Owner City of Los Angeles Type Theater Capacity 5,870 Architect Samuel Tilden Norton | Operator SMG Opened 25 September 1930 Phone +1 844-524-7335 | |
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Location 2700 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, California Address 2700 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA Profiles | ||
Greek Theatre is a 5,870-seat music venue located at Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1929, opening on September 29 of that year. The Greek Theatre is owned by the city of Los Angeles, and is operated by SMG. Designed by architect Samuel Tilden Norton, the theatre stage is modeled after a Greek temple.
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History
The idea for the Greek Theatre originated with wealthy landowner Griffith J. Griffith, who donated 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of land to the city of Los Angeles in 1896 to create Griffith Park. In his will he left money for the construction of a Greek theatre. A canyon site was chosen because of its good acoustics. The cornerstone was laid in 1928 and the building was officially dedicated on September 25, 1930. The first performance took place on June 26, 1931, attended by a capacity crowd of 4,000.
During its first decades the theatre was rarely used, and it was used as a barracks during World War II. In the late 1940s a San Francisco producer brought touring shows to the venue. In the 1950s James Doolittle, a Los Angeles showman, leased the theatre and upgraded it with better seating and backstage equipment. Since 1975 the theatre has been managed by the Nederlander organization, which further improved it and began a regular rotation of contemporary and classical productions and concerts. The theatre underwent an earthquake retrofit in 1995. In 2006 the facade was renovated in celebration of the venue's 75th anniversary.
In 1983, the Greek Theatre's seating capacity was expanded to 6,187, but recent renovations have brought the Greek Theatre's capacity down to 6,162 in 1995 and to 5,700 in 2004. In 2009 the Los Angeles Fire Marshal permitted the addition of two more rows in the pit, bringing full capacity at the Greek to 5,870 seated and 5,900 general admission.
The theatre was managed and promoted by Nederlander Concerts for 40 years. In 2015, SMG became the new venue manager.
Current usage
The Greek Theatre is used for concerts, stage shows, and graduation ceremonies for Thomas Starr King Middle School and John Marshall High School, among others.
The Greek Theatre won the Best Small Outdoor Venue award seven times in the past eight years, awarded by Pollstar Magazine, the industry's leading trade publication.
The annual Bell-Jeff Invitational cross country running event starts adjacent to the theater.