Timed to coincide with its centennial, the Pasadena Playhouse has purchased its 1925 building that was lost to bankruptcy in 1970 and was privately owned for over five decades, officials announced Sunday.
The 70,000-square-foot complex at 39 S. El Molino Ave. is considered one of Southern California’s most iconic cultural venues and is among the most significant sites in American theater history, according to theater officials. The complex features a theater, restaurant space and six-story annex.
“This is an inspiring community moment, and we should all share in the pride and joy of it,” Erin Baker, chair of the Pasadena Playhouse Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “With this purchase, we are committing to revitalizing the powerful original vision of the Playhouse and bringing it to life for a new century. We are deeply grateful for the bold visionaries who have paved the way for this progress, and we are excited to welcome more of our community to join the effort in making extraordinary theater for everyone.”
Funding for the theater purchase was from a $15 million fundraising campaign that has reached 75% of its goal, according to the Pasadena Playhouse. The largest donation for the effort was from the Perenchio Foundation and matched by arts philanthropists Terri and Jerry Kohl. Other major donors include The Ahmanson Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Brad and Pamela King, Harmon and Lea Kong, Leigh and Harry Olivar, Jane Kaczmarek, Bingo and Gino Roncelli, and Erin and Jeremy Baker.
The real estate sale was completed Friday, transferring ownership of the entire theater campus — including the original 1925 theater building and the Fannie E. Morrison Building, the adjoining six-story annex constructed in 1936 to house the College of Theatre Arts.
The property also includes the Carrie Hamilton Theater, an intimate venue that in 2006 was dedicated in memory of Carol Burnett’s late daughter, as well as a first-floor restaurant, most recently Bar Chelou.
The historic structure turns 100 on May 18.
“For most of our history, we’ve been making extraordinary theater here while essentially renting our own home,” Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman said in a statement. “Today, that changes. Thanks to the generosity of our community, this building is finally back where it belongs — with the people who built it and believe in its future. Owning our historic campus unlocks endless possibilities for what Pasadena Playhouse can be in its second century.”
Feldman announced the building purchase Saturday night to a sold-out crowd at the Playhouse’s annual gala, which surpassed $1 million for the first time.
The theater has staged thousands of original productions since 1917, including premieres of works by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan-Lori Parks and hundreds of other playwrights.
The Playhouse building was designed in 1924 by renowned architect Elmer Grey, who also designed LA-area landmarks such as the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Huntington Art Gallery in San Marino and Wattles Mansion in Hollywood. The Playhouse building is in the Spanish Colonial Revival style and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.
