The Hayworth Theatre is a theater and performing arts center at 2511 Wilshire Boulevard in the
Westlake neighborhood of
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. The facility houses 99-seat, 42-seat and 49-seat auditoriums and a 1,500 square-foot ballroom used for rehearsals, classes, and special events. The building was designated as a cultural-historic landmark by the city of Los Angeles in 1983.
[Movie Palaces along Wilshire Boulevard: Hayworth Theatre]
/ref>
History
The building that houses the Hayworth is significant due to its association with Stiles O. Clements of the architectural firm Morgan, Walls & Clements
Morgan, Walls & Clements was an architectural firm based in Los Angeles, California and responsible for many of the city's landmarks, dating back to the late 19th century. Originally Morgan and Walls, with principals Octavius Morgan and John A. ...
, who designed many other Los Angeles theatres as well as many of the buildings in the Wishire historical district. It originally opened in 1926 as the Masque Theatre, a playhouse. The structure is in the Spanish Colonial Revival style
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style ( es, Arquitectura neocolonial española) is an architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
In the ...
, also called the ornate Churrigueresque style.
In 1950, the building was renovated by architect Dwight Gibbs and became the Vagabond, a movie theatre. The Vagabond lasted as a movie theater for several decades but finally went out of business in 1985. For a time the site was occupied by an evangelical church. In 2015 the building was renovated by architect Linda Brettler and associate Lydia Dubois-Wetherwax to become production and writing offices maintaining the historical elements of the original building. Two years later they renovated the theater space.
The La Fonda Restaurant Building was designated Historic-Cultural Monument No. 268 on June 24, 1983. This restaurant, established in 1968, shared the building but closed in early 2014.[ The Hayworth Theatre Company became resident here in 2006.The theatre housed award-winning theater compan]
The New American Theatre
from 2006-2011. Artistic Director and actor Jack Stehlin
John Anthony Stehlin III (pronounced "Stay-lin"; born July 21, 1966), known as Jack Stehlin, is an American television and theater actor who has played the role of DEA Captain Roy Till on the Showtime television series '' Weeds''.
Early life and ...
performed there, as well as other notable actors such as Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...
, Katie Lowes
Katie Quinn Lowes (born September 22, 1982) is an American actress and theater director. She is best known for her role as Quinn Perkins in the ABC political drama series ''Scandal'' (2012–2018) and her portrayal of Rachel DeLoache Williams in ...
, Jill Gascoine
Jill Viola Gascoine (11 April 1937 – 28 April 2020) was an English actress and novelist. She portrayed Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in the 1980s television series ''The Gentle Touch'' and its spin-off series ''C.A.T.S. Eyes''. In the 19 ...
, and Robert Cicchini
Robert Cicchini is an American film and television actor and director.
Among Cicchini's film appearances are his roles as Lou Pennino, Vincent Corleone's bodyguard, in ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990), Bill Guidone in ''Light Sleeper'' (1992 ...
.[ TV writer ]Jenji Kohan
Jenji Leslie Kohan (born July 5, 1969) is an American television writer and producer. She is best known as the creator and showrunner of the Showtime comedy-drama series '' Weeds'' and the Netflix comedy-drama series ''Orange Is the New Black''. S ...
purchased the building in November 2013. Her husband and business partner, Christopher Noxon
Christopher Lane Noxon (born November 21, 1968) is an American writer and freelance journalist.
Early life
Noxon was born in Los Angeles, California, to National Geographic documentary filmmaker father, Nicolas Noxon, and Mary Straley. His ...
, indicated that she is planning on using the second floor as production offices for writers and editors on her TV shows.[Ng, David (March 13, 2014]
"Historic Hayworth Theatre is entering a new stage of life"
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
''
In 2017, former Hollywood Improv
The Improv is a comedy club franchise. It was founded as a single venue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City in 1963, and expanded into a chain of venues in the late 1970s.
History
Originally, it was a single venue founded in 19 ...
booker and artistic directo
Jamie Flam
launched
kickstarter campaign
to reopen the venue under the nam
Dynasty Typewriter at The Hayworth
Operating as a hub for comedy, variety, screenings, and more,Ilana Glazer
Ilana Glazer (born April 12, 1987) is an American comedian, director, producer, writer, and actress. She co-created and co-starred, with Abbi Jacobson, in the Comedy Central series ''Broad City'', which is based on the web series of the same name ...
, Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as ...
, and Margaret Cho
Margaret Moran Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, actress, LGBT social activist, and musician. She is known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially regarding race and se ...
.
References
External links
Official website
{{coord, 34.060247, -118.2808554, display=title
Theatre companies in Los Angeles
Arts organizations established in 2006
Cinemas and movie theaters in California
Theatres in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments
Theatres completed in 1926
Spanish Colonial architecture in California