The Gesa Power House Theatre was constructed in 1890 for the Walla Walla Gas and Electric Company to provide light and heat for the businesses and residences of the area.  Critical to the transformation of the Walla Walla settlement into a vibrant and successful hub of agriculture, education, commerce and transportation, the building has now been recognized as one of national historic significance.  On January 5, 2012, the Power House Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Buildings.

A Transformation of Energy:

In London, England, in the year 1608, the interior of a 400-year-old Blackfriars monastery was transformed into a theater by William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. In their new home, the company of actors known as The King’s Men performed the works of Shakespeare and others for the next thirty years.  Just over 400 years later, in 2011, Walla Walla’s gas plant was transformed into the Power House Theatre with a layout inspired by the innovative and intimate design of the Blackfriars Theatre.  Now the old power plant provides a different kind of energy, the transformative power of the performing arts.

Recognizing Generosity:

The Transformers Wall is visible in the lobby of the Gesa Power House Theatre and commemorates the visionary individuals and businesses whose leadership and personal commitments made all of this possible. We celebrate their contributions as The Transformers.

SUPER NOVA

FUSION

GIGAWATTS

MEGAWATTS

DYNAMOS

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GENERATORS

HOT WIRE

CLUB UNCORK’D