A National Register landmark since 1996, Glendale's Alex Theatre opened in 1925 as a movie palace. Since 2021, Artistic Director Miles Williams has reimagined it as an inclusive home for independent and global artists overlooked by mainstream promoters.
-- The Alex Theatre is having a moment. When Miles Williams took over as Artistic Director of the historic Glendale venue in late 2021, he set out to transform the 1925 movie palace into something it had never been before — something different, a place for everyone. A place where independent artists outside the mainstream are treated with equal value and given equal access to the stage. Shows overlooked by corporate promoters but cherished by the many diverse audiences of greater Los Angeles.
In his first two years at the helm, the Alex hosted artists from Peru, Spain, Iran, Armenia, El Salvador, France, Mexico, China, Ukraine, Japan, India, the Philippines, the UK, Argentina, and Cuba — all to the delight of LA's expat communities and the global arts lovers in its midst. The mission is both unique and necessary: a theatre for misfit shows, a venue where audiences of every background and ethnicity are valued, and where everyone can celebrate the artists and music that resonate within them. Instead of gate-keeping, the Alex creates community — inviting, inclusive, and dramatically diverse.
That vision is built on a storied foundation. The Alex opened in 1925 as the Alexander Theatre and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996. Its silhouette is defined by a 100-foot Art Deco neon tower, added in 1940 by renowned architect S. Charles Lee, and a $6.5 million restoration returned it to service as a performing arts center in 1993. Preservation efforts have earned the Theatre of the Year award from the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation and a 2017 Preservation Award from the Glendale Historical Society.
With 1,400 seats, the Alex has long drawn national productions to its stage, from the RuPaul's Drag Race season 9 finale to episodes of "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" with David Letterman. Under Williams, that programming has expanded in bold new directions — including the venue's recent move into first-run 70mm film, a premium presentation rarely available outside a handful of theatres nationwide.
Blending century-old grandeur with a boundary-pushing artistic vision, the Alex Theatre under Miles Williams continues to redefine what a historic movie palace can be. Season details and tickets are available at https://www.thealex.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Miles Williams
Email: Send Email
Organization: The Alex Theatre
Address: 216 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203, United States
Phone: +1-818-254-8458
Website: https://www.thealex.com/
Source: PressCable
Release ID: 89195586
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