Kirk Douglas Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located in Culver City, California
and in 2004, was acquired by the famed Center Theatre Group
. The theatre is the most intimate of the group's three stages and seats 317 patrons at max occupancy.
movie palace with a seating capacity of 1,160 (on a stadium plan with no overhanging balcony), the Culver Theatre (as it was previously named) was located near the Columbia Pictures
studio lot (then the lot for MGM).
Originally, much like surrounding downtown Culver City, the Culver was a key part of classic Hollywood's thriving entertainment community. But, eventually, much of the entertainment industry moved to points north and the theater grew tired and worn over the years.
Today, the Culver, now renamed the Kirk Douglas Theatre, operates as a performing arts center and playhouse. An $8 million restoration project, with a $1.25 million grant from the City of Culver, included the addition of two new stages, one with 100 seats and another with over 300 seats. Most of the exterior has been preserved, including the box office and the signature mezzanine
tile.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and in 2004, was acquired by the famed Center Theatre Group
Center Theatre Group
Center Theatre Group is a non-profit arts organization located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre and the Kirk Douglas Theatre...
. The theatre is the most intimate of the group's three stages and seats 317 patrons at max occupancy.
History
Built in 1947, as a Streamline ModerneStreamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
movie palace with a seating capacity of 1,160 (on a stadium plan with no overhanging balcony), the Culver Theatre (as it was previously named) was located near the Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
studio lot (then the lot for MGM).
Originally, much like surrounding downtown Culver City, the Culver was a key part of classic Hollywood's thriving entertainment community. But, eventually, much of the entertainment industry moved to points north and the theater grew tired and worn over the years.
Today, the Culver, now renamed the Kirk Douglas Theatre, operates as a performing arts center and playhouse. An $8 million restoration project, with a $1.25 million grant from the City of Culver, included the addition of two new stages, one with 100 seats and another with over 300 seats. Most of the exterior has been preserved, including the box office and the signature mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
tile.