Terrace Theatre

300 E. Seaside Way Long Beach, CA 90802 | map | 

Opened: 1978 as the Pacific Terrace Theatre, part of the Long Beach Convention Center complex. Thanks to Wayne Thom for this 1978 view and his other photos that appear here. See the Terrace Theatre page on his website for eleven photos of the building. 

The theatre is on the site of the 1932 Municipal Auditorium on the south side of Seaside Way between Collins Way and Hart Place. It's also referred to as part of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. The 60s vintage Long Beach Arena, seating 13,500, still survives behind the theatre. Also in the complex is the Center Theatre with 825 seats.

Website: www.longbeachcc.com | our-facilities/theaters/terrace-theater |

Seating: 3,051

Architect: Allied Architects

For some of the history of the Long Beach Civic Light Opera's many productions at the theatre see a fine post by Kevin Miller on the Broadway Remembered Facebook group. Additional program covers were included in a second post.

Interior views: 

 A 1978 lobby view by Wayne Thom. www.waynethom.com

 

 

 

A look across to house left. It's a 1978 photo by Wayne Thom. www.waynethom.com

 

 

A first balcony view with redone seats on display. Thanks to Kevin Miller for sharing this shot by an unidentified photographer as part of a Broadway Remembered Facebook group post about the Long Beach Civic Light Opera's history.

 

A proscenium view that appeared on a c.2015 version of the Convention Center's website.

More exterior views: 

1978 - A photo by Wayne Thom. www.waynethom.com  Thanks! 

c.1980 - On the left are the remnants of The Pike, the Ocean Center Building, the Jergins Trust Building (housing the State Theatre) and the Breakers Hotel. Farther east, in the upper center, the West Coast Theatre was at this time still on Ocean Blvd. In the center there are views of the Convention Center, the Terrace Theatre and the Long Beach Arena. Thanks to Rick Warren for sharing his photo on Flickr. It's included in his great "L.B. Pix From The 80s" set on Flickr.  

 

 

 

2018 -  On the left it's a view south on Hart Place. Over to the right we're looking west on Seaside Way. Photo: Google Maps.  

 

The Terrace in the Movies: 

 

The theatre is used for the lobby and auditorium shots for the star-studded New York premiere of "Jack Slater IV" in John McTiernan's "Last Action Hero" (Columbia, 1993). Arnold is there with Maria but there's a little problem. Due to a "magic ticket," various characters have escaped from the movie and are also in New York. And several are planning mayhem. The cinematography was by Dean Semler. Eugenio Zanetti was the production designer. Lots of scenes were shot in the Orpheum. We get several Broadway views showing the Globe and Tower, 8th St. action including looks at the Olympic and the side of the Tower. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for forty views of the theatres seen in the film.

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