Dolby Theatre in LA to get National Tours in 2020

It was announced today that the Dolby Theatre in LA will be a touring venue in 2020.. Timing seems to line up for Hamilton to move its sit down to LA after a year in SF.. (also probably why Frozen is launching with a long Fall of 2019 Tour Stop at the Pantages..?)

If I remember correctly this also happened during a recent long term stay for Wicked at the Pantages.

Has anyone seen a small scale tour at the Dolby? I'd imagine the bigger shows (Lion King, Aladdin, Wicked) would fill the space well, but a small scale tour like The Bands Visit or Come From Away would get swallowed up by the Dolby space..

Thanks. Totally forgot to include the link!

and 2020 is the answer to the often asked question, "When is Hamilton coming back to Los Angeles?"



For the record, the Dolby has some awful seats, but hopefully as a subscriber, I won't be totally screwed. I hope the number of "Presidents Club" seats doesn't expand in the new venue.

And yours is the right answers as it would be perfect timing when the SF sit down probably ends.

The last time the Pantages had a sit down for Wicked LA their season was moved to a smaller venue in Westwood. Their subscriber base plummeted until they ended the Wicked LA run. As a result they've made sure this won't happen again by moving their next subscription season to the Dolby and allowing Hamilton to return to the Pantages.

I hope this is just to supplement more shows into the season and not because the Pantages is unavailable for a sit down. If it is Hamilton, I hope it will be a limited run.

This is a awful venue for touring shows. I saw two musicals there. A scaled down Networks production of Full Monty and the infamous Val Kilmer in Ten Commandments. This place should be a dedicated concert venue. I really doubt any smart producer will let their first national tours stop there.

BJR said: "Blech. What a barn of a theatre. And what's sad is LA doesnt get second string tours. There are many houses across the country just as cavernous, but LA is full of industry folks who see shows there. This house will do a disservice to nearly any show. But you know, money."

We used to get second string tours. They used to play venues like Pasadena Civic Auditorium or the Long Beach Terrace. Both equally as bad.

I wish Hamilton would take one of the Downtown LA theaters. So many gorgeous theaters that don't seem to get much use/love.

What house in Westwood did they use during the Wicked years?

It was the Wadsworth Theatre off of Wilshire Blvd in Brentwood which was a smaller version of the Pantages as seen in these photos.

https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2017/03/wadsworth-theatre.html

The ACE Theatre and the Orpheum are the two theatres downtown that have been fully renovated, but I don't think either could actually accommodate full production scenery. Those venues are mostly used for concerts and television broadcasts with one standing makeshift set piece - but I don't think either space really has much in the way of wings or fly space.

MorrisLACat said: "I miss the Schubert Theatre in Century City."



Me too! I saw Ragtime there before moving to Broadway.

I was lucky to see MAMMA MIA pre-Broadway at the Shubert. I miss having a touring venue on the west side, especially that housed such big productions. The Los Angeles runs of SUNSET BOULEVARD, RAGTIME, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, CATS, and LES MISERABLES played there.



A year of HAMILTON makes sense, and a year is enough time to make it not burn out too quickly. WICKED came to Los Angeles for two years after their run in San Francisco. The Dolby is a nice venue for shows like the Academy Awards or my favorite Cirque show, IRIS, but I can't imagine how this will fare for shows on tour. The Ahmanson already has a great season this year, and next season will probably get all of the first-run tours (BAND'S VISIT, MEAN GIRLS, MY FAIR LADY, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND).



If they're smart, the Pantages will get back the Wilshire, where shows like CABARET and URINETOWN played on tour, or even a venue like the Orpheum.