If Judy Garland's Kansas farm had been located on Hollywood Blvd., she might have sung an "Over the Pantages" melody. Think gold, people. In fact, the Pantages Theatre--a beloved Art Deco building--shines bright...even after its first opening more than 80 years ago!
A lot of love has been poured into renovating this famous theatre, which is--and always has been!--one of the most
beautiful theatres in town. And in a place that’s known for being over-the-top,
that’s saying something, kid. Even folks
that wouldn’t know art deco if it French-kissed them would know there’s something
special going on here.
Our Pantages night started when Cori
and I (Lara) dined at Cleo inside The Redbury (across the street from the Pantages) before heading over to
the theatre for the premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, Memphis.
Over
brussels sprouts (which Cleo, a new restaurant, is already famous for—trust us
on this. Trust us. No, really. Trust. Your mother would be proud.), I gave Cori the Cliff’s Notes version
of the Pantages' rich and colorful history.
It was built as a movie palace (with some live entertainment) in 1929 by
Alexander Pantages, a theatre impresario who
apparently got to experience the Pantages’ big premiere (Floradora Girl,
starring sassy Marion Davies, a brilliant comedic actress who most people know
as the mistress of William Randolph Hearst)…by listening to it on the radio, as
he was in jail after being accused of raping a seventeen-year-old. He was found
guilty and sentenced to fifty years in prison, but then via a new attorney, he appealed, and was acquitted in a second trial.
 |
| Not your average brussels sprouts! |
 |
| Inside the Pantages lobby! Glorious! |
The Pantages was already considered a
Hollywood landmark by 1932, when it was sold to Fox West Coast Theatres. Howard
Hughes (think Leo in The Aviator) bought it in 1949 and moved his offices to
the building (on the second floor).
The Pantages hosted the Oscars from 1949-1959, and in 1965, Pacific Theatres began running it. In 1977, the Pantages as a movie theatre era came to an end, briefly closing and then
reopening as a live theatre venue, with Bubbling Brown Sugar as the first
production.
Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment
runs The Pantages now, and I’m happy to report that the theatre is still so
beautiful and lively. In fact, the Pantages helped spark the revival of the
surrounding area. I visited it for the first time in 2000 to see the The Lion King
(right after the theatre had a little freshening done in the form of a ten
meeeeeeeeeeeeeeellion dollar restoration/upgrade), and I’m not sure if I was
crying more over baby Simba being shown to the pride...or the
ornate ceiling.
 |
| Look up to see beauty all around! |
I was completely overwhelmed with all the beauty. I mean, I’m
from the swamps in Florida, where the biggest, fanciest thing that happened in
my childhood was the opening of the new edition to the mall. But seriously, we got to shop at The Limited, Express,
and Contempo Casuals, plus a Spencer’s Gifts (rubber frog that farts, anyone?),
so it was a big deal.
Cori and I finished our dinner and
then tottered over in our stilettos for the Memphis Premiere.
Diva Tip: Park the car in one of the lots around Hollywood and Vine, and have dinner at one of the fab restaurants (Delphine, Katsuya, Cleo, and more), within walking distance of The Pantages. Make sure to bring at least $10-20 cash for parking. Nothing is worse than having to ask a parking attendant, “Can I write a check?” and then being told "no," and then having to leave the car and walk around looking for an ATM in Hollywood at 11:30 p.m. Not that that ever happened to us. Ahem.
Diva Tip: Park the car in one of the lots around Hollywood and Vine, and have dinner at one of the fab restaurants (Delphine, Katsuya, Cleo, and more), within walking distance of The Pantages. Make sure to bring at least $10-20 cash for parking. Nothing is worse than having to ask a parking attendant, “Can I write a check?” and then being told "no," and then having to leave the car and walk around looking for an ATM in Hollywood at 11:30 p.m. Not that that ever happened to us. Ahem.
 |
| "Paparazzi!" Cori (left) & Kitty (right) |
Cori and I
posed (I was grateful that I had caked on the powder foundation and Too Faced
Better Than False Lashes mascara) as the flashbulbs popped, and then I did a quick interview with Broadway LA and KOST 103.5. I apologize to both
interviewers for my brussels sprouts breath.
Diva Tip: If you want to get some attention somewhere at a premiere, all you need is one photographer who knows you. Have him scream your name and start taking your pic, and everyone else will follow, as they’ll assume you’re a hot new star and won’t want to miss a chance at getting a shot of you.
Diva Tip: If you want to get some attention somewhere at a premiere, all you need is one photographer who knows you. Have him scream your name and start taking your pic, and everyone else will follow, as they’ll assume you’re a hot new star and won’t want to miss a chance at getting a shot of you.
We took in the gloriousness of the marble and bronze entrance, and then swept through the front doors to arrive in…deco heaven. As we made our way to the second floor and paused to take in the gold (the gold...so much gold...where's our pot?) and silver and carvings and statues and bronze and metalwork that comprise the spacious lobby, Cori (who is new to this style) turned to me and innocently asked, “Is this Deco or, um, Spanish Architecture?” I don’t think I answered, as I was having an out-of-body experience. But Cori, the answer is YES!
If you’re going to a show at The
Pantages, allow yourself a good 20-30 minutes before the play starts to explore
both levels of the theatre (there’s an upstairs restroom, btw, if the
downstairs one is jammed).
 |
| Anybody have a mirror? |
Make sure enter the downstairs ladies room to see the mirrors (but watch out for the toilet paper
dispenser in stall seven, which fell on me!), which resemble a very glamorous
hall of mirrors in a funhouse. You’ll see about 40 images of yourself with all
the reflecting going on up in there, so it’s a good place to check the view
from the rear and see how your outfit looks from all angles.
And btw, a night at the Pantages is a perfect
excuse to dress up! Being casual SoCal, you’ll see people in jeans, but Cori
was in a slinky black dress and I had on a long, 1930s dress (shout out to
Playclothes in Burbank), and we were far from the dressiest dames in the house.
 |
| The gold laced walls! |
Walk into the dark, glittery bar (it’s
to your left after you enter), and have a drink as you pretend it’s 1931 and
Myrna Loy or Claudette Colbert is across the bar. And check out the mirror
above the water fountain against the wall—it’s got flamingos on the glass!
Diva Tip: If you don’t want to pay for a bottle of water (there’s a snack bar that
sells water and soda and candy in the lobby), ask for a small cup and fill it
up at the fountain. Just finish all your drinks before you go in to find your
seat. They spent ten meeeeeeeellion on a
facelift, honey—they’re not going to let you spill your diet coke on the seat.
And if you do cut it close because you’re
chugging your Sprite in the lobby until curtain time, don’t go tearing down the
aisle on the way to your seat—there’s a slope to that aisle that’s akin to
coming down from a hike to the top of Runyon Canyon, so baby-step it to your
seat, sister, and hang on to a friend (just don’t let her take you down with
her).
Now that you’ve soaked in some
glamour (we think some of the sheen from the lobby may have rubbed off on you),
relax in your seat and take in the walls, ceiling, and stage. Maybe, like me,
you’ll make a silent vow that you’ll be decorating your house Pantages-style
DecoFab one day.
 |
| Us taking it all in! |
Settle in and let the cares of everyday life slip away as you
watch something that will stir your soul. And maybe--just maybe--you'll feel alive in a way you might not have in awhile. Maybe it's the dressing up part. Maybe it's just escaping into a musical world for three hours. Or, perhaps it's just literally being surrounded by all things beautiful, like art deco, and taking time to sit back, relax, and enjoy it.
Pantages Theatre
6233 Hollywood
Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 468-1770
(323) 468-1770
Upcoming shows include The Book of
Mormon, Peter Pan, Jekyll & Hyde, and Donny and Marie: Christmas in Los
Angeles (I hope he wears his purple socks from back in the day. You will make
the ladies very happy, Donny).
No comments:
Post a Comment