About Los Angeles
Nicknamed the “City of Angels,” Los Angeles is surrounded by vast mountains and beautiful beaches on the Southern California coast. It’s the most populous city in the state and is renowned throughout the world as the home of the United States’ film industry - Hollywood.
But aside from being a major hub for moving pictures, Los Angeles also has a thriving theater scene, with some of the world’s best actors living in the region. It boasts an eclectic variety of theater spaces to suit all styles of performance art, as well as an extensive network of industry professionals to work behind the scenes.
Theater Space Options in Los Angeles
From sprawling mansions to intimate studios, you can find inspiring theater spaces in Los Angeles that meet your requirements.
- Homes
Whether you’re after a stone chateau or a mid-century mansion, Los Angeles offers a diverse choice of homes that can be utilized as theater spaces. They offer both indoor and outdoor settings that can serve as your stage, as well as plenty of rooms where your performers can get ready.
- Warehouses
Offering an industrial setting, Los Angeles’ warehouses serve as a blank canvas for you to add your creative touch to. An added bonus is that they’re usually very spacious and can easily be outfitted with stages and seating.
- Studios
For intimate theater events, you might want to consider a studio space that’s designed specifically for hosting performance arts. Some are conveniently equipped with behind-the-scenes rooms where your actors can prepare.
- Theaters
One of the most obvious choices for a theater space in Los Angeles is a theater itself equipped with suitable seating and a purpose-built stage. Most come with sound and lighting gear, so you don’t have to worry about renting additional equipment.
- Churches
A church might not be an obvious theater space choice, but they can be atmospheric settings for live shows. Whether you’re looking for an ornate Spanish church or something dramatically lit, you’ll be able to find a space that suits your needs.
Performance and Event Companies in Los Angeles
Need help finding your theater space in L.A. or planning your performance? The city’s experienced event management companies will handle all of the intricate details to help you pull off an unforgettable event.
- Sequoia Productions
Sequoia Productions has a reputation for planning, designing, and producing some of the most prestigious events in Los Angeles and offers a range of management services. They can assist with marketing your theater event and take care of any logistical details to ensure a stress-free occasion.
- Premiere Events
Premiere Events specializes in catering and bar services, making them an excellent choice if you’re looking to offer food and drinks during the intermission. They can also turn their hand to developing, designing, and planning events, as well as providing day-of management services.
- Render Event Design
With decades of experience in the event planning industry, Render Event Design is a trusted option for organizing your theater experience. They can take care of everything from catering to hiring sound engineers and behind-the-scenes crew, allowing you to focus on the creative side of things.
Pros and Cons of Performances in Los Angeles
Los Angeles’ entertainment industry and network of experienced professionals are among the advantages of hosting a theater event here. But the high living costs and heavy traffic are worth considering.
Advantages
- Established entertainment industry
Los Angeles already has a well-established entertainment industry, which extends from film to theater and live music. This means you already have prospective audience members who are willing to pay for live performances.
- Fabulous weather
It’s no secret that Southern California enjoys some of the best weather in the United States and Los Angeles is no exception. It’s an ideal place to hold both indoor and outdoor theater events, no matter the time of year.
- Diversity of venues
L.A. theater venues range from manor estates to industrial-style warehouses and historic Hollywood homes, meaning you can find the space that suits your design aesthetic.
- Experienced professionals
From sound engineers to stage crew, Los Angeles is home to an extensive network of industry professionals who can make your theater performance a reality.
- Easy international connections
Got actors or stage crew flying in from out-of-state? With its huge network of flights, Los Angeles International Airport makes it easy for them to get to and from your theater space.
Disadvantages
- High costs of rentals
The city’s property prices are exceptionally high, so you may pay more for your theater space in Los Angeles than in other places in Southern California.
- High costs of living
Not only are the city’s rental prices high, but the general costs of living are also more than you might be used to in other parts of the United States.
- Traffic
When looking for your theater space, consider how easy it will be to get there based on the city’s notorious traffic. The major transport corridors are known to creep along during rush hours when it can take far longer than expected to get from A to B.
- Parking
Parking in the city can be a frustrating task, so it might be worth finding an L.A. performance venue with private parking to save you any hassles.
- Crime
While some parts of Los Angeles are incredibly safe, others aren’t. So take this into account when looking for theater spaces outside of the main entertainment and nightlife areas.
Famous Theater Locations in Los Angeles
- The Geffen Playhouse
With its highly Instagrammable courtyard, The Geffen Playhouse is an atmospheric not-for-profit theater in the Westwood Village. It’s owned by the University of California Los Angeles and puts on several plays each season across its two stages.
- The Bootleg Theater
Dedicated to non-traditional theater, spoken word, and dance events, The Bootleg Theater occupies a warehouse-style setting on Beverly Boulevard. Its shows are inspired by the diverse cultural and artistic landscape of Los Angeles, with the venue also hosting musical performers like Fiona Apple, Childish Gambino, and Tenacious D.
- The Pantages Theatre
One of the most famous venues for the performing arts in Los Angeles, The Pantages Theater is an iconic landmark in Hollywood. It was established in 1930 as a venue for vaudeville shows and later became a movie theater. More recently, it has been transformed into a space for hosting large-scale musicals such as Wicked and Hamilton.