Los Angeles venue, the Ahmanson offers comedy, drama, delights!

The Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles is in the artful Music Center complex.

Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch charmed a sell-out Ahmanson crowd for"The Sunshine Boys." 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

A PLAY AT the Ahmanson Theater in downtown Los Angeles is always an event!

We dress up.  We  like matinees so we make an afternoon of it then carry the revels over into evening with dinner out or at a friend's home.
  We revel in the productions, analyze the performances, have a glass or two of wine and linger outside, savoring the atmosphere -- recently vocal jazz buskers -- an a capella soloist and a fantastic trio singing "Stand By Me" and other classics.

Danny DeVito played
the Ahmanson recently,
and, below, Cookie enjoys. 

THE AHMANSON is part of Center Theatre Group, which includes three venues:  The Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre.  The Ahmanson is big and appealing with a bucket load of fine seats.  Ours - in mid orchestra -- have been excellent for a variety of productions in the two years we've subscribed.  We've seen a brilliant production of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," a snappy "Anything Goes," a stunning production of "Over the Rainbow," with Tony nominated Tracy Bennett channeling Judy Garland.
We've enjoyed both drama and comedy with casts large and small.  Always we appreciate the venue.

The Center Theatre Group's pretty space attracts
theater goers to the Mark Taper or Ahmanson. 

We just saw the season opener, "The Sunshine Boys" with Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch.  It was the run's final performance, and brought the house down.

THE AHMANSON has variable seating and a proscenium stage, allowing capacity from 1,600 to 2,000.  Both small-cast productions and larger than life musicals can be accommodated in this versatile venue.  Unusual touring productions are also featured, including the upcoming "A Word or Two," crafted by the splendid actor Christopher Plummer.

A theater-goer photographs the Ahmanson's
lovely fountain and sculpture.

OSCAR WINNER Plummer will star in his own personal homage to language written and arranged by
Plummer and directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff at the Ahmanson.

Christopher
Plummer
is coming!

Plummer, who confesses to being “hooked on the intoxication of words,” spent much of his time growing up in Montreal reading Ben Jonson, George Bernard Shaw, Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, Lord Byron, Dylan Thomas, W.H. Auden and Stephen Leacock and others. His take on these literary giants journeys from childhood to old age. I won't miss this opportunity to hear and see one of the great actors of our time.  This show will likely sell out, so book soon. (For more, go to CentereTheatreGroup.org or call 213 628-2772.

SLATED FOR the upcoming subscription season,  the Ahmanson's diverse slate includes "Porgy and Bess," "Peter and the Starcatcher" and "We Will Rock You." Next door, the Mark Taper Forum, with 739 seats, is also in the Music Center and part of the three-stage Center Theatre Group. The intimate Kirk Douglas theatre, with only 317 seats, is the third part of Center Theatre Group, located in downtown Culver City.

The Fox is now the ABT.

The once and former Fox, circa 1931.

COMING UP: In Montana, the Alberta Bair Theater almost didn't exist. Now it's the region's largest performing arts venue.  The once grand Fox could have been a parking lot or yet another bank, but for a grassroots effort. That story, next up! Remember to explore, learn and live, and read us Wednesdays and Saturdays at www.whereiscookie.com