Ahmanson Theatre
|
Ahmanson Theatre | |
| Location |
135 North Grand Avenue Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°3′29″N 118°14′50″W / 34.05806°N 118.24722°W |
| Public transit | |
| Owner | Center Theatre Group |
| Type | Indoor Theatre |
| Seating type | Reserved |
| Capacity | 2,084 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 9, 1962 |
| Built | 1967 |
| Opened | April 12, 1967 |
| Renovated | January 25, 1995 |
| Website | |
| Official Website | |
The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprise the Los Angeles Music Center. It is owned and managed by Center Theatre Group.
History
The theatre was built as a result of a donation from Howard F. Ahmanson, Sr, the founder of H.F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings and loans company. It was named for his second wife, businesswoman and philanthropist Caroline Leonetti Ahmanson.[1]
Construction began on March 9, 1962. The theatre opened on April 12, 1967 with a production of More Stately Mansions starring Ingrid Bergman, Arthur Hill, and Colleen Dewhurst. Since then, it has presented a wide variety of dramas, musicals, comedies and revivals of the classics, including six world premieres of Neil Simon plays and works by Wendy Wasserstein, August Wilson, A.R. Gurney, Terrence McNally, John Guare and Edward Albee. The Ahmanson also has served in the capacity of co-producer for a number of Broadway productions, including Amadeus, Smokey Joe's Cafe, The Most Happy Fella, and The Drowsy Chaperone.
The Ahmanson has the largest theatrical season-ticket subscription base on the West Coast. Its year-round season begins in early fall and lasts through late summer.
1990s renovation
A major $17 million renovation moved the mezzanine and balcony closer to the stage, reduced the width of the auditorium, lowered the ceiling and improved the acoustics. It also allowed the theatre's seating capacity to be reconfigured from 1,600 seats for an intimate play to 2,084 for a major Broadway-sized musical.[2]
Designed by Ellerbe Beckett Architects and constructed by Robert F. Mahoney & Associates, the renovation took eighteen months to complete. During this time, the Ahmanson's season-ticket subscriptions were presented at the UCLA James A. Doolittle Theatre in Hollywood. The Ahmanson reopened on January 25, 1995 with an 8½ month long run of Miss Saigon.
World premieres
The Ahmanson served as the world premiere venue for the following plays and musicals:
- The Happy Time (1967) - Book by N. Richard Nash, Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Directed by Gower Champion
- Catch My Soul (1968) - Book by N. Richard Nash, Music by Ray Pohlman Lyrics by William Shakespeare
- Love Match (1968) - Book by Christian Hamilton, Music by David Shire Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.
- Remote Asylum (1970) - written by Mart Crowley, starring William Shatner
- California Suite (1976) - written by Neil Simon
- Chapter Two (1977) - written by Neil Simon
- They're Playing Our Song (1978) - Book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
- The West Side Waltz (1981) - written by Ernest Thompson, starring Katharine Hepburn and Dorothy Loudon
- Brighton Beach Memoirs (1982) - written by Neil Simon, starring Matthew Broderick
- A Sense of Humor (1983) - written by Ernest Thompson, starring Jack Lemmon, Estelle Parsons and Polly Holliday
- Biloxi Blues (1984) - written by Neil Simon, starring Matthew Broderick
- Legends! (1986) - written by James Kirkwood, starring Mary Martin and Carol Channing
- Proposals (1997) - directed by Joe Mantello
- Curtains (2006) - Book by Rupert Holmes, Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Directed by Scott Ellis
- Minsky's (2009) - Book by Bob Martin, Music by Charles Strouse and Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead
Notable productions
In December 2006, it presented the musical stage adaptation of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands, directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne.
Awards and nominations
| Awards | Production | Nominations | Wins | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Ovation Awards | 9 to 5: The Musical | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 Ovation Awards | Minsky's | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 Ovation Awards | Leap of Faith | 1 | 1 | Won for Lead Actor (Raúl Esparza) |
| 2012 Ovation Awards | War Horse | 1 | 1 | Won for Best Presented Production |
| 2012 Ovation Awards | Follies | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 Ovation Awards | The Scottsboro Boys | 1 | 1 | Won for Best Presented Production |
| 2013 Ovation Awards | Anything Goes | 1 | 0 |
References
- ↑ David Wise, Tiger Trap: America's Secret Spy War with China, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, p. 38
- ↑ "Ahmanson Theatre Renovation, Los Angeles, California". Boulder, Colorado: Robert F. Mahoney & Associates. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
External links
Coordinates: 34°3′29″N 118°14′50″W / 34.05806°N 118.24722°W