Valley Music Theater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Valley Music Theater |
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Valley Music Theater
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| Alternative names | Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Concrete Dome |
| Location | Woodland Hills, California |
| Coordinates | 34°09′59″N 118°34′54″W / 34.166389°N 118.581667°W |
| Completed | 1963 |
| Demolished | 2007 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Wayne Lindsey |
| Architecture firm | Hawkins and Lindsey AIA |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 2865 |
The Valley Music Theater was a special kind of theater in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California. It was known as a "theater-in-the-round," meaning the stage was in the middle, and the audience sat all around it. This modern building could hold 2,865 people. It opened in 1964 and was a popular place for shows. Sadly, the theater was taken down in 2007 to make way for new buildings.
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Building the Valley Music Theater
The Valley Music Theater was built in 1963. Its unique shape was created using a special method. Workers poured concrete over a rounded hill of soil. Once the concrete dried, they dug out the soil from underneath. This left a strong, dome-shaped building.
Famous entertainers Bob Hope and Art Linkletter helped support the theater project. They worked with Cy Warner to make this dream a reality.
Opening Night and Early Success
The theater first opened its doors on July 6, 1964. The very first show was The Sound of Music. In its first year, the theater put on 18 musicals, three comedies, and one drama. It also hosted many concerts. More than 600,000 people came to watch shows that year!
Famous Performers and Shows
Many well-known artists performed at the Valley Music Theater. Some of these included:
- Sammy Davis, Jr.
- Johnny Carson
- Don Rickles
- Woody Allen
- Ray Charles
- Art Linkletter
- Robert Goulet
- Mitzi Gaynor
- Ike & Tina Turner
- Peter, Paul and Mary
- B.B. King
- Lou Rawls
- Three Dog Night
- Jim Croce
- The Spiral Starecase
On February 22, 1967, three famous bands played together there: The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Doors. The theater was even shown in the 1967 movie, The Cool Ones.
What Happened to the Theater?
By 1966, the theater started to face challenges. Over time, the types of shows changed. It went from musicals and plays to rock concerts and even boxing matches. In the 1970s, the building became a Regional Assembly Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses.
In 1968, the front of the theater was used as a set for a TV show called The Invaders. It pretended to be a new electronics lab.
The Theater's Final Years
By 2004, the Jehovah's Witnesses group needed a larger space. They sold the property to a company called JPI. The building was taken down in 2007. JPI planned to build 350 new homes on the land.
However, JPI faced problems with their loan in 2009. The property was then taken over by Bank of America. Later, a new owner, John Stanek, took over the project. He planned to build a mix of shops and homes. Construction began in 2012.
By early 2014, the site became an apartment complex with shops. It was named "The Boulevard" and opened in the spring of 2014.
