Los Angeles Theatres: Madrid Theatre

21622 Sherman Way Canoga Park (Los Angeles), CA 91303 | map |

The news: The building is still closed and under renovation. As of January 2026 a reopening date hadn't been announced. It's been closed since 2020.

The original building:

Opened: November 24, 1926 as the Madrid Theatre when the town was known as Owensmouth. The location is on the south side of the street three blocks east of Topanga Canyon Blvd.

This 1984 view, many remodels later, was taken when it was the Park Pussycat. Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for the photo. It also makes an appearance in Chapter 1 of Jay Allen Sanford's epic article "Pussycat Theatres: The Inside Story," originally written for the San Diego Reader. It's on blogspot: Chapter 1 | Chapters 2-15 |

Seating: 600 originally, 570 later.

A 1926 newspaper article announcing the project. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

A November 23, 1926 story in the Van Nuys News. Thanks to Ron Pierce for locating it for a post on Cinema Treasures. The Van Nuys Theatre noted in the article was later known as the Fox Van Nuys.

It's in the 1928 and 1930 city directories. By the 1939/40 directory it had become the Canoga Theatre.

A 1944 program from the Canoga. The item donated by Jack Corbett appears on the Cal State Northridge Oviatt Library website.

The inside of the program. It's on the Oviatt Library website.

By the mid-60s it was known as the Park Theatre and running adult films. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this July 1976 ad. It later became part of the Pussycat chain, advertised as the Park Pussycat.

Closing: It closed following damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Status: The City of Los Angeles acquired the property from the Pussycat chain and demolished the building.

The new theatre:

Opened: December 12, 1998. It's owned and managed by City's Department of Cultural Affairs as a live performance venue. The L.A. Times discussed the history of the site in their 1998 story "A Change of Scenery in Canoga Park..." The November 2024 image is from Google Maps.

Architects: FSY Architects designed the building in 1998. Their page on the Madrid Theatre has five photos of the project. They note that the site had serious size restrictions and that they squeezed 11,000 s.f. of audience and support spaces onto a 50' x 140' lot.

Seating: As of 2020 it was 338 on the main floor and 92 in the balcony for a total of 430.

Phone: 818-347-9419

Online: culture.lacity.gov/cultural-centers/madrid-theatre | the Madrid on Facebook | See some tech information in a c.2020 booking packet PDF.

A renovation project was fundedc by the City in 2019. The August 30 Los Angeles Daily News story "Reseda's Madrid Theatre Cultural Arts Hub just got over $400K to be 'a destination for arts and culture'" discussed a round of upgrades the theatre would be getting. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the story. At the time they noted that the project would include a revamped lobby with a larger boxoffice, a digital marquee and upgrades to the lighting and sound systems.

It closed in 2020. The 2022-2025 remodel was designed by the architectural division of the City's Bureau of Engineering and Gensler. Waisman Construction was the contractor. It was an $8 million project with a reopening that was planned for 2025. See "Canoga Park's Madrid Theatre, long under renovation, to open by end of 2025," an April 10, 2024 L.A. Daily News article by Olga Grigoryants. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting it.

Status: In early 2026 the theatre was still closed.

The lobby areas:

A look out the front doors from a c.2020 City of Los Angeles "booking packet" PDF.

The upstairs lobby. Photo: City of Los Angeles - c.2020

Inside the front doors as construction gets underway. It's a photo from a January 11, 2023 Madrid Theatre Facebook post. They note:

"It’s finally happening: After several years of work by Councilmember Blumenfield, consulting with the community, creating the Canoga Park Arts District, cobbling together the funding, developing a vision and plans for the renovation of the two theaters (the Madrid and Taxco Theatres), and completing a city led Request for Bid process that selected a contractor for construction, we are very pleased to be able to say the following: please pardon our dust! We will keep YOU posted...more pictures to come!"

The upstairs lobby in 2025. It's one of seven photos appearing with an April Facebook post from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering. Their comment: "Sneak peek into the transformation! The Madrid Theatre renovation is in full swing, featuring a brand-new lobby, upgraded backstage spaces, and a new performance audio system."

The bar in the upstairs lobby. Photo: LA Bureau of Engineering - April 2025

Looking down to the main floor. Photo: LA Bureau of Engineering - April 2025

The auditorium:

A look to the stage in 1998. Note the original color scheme. Photo: FSY Architects

A view to the rear. Photo: FSY Architects - 1998

A 1998 balcony view. Photo: FSY Architects

A look toward the stage. Photo: Cat Whalen - 2019

The rear of the house. Photo: Cat Whalen - 2019

Lighting catwalks. Photo: Cat Whalen - 2019

The auditorium by ghost light. It's a photo the City shared on the Madrid Facebook page in January 2020.

Work underway in the auditorium. It's a photo from a January 11, 2023 Madrid Theatre Facebook post.

"Construction continues..." It's a photo from a January 25, 2023 post on the Madrid Theatre Facebook page. Also see a January 18 post.

A look onto the stage. "Waisman Construction Inc. and the City team continue to work hard in transforming our community theatre!" It's a photo from a March 12, 2023 post on the Madrid Theatre Facebook page.

Along the house left wall. Photo: Madrid Theatre Facebook page - March 12, 2023

A view to house left near the stage. Photo: Madrid Theatre Facebook page - March 12, 2023

Down a bit lower. Photo: Madrid Theatre Facebook page - March 12, 2023

Seats in on the main floor. Photo: LA Bureau of Engineering - April 2025

A balcony view. Photo: LA Bureau of Engineering - April 2025

More exterior views:

A 1998 view. Photo: FSY Architects

Thank to Cat Whalen for sharing this 2019 photo. Other photos from her visit can be seen in two posts on the LAHTF Facebook page: set one | set two |

A marquee detail. Photo: Cat Whalen - 2019

Sidewalk art. Photo: Cat Whalen - 2019. Thanks, Cat!

Looking east on Sherman Way. Photo: Google Maps - 2019

"CLOSED R RENOVATION." This 2022 shot by Richard Guzman appeared with the April 2024 Los Angeles Daily News article "Canoga Park's Madrid Theatre, long under renovation, to open by end of 2025" by Olga Grigoryants.

A January 2023 Google Maps view looking west toward Owensmouth Ave.

Under renovation in mid-2023. Thanks to Dave Hunter for sharing this as well as the two shots below in a June Facebook post.

Another look at the facade work. Photo: Dave Hunter - June 25, 2023

Project data. Photo: Dave Hunter - June 25, 2023

A January 2024 photo by Dean Musgrove that appears with "Canoga Park's Madrid Theatre, long under renovation, to open by end of 2025," an April 10, 2024 L.A. Daily News article by Olga Grigoryants. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting it.