Steeped in Heritage
Steeped in heritage, The Temple began in 1902 as Temple Beth El, designed by Albert Kahn for Michigan’s oldest Jewish congregation. Later transformed into the Bonstelle Playhouse, it became a cultural cornerstone of Detroit, blending architectural grandeur with theatrical legacy, and inspiring generations of performers and audiences alike.
1902
Steeped in tradition and a cherished destination for the Detroit community, The Bonstelle was originally designed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn in 1902 as Temple Beth El's first permanent home in the City, housing the oldest Jewish congregation in Michigan history. The Temple quickly became a central cultural and spiritual anchor for the community.
Designed in the ornate Beaux-Arts style, the Temple was both grand and symbolic, adorned with carved stone reliefs, arched windows, and a lavish façade. Inside, the building boasted an opulent interior and a domed ceiling hand-painted with celestial motif.
In the 1920's as the congregation outgrew the Temple, the building was sold to New York-born actress, producer, and director Jessie Bonstelle to convert into a theatre, which she named after her original Manhattan venue.
And a new home for the arts in Detroit was born.
1925
In 1925, the former Temple Beth El became home to a professional theater company led by actress and director Jessie Bonstelle. Architect C. Howard Crane- who designed Detroit's Orchestra Hall, Fox and United Artists theaters, and what is today the Detroit Opera House, among others- was hired to adapt the space into the Bonstelle Playhouse. The interior was redesigned in the "Italian style," seating was added, and the façade simplified to accommodate theatrical use.
The Bonstelle Playhouse gained national respect, performing more than 25 plays per year and hosting concerts, speeches, and church services. But in 1929, just four years after its opening, the world shifted. The Bonstelle could not financially weather the storm of the Great Depression and closed its doors.
In the wake of the Depression, the theater found new life as a movie house, illuminating its stage with the timeless glow of Hollywood's Golden Age. Then, in 1951, a new act began- Wayne State University acquired the building, restoring both its theatrical roots and its storied name: The Bonstelle.
Over the decades, the Bonstelle welcomed a remarkable roster of performers- some with the Playhouse stock company under Jessie Bonstelle's direction, others nurtured through the educational programs of Wayne State University. Widely considered to be a proving ground for rising talent, the Bonstelle launched the careers of aspiring artists who would go on to shine in Hollywood, on Broadway, and beyond.
Such notable actors include William Powell (The Thin Man), Katherine Cornell (Jezebel; The Age of Innocence), Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters; Heroes), S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), and the legendary Lily Tomlin (9 to 5; Grace & Frankie).
Tomlin fondly recalled how her first appearance on the Bonstelle's stage shaped her path: "...Looking back, that moment in front of an audience set the course for everything that followed."
2018
In 2018, Detroit-based Roxbury Group, in collaboration with Wayne State University, entered into a long-term lease of the facility with the goal of fully restoring the building and updating it to house both community events and live performances. Roxbury has since established the Temple-Playhouse Conservancy to serve as the non-profit enterprise that will own, develop, and operate the Bonstelle.
This extraordinary project included the restoration of the 1925 Bonstelle Playhouse interior, as well as the full restoration of the original 1903 Albert Kahn Temple Beth El exterior.
