Los Angeles Theatres: Pantages: recent auditorium views

A peek into the auditorium from the inner lobby. Thanks to Mike Hume for his 2016 photo. See the great Pantages Theatre page on his Historic Theatre Photography website for additional photos, technical data and more.

The side aisle house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

Looking out to the side aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

The rear of the main floor as the carpet was getting replaced in 2017. Thanks to the Pantages for the photo. It appeared with "Tearing it Up!," their blog post about the process.

A view across to house right. Thanks to Cat Lukaszewski for sharing her photo. It's one of 49 great images she has in a Hollywood Pantages album on Facebook that were taken at the April 2022 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour.

The LAHTF is actively involved in the study and preservation of the vintage theatres in the L.A. area. The group frequently supports events and offers tours of the buildings. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official FB page

A wider look across. This was before a performance of "Moulin Rouge." Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

A view to house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

The seats themselves are recent but the end standards are reproductions of the 1930 design. Thanks to Claudia Mullins for sharing her photo. It's one she took during the April 2022 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour. See her terrific 40 photo Pantages set on Facebook.

One of the fixtures near the rear of the balcony soffit. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

Another look at a ceiling panel near the back of the main floor. Thanks to Sandi Hemmerlein for her photo. It's one of many great views with "The Last of Pantages' Vaudeville Palaces," her 2017 Avoiding Regret photo essay.

The front of the balcony soffit. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

One of the panels at the front of the soffit. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

Thanks to Don Solosan for this 2010 photo taken for the LAHTF to promote a tour that year.

The view across from the front as new carpet was being installed for a run of "Phantom of the Opera." Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF - 2010

A house right proscenium detail. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

A peek onto the stage during a 2016 open house for season subscribers. Thanks to Mike Hume for his photo, appearing as part of a set on the LAHTF Facebook page.

The ceiling in the ante-proscenium area. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

The ornament on the beam downstage of the ante-proscenium area. It's a photo by Joe Passmore. Thanks to Dwayne Douglas for sharing it in a post for the Art Deco Facebook group. And also to Tom Sherman for sharing the post on the Archiving Technical Theatre private group.

Exploring the house right side stage. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

The treatment at the top of the house right side stage. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

The side stage in use for "Moulin Rouge." Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

Behind the drapes in the side stage. The top of that opening we see leads out to the house right passage. Take a left and you're backstage. Take a right and you head up the aisle to the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

A look up the house right aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

A view toward house left. Thanks to Mike Hume for this 2016 photo from the Pantages Theatre page of his website. You can also find his ongoing theatre photography work on the Historic Theatre Photography Facebook page.

The house left organ grille. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

The plasterwork at top of the house left organ grille. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

Plasterwork house left between the side stage and the organ grille. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

The house left side stage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

The pit as it was set up for "Moulin Rouge." Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

A look onto the stage during a 2016 open house for season subscribers. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Lomara for the photo, one of eight views on Noirish post #37599.

A fine view of the asbestos from a March 2020 Broadway in Hollywood post on Instagram. The theatre was all ready for "Hamilton" with performances postponed due to the Coronavirus shutdown. A similar view of the curtain appeared with the theatre's 2016 blog post titled, "The Fire Curtain."

The asbestos on view for an April 2022 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour. Photo: Bill Counter

A quite different 2022 proscenium view. Photo: Bill Counter

A wonderful 2009 look at the back of the house from Christian Dionne's Theatres album on Flickr. You might want to go to the hi-res version where you can pan around and look at details. Thanks, Christian! The photo can also be seen on the "Welcome to the 2703" post of the Pantages blog. 2703 is, of course, the answer to the frequent question "How many seats are in the theatre?"

The lighting truss a bit lower than we normally see it. Thanks to Lomara for the 2016 photo, another appearing on Noirish Los Angeles post #37599.

The main floor with the rear rows of seats removed for the recarpeting. The photo is one on "Tearing it Up!," the theatre's 2017 blog post about the recarpeting project.

An empty main floor in 2017. The photo is another that appeared with the "Tearing it Up!" Pantages blog post.

Another look at architect B. Marcus Priteca's elaborate ceiling. Thanks to Cat Lukaszewski for this 2022 photo.

Another view skyward. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

The ceiling, now always lit in blue, originally had several different color circuits. In addition, there were twinkling stars and cloud projectors to add to the illusion of an open sky. See the vintage auditorium views page for a bit of discussion and a photo of one of the original cloud projectors.

Up in the balcony:

A view of the proscenium and the fire curtain taken during the 2000 restoration, a project headed by SPF Architects. Note the work going on over on the stage right sidestage. Thanks to Amy Higgins for the photo, one appearing on the AmyHiggins.com site's page about the Pantages Hollywood. Ms. Higgins did extensive restoration work on decorative finishes and other aspects of the project.

An uncredited photo posted by Graeme McBain on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture. Mike Hume commented: "FYI this photo is from roughly October 2000, just after the completion of a $10.8 million renovation by the Nederlander Organization. The post-renovation production was Disney’s “The Lion King”, which ran at the theatre until January 2003. Note the production’s musical instruments in the side stages."

Another photo taken during the 2000-2003 "Lion King" engagement. It's a Richard Glenn photo on the Pantages Hollywood page of the website of Amy Higgins. Another version of the photo appears in a set of seven 2000 vintage shots from Arcaid Images where it's credited to John Edward Linden.

Across the house from the front of the balcony. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF - 2010

A view taken during a December 2016 open house for season subscribers. Thanks to Mike Hume for his photo, appearing as part of a set on the LAHTF Facebook page.

A lovely shot offering a view of a false proscenium and the bare stage. Seen a show lately? In 2022 this shot headed the Broadway in Hollywood website's "How to Buy" page.

Some of the balcony seating house right. Photo: Cat Lukaszewski - 2022

A sidewall detail house right. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015

Thanks to the Pantages for this view from an upper sidewall alcove, appearing with their 2016 blog post "7 Reasons Why the Mezzanine is the Best!"

Thanks to Albert Domasin for this luscious look at the proscenium and the fire curtain. Check out all 53 photos in his 2010 LAHTF Pantages Tour set on Flickr.

A great proscenium detail taken from the balcony by Steve Shriver. See the 57 terrific views in his Hollywood Pantages Theatre set on Flickr. They were taken taken at the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation's 2010 "all about" tour.

A shot by Ben Catalan. It's a January 2016 photo he posted on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles. Thanks, Ben!

A look at the fire curtain during the April 2022 LAHTF "all-about" tour. It's a photo by Mike Hume that he shared on his Historic Theatre Photography Facebook page.

A view from house right. Photo: Don Solosan - 2010

A 2017 look down during the recarpeting project. The theatre's photo appeared with "Tearing it Up!," their blog post about the process.

A bit later in the recarpeting process. All the main floor seats were removed to allow replacement of the carpet between the rows. For more photos see "Tearing it Up!," their 2017 blog post.

The house under worklights. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

A look across in 2022. Thanks to Claudia Mullins for sharing her photo.

More ceiling views:

Another look at the amazing Pantages chandelier. Nope, it's not on a winch. You climb down inside to relamp it. Photo: Mike Hume - 2015. For more great photos of the theatres he's explored visit his Historic Theatre Photography site.

A chandelier shot from Ben Catalan. The 2016 photo appeared on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles.

A delicious view taken by Cat Lukaszewski in April 2022.

The ceiling near the proscenium. Photo: Cat Lukaszewski. Thanks, Cat! See her Hollywood Pantages album on Facebook for 49 great views that she took at the April 2022 LAHTF "all-about" tour.

Thanks to the Pantages for this ceiling detail, appearing with their 2016 blog post "7 Reasons Why the Mezzanine is the Best!"

Thanks to Ben Catalan for this great ceiling detail, a 2016 post on Photos of Los Angeles.

A ceiling detail from the 2015 Pantages blog post "The Blue Ceiling and Beyond," an article that followed Howard Nugent up above the decorative plaster to the luminous blue dome above. At the time Mr. Nugent was master electrician at the theatre.

A shot of the auditorium chandelier taken following the 2000 Nederlander restoration. Thanks to scenic artist and restoration expert Amy Higgins for the photo. It's on her Pantages Hollywood page that details her work on the project. Her dazzling work with Evergreene Architectural Arts included plaster restoration, decorative painting and gold leaf work.

The auditorium scaffolded for the 2000 restoration with Amy Higgins at work on the ceiling.

A closer look at Ms. Higgins doing ceiling restoration work in 2000.

Amy Higgins working on some deco details. See her Pantages Hollywood page for more photos of her work on the project. Thanks for the photos, Amy!

Above the ceiling:

A look down into the balcony seats from up above. It's a photo with the Pantages blog's 2015 post "The Blue Ceiling and Beyond."

A bit of the main chandelier as seen from above the ceiling plasterwork. See the 2015 Pantages post "The Blue Ceiling and Beyond" for 5 more great photos.

Up in the ceiling structure: a look across the abyss with the main chandelier over on the right. Photo: Howard Nugent collection

The chandelier in the center of the auditorium's ceiling was the subject of "The Grand Chandelier," an August 2015 post on the theatre's blog. This photo, one of 7 in the post, is by Howard Nugent, former head electrician at the theatre. Down below, we're looking toward the stage.

Another Howard Nugent photo appearing in the Pantages blog post of "The Grand Chandelier," this time looking out over the edge toward the house right organ grille area.

A lovely view by Mr. Nugent looking out from the center toward some deco ceiling ornament. Thanks, Howard! See the Pantages blog post on "The Grand Chandelier" for 4 more photos as well as a nice commentary.

An amazing peek down into the Pantages chandelier. Here the chandelier is relamped by climbing down inside it rather than lowering it by a winch, the more standard design. Thanks to Howard Nugent for the photo.

In the attic looking down through the access hole toward the chandelier. Photo: Howard Nugent - 2013

Part way down. Photo: Howard Nugent - 2013

The view from the chandelier back up toward the attic access hole. Photo: Howard Nugent - 2013. Thanks, Howard!

Los Angeles Theatres

Pantages: recent auditorium views

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