at the Montalbán
Classroom Expansion: Arts & Theater Experiences
Pilot Proposal Fall 2016
featuring the biggest and brightest stars
of the era, including Cary Grant.
In 1964, the man behind the Greek
Theatre in Griffith Park bought the venue
and staged productions for 20 years with
both Hollywood and Broadway stars.
Rebranding the theater with his own
name, James A. Doolittle carried on the
tradition of live stage productions that
the building has housed throughout its
history.
UCLA took over in the 1980s until the Ricardo Montalbán Foundation, a 501(c)3
nonprofit, bought the building in 1999.
Ricardo Montalbán’s vision was to create
a presence in Hollywood that provided
inspiration and employment for young
Latinos as well as other underrepresented people throughout the community.
THE MONTALBÁN THEATER
L.A.’s First Legit Theater
Deep Roots in Live Theater
The Ricardo Montalbán Theatre began
its life in 1926 as the Wilkes Brothers
Vine Street Theatre. Designed by the
architect of the Rose Bowl and LA’s
iconic Ambassador Hotel, the Vine Street
Theater was the first legitimate live
Broadway-style theater in Hollywood.
The theater was home to various shows
from vaudeville to Broadway to tin-pan
alley to Shakespeare. Actors would
come to Vine Street to learn their trade,
and audiences would line up around the
block in the age of Hal Roach and Cecil
B. DeMille to see the actors who might
just be the next studio sweetheart spotted on the live stage.
By the early 1930s, Howard Hughes
purchased and converted the venue
into the first fully automated cinema,
renaming it The Mirror. His movie palace
reportedly ran double features with an
amazing three changes per week.1
In 1935, CBS Radio needed a home for
its wildly popular Lux Radio Theatre
program. They found a perfect home
1 http://www.martinturnbull.com/2014/11/17/mirror-theater-1615vine-street-hollywood-1932/
at 1615 Vine Street, and purchased the
space from Howard Hughes.
Initially, Lux Radio Theatre adopted
Broadway plays during its first two seasons before adopting popular films. The
shows were recorded live in front of a
studio audience. This format was so successful that it continually ran for over
twenty years, becoming a Hollywood
tradition.2 Now available as a podcast,
these years in the Montalbán Theater
are immortalized and still listened to
throughout the world, allowing listeners to fondly remember this age of live
theater mixing harmoniously with the
nascent radio, film, and TV broadcasting
industries.
The theater became a playhouse again
in the 1950s after CBS sold the theater to Huntington Hartford. He spent
$750,000 remodeling and restoring it
to the first class legitimate stage venue
it was intended to be. The premiere
presentation was “What Every Woman
Knows,” written by J.M. Barrie of “Peter
Pan” fame, and starring Helen Hayes.
The theater quickly became synonymous with high-profile live productions
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux_Radio_Theatre
Through the current renaissance of the
Hollywood and Vine District, The Montalbán Theater is carrying Ricardo’s mission forward, and leading the charge of
bringing new life to the neighborhood.
Strategic partnerships secured with Nike,
Canon, KV2, and PRG among others,
are aiding in bringing the environment
state-of-the-art projection mapping,
LED lighting, and a captivating sound
system, all while still complimenting
the theater’s brilliant original architectural design. In recent years, under the
direction of Montalbán’s son-in-law
Gilbert Smith, nearly $4 million has
been invested into theater restoration
to help preserve this classic space rich
with history, that for the past 90 years
has contributed to making Hollywood a
thriving creative place.
Millions of people have attended live
events at various incarnations of the
venue, showcasing luminaries from Desi
Arnez & Lucille Ball to John Wayne &
Orson Welles to the young luminaries of
today and tomorrow.
Looking to the future, The Montalbán
Theater is beginning to program its
own shows, bringing dynamic new live
theater to audiences in ways yet unseen
in Hollywood. We are breaking new
ground. We are offering opportunities
for creative minds to come to life on
stage, and make their mark on the world.
It is a tradition that began in 1926, and is
just as compelling today.
It is a tradition that Ricardo Montalbán
believed in, and would be proud of.
Ricardo Montalbán was America’s first
true Latino movie star, celebrated internationally for his iconic roles such as
“Khan” in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
and “Mr. Roarke” in the popular television series Fantasy Island.
RICARDO
MONTALBÁN
STAR OF THE SCREEN, MAN OF THE THEATRE
He came to represent the epitome
of continental elegance, charm, and
grace, winning an Emmy Award in
1978 for his role in the miniseries How
the West Was Won, as well as a
Lifetime Achievement Award
from the Screen Actors
Guild in 1993, and a star
on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame.
Throughout his career, the handsome
actor was frequently typecast as a
Latin lover-type. Inspired by his own
professional interactions, he
fought to improve the image
of Mexicans in Hollywood,
becoming a pioneering advocate
who worked to create better opportunities for Latinos, both in front of and
behind the camera. In 1970, he founded a nonprofit foundation seeking to
strategically change the stereotypical
image portrayed by Latino actors.
The son of Spanish immigrants to Mexico, Montalbán first moved to the
United States as a teenager. He lived with his
older brother in Los Angeles, where he studied
English at Fairfax High
School. While performing
in a Fairfax High theatrical
production, he was first
discovered by MGM executives.
His early roles were mostly
small parts in westerns,
but eventually he became
the most sought after Hispanic actor in Hollywood.
Well loved, he starred in many musicals
for MGM as an actor and dancer. It was
a life threatening injury suffered on set
of the film Across The Wide Missouri
with Clark Gable that brought him back
Continuing the Tradition
As one of the few remaining mid-sized
and fully equipped proscenium theaters
in Los Angeles, the Ricardo Montalbán
Theater is known for its excellent sightlines and acoustics. It features orchestra,
mezzanine, loge, and balcony seating.
It hosts screenings, comedy, music, and
theater performances.
In its early days, most of the productions
had Latino themes and participants. As
part of its programming, The Montalbán
has partnered with community performing arts groups such as the Harmony
most famous stage performance was
in George Bernard Shaw’s Don Juan
in Hell. His voice will forever be associated with the phrase “Corinthian
leather” from Chrysler Cordoba commercials. To younger generations, he is
recognized as “Grandpa Valentin Avellan” in Spy Kids films.
Montalbán believed that working on
the live stage was the best preparation
for a career in the performing arts, and
in 1999, the foundation that bears his
name acquired the prestigious Doolittle Theater in Hollywood in an effort
to carry out his mission of promoting
youth participation in live theater. Under his name, the theater continues
his mission to this day.
to the live stage. He headed to New York
to star in a Broadway musical called Jamaica with Lena Horn, then performed
in the premiere Los Angeles Music Center production of The King And I. His
Project, the Lula Washington Dance
Company, and the Universidad de Las
Américas (UDLA). We have established
a strong partnership with Cultura
UDG that strengthens the connection
between this premier Mexican performance group and the Los Angeles
community. Venue programming today,
consistent with Ricardo Montalbán’s
convictions, strives to level the playing
field not only for Latinos, but for everyone. Embracing the community-at-large
begets excellence.
The Montalbán pushes the boudaries
with exciting and experimental pro-
Ricardo Montalbán
continued performing
throughout his life, and died
in his Los Angeles home January 14
2009, at age 88.1
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Montalbán
gramming alongside more traditional
shows. A small sample of recent productions includes John Leguizamo’s Ghetto
Klown; Nick Kroll and John Mulaney
starring in Oh, Hello; Japanese mixed
media dance phenomenon Enra; and the
4-Time Ovation-nominated I Only Have
Eyes For You, a new musical on the life of
Al Dubin.
In December 2016, The Montalbán will
host a World Premier performance of
Swan Lake: The Musical. It will feature
Broadway stars, The Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, and exceptional young
performers directly out of school.
at The Montalbán
Getting Students To Shows
pricing of the show and the box office,
and are able to offer discounted or free
seats to students.
At The Montalbán, we believe arts
education is as important as learning to
read. Critical to fostering a young person’s creativity is exposing them to live
performances of the highest quality.
So we began the CrEATE program.
Second, we also rent our theater. In
these cases, we have no control over
ticket prices, and are not able to provide
student discounts or free seating.
CrEATE stands for Classroom Expansion:
Arts & Theater Experiences.
The CrEATE program allows individuals
and corporations to support the arts by
making donations to The Montalbán
Foundation, specifically earmarked for
Plácido Domingo conducts
Esperanza Azteca youth orchestra
at The Montalbán in September, 2016
Participation
Levels
$25,000+ | CrEATE HERO
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$15,000+ | DIAMOND SPONSOR
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Press Conferences
$10,000+ | PLATINUM SPONSOR
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events for the year
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Funding for arts education in the United
States, and especially for the public
school system, has been under attack in
recent years. Tight budgets mean an eye
for cuts, and arts classes are often the
first to go.
At The Montalbán, we strive to be the
best in lighting, in sound, and in programming. We are in the middle of the
firestorm of the Hollywood renaissance,
leading the charge in bringing groundbreaking works to new audiences.
It is important for young people of all
backgrounds to experience the theater,
and so often children from under-served
and under-privileged communities will
never get the opportunity to attend a
live theatrical performance.
Also, with limited seating available and
high costs of production, often the most
passionate fans, even from a performing
arts high school or college, will be priced
out. The Montalbán Foundation seeks to
provide access to these students.
The Montalbán Theater operates in two
basic ways:
First, we program and present our own
shows. In these cases, we control the
providing access to students.
The Montalbán Foundation is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization, and
all contributions to CrEATE are
100% tax deductible.
Fund use can be tailored to each donation. From specifying which school’s
students or what type of performance,
the donor can decide what is most
meaningful.
CrEATE also has a general fund, administered by the Executive Director, who will
provide access to students in keeping
with the principles of the Foundation.
To distribute tickets, the Foundation will
partner with specific schools as well as
offer open student discounts with ID.
Ricardo Montalbán began his career
performing in short stage shows in his
teenage years, and continued on the
live stage throughout his professional
life. He was exposed to the tremendous
joy of creating art early on, and it became his mission in life to provide that
same exposure to young people.
With your donation, you can bring students into the theater, and inspire the
next generation of artists.
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$1000+ | BRONZE SPONSOR
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$500+ | PROGRAM SPONSOR
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Program on our website.
Contributions of all levels welcome, and are
100% Tax Deductible.
Donations are able to be earmarked for
specific use, or to be designated to the CrEATE general fund.
The general fund will go toward bringing
students into the theater, and toward an
enhanced and unique arts education above
and beyond classroom learning.
To participate in CrEATE, contact:
Gilbert Smith | Executive Director
The Montalbán Foundation
[email protected]
323-871- 2420
Pilot Show: A Classic Reborn
Bringing together Broadway’s A-List with the young L.A.-List.
core mission of The Montalbán Foundation. In addition to the star performers
appearing onstage, young actors and
singers will participate in the chorus, and
aspiring theater crew members will play
key roles in the wings. This is not only
good for resumes, but continues their
education in the theater and deepens
their connection to the work and to the
professional community.
For the week prior to the concert, these
young men and women, fresh from
school, will share rehearsal halls with
performers whose careers they aspire to
emulate. Backstage, interns still in school
will work alongside seasoned technical
professionals who put together performances massive trade shows, conventions, and live theater year-round. These
are the networks that students need to
succeed.
The first show that is eligible for participation in CrEATE is a new musical
adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet
Swan Lake. It will be presented in a concert format with the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra.
Performing on stage will be some of
Broadway’s top talent straight from the
marquees on the Great White Way. Headlining the event is Andrew Lippa, the
composer of musicals such as The Wild
Party, Big Fish, and The Addams Family.
Mr. Lippa also recently headlined Disney
Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Lincoln
Center Hall in NYC, and other premiere
venues, performing alongside Kristen
Chenoweth and Laura Benanti in an epic
concerto of his own writing: I Am Harvey
Milk / I Am Anne Hutchinson.
Joining him will be Carrie St. Louis and
Carrie Manolakos, a former Wicked
Glinda and Elphaba, respectively. Also
featured are Luann Aronson (Phantom of
the Opera), Blake Segal (Mary Poppins),
Mario Jose (American Idol alum), and
Liam Roberts, a young talent making his
Los Angeles stage debut.
At the Montalbán, we have developed
a close relationship with the Hollywood
Chamber Orchestra. The men and
women in this ensemble are the best studio musicians in the world, the first call
for the film industry. The group officially
formed just a year ago, and has taken
aim at breaking out of the studio walls,
and taking their music out in front of live
audiences. The Montalbán is proud that
they have chosen us as a preferred home
outside of the recording studio.
Swan Lake: The Musical tells the story of
a young princess Odette who lives her
life with a curse: to live as a swan by day,
human by night. This production incorporates elements that ring true with the
On the night of the show, the lighting
will be timed out perfectly, the story will
be sung, the music will be played. Who
will be in the audience to enjoy it? This is
the type of event that sells out: one night
only, star performers with wide appeal, a
title that grabs attention. To further the
Montalbán’s goal of providing young
people, most particularly in the Hispanic
community, with a place to learn the
skills necessary to a successful career in
the performing arts, we seek the support
of our generous donors.
We want Swan Lake: The Musical on December 17 to be a triumph for not only
the performers, crew, and creative team
involved, but also for young performers who get to step into the theater this
holiday season. We want to bring the
student who might be the next Ricardo
Montalbán into our space for this event.
Proceeds from this performance will go
toward the CrEATE general fund.
What is the story of Swan Lake?
Swan Lake is a story of division.
In a world at war, a princess lives by a
curse: to be swan by day and human
by night.
With triumphant anthems and timeless ballads, the classic story comes to
life unlike ever before, the infamous
Black Swan / White Swan rivalry un-
folding in competition for the throne
and for love.
When Swan Lake Empire is under
attack, the princess must choose
between her love, her family, and her
empire. When her world is crumbling
down around her, she must decide:
Where does she stand?
For More Information on
Swan Lake:
swanlakemusical.com
1615 Vine Street, LosRicardo
Angeles,
CAHorne
90028
with Lena
in Jamaica during their Broadway run. Ricardo
Tel: 323-871-2420
played a fisherman who gets rich trading his fish for pearls.
Box Office: 323-461- 6999