Macha Theatre from “The Office”

IMG_2177

A few weeks ago, Mike, from MovieShotsLA, sent me a link to this article from local website Franklin Avenue which stated that in the Season 7 episode of The Office titled “Andy’s Play”, the Macha Theatre in West Hollywood stood in for the Scranton, Pennsylvania “Loose Screw Playhouse” where Andy Bernard (aka Ed Helms) performed in a local production of the Tony award-winning musical Sweeney Todd.  As it turns out, the author of the Franklin Avenue website, whose name is also coincidentally Mike, had actually lived across the street from the Macha Theatre for six years, so he recognized the place immediately when it popped up onscreen.  And I have to say here that the “Andy’s Play” episode of The Office was easily one of my very favorite episodes of the entire series.  I’m sure me liking it so much had to do with the fact that I have acted in quite a few plays over the course of my acting career and can definitely relate to the subject matter.  Michael Scott (aka Steve Carell) acting out an entire episode of Law & Order as his audition piece for the play and Andy’s phone ringing in the middle of the show while he was onstage were both such absolutely SPOT ON representations of the idiocracy that can, and does often, ensue during the course of a production, I cannot even tell you!   And I literally just about died laughing when, during a quiet moment in the performance, Michael knocked over a bottle of wine and sent it rolling down the sloped theatre floor all the way to the front of the stage.  Absolutely love it!  So, once I read the Franklin Avenue article, I immediately added the Macha Theatre to my “To Stalk” list and dragged the Grim Cheaper right out to West Hollywood the very next weekend.

ScreenShot6314 IMG_2178

Before stalking the theater, I had mistakenly assumed that both the interior and the exterior of the property had been used in the “Andy’s Play” episode, but when we arrived there we discovered that that was not actually the case.  Odalys Nanin, the theatre’s super nice owner, happened to be on-site while we were stalking the place and she was kind enough to chat with us and give us a tour of the premises.  Amazingly enough, though, up until just a few days prior to our visit, she had absolutely NO idea whatsoever that the exterior of her theatre had been used on The Office.  Apparently, another stalker had come by to take pictures of the place and when Odalys inquired as to why, he told her – much to her surprise – that it had been featured on the hit show.  As it turns out, no actual filming had been done on the premises, but producers had in fact used an old stock photo of the theatre, one that had actually been taken back when the place was known as the Globe Playhouse, in the episode.  As you can see in the above picture and screen capture, the theatre looks much different today than it did when the stock photo was taken.  The exterior wood beams have since been removed from the property’s façade, as have the windows, and a large marquee has also since been added to the premises.

[ad]

ScreenShot6313

Thankfully though, as you can see in the above photograph which I got off of the Macha Theatre website, the barn-style front doors, the “1107” address number, and the comedy and tragedy masks that appeared in the “Andy’s Play” episode of The Office have all been left intact.

ScreenShot6315 ScreenShot6316

ScreenShot6318 ScreenShot6320

After I got home, I did some digging and discovered that the interior theatre scenes of the “Andy’s Play” episode had been filmed at the Assistance League Playhouse in Hollywood, just a few blocks east of Helen Bernstein High School, where Glee is filmed!  So, you know what that means – in the very near future I will be making a stalking pilgrimage out to Hollywood to stalk the place!

Michael Scott’s “Law & Order” Audition Piece

You can watch Michael’s absolutely HILAROUS Law & Order audition piece by clicking above.  For those who have not yet seen the “Andy’s Play” episode, Michael was using the piece to audition for a role in the musical Sweeney Todd, not for a role on Law & Order.

Big THANK YOU to Mike, from Franklin Avenue, for finding this location and to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for telling me about it!

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Macha Theatre from the “Andy’s Play” episode of The Office is located at 1107 North Kings Road in West Hollywood.  You can visit the theatre’s official website here.  The interior theatre scenes from the episode were filmed at the Assistance League Playhouse, which is located at 1367 North St. Andrews Place in Hollywood.  You can visit that theatre’s website here.

The Warner Grand Theatre

Warner-Grand-Theatre-Win-A-Date-With-Tad-Hamilton-3

This past Saturday, my family and I returned from Catalina Island via the Catalina Express high speed catamaran that docks in San Pedro Harbor.  When the captain announced that we had finally reached our destination, I suddenly realized that a filming location I have LONG been dying to stalk was actually located in the very city where we now found ourselves!  The Warner Grand Theatre, where Rosalee Futch took Tad Hamilton on a date in fave movie Win A Date With Tad Hamilton, was in fact located just a few miles away from where our boat had just docked.  🙂  I have absolutely no idea why I hadn’t realized it sooner.  So, I begged my dad to drive me over to the theatre as soon as we gathered our luggage and, amazingly enough, he obliged.   Thank you, dad!

Warner-Grand-Theatre-Win-A-Date-With-Tad-Hamilton-10

Warner Brothers first opened the Warner Grand Theatre on January 20, 1931.  It was co-designed in an Art Deco style by architect B. Marcus Priteca, who also constructed the Pantages Theatre, and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen.  Priteca and Heinsbergen had also created two other theatres for the Warner Brothers Company – one in Beverly Hills and one in Huntington Park.  Unfortunately, though, the Warner Grand is the only one of the three that is still intact.  In 1982, the City of Los Angeles declared the 1,400 seat theatre a Cultural and Historic Monument.  Sadly, though, in the 1990’s it fell into a serious state of disarray and was almost demolished.  The theatre was saved in January of 1996 when the City of Los Angeles stepped in and purchased it for $1.2 million and began a slow, painstaking restoration process.  It has since been named a National Historic Place.  The Grand is currently open for business, showing foreign and independent films on its fifty foot screen almost every weekend and showcasing various events including concerts, plays, and even graduations.  And it is also a frequent filming location!  🙂

ScreenShot1739

ScreenShot1740

The Warner Grand actually shows up three times in Win A Date With Tad Hamilton, where it stands in for the local Fraziers Bottom, West Virginia movie theatre.  The movie’s very first scene takes place at the theatre, in which Rosalee, Pete, and Cathy watch Tad’s latest film entitled A Man Called Jackson.

ScreenShot1744

ScreenShot1745

ScreenShot1741

Later on in the movie, Rosalee takes Tad to the Warner Grand for their second date.

ScreenShot1743

It is at the theatre that one of my favorite lines from the movie is spoken.  In the scene, while walking by a poster for one of Tad’s movies, Rosalee says “You look so sad there”, to which Tad replies “Give me a break.  I just lost my wife . . . and my goat.”  LOL LOL LOL  

ScreenShot1750

ScreenShot1748

ScreenShot1749

The theatre last shows up in what was to be the movie’s original ending, which is shown in the DVD’s Special Features section.  In the scene, Pete, Cathy, Rosalee, and Rosalee’s father are at the Warner watching A Good Man is Hard to Find, Tad’s latest movie which tells the story of his relationship with Rosalee.

ScreenShot1721

ScreenShot1722 

ScreenShot1752

ScreenShot1724

The Warner has also been featured in countless other productions.  In the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor, the Warner Grand was the Oahu theatre where Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett watched the MovieTone News clip about the war. 

ScreenShot1725

ScreenShot1729

ScreenShot1728

Later on in the scene, they grab a bite to eat at the “Black Cat Diner”, which is located directly next door to the theatre and which, in reality, is an art gallery named the Findings Art Center.   Unfortunately, I didn’t snap any photos of the Black Cat location as I didn’t learn about its use in Pearl Harbor until after I got home and started researching the theatre.  🙁

 ScreenShot1726

ScreenShot1727

In the same scene, while Kate and Josh are eating inside the Black Cat Diner, their friend Ray proposes to his girlfriend Betty on the street outside the Warner Grand. 

ScreenShot1731

ScreenShot1732

ScreenShot1735

ScreenShot1737

In the Season One episode of The O.C. entitled “The Proposal”, the Warner stood in for the Newport Beach theatre where Ryan, Seth, and Summer took Marisa to cheer her up after she had discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Luke, was sleeping with her mother.  Nice mom, huh?

ScreenShot1738

After seeing the movie, the gang heads over to a Jamba Juice located in the Arcade Building on Sixth Street directly across the street from the theatre, where they run into – you guessed it – Marisa’s mother and ex-boyfriend, Luke. 

Warner-Grand-Theatre-Win-A-Date-With-Tad-Hamilton-11

Because my parents were not too keen on waiting around while I stalked all of West 6th Street, I didn’t get to venture inside the Arcade Building. But I did manage to snap the above pic from across the street.

Warner-Grand-Theatre-Win-A-Date-With-Tad-Hamilton-7

The Warner has also been featured in the television series Cousin Skeeter, 7th Heaven, Melrose Place, Party of Five, and ESPN’s Reel Classics, and the movies Wharf Rats to Lords of the Dock, Worth Winning, Seabiscuit, Ghosts of Mississippi, Invasion Earth: The Aliens are Here,  and What’s Love Got To Do With It  (where it stood in for Harlem’s Apollo Theatre).

Warner-Grand-Theatre-Win-A-Date-With-Tad-Hamilton-5

The Warner is an absolutely beautiful place and I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally be stalking it!  Sadly, though, the lobby area wasn’t open while we were there, so I didn’t get to venture inside.  But you know what that means!  I’ll just have to go back to stalk the place again!  🙂  According to the Warner’s website, though, the theatre’s original seats were just recently restored, so the interior looks quite different now than how it appeared in the many movies pictured above.  🙁

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It: The Warner Grand Theatre is located at 478 West 6th Street in San Pedro.  You can visit their website here.   The Black Cat Diner from Pearl Harbor, aka the Findings Art Center, is located at 470 West Sixth Street, next door to the Warner.  The Arcade Building on Sixth Street, which was featured in The O.C., is located at 479 West Sixth Street, directly across the street from the theatre. 

The Pantages Theatre

img_2346-8001

As promised earlier in the week, I thought I would dedicate today’s post to the historic Pantages Theatre in Hollywood where I saw Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage  last Tuesday night .   And let me tell you, the Pantages Theatre is a site to see, in and of itself!  The Art Deco landmark was built in 1930 by vaudeville theatre mogul Alexander Pantages for a whopping $1.25 million – and we’re talking 1930’s money!!!!  It was designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, who conceived most of the theatres in the Pantages chain.  But, in an ironic twist of events, when the theatre first opened to the public on June 4, 1930, it was not opened as a Pantages, but instead under the Fox Theatre name.  In 1929, while the Pantages was being built, Alexander was knee-deep in a scandal involving another of his many theatres.   It seems Alexander, who was in his sixties at the time, was accused and found guilty of raping one of his sixteen year old female ushers at his theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.    After being sent to jail, he was forced to open his new Hollywood theatre under a different name.  In 1931, Pantages appealed the case and was awarded a new trial.  His defense in the second trial maintained that rival theatre company RKO along with Joseph Kennedy (yes, that Joseph Kennedy) had framed him in order to purchase his theatre chain at a low price.  Since the broom closet where the rape had supposedly occured was too small a space for two people to fit in, the jury acquitted him and Alexander was released from prison.  But Pantages never regained his luxor in Hollywood.  Alexander Pantages passed away only two months after his release from prison, broke and broken. 

img_2331-8001

The Pantages has gone through a succession of owners during its almost eighty year history. In 1949, Howard Hughes purchased the theatre and renamed it RKO Pantages.  His offices were located above the theatre on the building’s second floor.  During the RKO years, from 1949 to 1959 , the Pantages hosted ten Academy Awards ceremonies. It was also home to the Emmy Awards through 1977.  In 1967, the Pantages was taken over by Pacific Theatres, who in 1977 joined forces with the Nederlander Theatre Organization to refurbish the property and turn it into a live theatre venue.  In October of 2000, Disney opened its hit show The Lion King  at the Pantages, which ran for over two years and almost 900 performances.  Just prior to The Lion King’s  opening, the Pantages underwent a painstaking $10 million renovation process, bringing the theatre back to her original splendor.  Since that time, the theatre has been home to over 45 live stage productions including Mama Mia, Annie, Rent, Cats, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

[ad]

img_2328-8001

img_2334-800

The Pantages is an absolutely beautiful theatre and a stunning example of Art Deco architecture. 

img_2337-800

  From its sweeping staircases . . .

img_2339-8001 

img_2338-8001

. . . to its sparkling Art Deco chandeliers, I was absolutely mesmerized by the architectural detail throughout.  The Pantages is truly a wonder and I HIGHLY recommend stalking it, if you get the chance!   

screenshot1234

screenshot1237

The Pantages is no stranger to the silver screen, either.  It was featured in The Bodyguard, as the site of the Academy Awards ceremony where Whitney Houston was a presenter;

screenshot1227

the exterior of it shows up very briefly in The Black Dhalia, as Josh Hartnett makes his way into the Frolic Room which is located right next door;

screenshot1239

screenshot1240

and in L.A. Confidential, as Kevin Spacey does the very same thing;

screenshot1222

screenshot1224

and its stage was featured in Michael Jackson’s music video for the song “You Are Not Alone”.  The Pantages also showed up in Season Two of Ugly Betty (it’s the “New York” theatre where Henry takes Betty to see the musical Wicked), Paparazzi (it’s the site of Cole’s movie premiere at the very end), Ed Wood, The Jazz Singer, Money Talks, and Batman Forever.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

img_2323-800

Stalk It: The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.  You can visit their website hereDirty Dancing: The Classic Story On Stage  is currently running at the Pantages now through June 28th.  Upcoming shows include Legally Blonde: The Musical  and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

The Belasco Theatre

img_0922-800 

During my three day stint as an extra in the Britney Spears movie Crossroads, I happened to make friends with a few of the crew members.  The entire cast and crew of the movie was EXTREMELY nice and, as tends to happen on long shoots, I got to know the people I was working with quite well.  As I was saying goodbye to my new friends on my last day of being a Crossroads  extra, one of the cameramen invited me to watch the following day’s shoot which was taking place at an old theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.  It was going to be the very last day of filming on Crossroads  and since the cameraman knew what a huge BritBrit fan I was, he invited me to spend the day on the set.

screenshot732

screenshot729

Getting to watch the final day of the filming of Crossroads  was an incredible experience for me.  Filming took place at a beautiful old theatre named the Belasco.  Just being in that space was an amazing opportunity – let alone being there to watch Britney Spears perform.  🙂  The scene being filmed on that final day was the Hollywood singing contest that Britney and her friends compete in at the very end of the movie.  Basically, for the entire twelve hours that I spent on the set that day, I got to sit around and watch Britney Spears sing live both “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman” and “Overprotected”.  Most of the filming that day was done without any extras in attendance – and because of the way the cameras were positioned, I was allowed to sit on the steps leading up to the stage and watch what pretty much amounted to my very own private Britney Spears concert.  I’m not kidding – it was absolutely A-MA-ZING!!!  And, once again, I was literally pinching myself the whole time.  I could NOT believe I was actually sitting there, an audience of one, less than two feet from my idol, watching her perform two unreleased songs live and in person.  For me, it was a once in a lifetime!  I half expected to wake up at any moment in my bed at home – the whole experience having been just a dream.  I mean things like that just don’t happen in real life!  And even though I don’t still adore Britney as I once did, I will always cherish my memories from that day.  You can watch part of the scene that was filmed at the Belasco Theatre here.

img_0925-800

The Belasco Theatre was built in 1926 by theatre producers David and Edward Belasco.  The Spanish Baroque style theatre was originally a live performance venue.  Its premiere show?  Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – a play written by Anita Loos which would later become a movie musical starring my girl Marilyn.  🙂  Over the years, after falling upon hard times and closing its doors for a period, the Belasco was used as both an exotic movie house and a church.  The building was just recently sold last year and was completely restored to its original grandeur by its new owner.  At this time it’s unclear what is being done with the historic theatre, but some online reports speculate that it might become a nightclub.  screenshot727

screenshot728

Besides Crossroads, other productions that have filmed at the historic Belasco Theatre include Swordfish (where it was used as John Travolta’s lair – pictured above), The Prestige, Memoirs of a Geisha, Being John Malkovich, Midnight Frolics,  and the television series Fastlane. 

[ad] 

The Belasco Theatre is incredible beautiful inside, but, sadly, it is currently closed to the public.   I can’t really recommend stalking the exterior of the theatre, either, as it is fairly non-descript.  You could easily drive right by without even noticing it.  But if you ever have the opportunity to see the interior in person, I highly recommend it!  In the meantime, you can cyberstalk the interior here.

 Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

img_0923-800

Stalk It: The Belasco Theatre is located at 1050 South Hill Street in Downtown Los Angeles.  

Becky Bloomwood Takes on the El Capitan!

img_0701-800

I have long been obsessed with the “Confessions of a Shopaholic” book series authored by British novelist Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeline Wickham).  So obsessed in fact that about five years ago when I heard that Hollywood was optioning a screenplay based on the novels, I wrote to Sophie pitching myself for the movie’s lead role. I must say that I was absolutely born to play the story’s heroine, Becky Bloomwood – a slightly daft shopaholic with a completely unique and upbeat take on the world.  So when Sophie Kinsella wrote me back, as you can imagine, I just about died!!!  And then when it was announced that Sophie’s one and only West Coast stop on her  Shopaholic and Baby  book tour was going to be at my fave bookstore, Vroman’s, I thought it was a sign from above.  In March of 2006 I did indeed get to meet Sophie at her book signing and – get this – she remembered me and my letters.  Being that I decorated the letters with about a hundred sparkly shoe stickers that I made myself, I guess they were pretty unforgettable.  LOL   🙂  So as you can imagine I was absolutely crushed when in late 2006 it was announced that Isla Fisher had won the much-coveted role of Becky. 

img_0704-800

The most crushing part of all for me was my belief that Isla Fisher was just simply not the right person to play Becky.  If it wasn’t going to be me playing that part, then it better be someone darn perfect for the role!  And Isla just wasn’t it.  So yesterday after much begging and pleading my friend Blaze finally convinced me to see Confessions of a Shopaholic  with him.  And I have to admit that, surprisingly enough, I didn’t hate it.  I didn’t love it either, mind you, I didn’t even really like it.  But at least I didn’t hate it.  LOL  But they really should have given the movie a different title, because in no way, shape, or form does it resemble the novels I’ve grown to know and love.  Aside from the characters’ names, the story is pretty much unrecognizable.  And while Isla was funny – she just wasn’t Becky.  I so wanted to see the warm-hearted, but hair-brained character I love so much up on that screen.  And sadly, Isla wasn’t it.   So, if you want my advice, don’t bother with the movie if you are at all a fan of the books.  And if you’re not a fan of the books, but just want to see a romantic comedy, I’d instead recommend  He’s Just Not That Into You.   🙂

img_1312-800

The only good part about seeing Shopaholic  yesterday was that we got to watch it in the famed and historic El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.  I so rarely go to the El Capitan and, honestly, I have no idea why as it is one of the most beautiful movie palaces in all of L.A.  The El Capitan first opened up on May 3, 1926 and was strictly a live theatre venue.  The exterior was designed in the Spanish Colonial style by art deco architect Stiles O. Clements, who was also the designer of the Wiltern and Mayan Theatres in Los Angeles.  The interior was designed by San Francisco theatre designer G. Albert Lansburgh, who was also responsible for designing the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. and the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.  The interior alone cost over $1.2 million to construct.  For over a decade the El Capitan had an enormously successful run showcasing live theatre performances starring such legends as Clark Gable, Buster Keaton and Will Rogers.   During the Great Depression the theatre began to falter and was in danger of closing its doors.  Until 1941 when a young director who was having trouble finding a theatre that would premiere his new movie asked if he could rent out the El Capitan.  That director was Orson Welles and the movie was Citizen Cane.  That premiere gave new life to the theatre and not long afterwards, theatre executives decided to close the space for a year in order to modernize it and customize it for film premieres.  On March 18, 1942, armed with a new design and a new name, the Hollywood Paramount Theatre opened to the world.  It’s first movie showing was Read the Wild Wind.   The Paramount became wildly successful hosting premieres for all of the Hollywood greats, including my girl Marilyn Monroe. 🙂   In later years the theatre came to be owned by Pacific Theatres, who in 1989 partnered up with the Walt Disney Company and decided to restore the Paramount to its original glory.  The theatre closed its doors once again.  This time for two years, while undergoing a $14 million renovation.  When it re-opened in 1991, the original name had been restored and the original glamour unearthed once again. 

img_0643-800

Today the El Capitan is where Disney holds most of its Hollywood premieres.  In the past Lilo and Stitch, Monsters Inc., Bolt, Miracle, Herby: Fully Loaded, and countless, countless others have premiered there.  Oftentimes, before the start of a movie, the El Capitan will feature a live-action pre-show starring some of your favorite Disney characters. And a display featuring props, costumes, and memorabilia from the movie currently playing is usually set up in the El Capitan’s basement for fans to enjoy.  I took the above photo of some of Isla Fisher’s costumes from Confessions of a Shopaholic, but it didn’t come out very well.  The El Capitan is absolutely breathtaking inside and its lobby and hallways have countless photographs showcasing the history of the legendary theatre and the hundreds of stars who have attended premieres there.  My favorite part of the El Capitan, though, has to be the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store located just off the theatre’s main lobby.  The Soda Fountain serves up some fabulous hot dogs and ice cream sundaes – and the walls are lined with photographs of the many stars who have dined there.  I can’t recommend stalking the El Capitan enough – but I’d wait until Shopaholic  leaves and a new movie comes.  LOL   

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The El Capitan Theatre is located at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, directly across from the Hollywood & Highland complex.

The Marilyn Monroe Theatre

UPDATE: Want to see the story of Marilyn Monroe live on stage? Marilyn Theater Tickets are available from BarrysTickets.com now!

img_1342

A few weeks ago while out driving, I pulled my car to a screeching halt when I noticed a large sign reading “The Marilyn Monroe Theatre” on the side of a building in West Hollywood. I had never heard of a MM Theatre in Los Angeles before, so of course I just had park my car to go investigate. 🙂 It turns out that the theatre is part of the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. For non-Marilyn fans, Lee Strasberg and his second wife Paula were MM’s beloved acting teachers and private acting coaches for the seven years leading up to her death. While Marilyn never attended the Los Angeles branch of the Actors Studio, she did study at the New York studio beginning in March of 1955.

 

By that time, Marilyn was already a huge celebrity with 26 films under her belt. The already famous actress, who once said about acting “I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.”, enrolled in regular classes at “The Studio”, studying alongside far less successful performers than herself. During class, due to her severe shyness and stage fright, Marilyn often sat in the very last row of seats in the very back of the room. I find it so admirable that a star of her caliber at such a high point in her career would be humble enough to study in a regular acting class. You don’t see many stars of today doing that! While at the studio, Marilyn studied alongside the likes of Eli Wallach (with whom she would later star in The Misfits), Kevin McCarthy, Maureen Stapleton, and Kim Stanley. Of her acting Lee Strasberg said “I have worked with hundreds and hundreds of actors and actresses, and there are only two that stand out way above the rest. Number one is Marlon Brando, and the second is Marilyn Monroe.” It is so sad to me that while outsiders could see and appreciate Marilyn’s immense talent, she was never able to recognize it in herself.

img_1348

When Marilyn passed away in 1962, she willed the bulk of her estate to her beloved acting coach and his wife. Paula Strasberg died only four years later and a short year after that Lee Strasberg met and married a woman named Anna. The two remained married until Lee’s death in 1982, upon which Anna inherited Marilyn’s vast fortune and control of her image. In an ironic twist of fate, because Lee didn’t meet Anna until 1967, some five years after Marilyn’s death, the image and estate of one of the most famous stars in Hollywood history is controlled by a woman she never even met.

img_1343

In 1969, as a present to her husband, Anna purchased the property where the Marilyn Monroe Theatre and the Los Angeles branch of The Actors Studio now stands. In the theatre’s early years, Lee’s acting classes were held there. As time went on, though, the theatre became one of the most prestigious stage venues in Los Angeles. And while Marilyn never set foot inside of the theatre that now bears her name, over the years it has premiered many revered plays and has also played host to many famous actors and actresses including Sally Kirkland, Rebecca DeMornay, Joe Mantegna, Amy Madigan, Andrew Prine, Renee Taylor, Joseph Bologna, Burt Young, Kim Cattral, and Boy Meet’s World’s Ben Savage. Movie screenings are also often held at the theatre. Actors who have participated in screenings at the MM Theatre include Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, John Voight, Bridget Fonda, Claire Danes, Martin Landau, Lesley Ann Warren, and Robert Wagner.

img_1341

Of course, I highly recommend stalking the Marilyn Monroe Theatre. Any fan of MM will definitely appreciate being there. 🙂 On a side note while researching the theatre, I happened upon a link with an address to a Marilyn Monroe Memorial Theatre located in San Francisco. I am DEFINITELY going to have to stalk that the next time I am up there!!

UPDATE: 

Marilyn Monroe fans visiting the L.A. area will be excited to hear that tickets to a new stage show chronicling the starlet’s life are currently available at Barry’sTickets.com.  Marilyn – the Story of the Silver Screen Goddess, A Dance Musical, comes to Los Angeles from London’s West End and recounts the tragic behind-the-scenes life of the world’s most iconic blond.  The musical, which was choreographed and directed by the Oliver and Evening Standard award-winning director Peter Schaufuss, provides audiences a glimpse of the private world Marilyn rarely shared with the public – the world of a woman who achieved every success imaginable, except for true happiness.  The show features a cast of fifteen remarkable actors and showcases fifteen lively song and dance numbers including Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind”, which the singer originally wrote in honor of Marilyn in 1973, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the hit movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” from the 1960 movie Let’s Make Love.  Don’t miss Marilyn – The Story of the Silver Screen Goddess, A Dance Musical.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

img_1345

Stalk It: The Marilyn Monroe Theatre is located 7936 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. San Francisco’s Marilyn Monroe Memorial Theatre is located at 96 Lafayette Street. The Actors Studio in New York where Marilyn once studied is located at 432 West 44th Street.