El Centro Theatre, Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States.
El Centro Theatre is a historic theatre and former cinema in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with two separate performance spaces of different sizes. The two stages sit side by side within a single building, making it a compact venue suited to small and mid-size productions.
The building opened in 1910 as a nickelodeon cinema and was soon converted into the Ivy Theatre by 1915. From 1946 onwards, UCLA used it for theatre productions, which marked a turning point in its shift from cinema to live performance.
El Centro Theatre grew out of a group of performers who wanted a proper stage after years of putting on shows in living rooms. That spirit gave the space a reputation as a working theatre rather than a showcase venue.
The theatre has been closed to the public since 2013, and the building went through a renovation period while listed for sale. A visit today means seeing the exterior only, so a quick stop on foot is the most practical approach.
Charlie Chaplin lent his personal props to productions staged here, which was a rare gesture from a star of his standing at the time. Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowall were among the regular faces in the audience during the theatre's active years.
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