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The Players — Los paduanos
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This site is a service project of Los californios®
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This is a work continually in progress, which relies upon participation from visitors.
If you have material (or usable scans of that material) that you would like to contribute
to the effort, please communicate with us at
info@loscalifornios.com.
We especially need help identifying the names of Players shown in the photographs.
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Paduanos Image #1 — Historic Postcard of Padua Hills Theatre Dining Room
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Please help us identify these women and the time period that
they worked at the Theatre.
1. Conchita Gallardo, 2.Casilda Amador, 3.______ 4. ______ 5. ______ 6. ______
Thanks to Linda Cervon for identification.
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In her book, Mexican Serenade: The Story of the Mexican Players and the Padua Hills
Theatre (1961), Pauline B. Deuel tells how Bess Adams Garner and Herman Garner were
inspired by a dining experience in Italy shortly before the opening of Padua Hills Theatre.
She says they “were entertained by strolling musicians who played and sang for them.
This dinner program so impressed the Garners that they decided to initiate it at home.”¹
The Garners hired Mexican and Mexican-American youth to serve as waiters and waitresses,
and as musicians, singers and dancers in the dining room during the meals. Little did the
Garners realize, when they hired their dining room and kitchen staff, that these talented,
hard working performers would become the future and legacy of the Padua Hills Theatre.
Mr. Garner with members of the Padua Hills Theatre
staff. Please help us identify them.
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Historic Menu
Padua Hills Theatre Dining Room
Front of Menu
Contributed by Barbra Boyd, in honor of her grandmother
Los californios® Collection
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The Padua Hills Theatre opened its doors December 2,
1930² featuring The Claremont Community Players in the play The
Royal Family. And in the Spring of 1931 the future Mexican Players
had the opportunity to perform a production called Noche Mexicana,
twice for The Community Players and twice for a Parent-Teachers’
Association benefit. This acclaimed production set the stage for
these budding actors who were waiting in the wings.
In July of 1932, when the Theatre normally would go
dark for most of the summer, the dining room staff presented a new
production, opening Serenata Mexicana on July 2 as an attraction
during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The popularity of the
program finally caught the attention of the Theatre organizers who
scheduled Serenata Mexicana in performances during the regular
performing year, and The Mexican Players began their official existence.
Historic Menu: Inside
Padua Hills Theatre Dining Room
Inside of Menu
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Menu: Back
Padua Hills Theatre Dining Room
Back of Menu
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Postcard of entrance to the Padua Hills Theatre — 1934
Paduanos Image #3 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Placard reads: Padua Players present:
“A Woman of No Importance”
A comedy of Manners by Oscar Wilde. Opens Mar. 19.
This play ran from March 19 - 30, 1934,
performed by the Pasadena Community Playhouse as The Padua Players.
Members of The Mexican Players are shown in this photograph and the next.
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Historic Flyer Describing the
concept of the Padua Hills Mexican Players
Front of Explanitory Flyer
Contributed by Marsieux Arpin
Los californios® Collection
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The Claremont Community Players continued to
present plays for three seasons, until June of 1933, before pressures from
the Great Depression finally closed this community theater project. During
the last season, they shared the stage with The Mexican Players who
filled in for the struggling community theater group. Starting October 30, 1933,
the Pasadena Community Playhouse as The Padua Players produced plays
in the Padua Hills Theatre, sharing the space with The Mexican Players. They
produced plays for two seasons. With the opening of the new season on October 9, 1935,
The Mexican Players became Padua Hills’ only theater group.
Inside of Explanitory Flyer
Los californios® Collection
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Back of Explanitory Flyer
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Postcard of Padua Hills Theatre — 1934
Paduanos Image #4 — Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Flyers of Padua Hills Theatre
Historic Flyer of Padua Hills Theatre
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Flyer of Padua Hills Theatre
Contributed by Barbra Boyd, in honor of her grandmother
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Flyer of Padua Hills Theatre — 1947
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Flyer of Padua Hills Theatre
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Flyer of Padua Hills Theatre
Los californios® Collection
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The entrance to the Padua Hills Theatre and Dining
Room was used often as a background for publicity photographs. It
was an easily recognized icon for several generations of fans.
Historic Postcards and Photos of paduanos at Entrance to Padua Hills Theatre
Postcard photos attributed to Irene Welch Garner, and photos by Irene Welch Garner
Paduanos Image #5 — Alfonso and Conchita Gallardo of The Mexican Players
Historic postcard — Los californios® Collection
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #6 — Los californios® Collection
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Postcard mailed March 17, 1946
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Paduanos Image #7 — Los californios® Collection
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #8 — Celia García and Rogelio Alfaro at the entrance
to the Padua Hills Theatre
Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Thanks to Esmeralda Marroquín for identification of
Celia in this photograph.
Esmeralda adds: “She [Celia García]
passed away a couple years ago, and was godmother to Angela Rubio.
Yes, it truly became one big family to all that were there!”
Paduanos Image #9 — Front: María Abundis and Rogelio Alfaro
Back: José Guadalupe Rubio and Celia García
Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #10 — Héctor Chávez, Gustavo Alfaro, Lupe Rubio, Viola Núñez, Celia García
Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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The curtain at Padua Hills Theatre was a map of Mexico
painted in bright colors. Pauline Deuel³ records that the map was
“designed and painted by Charles Dickinson,” but paduanos also
remember proudly being involved with the design and execution with
particular credit going to Alfonso Gallardo.
Theatre Curtain with Cast
Paduanos Image #11 — Historic postcard
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
Gilbert and Alicia Flores sitting on the floor in the middle of the picture.
Identification made by Carole Galvez Salazar.
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Carole Galvez Salazar adds:
Gilbert also played the guitar and the harp. As a friend of my sister’s (fellow
Paduano, Dolores Galvez) he played the harp at our mother’s funeral in March 1991.
Paduanos Image #12 — Historic postcard
Photo attributed to Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
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Historic Postcard Mailed in 1949 — The Mexican Players
Paduanos Image #13 — Historic postcard
Los californios® Collection
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“Enjoyed these Mexican Players very much the other evening.
One’s waitresses and bus boys turn actors and actresses following dinner for theater.
All Spanish dialogue but a lot of fun nevertheless.”
Casilda Amador & Rogelio Alfaro in the Padua Gardens
Paduanos Image #14 — Historic postcard
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
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Color photos are historic postcards in the Los californios® Collection. The
black and white photos, from the same photo session, are from the Alfaro Family Collection. All the photos are presumed to
be the work of Irene Welch Garner
Paduanos Image #15 — Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #16 — Historic postcard
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
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Paduanos Image #17 — Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Historic Photos and Postcards of Paduanos at Padua Hills Theatre
Paduanos Image #19 — Conchita Gallardo
Historic postcard — Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #18 — Casilda Amador
Historic postcard — Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #20 — Casilda Amador, Gustavo Alfaro and Celia García
at Padua Hills Theatre
Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #21 — Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
Please help us identify these Players
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“My grandparents are Alfonso Chavez and Jacinta Vigil, who met at Padua
Theatre, married, and had four children. They live nearby in Montclair and have pictures from when they
worked there. I will tell my Grampa Al about your website so you can have more memories to share.
“And, when I get married, I want it to be at Padua!
“Thank you, Emily T. Burgos”
Window at Padua Hills Theatre — Then and Now
Paduanos Image #23 — Historic postcard
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
Los californios® Collection
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Paduanos Image #22 — February 2004
Photo by Vykki Mende Gray
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Historic postcard with detail — Frank “Panchito” Fonseca
Paduanos Image #24 — Historic postcard
Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #25 — Detail of postcard
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
Thanks to Claire Bridgman, daughter of Conchita and Alfonso Gallardo, for identification
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Historic postcard of courtyard
Paduanos Image #26 — Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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This historic image of The Mexican Players has been recaptured in
modern Claremont as part of the Claremont Village Mural.
Paduanos Image #27 — Historic postcard
“The woman with the jug is my mother, Beatriz Castillo Lóbez. I’m pretty sure that the violinist is Natividad Vaca and the guitarist is Hilda Ramirez.” Bobbie De La Rosa
Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #28 — Detail of mural based on the postcard image
Photo by Vykki Mende Gray, February 2004
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Paduanos Image #29 — Part of Claremont Village Mural — Claremont, California
Photo by Vykki Mende Gray
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Paduanos Image #30 — Vida Amador, Luis Abundis & Ysabel Alba
Alfaro Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #31 — Anita de la Rosa Tolentino
Suellen Family Collection
“The painting is titled: Padua Girl and later her name was added.”
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Paduanos Image #32 — Dolores Galvez
Galvez Family Collection
Carole Galvez Salazar contributed this picture of her sister, and says, “Here is
another picture of my sister, Dolores Galvez, that was used in publicity for the Padua
Hills Theater in the early 1950s. It also came out in the entertainment section of one
of the Los Angeles newspapers.”
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Paduanos Image #33 — Carmen Moreno
Moreno Family Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Carmencristina Moreno contributed this picture of her mother, and says, “My parents,
EL DUETO DE LOS MORENO, Luis M. Moreno and Carmen
Moreno, both sang and played guitar at Padua Hills Theatre circa 1946-47. I
have just one faded newspaper clipping with photo to contribute to your
website.”
Paduanos Image #34 — Porfiria Lerma
Historic postcard — Los californios® Collection
Photo by Irene Welch Garner
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Paduanos Image #98 — Alfaro Family Collection
Historical photograph by Irene Welch Garner
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Front:
- Hector Chávez
- ________________
- Connie Aguilera
Middle:
- Isabel García
- María Abundis
- Casilda Amador
Back:
- Gustavo Alfaro
- Rogelio Alfaro
Thanks to Teresa García for identification of
Isabel in this photograph.
Thanks to Claire Gallardo Bridgman for identification of
María, Casilda, Connie and Hector in this photograph. Claire is the daughter of Conchita and Alfonso
Gallardo.
Thanks to Linda Cervon for identification of Gustavo Alfaro.
Rogelio Alfaro in 2004 with David Swarens and Janet Martini of
Los californios®
Paduanos Image #99 — Photograph by Vykki Mende Gray
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Rogelio Alfaro in 2004 with his daughters
Paduanos Image #100 — Photograph by Vykki Mende Gray
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Click here to find additional images in the
Gallery.
If your family has recollections or images of Padua Hills Theatre that you would like
to share on this web site, please contact Los californios® at
info@loscalifornios.com.
© Vykki Mende Gray, 2020
All rights reserved.
Web design: Ellen Wallace and Vykki Mende Gray
All rights reserved.
Los californios® is a registered trademark
belonging to San Diego Friends of Old-Time Music, Inc.,
a California non-profit corporation.
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