Mayan Theater
The Mayan Theater is a historic Los Angeles performance venue known for its preserved Mayan Revival architecture and long transition from movie palace to nightclub and live-music venue.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The Mayan Theater is a landmark entertainment venue in downtown Los Angeles, California. Opened in August 1927, it was built during the golden age of American movie palaces and theaters, but its original identity was oriented toward live performance rather than solely film exhibition. The venue specialized in musical comedy and hosted the world premiere of Little Orchid Annie, a production by Hadley Waters and Charles Beahan, on April 4, 1929, with Ruth Taylor in the title role. The theater also became part of Los Angeles's African American entertainment history. Producer Leon Hefflin Sr. rented the Mayan with business partner Curtis Mosby for Sweet N' Hot, promoted as a major all-Black musical production. Dorothy Dandridge was among the featured performers. The production ran for eleven weeks, received favorable attention, and was reported in newspapers across the United States, with plans for a New York engagement. Architecturally, the Mayan is one of the best-known examples of late-1920s Mayan Revival design in Los Angeles. Stiles O. Clements of the firm Morgan, Walls & Clements designed the building, while sculptor Francisco Cornejo created the stylized pre-Columbian figures and decorative elements on the façade. Interior features include the preserved lobby known as the Hall of Feathered Serpents, an auditorium chandelier inspired by the Aztec calendar stone, and an original fire curtain depicting Mayan jungles and temples. Much of the ornamental character survived later changes in use, helping the building retain its historic identity. From 1971 through 1989, the property was owned by pornographic filmmaker Carlos Tobalina and, during the 1980s, was used to show adult films. In 1990, the venue was converted into a nightclub and music venue. That use connected the Mayan to touring concerts, filmed performances, music videos, and popular-culture productions. The building appeared in films including Playing by Heart, Sally of the Scandals, The Bodyguard, Save the Tiger, Unlawful Entry, Rock 'n' Roll High School, and A Night at the Roxbury. The Pointer Sisters filmed the video for their hit song Neutron Dance at the venue, while the first season of GLOW and New Kids on the Block's Hangin' Tough Live concert video also used the theater as a location. In 2022, Daft Punk streamed a recording associated with its 1997 Daftendirektour performance at the Mayan. The Mayan is designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Its brand value is therefore closely tied to the combination of historic architecture, downtown location, nightlife, concert programming, and screen appearances. On July 14, 2025, it was announced that the then-current tenant intended to close permanently by the end of September after approximately 35 years as a nightclub. In December 2025, Mike Joher, identified in the supplied reference as the owner of Anaheim's HEAT Ultra Lounge, announced plans connected with purchasing the Mayan and reopening it as a nightclub and music venue in January 2026. Because the supplied material does not establish whether the transaction and reopening were completed, the venue's present operating status remains uncertain.
History
The Mayan Theater opened in August 1927 in downtown Los Angeles during a period when elaborate theatrical buildings were central to urban entertainment. Although it later became widely associated with nightlife and concerts, its early identity was that of a performance arts theater specializing in musical comedy. The building was designed by Stiles O. Clements of Morgan, Walls & Clements, with sculptural and decorative work by Francisco Cornejo. Its Mayan Revival design used stylized pre-Columbian motifs to create an exotic architectural spectacle, a popular form of theatrical expression in the late 1920s. The theater hosted the world premiere of Little Orchid Annie on April 4, 1929. The musical comedy was created by Hadley Waters and Charles Beahan, with Ruth Taylor in the title role. The Mayan also hosted Sweet N' Hot, an all-Black musical produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. and Curtis Mosby. Dorothy Dandridge was a featured performer. The production ran for eleven weeks, attracted positive reviews, and received coverage from newspapers around the country; contemporary reporting indicated that it was intended to continue to New York. The building's interior retained much of its original ornamental character. Its lobby, known as the Hall of Feathered Serpents, forms a dramatic entrance, while the auditorium includes a chandelier based on the Aztec calendar stone. The original fire curtain used imagery of Mayan jungles and temples. These elements, together with the façade's sculpted figures and geometric patterns, made the property an important surviving example of Mayan Revival theater design. Between 1971 and 1989, the theater was owned by pornographic filmmaker Carlos Tobalina. During the 1980s, it showed pornographic films, representing a significant departure from its original performance-oriented role. In 1990, it entered another major phase when it became a nightclub and music venue. The nightclub era brought concerts, dance-oriented events, and broader use by touring performers, while the building's distinctive interiors made it attractive to film and television producers. The Mayan has served as a location for numerous screen productions, including Playing by Heart, Sally of the Scandals, The Bodyguard, Save the Tiger, Unlawful Entry, Rock 'n' Roll High School, and A Night at the Roxbury. It was also used for the Pointer Sisters' Neutron Dance music video, appeared in the first season of GLOW, and provided the setting for a New Kids on the Block Hangin' Tough performance filmed on June 5, 1989, later released as Hangin' Tough Live on VHS. In 2022, Daft Punk streamed a recording of a show associated with its 1997 Daftendirektour at the Mayan. The Mayan's historic importance was recognized through its designation as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. The venue's continued use as a nightclub and music space allowed the historic structure to remain part of Los Angeles's active entertainment landscape rather than functioning solely as a preserved architectural object. On July 14, 2025, the current tenant announced plans to close permanently by the end of September 2025 after roughly three and a half decades of nightclub operation. In December 2025, Mike Joher, described in the supplied reference as the owner of HEAT Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, announced plans associated with purchasing the Mayan and reopening it as a nightclub and music venue in January 2026. The supplied sources do not confirm whether the purchase or reopening occurred, so the venue's current status should be treated as unverified.
- 2025
Tenant announces closure
[1]The current tenant announces that the nightclub operation will end by late September.
- 2025
Proposed acquisition and reopening
[1]Mike Joher announces plans to purchase the venue and reopen it as a nightclub and music venue in January 2026.
- 2022
Daft Punk recording is streamed
[1]Daft Punk streams a recording associated with its 1997 Daftendirektour show at the Mayan.
- 1990
Conversion to nightclub and music venue
[1]The Mayan begins its long-running modern phase as a nightclub and live-music venue while retaining much of its historic ornament.
- 1980
Adult-film exhibition period
[1]During the 1980s, the theater is used to show pornographic films.
- 1971
Carlos Tobalina becomes owner
[1]Pornographic filmmaker Carlos Tobalina begins a period of ownership that continues through 1989.
- 1929
Little Orchid Annie premieres
[1]Hadley Waters and Charles Beahan's Little Orchid Annie receives its world premiere at the Mayan on April 4, with Ruth Taylor in the title role.
- 1929
Sweet N' Hot is presented at the venue
[1]Leon Hefflin Sr. and Curtis Mosby present the all-Black musical Sweet N' Hot, featuring Dorothy Dandridge, for an eleven-week run.
- 1927
The Mayan Theater opens
[1]The theater opens in August 1927 in downtown Los Angeles as a performance arts venue specializing in musical comedy.
Products and positioning
A historic downtown Los Angeles entertainment venue combining Mayan Revival architecture, nightlife, live music, cultural heritage, and film-location appeal.
Nightlife · 1990
Nightclub events
The Mayan's post-1990 identity has centered on nightclub programming, using its historic auditorium and ornate interior as an entertainment setting. The venue's future nightclub activity was the subject of a proposed reopening plan announced in 2025, although completion was not confirmed in the supplied material.
Live entertainment · 1990
Live music and concerts
The theater has operated as a music venue for touring performances and filmed concerts. Its stage, auditorium, and distinctive architecture have supported both in-person programming and recorded performances, including the New Kids on the Block Hangin' Tough production and a Daft Punk recording associated with the Daftendirektour.
Events
Historic venue rentals
The Mayan's preserved Mayan Revival interiors and downtown location make it suitable for private functions, special events, and other venue-rental uses. Specific current rental terms and availability are not established in the supplied sources.
Production locations
Film and television location services
The building has been used as a location for feature films, television productions, music videos, and concert recordings. Its ornamental lobby, auditorium, and theatrical façade provide a visually distinctive setting for productions requiring a historic or exotic-revival environment.
Brand decisions
2025
Planned closure of the existing nightclub operationStrategyBackground
The current tenant announced that its long-running operation would end after approximately 35 years.
Action taken
The tenant announced a permanent closure targeted for the end of September 2025.
Aftermath
The venue's operating future became uncertain pending a possible ownership change and reopening plan.
2025
Proposed purchase and reopening under Mike JoherM&ABackground
Following the announced closure, Mike Joher, associated with HEAT Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, announced plans involving the purchase of the historic theater.
Action taken
Joher announced an intention to reopen the Mayan as a nightclub and music venue in January 2026.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not verify completion of the acquisition or the proposed reopening.
1990
Conversion into a nightclub and music venueStrategyBackground
After earlier use as a movie and adult-film theater, the property entered a new operating phase centered on nightlife and live entertainment.
Action taken
The Mayan was converted into a nightclub and music venue while preserving much of its historic decorative fabric.
Aftermath
The venue remained associated with concerts, nightlife, filmed performances, and popular-culture productions for approximately 35 years.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/mayan-theater · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled