelado was free to improvise and exchange witticisms with his audiences that often embodied working class distrust of societal institutions and the upper classes. Although the pelado or peladito, as he was affectionately called, was often criticized for his low humor and scandalous language, theater critics today consider the character to be a genuine and original Mexican contribution to the history of theater. One actor who played the pelado to perfection was not even a Mexican but a Spaniard: Romualdo Tirado.

He is without a doubt the most important figure in the history of the Hispanic stage of this period. Tirado was an impresario, director, singer, actor and the author of numerous revistas. Tirado had emigrated to Mexico around the turn of the century and developed a career on the stage there for fifteen years before re-settling in Los Angeles in the late teens. In the City of Angels, Tirado became a prime mover in the Hispanic theatrical and cinematic industries as a theater-owner and movie producer, and just as importantly, he was also one of the catalysts that brought about the writing and staging of local plays and revistas."

From our blog:

A Friend we'd like to see at the Azteca

Azteca Theatre Teatro? Theater? What's in a name?

Babalicious: Story for a good cause

Remembering a Chinatown Treasure

Azteca Videos

Fresno Buddhist Obon Festival

Chinese New Year Parade 2010

Juana Gallo songs of the Mexican Revolution

Intermission: Let's all go to the lobby!

Our gallery:

Classic Photographs
Featuring classic Hollywood stars of the 30s and 40s by Gerald Hurrell.

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