John Anson Ford Amphitheatre facts for kids
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| Address | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd E |
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| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°6′49.76″N 118°20′7.9″W / 34.1138222°N 118.335528°W |
| Owner | County of Los Angeles |
| Type | Amphitheatre |
| Capacity | Amphitheatre: 1,200 |
| Opened | 1931 |
The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre is a cool outdoor theater in Los Angeles, California. It's located in the Hollywood Hills area. This big outdoor theater has 1,200 seats. It sits in the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains. The County of Los Angeles owns the Ford Amphitheatre. It is run with help from the Ford Theatre Foundation and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. Since 2020, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has helped manage the Ford.
Contents
History of the Ford Amphitheatre
The First Theater and The Pilgrimage Play
An outdoor theater was first built here in 1920. It was made for a play called "The Pilgrimage Play." The play's writer, Christine Wetherill Stevenson, thought the beautiful Cahuenga Pass was a perfect spot. She bought the land with Mrs. Chauncey D. Clark. This land also included the spot where the Hollywood Bowl is today.
A wooden outdoor theater was built on the site. The play was performed by famous actors every summer. This continued from 1920 to 1929. Sadly, a brush fire destroyed the wooden theater in October 1929.
Rebuilding and a New Name
A new theater was built on the same spot. It was made of concrete and opened in 1931. The design looked like ancient gates of Jerusalem. "The Pilgrimage Play" was performed there again. Only World War II stopped the shows for a short time.
In 1941, the land was given to the County of Los Angeles. The Pilgrimage Play continued until 1964. A lawsuit stopped the play because it was religious.
In 1976, the Pilgrimage Theatre got a new name. It became the John Anson Ford Theatre. This honored John Anson Ford (1883–1983). He was an LA County Supervisor who strongly supported the arts. John Anson Ford helped start the LA County Arts Commission. He also helped the County get Descanso Gardens.
The theater has 1,200 seats. An 87-seat indoor theater was built below it in 1971. These spaces were used for different shows. These included Shakespeare plays, jazz concerts, and dance. In 1993, former County Supervisor Ed Edelman helped bring the theater back to life. This led to the Ford Amphitheatre Summer Season. He also got money to improve the building.
Modern Updates: The Ford Theatres Project
Starting in 2014, the Ford Theatres began big renovations. These updates would improve the historic theater. They also added new facilities and features. After two years of work, the Ford reopened in 2016. This finished the first part of the Ford Theatres Project.
Summer Season and Community Programs
The Ford's summer season has a special program. It helps local music, dance, and theater groups. These groups can perform in a major venue. Groups apply and are chosen through a contest. They get help with tickets, production, and marketing. They also keep most of the money from ticket sales. This program has supported many local arts groups since 1993.
The Ford Theatres offers a wide variety of shows. These include music, dance, theater, films, and family events. They show the many different communities in Los Angeles County. Besides the partnership program, the summer season has other events. There's a series of shows with artists from around the world. There's also a series of shows for families. Plus, there are interactive art events. These happen at the amphitheater and other places in the County.
