Saban Theatre

Saban Theatre is a historic theatre at the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Hamilton Drive in Beverly Hills, California. The venue opened on September 19, 1930, as the Fox Wilshire Theatre, a major movie palace associated with 20th Century Fox. It was designed by theatre architect S. Charles Lee, whose work helped shape the transition from the French Regency influences of the late 1920s toward the Art Deco vocabulary that became prominent in American theatre architecture during the 1930s. The original building was conceived as a large film-presentation house with approximately 2,500 seats and a stage capable of accommodating vaudeville acts before or alongside motion-picture programs. Its interior retained many of the defining characteristics of a classic Los Angeles movie palace, including a two-story columned rotunda lobby, orchestra and balcony seating, and a decorative proscenium incorporating silver, gold, and black elements. Later renovations reduced the practical capacity to approximately 2,000 seats while preserving much of the historic interior. For several decades the Fox Wilshire functioned as a prominent first-run cinema and premiere venue. It hosted major film engagements and special presentations, including screenings of The African Queen, How to Marry a Millionaire, 12 Angry Men, and Sleeping Beauty. In 1981, a substantial renovation shifted the building's principal use from movie exhibition to live stage entertainment. The Nederlander Organization operated the venue from 1981 to 1989, during a period when it was used for concerts, theatrical productions, touring shows, and other stage events. The theatre was renamed Saban Theatre in 2009 after Haim and Cheryl Saban provided a reported $5 million grant supporting restoration of the orchestra, proscenium, and marquee. Temple of the Arts, which has owned and operated the building since 2005, uses the venue for arts and Judaism-related programming in addition to commercial entertainment. The theatre is also used for concerts, comedy, television tapings, film shoots, screenings, film-festival events, award programs, and community and intercultural gatherings such as PaleyFest. Preservation work has been associated with the Beverly Hills Performing Arts Center, which advocated for local historic-preservation measures and recognition of the theatre at federal, state, and municipal levels. Restoration specialists EverGreene Architectural Arts worked with historic documentation, including material from the S. Charles Lee archives at the UCLA School of Architecture, to guide work on the orchestra and proscenium. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 2012. Modern venue management has expanded the theatre's capabilities beyond traditional concerts and stage shows. In cooperation with Sterling Venue Ventures, the venue upgraded stage, lighting, audio, and video infrastructure, including robotic cameras for recording live performances. The building can also support private events for groups of up to approximately 1,800 people. A film-oriented facility called the Steve Tisch Cinema Center was established through an endowment from film producer and philanthropist Steve Tisch, enabling installation of modern projection equipment and supporting premieres, festival openings, and special screenings. Today, Saban Theatre operates as a multi-purpose historic venue rather than as a conventional cinema chain. Its programming combines touring music acts, comedy, theatre, television and film production, screenings, cultural events, and private functions. Its significance rests both on its continuing role in Los Angeles entertainment and on the survival of a substantially intact 1930 movie-palace interior.

Saban Theatre opened on September 19, 1930, as the Fox Wilshire Theatre. Architect S. Charles Lee designed the building as a major film palace with roughly 2,500 seats, a stage for vaudeville, and an elaborate Art Deco interior. Its location on Wilshire Boulevard made it part of the entertainment and architectural landscape of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. During its first decades, the theatre operated as one of 20th Century Fox's important presentation houses. It hosted first-run engagements, premieres, and special screenings, including The African Queen in 1951, How to Marry a Millionaire in 1953, 12 Angry Men in 1957, and Sleeping Beauty in 1959. The venue's large auditorium, balcony, proscenium, and ceremonial lobby were typical of the era's movie-palace design, while its connection to Lee provides architectural significance beyond its role as a cinema. A major renovation in 1981 converted the building into a stage-oriented venue. The Nederlander Organization operated it between 1981 and 1989, after which the theatre continued to accommodate concerts, touring theatrical productions, and other live events. The building has also been used for television production, film shoots, comedy, cultural programs, and screenings. Stevie Nicks's White Winged Dove tour was filmed there for an HBO special in 1981. Temple of the Arts has owned and operated the theatre since 2005. In March 2009, the owners announced the Saban Theatre name in recognition of a reported $5 million grant from Haim and Cheryl Saban. The money supported restoration of the orchestra, proscenium, and marquee. The venue also became a home for Temple of the Arts programming, which connects performing arts with Jewish cultural and religious life. Preservation advocates from the Beverly Hills Performing Arts Center helped promote local historic-preservation measures, including a Beverly Hills preservation ordinance and Mills Act-related support for historic theatres. The organization also supported federal, state, and local recognition. EverGreene Architectural Arts advised on restoration, using historic evidence and the S. Charles Lee archives at UCLA. The theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 2012. The venue subsequently broadened its technical and commercial capabilities. Sterling Venue Ventures helped update stage, lighting, sound, and video systems, and robotic cameras were installed for high-quality recording of performances. The building was adapted for private functions of up to approximately 1,800 guests. A cinema facility named the Steve Tisch Cinema Center was established through an endowment from Steve Tisch, providing modern projection equipment for festival openings, premieres, and special screenings. Under its contemporary operating model, Saban Theatre functions as a hybrid historic auditorium and modern event facility. Sterling Venue Ventures has presented more than 50 concerts and events per year, including appearances by artists such as Paul Anka, Burt Bacharach, Frankie Valli, Styx, George Thorogood, Kenny Loggins, Todd Rundgren, and Morris Day. Other documented events include PaleyFest programming, the NAACP Theatre Awards, comedy showcases, touring music performances, and television productions such as the first-season finale of Glee. The theatre remains active while retaining much of the architectural character of its 1930 origin.

• 2012

  National Register listing

  [1]Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3.

• 2009

  Renamed Saban Theatre

  [1]Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The venue adopts its current name following restoration support from Haim and Cheryl Saban.

• 2005

  Temple of the Arts ownership

  [1]Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Temple of the Arts becomes the theatre's owner and operator.

• 1981

  Conversion to a stage venue

  [1]Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  A major renovation changes the building's principal function from film exhibition to live stage entertainment.

• 1930

  Fox Wilshire Theatre opens

  [1]Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theatre opens on September 19 as a 1930s movie palace designed by S. Charles Lee.

A landmark Beverly Hills movie palace repositioned as a technologically updated, multi-purpose live entertainment and cinema venue.

• Venue · 1930

  Historic theatre auditorium

  The principal auditorium preserves the character of a 1930 movie palace, including orchestra and balcony seating, a two-story columned rotunda lobby, and an ornate silver, gold, and black proscenium. After later renovation, the practical seating capacity is approximately 2,000.

• Cinema and screening facility

  Steve Tisch Cinema Center

  The cinema center reintroduces a dedicated film-exhibition capability through modern projection equipment supported by an endowment from Steve Tisch. It is used for special screenings, opening-night events, film festivals, and premieres.

• Event services · 1981

  Live events and venue rentals

  Saban Theatre presents concerts, comedy, touring theatre, television tapings, film shoots, cultural programs, and private events. Technical upgrades and flexible event infrastructure allow the venue to serve both public performances and production or rental clients.

• 2009

  Adoption of the Saban Theatre nameOther

  Background

  Owners sought support for restoration of the historic auditorium and exterior marquee.

  Action taken

  The former Fox Wilshire Theatre was renamed Saban Theatre after Haim and Cheryl Saban provided a reported $5 million restoration grant.

  Aftermath

  The renaming reinforced the venue's restored identity while maintaining its role in Temple of the Arts programming.

  Restoration grant. $5 million (2009)

  Source

• 1981

  Repositioning from cinema to live entertainmentStrategy

  Background

  After decades as a prominent film theatre, the building underwent a renovation designed to support stage productions and live performances.

  Action taken

  The theatre was converted into a stage-oriented venue and subsequently hosted concerts, touring shows, and theatrical events.

  Aftermath

  The change diversified the building's use while preserving it as a major entertainment venue in Beverly Hills.

  Source

• Modernization for multi-purpose eventsStrategy

  Background

  Contemporary programming required stronger stage, audio, lighting, video, and private-event capabilities.

  Action taken

  In cooperation with Sterling Venue Ventures, management upgraded production systems, added robotic cameras, and expanded private-event functionality.

  Aftermath

  The theatre became better equipped for concerts, recorded performances, productions, and events of up to approximately 1,800 people.

  Source

1. 1Saban Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Saban Theatre official websitesabantheatre.org