Address | 4773 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, California United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 34°06′07″N118°17′39″W / 34.1020°N 118.2942°W |
Owner | CFI |
Construction | |
Opened | 2003 |
Architect | Richard Ramer |
Website | |
steveallentheater |
The Steve Allen Theater at the Center for Inquiry in Hollywood, California, was a 99-seat theater which was developed by founding artistic director Amit Itelman. [1] Moved to The Carl Sagan & Ann Druyan Theater.
The Center for Inquiry is a nonprofit group founded by Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov to promote science and secular humanism. When paranormal investigator James Underdown became the executive director of CFI West in 2003, he named the theater after Center for Inquiry supporter and television personality Steve Allen and offered Itelman an opportunity to define an artistic vision for the space. [1]
According to the LA Weekly cover story Why Theater Matters - “Itelman has booked interdisciplinary acts (music, comedy and theater) that strike a particularly brainy and idiosyncratic chord." [2] "A kind of theater that bounces off the walls." [3] As described by the Los Angeles Times "Theater of the Absurd, Itelman's artistic credo reflects CFI's mission of 'not accepting things as they are' an unlikely lab for some of the freshest, strangest work in town...The bar for eccentricity may be pretty high in Hollywood, but the Steve Allen Theater clears it easily". [4]
In an interview with director Jon Schnepp he states that Metalocalypse began with small sketches "like 'George Fisher (Cannibal Corpse vocalist) Goes to the Hospital' developed at The Steve Allen Theater. [5]
Aye Jay Carny Trash - An exploration of the carnival underworld by carny Aye Jay. Directed by Amit Itelman. [4]
The Beastly Bombing - Award-winning controversial Edwardian musical about fundamentalism. Book, lyrics and direction by Julien Nitzberg. Music by Roger Neill. Produced with Rorry Daniels. Toured to New York and Amsterdam. [6]
Borcht Belt Babies - Vaudeville revival show featuring descendants of actual vaudeville stars. Hosted by Janet Klein. Directed by Amit Itelman [7]
The Church of Satan’s Black Mass - The first ever public Satanic ritual on the 40th anniversary of Anton Lavey’s church. Directed by Amit Itelman [6]
Cartoon Dump - Mystery Science Theater’s Frank Connif and film historian Jerry Beck’s variety show featuring the worst of animation history. Co-Hosted by Erica Doering. [8]
Claire and Josh Hate Themselves but Love Each Other - written and starring Josh Fadem and Claire Tittleman. [4]
Clown Town City Limits - The dark side of the clowns. Avante Guard Vaudeville. Written and performed by Jim Turner, Mark Fite and David Allen Gruber, Craig Anton. Written by Joel Madison, Dale Goodson and Bob Rucker. Directed by John Ferrara [9]
Dueling Harps with Adam Dugas - Veteran performance artist Ann Magnuson shows featuring two classical harpists. [10]
Hollywood Hellhouse - A two story haunted house which was the first time a Hell house was presented to a secular audience. Produced with Becky Thyre, Maggie Rowe and Jill Soloway. Directed by Maggie Rowe and Jill Soloway, haunted house directed by Amit Itelman. Inspired New York production a year later. [11]
Mary Lynn Spreads Her Legs - Mary Lynn Rajskub dark comedy about postpartum depression. Directed by Amit Itelman. [12]
Max Maven Thinking in Person, an Evening of Knowing and not Knowing - Mentalist Max Maven’s first full length show. Directed by Amit Itelman. Toured to Japan, and Europe. [13]
Nevermore - Jeffrey Combs portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe. Written by Dennis Paoli. Directed by Stuart Gordon [14]
Playing with Micucci - Kate Micucci in a one woman show featuring music, comedy and guest. Directed by Ron Lynch. [15]
Re Animator the Musical - Cult hit based on Lovecraft lore featuring audience blood "splash zone". Directed by Stuart Gordon. Music lyrics by Mark Nutter. Book by Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Morris. Produced by Dean Shramm [16]
Resbox - Experimental music showcase curated by Hans Fjellestad. [17]
The Secret World of Human Science - Multi-media variety show written and hosted by avant-garde filmmaker ZZalgern0n about odd science. Directed by Ron Lynch. [18]
The Shredder - Comedian Emo Philips shreds jokes that don't get a laugh, never to perform them again. [19]
Things We Don't Understand and Are Definitely Not Going To Talk About - Miranda July’s multi-media performance piece. [20]
Tomorrow Show - Cult Midnight Comedy show originally hosted by Craig Anton, Ron Lynch and Brendon Small, then helmed by Ron Lynch. This staple of Los Angeles comedy launched Kate Micucci's career and features vignettes by the Doorknockers. [21]
The Idiots - A Comedy about Watson and Crick launched the theater's first season. Written and Starring Ron Lynch and Craig Anton. [1]
The Art of Bleeding – A night of experimental theater in which the audience experienced the sights and sounds of an actual medical emergency. Created and Produced by Al Ridenour. Special guests included Margaret Cho, Danny Shorago, Satanica, Los Ninos De La Tierra. [22]
The Vampira Show – A Tribute Show and Fund Rasier hosted by Dana Gould for actress Maila Nurmi (Aka Vampira). Proceeds from the show went to a Fund to get Nurmi interred in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. [23]
Eban Schletter’s Witching Hour – Eban Schletter, composer for the show SpongeBob SquarePants , put on a live version of his debut Halloween album Witching Hour. Starring Dave Foley, Paul F. Tompkins, Tom Kinney, Samm Levine, Grant Lee Phillips, Kris McGaha, Scott Aukerman and many more. [24]
Girly Magazine Party – 1970s late night cable access show à la Playboy After Dark starring a plethora of rotating performers including Jim Turner, Mark Fite, Craig Anton, Music by Andy Paley, and many more. [24]
The Rudy Casoni Variety Show – Rat Pack review hosted by Toby Huss. Music by Andy Paley & The Dago 5. Performers include Tom Lennon and Ben Garant, Billy the Mime, The Lampshades, Pat Healy, and Mark Fite. [25]
Maja Doust – The self-proclaimed White Witch of Los Angeles,from the Philosophical Research Society, performed as an Oracle and answered various, deep audience questions about life, death, love, and the universe. [26]
Supersmall – A benefit for "The 21st ChromosHome" project to help create a special needs community for people with Down Syndrome. Performers included Peter Hayes (of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), The Lampshades, Two-Headed Dog, Erin Quigly, and many other contributors. [27]
The Whitest Kids U' Know – The NY based Sketch Comedy group debuted their first feature film, The Civil War on Drugs. [28]
Robochrist Industries - Christian Ristow and his maniacal misfits of metal and mayhem presented actual live Robotic warfare (actual giant mobile robots destroying stuff) in the parking lot at the Steve Allen. [29]
For the Glory of Steel - The Society for Creative Anachronism brought a night of contact Medieval battle in full-on armor. With guest metal band, Crom. [30]
The Car Plays – Moving Arts Theater Company presented fifteen ten-minute pieces in actual cars. Multiple directors included Moving Arts artistic producer Paul Nicolai Stein. [31]
The Unholy Three - Magic cabaret trio featuring David Lovering, Rob Zabrecky, and Fitzgerald performed their exclusive Magic Castle mystery revue with live piano accompaniment by Brad Kay. [32]
2 Headed Dog - a four-man comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, composed of comedians Jim Turner, Mark Fite, Craig Anton, and Dave Allen. [33]
The Steve Allen Theater is the Los Angeles home for The Kids in the Hall Canadian sketch comedy group. [34] [35] Multiple performances include their Reunion, [4] Reading of Pilot Episode, [34] Premier of Death Comes to Town, Premiere of Grand Guignol short, the Final Kiss starring Dave Foley and Scott Thompson and Directed by Amit Itelman. [34] Solo shows by Bruce McCulloch, [36] Kevin McDonald and Scott Thompson. [37] The Tribute, a musical directed by Dave Foley.
Cronenberg Retrospective, featuring the Los Angeles premier of At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the World in the Last Cinema in the World . [38] Horror Drive In Movie Series (Drive in technology by Eric Kurland of Hollywood MobMov [39] ) - Human Are Such Easy Prey drive-in, [40] Masters of Horror drive-in, curated by Mick Garris. [41]
Tobe Hooper’s lost first feature, Eggshells, [42] An American Hippie in Israel, Grindhouse release of lost hippie film featured performance by Nashville garage band The Ettes. [43]
Janet Klein - Naughty, lovely and obscure musical gems. Film historian Jerry Beck presents rare vintage 16mm short films to open the show. [44] John Doe & Rancid – Founder of Legendary band X, John Doe, featuring an acoustic set with Rancid. [45] Salty Songs and Gilded Gab – Rockabilly Legend, Phil Alvin (of The Blasters) & Marquis Howell (of Hobo Jazz & Janet Klein's Parlor Boys) present a night of acoustic roots music. [46] Hollywood Hotshots – An evening of hot upstairs Jazz special guests have included Victoria Jackson and Seth MacFarlane. [47] Soriah Tuvan throat singing and Indonesian Shadow Puppet Theater. [48] The Bilgewater Brothers – Jug band Jazz performed by David Barlia and John Reynolds. [49] Headless Hearsemen - Surf band black light performance of headless musicians. [50] The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn - with Dave Lovering, Amit Itelman and Oscar Rey. [51] Tulsa Skull Swingers – Stomp Surf band featuring Craig Anton, Blaine Capatch, Amit Itelman, Ron Lynch, and the Poubelle Twins. [52] Faun Fables – Faun Fables is a psychedelic, folk band and performance art trio including Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl. [53] Becky Stark – Lavender Diamond front woman variety show featured Miranda July, Josh Fadem, Ron Regé Jr., and more. [54]
In March 2017, the Center for Inquiry board announced it accepted an offer to sell the theater and surrounding property. The new owner announced its plan to demolish the current structures on the site and construct a housing complex. [55] The last performance was a gala on November 3 called The Last Night of the Steve Allen Theater that featured approximately 20 performers who recreated scenes from previous productions. [56]
The Groundlings is an American improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school based in Los Angeles. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin, whose improvisational theater techniques were taught by Del Close and other members of the Second City, located in Chicago and later St. Louis. They used these techniques to produce sketches and improvised scenes. Its name is taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III, Scene II: "...to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumbshows and noise." In 1975 the troupe purchased and moved into its current location on Melrose Avenue.
Milton French-Stewart IV is an American actor, best known for playing Harry Solomon on the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. He also played Chef Rudy on the CBS sitcom Mom.
Craig Ward Anton is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his roles as Mr. Pettus in Lizzie McGuire and Lloyd Diffy in Phil of the Future.
Brad Stephen "Taylor" Negron was an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Milo in the 1991 buddy cop action comedy film The Last Boy Scout.
Fellowship! is a musical parody stage play based on The Fellowship of the Ring and Peter Jackson's 2001 film adaptation of it. The book was written by Kelly Holden-Bashar and Joel McCrary with music by Allen Simpson. Lyrics and additional material by Brian D. Bradley, Lisa Fredrickson, Kelly Holden-Bashar, Joel McCrary, Edi Patterson, Steve Purnick, Cory Rouse, Allen Simpson, Ryan Smith, Peter Allen Vogt and Matthew Stephen Young. The musical was first performed at the El Portal Forum Theater in North Hollywood, California.
Robert Zabrecky is an American actor, author, magician, and songwriter. His career began as a musician while being the front man for the band Possum Dixon. In the later years of his career, he has found success as a magician, actor, and author.
Delferd Lynn Shores is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.
Ron Lynch is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He has appeared in a number of movies and television shows, including Corporate, Corpse Tub, Another Period, Dope State, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and Portlandia. He has worked as a voice actor for several animated shows, including Home Movies, Bob's Burgers, and Tom Goes to the Mayor, and has made guest appearances on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, The Sarah Silverman Program, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Adventure Time, and Star vs the Forces of Evil.
Kate Micucci is an American actress, comedian, and musician who is half of the musical comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates. Some of her roles include Stephanie Gooch in Scrubs, Ally in 'Til Death, Shelley in Raising Hope, Lucy in The Big Bang Theory, Sadie Miller in Steven Universe, Sara Murphy in Milo Murphy's Law, Daisy in Nature Cat, Clayface in The Lego Batman Movie, Velma Dinkley in Scooby-Doo since 2015, Webby Vanderquack in DuckTales, and Dr. Fox in Unikitty!
Garfunkel and Oates is an American comedy folk duo consisting of actresses Riki Lindhome, who performs as Garfunkel, and Kate Micucci, who performs as Oates. Their fast-paced songs typically combine raunchy observational comedy with sweet-sounding melodies and vocals. The duo was formed in 2007 in Los Angeles after Lindhome and Micucci met during an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. They began releasing songs on YouTube in 2007, becoming popular through the website. Garfunkel and Oates' debut studio album, All Over Your Face, was released in 2011, while their second studio album, Slippery When Moist (2012), topped the Billboard Comedy Albums chart. They released their third studio album, Secretions, in 2015.
The Steve Allen Playhouse was a vaudeville and film theater in Hollywood, California. Located at 1228 North Vine Street, on the corner of La Mirada, it was originally named the La Mirada Theatre, and later the Filmarte Theatre.
Mark Elliott Fite is an American actor and comedian.
The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in prime time television programming from June 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011, were held on Sunday, September 18, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Fox televised the ceremony within the United States. Jane Lynch hosted the Emmys for the first time. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony was held on September 10.
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a 2013 American comedy film directed by Don Scardino and written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, based on a story by Chad Kultgen and Tyler Mitchell, along with Daley and Goldstein. The film follows Las Vegas magician Burt Wonderstone as he attempts to reunite with his former partner Anton Marvelton to take on dangerous street magician Steve Gray. It also features Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, and James Gandolfini in his final film appearance during his lifetime.
Rogue Machine Theatre (RMT) is a Los Angeles based theatre company dedicated to the production of new plays and plays new to Los Angeles. They currently run a seven- to eight-month season at The Electric Lodge in Venice, having moved there after several years at the MET Theatre in Hollywood. The founding Artistic Director is John Perrin Flynn. Since its foundation in 2008, RMT has won multiple awards, including an Ovation Award for excellence in theatre, LA Weekly Theater Awards and Back Stage Garland Awards. In 2008, Terry Morgan at Variety (magazine) described RMT as "one of the most ambitious and accomplished theatre companies in LA".
Re-Animator: The Musical is an American musical stage-play based on the 1985 film Re-Animator which was adapted from the stories by H.P. Lovecraft. First performed in 2011 at The Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles, California, the show won several awards including the LA Weekly award for Best Musical. One critic for Variety praised it, saying "not since 'Little Shop of Horrors' has a screamfest tuner so deftly balanced seriousness and camp."
The Sacred Fools Theater Company is a Los Angeles-based theatre company and nonprofit organization. Founded in January 1997, it's a member organization of the LA Stage Alliance.
Garfunkel and Oates is an American comedy television series created by and starring Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci, members of the titular musical duo. The series aired from August 7 through September 25, 2014, on IFC. On March 3, 2015, IFC decided not to renew the series for a second season.
2 Headed Dog is a four-man comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, composed of comedians Jim Turner, Mark Fite, Craig Anton, and Dave Allen.
Trepany House is a 501(c)3 Arts Organization founded by Amit Itelman in 2012. From its inception, it has been housed at the Steve Allen Theater within the Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles property.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(help)