Overview

The Pantages was the United States’ first Art Deco theatre, completed in June 1930. No expense was spared on its opulent interior. For a time the theatre was owned by Howard Hughes who maintained his personal offices above the theatre. It is now owned and managed by the Nederlander Organization and was extensively refurbished 1999-2000. The theatre now brings Broadway hits to the Los Angeles and wider Southern California audiences.

The Pantages in 1930

The theatre was designed by B. Marcus Priteca and was the last theatre built by Alexander Pantages. The original plan called for 10 floors of office space above the 2 floors housing the theatre however the upper floors were scrapped during the theatre’s construction as a result of the 1929 Stock Market crash. Whereas it was originally designed with a mix of vaudeville and movies in mind, the Great Depression saw the theatre economize and show mostly movies, then in 1932 Pantages sold the theatre to Fox West Coast Theatres. Howard Hughes bought the theatre in 1949 as an addition to his RKO Theatre Circuit, and then in 1965 it was sold to Pacific Theatres. It is currently owned and operated by the Nederlander Organization.

The theatre was fully renovated and restored in 1999-2000 and now looks as good, if not better, than it did when it opened in 1930. The first production following restoration was the long-running (over 2 years) Disney’s “The Lion King”, which necessitated major works backstage in creating a 40ft by 40ft pit under the stage to house set pieces and hydraulics. Understage dressing rooms were relocated and the theatre now boasts an extremely flexible understage area which can accommodate any manner of openings in the stage floor.

The Art Deco Main Lobby

The seating capacity was designed to be 3,212 however the theatre opened with a capacity of 2,812 by virtue of wider seats and increased legroom. The current seating capacity is 2,703. There are small side stages immediately flanking either side of the proscenium arch, and between those and the auditorium side walls are organ chambers, despite no organ ever having been installed in the theatre. The centerpiece of the auditorium ceiling is an elegant starburst chandelier suspended above a blue backlit upper ceiling, creating a mesmerizing 3D effect.

Auditorium from Stage

The Grand Lobby is dedicated to Los Angeles and California of the 1930s. Elaborate panels depict the important industries of the time such as agriculture, oil, gold, lumber, movies and the arts, sports and real estate. There are also some hidden nods to local colleges USC and UCLA. Grand byzantine figurines watch over the Grand Lobby from the side walls. The staircases to the balcony level are adorned by life-size figures depicting the aviation and movie industries.

In December 2016 the Pantages hosted the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” . The theatre was closed four days before the premiere to allow for the temporary installation of a Dolby Atmos sound system alongside Dolby Vision laser projectors. For full details of the temporary installation refer to the Further Reading section below.

Beginning March 2020 the Pantages became host to the only resident production of the musical phenomenon “Hamilton”  in the United States outside of New York’s Broadway.