Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

'What the Constitution Means to Me' Breaks Records at the Taper

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:55:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES “WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME” ACHIEVES THE HIGHEST SINGLE WEEK GROSS IN MARK TAPER FORUM HISTORY WHILE SETTING THE RECORD FOR MOST FREE AND LOW-COST TICKETS THROUGHOUT THE RUN

Four Dedicated Student Matinee Performances Reached More Than 2500 Students from Over 50 Local Schools

Center Theatre Group broke two records with the highly acclaimed engagement of “What the Constitution Means to Me” by offering more free and low-cost tickets throughout its run than any other production at the Mark Taper Forum while also setting the record for highest weekly gross in the theatre’s over 50-year history with $533,285 for the week ending February 23, 2020.

“Center Theatre Group is constantly experimenting with new ways to make everyone feel welcome and to break down barriers that keep people from coming to the theatre, a mission we share with the producers of this show,” said Meghan Pressman, Center Theatre Group Managing Director/CEO. “It’s exciting to see us uniting our access efforts—some continuing, some expanding, some new—under one umbrella, Theatre Access for L.A., which has put a new focus on this important work. With ‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ breaking sales records, it has also been heartening to see our generous donors make it possible to double our number of Student Matinee performances, ensuring that more first-time theatregoers and young people who wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to see this important play have this exceptional opportunity.”

Written by Heidi Schreck, directed by Oliver Butler and starring Maria Dizzia, the Tony-nominated play began performances on January 12, 2020 and was originally scheduled to run through February 16 before being extended twice. The production closes February 28, 2020.

To make sure as many people as possible could see “What the Constitution Means to Me,” Center Theatre Group partnered with several local law firms to launch a new funding initiative titled Theatre Access for L.A. Under this initiative, Center Theatre Group added $15 student rush tickets (a limited number available for students 25 and under with a valid student ID) and 232 $25 tickets in the extension week (in honor of the United States’ 232-year-old Constitution) to the existing FreePlay program (free tickets at a preview performance for people 25 years of age and under) and $15 TodayTix lottery (made available for all evening performances) in an effort to make theatre available to every audience. To date, 6,841 free and low-cost tickets were made available throughout the run including 2,520 tickets at four student matinees reaching students from over 50 local schools.

The Theatre Access for L.A. Initiative supports Center Theatre Group’s efforts to reach an audience that reflects the diverse makeup of Southern California and the communities it serves. A gift to this fund helps provide access to underrepresented community members and create a more inclusive theatre through subsidized ticket offers, innovative audience engagement and education projects and more. Lead funding for Theatre Access for L.A. is provided in part by Glaser, Weil LLP; Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman et al.; and Jeffer Mangels Butler and Mitchell LLP.

The student matinee program for “What the Constitution Means to Me” is generously supported by Deena and Edward Nahmias; Betsy and Harold Applebaum; Cindy and Gary Frischling; and The Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation. The continuing student matinee program would not be possible without the generous support of the Rosenthal Family Foundation; City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; US Bank; Diana Buckhantz and Vladimir and Araxia Buckhantz Foundation; Renee and Meyer Luskin; Laura and James Rosenwald and Orinoco Foundation; Union Bank; The Walt Disney Company Foundation; Paramount Pictures; and the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. For more information on the student matinee program, please visit CTGLA.org/StudentMatinee.

In addition to Maria Dizzia, the cast of “What the Constitution Means to Me” includes original Broadway cast members Rosdely Ciprian and Mike Iveson as well as local debater Jocelyn Shek (who alternates in the role with Ciprian). Gabriel Marin and Jessica Savage are understudies. The creative team features scenic design by Rachel Hauck (“Hadestown”), costume design by Michael Krass (“Hadestown”), lighting design by Jen Schriever (“Eclipsed”) and sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar (“Hamlet”). The production stage manager is Nicole Olson and the casting director is Taylor Williams.

Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

Schreck’s timely and galvanizing play became a sensation off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway where it received two Tony Award nominations among countless other accolades. The New York Times hailed “What the Constitution Means to Me” as “not just the best play to open on Broadway so far this season, but also the most important.”

Initially announced for a 12-week engagement on Broadway, “What the Constitution Means to Me” was extended twice and fully recouped in its Broadway engagement, shattering box office records at the Helen Hayes Theater (240 W 44th Street, New York, NY), for a total run of 24 weeks. “What the Constitution Means to Me” officially opened March 31, 2019 after beginning preview performances March 14, and played its final Broadway performance on August 24, 2019.

Immediately following the conclusion of the Broadway run, “What the Constitution Means to Me” played a record-breaking limited engagement run at the Eisenhower Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., from September 11 through September 22, 2019.

“What the Constitution Means to Me” was commissioned by True Love Productions. This production originated as part of Summerworks 2017, produced by Clubbed Thumb in partnership with True Love Productions.

The national tour of “What the Constitution Means to Me” is produced by Diana DiMenna, Aaron Glick, Matt Ross, and Level Forward & Eva Price. Heidi Schreck is a playwright, screenwriter and performer living in Brooklyn. Her most recent play “What the Constitution Means to Me” was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play. Schreck also received two Tony Award nominations for “What the Constitution Means to Me” for Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play, the 2019 Smithsonian Magazine American Ingenuity Award, the Horton Foote Playwriting Award, the Hull-Warriner Award, and an OBIE. Heidi’s other plays include “Grand Concourse,” “Creature,” “Mr. Universe” and “There Are No More Big Secrets.” Her screenwriting credits include “I Love Dick,” “Billions” and “Nurse Jackie.” Schreck has taught playwriting and screenwriting at NYU, Columbia, Kenyon College and Primary Stages.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading nonprofit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Ritchie, Managing Director Meghan Pressman and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation’s leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

The Mark Taper Forum is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

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February 28, 2020

Block Party 2020 Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 13:01:00 -0800

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March – April 2020

EVENT:

Block Party 2020: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre

Center Theatre Group’s fourth annual Block Party highlights some of the remarkable work being done on other stages throughout Los Angeles by fully producing two previously staged productions.

First Production:

“The Art Couple” from Sacred Fools Theater Company

By Brendan Hunt

Directed by Lauren Van Kurin

Previews March 18 and 19, 2020. Opens March 20 at 8 p.m. Through March 29.

“The Art Couple” is a dramedy about Neil Simon’s struggle to break a terrible case of writer’s block he is suffering after accepting a huge commission for his completely unwritten third play: “The Odd Couple.” Encouraged by a mysterious busboy with a western twang (who also happens to be an aspiring playwright), Simon decides the play should be more than schtick, it should be about art. When he learns that Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin shared an ill-fated cohabitation, he endeavors to write about that real-life (but very odd) couple. Neil and the busboy battle for control of the play in parallel scenes and the odd couples begin to resemble something closer to “True West,” building irrevocably to a suitably ridiculous conclusion.

Second Production:

“Canyon” from IAMA Theatre Company

By Jonathan Caren

Originally Directed by Whitney White

Staged for the Kirk Douglas Theatre by Colleen Labella

Previews April 8 and 9, 2020. Opens April 10 at 8 p.m. Through April 19.

“Canyon” follows Jake and Beth, a seemingly progressive thirty-something married couple, and Eduardo and Rodrigo, a Mexican father and son, who they’ve hired to renovate a deck. The play explores what happens when ideals and consequences collide and the lives of two families are rocked by an unpredictable accident.

DATES/TIMES:

Preview Performances: Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m.

Opening Performances: Fridays, March 20 and April 10 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances: Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $30 – $75 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles) or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre Box Office two hours prior to performances. A Block Party Party Pass is available for $50, which includes a ticket to each production as well as a complimentary cocktail (or non-alcoholic beverage) at each performance. The Party Pass is available by phone or in-person now through March 29. The first Thursday of each show (March 19 and April 9) are Pay What You Want performances. These Pay What You Want tickets are available in person only and subject to availability. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf Community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre

9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232

Free three hour covered parking at City Hall with validation (available in the Kirk Douglas Theatre lobby)

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February 26, 2020

'The Antipodes' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:19:00 -0800

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March – April 2020

EVENT:

“The Antipodes”

By Annie Baker

Directed by Machel Ross

Based on the Original Direction by Lila Neugebauer

DESCRIPTION:

A play about people telling stories about telling stories by the playwright that The New York Times has called “one of the freshest and most talented dramatists to emerge Off Broadway in the past decade,” “The Antipodes” follows nine characters thrown together in an undefined writers’ room.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin March 25. Opens April 1. Through April 26, 2020.

Previews (March 25 – 31): Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.; No Monday performance.

Opens Wednesday, April 1 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances (April 2 – 26): Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $25 – $110 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf Community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum

At The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012

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February 25, 2020

Center Theatre Group Announces 2020/21 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 10:48:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 54th SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE BOASTS TWO POWERHOUSE DRAMAS, TWO CREATIVE NEW MUSICALS, FOUR RETURNING BLOCKBUSTER MUSICALS AND MORE

2020 – 2021 Season at the Ahmanson Features “The Lehman Trilogy,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Les Misérables,” “Hadestown,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Come From Away,” “The Prom” and “Ain’t Too Proud” Plus a Production to be Announced

The Nine-Show Season Continues Through September 2021

Artistic Director Michael Ritchie announced Center Theatre Group’s 54th season at the Ahmanson Theatre featuring three new Broadway hits, a powerful drama coming from London via Broadway, four fan favorites plus one production to be announced at a later date.

“The 2020 – 2021 season at the Ahmanson is packed with nine shows, bringing back a sampling of our favorite productions and artists while also introducing our audiences to some exciting new work,” said Ritchie.

“Among the new offerings is the stunningly beautiful epic directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes, ‘The Lehman Trilogy,’ which follows nearly two centuries in the lives of an immigrant family and their namesake business that both defined and threatened to destroy the American dream. This production took London by storm and is poised to do the same to Broadway when it opens in March so we are thrilled to be one of only two other US venues to present this masterpiece of a production in the 2020 – 2021 season.

“We are proud to present two current Broadway hits making their Ahmanson debuts with Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin’s truly original telling of an ancient Greek myth, the 2019 Tony-winning Best Musical ‘Hadestown,’ and Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s powerful new adaptation of the American classic ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher.

“We welcome back Bob Martin and Casey Nicholaw, who collaborated on ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ when it made its US premiere at the Ahmanson in 2005. Bob and Casey return with their newest production, a big-hearted Broadway musical, ‘The Prom.’

“We will also welcome back three fan favorites from the 2018 – 2019 season with the Tony-winning musicals ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ ‘Come From Away’ and ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ all presented as part of the Encore! Series, allowing subscribers to choose one of the three encore productions and giving them the first opportunity to add the other productions if they wish. Also making a return is the legendary long-running hit ‘Les Misérables’ which last played the Ahmanson in 2011.

“These eight productions will be joined by an additional title to be announced later, to form a season bursting with dramas and musicals and offering a lot to love at the Ahmanson.”

To view the full press release, click the PDF link to the right under Resources.

Diane Paulus' Pre-Broadway Production of '1776' Now On Sale at Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 12:19:00 -0800

DIANE PAULUS’ NEW PRE-BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF THE AMERICAN CLASSIC “1776” IS NOW ON SALE AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE

Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards’ Tony-Winning Musical Comes to Los Angeles July 21 through August 23, 2020

Presented by Center Theatre Group, “1776” is now on sale at the Ahmanson Theatre. Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus and featuring a book by Peter Stone with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, “1776” will begin a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson from July 21 through August 23, 2020, on the heels of its premiere at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Boston May 22 – June 28, 2020. The Broadway engagement will take place at Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre in the spring of 2021.

They knew they would make history, but not what history would make of them. Fed up with living under the tyranny of British rule, John Adams attempts to persuade his fellow members of the Continental Congress to vote in favor of American Independence and sign the Declaration. But how much is he willing to compromise in the pursuit of freedom? And who does that freedom belong to? Tony Award winner Diane Paulus directs a new production of this Tony Award-winning musical, reexamining this pivotal moment in American history.

Diane Paulus is the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University. Broadway: “Waitress” (Broadway and US national tour), “Pippin” (Tony Award, Best Revival and Best Director), “Finding Neverland,” “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” (Tony Award, Best Revival; NAACP Award, Best Direction), “HAIR” (Tony Award, Best Revival). West End: “Waitress,” “HAIR.” Off-Broadway: “Gloria: A Life” at the Daryl Roth Theatre, “In the Body of the World” (Drama League nomination) at Manhattan Theatre Club, “Invisible Thread” at Second Stage. Upcoming: “Jagged Little Pill” on Broadway, “Gloria: A Life” and “1776” at A.R.T. At A.R.T.: “ExtraOrdinary,” “The White Card” by Claudia Rankine, “Crossing,” “Witness Uganda,” “Prometheus Bound,” “Death and the Powers: The Robots’ Opera,” “Best of Both Worlds,” “The Donkey Show.” Other recent work includes Cirque du Soleil’s “Amaluna,” currently on tour in the US. Paulus is a Professor of the Practice in both Harvard University’s English Department and Department of Theater, Dance & Media. She was selected for the 2014 Time 100, Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world; as one of Variety’s “Trailblazing Women in Entertainment for 2014”; Boston magazine’s “50 Thought Leaders of 2014”; and Boston magazine’s 2018 “100 Most Influential People in Boston.”

Tickets for “1776” are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles). Tickets range from $35 – $145 (ticket prices are subject to change).

The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, 90012.

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February 18, 2020

'The Book of Mormon' Announces Lottery Ticket Policy

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 13:27:00 -0800

"THE BOOK OF MORMON" ANNOUNCES LOTTERY TICKET POLICY

PRESENTED BY CENTER THEATRE GROUP, PERFORMANCES BEGIN FEBRUARY 18 AT AHMANSON THEATRE

“The Book of Mormon,” winner of nine Tony Awards® including Best Musical, is pleased to announce a lottery ticket policy for the National Tour, which begins February 18 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and plays a limited six-week engagement through March 29, 2020. In Los Angeles, the production will conduct a pre-show lottery at the box office, making a limited number of tickets available at $25 apiece.

The wildly popular lottery for the Broadway production has attracted as many as 800 entries at some performances. The producers of “The Book of Mormon” are pleased to offer low-priced lottery seats for every city on the National Tour.

Entries will be accepted at the box office beginning two and a half hours prior to each performance; each person will print their name and the number of tickets (1 or 2) they wish to purchase on a card that is provided. Two hours before curtain, names will be drawn at random for a limited number of tickets priced at $25 each. Only one entry is allowed per person. Cards are checked for duplication prior to drawing. Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets. Limit one entry per person and two tickets per winner. Tickets are subject to availability.

“The Book of Mormon” features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. The production is choreographed by Casey Nicholaw and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker. The show also features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.

“The Book of Mormon” is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical; the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album; four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical; and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for “The Book of Mormon,” winner of the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on Ghostlight Records.

Tickets for “The Book of Mormon” are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles). Ticket prices start at $45 (subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

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For more information, visit www.BookofMormonTheMusical.com Follow “The Book of Mormon” on Twitter and on Facebook.

'The Book of Mormon' Begins Performances at the Ahmanson Theatre

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 16:13:00 -0800

"THE BOOK OF MORMON," PRESENTED BY CENTER THEATRE GROUP, BEGINS PERFORMANCES FEBRUARY 18 AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE

“The Book of Mormon” comes to Los Angeles for a limited engagement February 18 through March 29, 2020, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets are available at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (located at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012), by visiting CenterTheatreGroup.org or by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling (213) 972-7231.

“The Book of Mormon” is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album; four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for “The Book of Mormon,” winner of the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on Ghostlight Records.

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For more information, visit www.BookofMormonTheMusical.com

Follow “The Book of Mormon” on Twitter and on Facebook.

February 6, 2020

Center Theatre Group Honors the Life of Kirk Douglas

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 17:20:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP HONORS THE LIFE OF KIRK DOUGLAS WITH THE DIMMING OF THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE TONIGHT – WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 AT 7:50 PM

On Wednesday, February 5 at 7:50 p.m., Center Theatre Group will dim its lights in honor of screen legend and philanthropist Kirk Douglas who passed away today, February 5, 2020.

“Center Theatre Group is saddened by the passing of this truly great man,” Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie said today. “Kirk Douglas was a star in every way – in his art, his love for his family and country, and his tremendous philanthropy.

“Kirk always said theatre was his first love,” said Ritchie, “and you could see that in his face as he sat front and center on opening nights. As the world mourns the loss of Kirk Douglas, we are especially going to miss him in the audience, and in our lives here at Center Theatre Group so we will borrow a long-standing Broadway tradition and dim the lights at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. It is a small recognition of a man that brightened so many lives and made this theatre possible.”

In 2002 when Kirk and Anne Douglas made their initial $2.5 million contribution, Center Theatre Group was able to take the crucial first step in realizing a much-needed, mid-sized theatre space. The Culver Theater, a historic 1940s Streamlined Moderne-style movie house was transformed into an intimate 317-seat live theatre venue and named the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The Douglas opened in October 2004 and is now in its 16th season. In 2009, Kirk Douglas took the stage, premiering his autobiographical “Before I Forget” to sold-out audiences at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. More recently, on July 22, 2019, Kirk and Anne Douglas attended and were celebrated at a special one-night-only fundraiser in the Kirk Douglas Theatre where Deborra-lee Furness and Hugh Jackman read “Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in Hollywood” for an audience of Center Theatre Group and Motion Picture & Television Fund supporters.

Over the years Kirk and Anne Douglas continued to help make Center Theatre Group’s work possible with sizable subsequent support, including a $10 million grant in 2012. Their generosity helped ensure that Center Theatre Group remains an indispensable part of Los Angeles, and that the theatre that bears Kirk’s name stays at the forefront of Center Theatre Group’s efforts to push for new work, new artists and new audiences. The Douglases can proudly point to productions like “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Pulitzer-finalist “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” “Dana H.,” “Good Grief,” “The Nether,” “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” and a wide range of other works that had their world premieres at the Kirk Douglas Theatre before moving on to celebrated runs on Broadway or at other theatres throughout the U.S. and U.K.

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February 5, 2020