Home to Hollywood, Los Angeles is packed with extraordinary theatres, boasting plays, ballet and even immersive dramas where you’re the jury.
Photo: Christian Dionne, Wiki Commons
Step into the spotlight at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre or the Tony Award-winning Pasadena Playhouse because LA is a world-class destination for Broadway musicals and historic theater tours! From the Ahmanson Theatre’s pre-Broadway runs to the sensory-friendly magic of the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center, here’s our guide to the city’s most iconic stages.
Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Hollywood
Andreas Praefcke, Wiki Commons
The Hollywood Pantages Theatre is a breathtaking Art Deco landmark and the premier destination for Broadway. This historic venue features an opulent 1930s interior that has been meticulously restored to its original luxury. Today, it serves as a cornerstone of the city’s entertainment scene, hosting the highest-grossing national tours of blockbuster musicals like Hamilton and Wicked.
The Ahmanson Theatre, Downtown L.A.
Visitor7, Wiki Commons
As one of the four main stages of the Los Angeles Music Center, it is renowned for hosting a prestigious mix of pre-Broadway runs, major touring musicals, and classic dramas. The theater features a sophisticated, adjustable seating configuration that allows it to transition from an intimate 1,600-seat space for plays to a grand 2,084-seat auditorium for large-scale productions.
Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center, Cheviot Hills
This 300-seat venue was reimagined by AUX Architecture to serve as both a professional performance space and a therapeutic sanctuary for children of all abilities. The building is celebrated for its innovative “glowing” translucent facade and its commitment to total inclusivity, offering a sensory-friendly environment designed to accommodate neurodiverse audiences and performers.
The theater also hosts The Jury Experience: an immersive production where actors perform a mock-trial and the audience serves as the jury, voting on the outcome.
Geffen Playhouse, Westwood Village
Minnaert, Wiki Commons
Originally serving as a Masonic clubhouse before transitioning into a world-class theater known for its intimate atmosphere and high-caliber productions. The playhouse features two distinct stages, the larger Gil Cates Theater and the more experimental Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, both of which host a wide variety of premieres and reimagined classics that frequently feature notable talent from the film and television industry.
The Pasadena Playhouse, Playhouse Village
JuanKenobi, Wiki Commons
This 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece is a 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award winner, celebrated for its historic “Star Factory” reputation and its commitment to world-class premieres and bold revivals. Its stunning open-air courtyard and proximity to local icons like Vroman’s Bookstore make it the architectural and artistic anchor of downtown Pasadena.
Nocturne Theatre, Downtown Glendale
This intimate venue is housed in a beautifully preserved 1920s building that originally served as a community playhouse and cinema. Today, it is recognized for its immersive atmosphere and its role as a vibrant home for local performing arts, including Ballet of Lights with fibre-optic costumes reinterpreting classic fairytales.
The Mark Taper Forum, Downtown L.A.
Andreas Praefcke, Wiki Commons
Celebrated for its radical “thrust stage” design, the 739-seat venue ensures that no audience member is more than 30 feet from the stage, creating an intense and immersive environment for contemporary drama. Since its opening in 1967, the Taper has become a powerhouse for new American plays, famously serving as the launching pad for Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpieces like Angels in America and Kentucky Cycle.
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills
Jengod, Wiki Commons
This sprawling center occupies the site of the historic 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office, which was meticulously restored and expanded to house two distinct theater spaces: the intimate Lovelace Studio Theater and the grand 500-seat Bram Goldsmith Theater. Known for its world-class programming, the center hosts a wide array of performances ranging from contemporary dance and theater to classical music and lectures, often featuring renowned international artists.