SHANNON URTNOWSKI
Staff Writer
Los Angeles is full of hidden treasures, and a small stretch of road on Santa Monica Boulevard holds one of the city’s best kept theatrical secrets.
The area, which extends from Highland to Van Ness avenues, is nicknamed Theater Row and is home to many independent playhouses known for producing quality productions despite the financial struggles the small theaters encounter.
The Blank Theatre Com-pany, Elephant Stageworks and Hudson Theatres are just a few of the theaters located on
the row.
Theater Row is full of cultural activity and entertainment, but many of the theaters struggle due to the lack of publicity the playhouses receive.
The Blank Theatre Company at 2nd Stage Theatre
6500 Santa Monica Blvd.
“We do need more promotion,” said Daniel Henning, the artistic director, producer and founder of the Blank Theatre Company. “The city is supporting us in some ways, but we always need more.”
Henning founded the Blank Theatre Company 15 years ago. Celebrity talents such as Noah Wyle, Molly Shannon and Sarah Michelle Gellar have passed through it on their ways to the top.
Gellar’s first job was with the Blank Theatre Company, and Shannon worked there before she was cast for “Saturday Night Live,” Henning said.
Henning said his theatre is unique, because most stages are rental houses that do not house production companies like the Blank Theatre.
The Blank Theatre is running two shows, “The Book of Liz” and “The Wild Party.” “The Book of Liz,” a comedy billed as a wacky parable, is showing on the 2nd Stage Theatre. It has been running for eight months and is the company’s longest running hit, Henning said.
Running now for two weeks, “The Wild Party” is the theater’s newest production, and it is receiving rave reviews, he said. The show is a musical set against the backdrop of Manhattan decadence in the 1920s.
Elephant Stageworks
6322 Santa Monica Blvd.
Elephant Stageworks is another prominent venue along the boulevard.
The production company was established in 1995, and the company built the Lillian Theatre in 1998.
“We own the only active theaters on the east end of Theater Row,” production manager Anita Hamingson said.
In 2000, Elephant Stageworks created four more production spaces in addition to the Lillian Theatre.
Hamingson said Elephant Stageworks has enjoyed much success in their Theater Row venues.
The Actors’ Gang
at the Ivy Substation
9070 Venice Blvd.
The playhouse most responsible for the formation of Theater Row was the Actors’ Gang Theatre. The Actors’ Gang was established in 1981 by Robbins, and became one of the most notable venues on Theater Row.
The Actor’s Gang has since moved to Culver City.
“Robbins wanted a theater that was innovative and had a bite,” said Rebecca Gilchrist, publicist for the Actor’s Gang Theatre.
When the venue was brought to Theater Row, both Robbins and the City of Los Angeles found a mutually beneficial relationship, she said.
With the presence of the Actors’ Gang established on Santa Monica Boulevard, a number of production companies followed suit and similar playhouses began popping up on nearby blocks.
Hudson Theatres
6539 Santa Monica Blvd.
One such venue is Hudson Theatres, which is hosting the Blank Theatre Company’s “Wild Party” on its Main Stage Theatre. Hudson also features prominent productions on its three other stages.
Established 13 years ago by artistic director Elizabeth Reilly, Hudson Theatres has been the starting place of many big-theater productions, said managing director Zecke Rettman.
“Many of their shows move to bigger theaters like those in New York,” Rettman said.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” began as a one-woman stage show at Hudson Theatres and was developed into a motion picture in 2002.
Actors such as Norman Rockwell and Christopher Titus have also worked on sitcoms that started as productions at Hudson Theatres.
“We are on the right track,” Rettman said of the publicity and critical acclaim the theater draws. He also said the city has begun to make accommodations to help Theater Row venues draw audiences.
Last year, banner promotions went up along Santa Monica Boulevard advertising Theater Row’s playhouses and productions.
Rettman said he is also pleased that police officers now patrol the Theater Row strip on foot, providing protection for theater patrons. The row has also become better lit to promote safety, he said.
The building facades of Theater Row venues have also been improved over the years, and a better parking system was established, Rettman said.
There are still many obstacles faced by playhouses on Theater Row.
Rettman said booming development might threaten the future of the theaters.
With Sunset Boulevard just one street north of Santa Monica Boulevard, the area has been developing very rapidly, he said.
“The smaller theaters won’t be able to survive with real estate going through the roof,” Rettman said.
This is a concern held by many production companies along Theater Row, and Rettman said he believes that more needs to be done to prevent the destruction of the smaller playhouses.
Located in the heart of central Hollywood, Theater Row goes unnoticed by many in Los Angeles.
“We really have some of the best theatre in Los Angeles,” Rettman said.
Danny Campbell, a visiting assistant professor of theater at Pepperdine and a professional actor, said he shares Rettman’s view.
“I am a big fan of Theater Row,” Campbell said. “People should go see more theater, and Theater Row has numerous viewing selections.”
While many bigger Los Angeles theaters have a reputation for showcasing actors over production value, smaller venues like those found on Theater Row can offer a unique, down-to-earth experience, Campbell said.
With so many actors, like Campbell, trying to find work in Los Angeles, Theater Row is also a popular place for those trying to break into the entertainment industry.
“It’s very accessible to both actors looking for work and hiring agents,” Campbell said.
With numerous productions to choose from, Campbell said Theater Row is something best experienced in person.
“People should definitely go and judge for themselves,” he said.
11-03-2005
