Greek Theatre (Los Angeles) facts for kids
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Amphitheatre during a concert (c.2019)
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| Address | 2700 N. Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, California 90027-1247 |
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| Location | Griffith Park |
| Coordinates | 34°07′11″N 118°17′46″W / 34.1197°N 118.2961°W |
| Owner | City of Los Angeles |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Type | amphitheatre |
| Genre(s) | music concerts |
| Seating type | reserved seating |
| Capacity | 5,900 |
| Current use | concerts, stage shows, graduation ceremonies |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1928 |
| Opened | September 25, 1930 |
The Greek Theatre is a famous outdoor concert hall in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. It's like a big open-air stage where people watch shows. The city of Los Angeles owns it, and ASM Global runs it. The stage looks like an old Greek theatre, designed by architects Samuel Tilden Norton, Frederick Hastings Wallisand, and Heath, Gove, & Bell.
Contents
History of the Greek Theatre
The idea for the Greek Theatre came from a rich landowner named Griffith J. Griffith. In 1896, he gave over 3,000 acres of land to Los Angeles. This land became Griffith Park. In his will, he left money to build a Greek theatre.
Workers chose a canyon for the theatre because sounds carry well there. Construction began in 1928. The theatre officially opened on September 25, 1930. The very first show was on June 26, 1931. About 4,000 people came to watch.
For its first few years, the theatre was not used very often. During World War II, it even became a place for soldiers to stay. In the late 1940s, a producer from San Francisco started bringing shows there. In the 1950s, a showman named James Doolittle leased the theatre. He made it better by adding new seats and improving the backstage area.
From 1975 to 2015, the Nederlander Organization managed the theatre. They made even more improvements. They started having many different types of shows, from modern concerts to classic plays. In 1995, the theatre was made stronger to withstand earthquakes. In 2006, the front of the building was updated for its 75th birthday.
In 2020, the theatre had to cancel its whole season. This was because of the Covid-19 pandemic. That year would have been its 90th anniversary. They also sold some of their old red chairs that were replaced during renovations.
Seating Capacity Over Time
In 1983, the Greek Theatre could hold more people. Its seating capacity grew to 6,187 seats. But after some updates, the number of seats changed. In 1995, it went down to 6,162. Then in 2004, it became 5,700 seats.
In 2009, the Los Angeles Fire Marshal allowed two more rows of seats. This brought the total capacity to 5,870 seated people. For general admission events, it can hold up to 5,900 people.
What the Greek Theatre is Used For Today
The Greek Theatre is a busy place! It is used for many different events. You can go there to see live concerts and stage shows. It also hosts graduation ceremonies for local schools. For example, Thomas Starr King Middle School and John Marshall High School have their graduations there.
The yearly Bell-Jeff Invitational cross country running race also starts right next to the theatre.
Movies and Music Recorded at the Greek Theatre
Many famous concerts and movies have been filmed at the Greek Theatre. Bands like The Go-Go's and Chicago have recorded shows there. Even Ringo Starr and Joe Bonamassa have filmed concerts at this venue.
Movies filmed here include Get Him to the Greek and Bye Bye Birdie. A famous scene from the 2018 movie A Star Is Born, featuring the song "Shallow", was also filmed at the Greek Theatre.
Music artists have recorded live albums here too. Neil Diamond recorded his album Hot August Night in 1972. He came back in 1976 to record Love at the Greek. Parts of that concert were used for a TV special. The band America also recorded their album America Live at the Greek Theatre in 1977.
Images for kids
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Amphitheatre during a concert (c.2019)
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheaters
