Did You Know?
An underground spring has produced a steady flow of water directly beneath the Empress stage since the theatre’s opening. A complex drainage system runs beneath the stage, diverting water to pumps which run 24/7 to keep the theatre dry.
The Republic Theatre
1913 - 1915
As with any change in management, when the Bert Levey Circuit was brought in to produce greater profits, the company changed the theatre's name from the Empress to the Republic to avoid confusion with another of their California theatres with the same name.