The first issue of NoHo News (later to be NoHo Magazine) , featuring a story about the planned renovation of the El Portal Theater.

The following article was originally published in January, 1993 in NoHo News, which would later become NoHo Magazine.

The El Portal Theatre, located at Lankershim and Weddington in the NoHo Arts District, is creating as much a stir today as it did on opening night in 1926. The center of the current controversy is $250,000 (ironically the same amount as the original construction cost) of public funding slated to finance the renovation the theatre.

The theatre was originally built in the era of the great movie palaces. It was the custom of the time that theatres had architecture as exotic as the films that were featured in them. The El Portal was built inside and out to give the impression of a great medieval Spanish castle. The front facade was an ornate parapet with the faces of great conquistadors carved in them. Inside, the auditorium looks like a great hall with crossed swords and shield on the walls and a chandelier hanging from a recessed cove.

After being redecorated around 1950 in an art deco style, much of the inside has lost its castle air; the swords and shields replaced by tiered sconces and gold leaf. The fire curtain remains in perfect condition, depicting a Spanish galleon setting sail past a lonely castle high upon a promontory, into a glorious sunset. Across the bottom of the curtain is the word “ASBESTOS” which served to inform the audience that should a fire break out on stage, they are protected when the fire curtain is down.

I had the opportunity to be shown around the theatre from top to bottom by John Middleton, who is the current caretaker and house manager. Upon first entering, the theatre is not unlike many theatres, with the entrance decorated with movie posters and a concession stand in the lobby. But when you enter the auditorium, you are taken aback back its vastness and beauty. In these days of the cineplex, experiencing a genuine movie palace is something special.

One of the first things you do upon entering is look up seventy feet to the ceiling and the huge chandelier that John has recently renovated. 1,250 seats fill the auditorium. I felt as if I was in an indoor football field, not a movie theatre. Unlike todays theatres, the El Portal was built as a venue for live performances as well as movies. The movie screen is simply another backdrop that is lowered into place from the small skyscraper that is the flyspace. Underneath the stage are the dressing rooms, a green room, and even a shower.

John then showed me everything from the tunnels underneath the theatre that functioned as ventilation shafts to the view from the roof of downtown Glendale to the east, the backside of the Hollywood hills to the south, the east valley to the north and a sunset to the west. He told me about his first day on the job in December of 1990, when a riot took place.

The punk band Bad English was to perform that night, but apparrently the promoters had oversold the show and the theatre was overcrowded. The fire marshal ordered that a door count be conducted. Everyone had to leave the theatre and be counted as they were let back in. This is no easy task for a 1250 seat theatre and a punk audience. John was at the concession stand as the crowd was moving out until someone hit the men’s restroom sign, which exploded with a loud pop. This panicked/incited the crowd, which then rushed for the doors in a giant human wave, shattering eight of the ten doors as they burst out into the street. John said that there was a man in a wheelchair that got caught in this human wave and tumbled before it like a piece of flotsam caught in heavy surf. Fighting broke out and the on-site security was completely overwhelmed. Soon the police arrived and began a baton swinging restoration of order.

Since its opening in 1926, the theatre has functioned as a venue for movies and live performances. It has been a Spanish language movie house, concert hall, lecture hall and revival house. Although the theatre is still used (its most recent feature is a Hindi language film series), it has fallen into a state of disrepair and is in need of restoration. Jeff Nelson, a long time resident of North Hollywood, fell in love with the theatre after experiencing a live performance there, and founded the “Friends of the El Portal.” Jeff’s goal is to preserve the historical value of the theatre as an important community resource. “The El Portal could play a key role in breathing life back into this area [North Hollywood]. While expensive development projects are important to ensure economic vitality, neighborhoods also need a sense of identity and approachability that office towers and corporate structures do not readily provide. A theater, besides providing local jobs and attracting large numbers of patrons into the neighborhood, can give much more to the community. The performing arts can feed the soul, and bring hope and inspiration to those who often have little of either.” The theatre has been nominated to be a Historical-Cultural Monument, which is currently under consideration by the Cultural Heritage Commission.

Much interest and some controversy has been generated around the current plan for the El Portal Theatre. Actors Alley Repertory Theatre’s lease is expiring at its current location on Riverside Dr. Unable to renew their lease at that location, they have decided to take advantage of the necessity to move and move into a larger facility. Since its inception, the goal of Actors Alley has been to become “the first regional theatre for all the performing arts” in the San Fernando Valley. The expiration of their lease, which would normally be a serious problem, has become an opportunity. One big step in their goal to becoming the Valley’s regional theatre is an adequate facility in which to accomplish such a goal. This is where Actors Alley and the El Portal cross paths.

The El Portal has been used occasionally for the past few years, but has not had a regular tenant for quite some time. Bob Caine, managing director of Actor’s Alley, has had his eye on the El Portal for a few years, but the opportunity hasn’t presented itself. Then, with the pending expiration of their lease, Actor’s Alley approached the Community Redevelopment Agency, and they worked out a plan that would enable them to move in to the El Portal Theatre and begin work on building a regional theatre for the Valley.

Actors Alley is planning to convert the current 1250 seat facility into two performance spaces and classroom/seminar space. There will be a 199 seat main stage and a 99 seat black box. They have negotiated a gradual growth plan with Actors Equtiy that will enable the theatre to gradually make the El Portal an Equity house. Actors Equity is the union that represents actors and determines rules for rates of pay. Under the 99 seat plan (previously known as Equity waiver), actors may work without pay. When a theatre seats more than 99, then an Equity pay schedule takes effect. Under Equity rules, the size of the theatre determines the rate of pay for actors.

Actors Alley is planning a five-show season at the El Portal. The main stage will be convertible between 99 and 199 seats. In the first year, one show will be an Equity show (actors get paid), seating more than 99, and the other four will be waiver shows (less than 99 seats, actors don’t get paid)). Each year an Equity show will be added until the whole five-show season is Equity. Then the plan is to expand the main stage auditorium up to as many a 600 seats.

Approximately $300,000 is needed for the planned renovation. The CRA agreed to loan $200,000 to Actor’s Alley and provide a grant for $50,000 that must be matched by another $50,000 by Actor’s Alley. The public funding comes from money raised for the specific purpose of funding the arts. Whenever a developer builds or improvements are made to a property, 1% of the cost of the improvement above a minimum must be devoted to the arts. The idea is that the arts improve the community, which in turn increases property value. Hopefully, the developer will make up the 1% in increased property value, while the community enjoys a higher standard of living. This is where the money for Actor’s Alley is coming from.

If Actor’s Alley succeeds, they will be drawing an audience from across the Valley, and perhaps across Los Angeles. These audiences will not only be enjoying theatre, but they will also be supporting actors, writers, directors, stage crews and everyone employed by the theatre. The audience will also support local businesses such as restaurants, coffee houses, shops, and at least one magazine. All this business will also generate tax revenues that can go toward increased police protection and other vital services. This is the multiplier effect that economists talk about. This is the type of infrastructure investment that President-elect Clinton talks about. For the NoHo Arts District, it’s a natural.

At least one discordant voice has been raised in opposition to the plan. Julian Nava, a professor of History at California State University, Northridge and a declared mayoral candidate has criticized the plan, stating that the money should be used for vital services such as police service. While he has stated this position, he has opened an 800 number in order to get the opinion of the people. That number is 1-800-LA4-NAVA.

In mid-January, the L.A. City Council will be voting on whether or not to approve the plan to fund the renovation of the El Portal Theatre. If you support the plan, contact your council representative and encourage them to support it as well.

For more information, contact: Friends of the El Portal, Jeff Nelson 818-980-1379; Actors Alley Repertory, 818-508- 4200. Photo Credits: Cover and page 4, Security Pacific National Bank Photograph Collection/Los Angeles Public Library.