New Face for a 73 Year Old

Major Makeover for Los Angeles' Greek Theatre in the Works

By Greg Aragon

Proving that it's never too late to get back in shape, the 73-year-old Greek Theatre in Los Angeles is undergoing a significant nip and tuck.

The Greek Theatre is nestled in a lush corner of the 4,100-acre Griffith Park in Los Angeles. It is owned by the city of Los Angeles and operated by the Los Angeles-based Nederlandeer Group.

Led by Signal Hill-based Ed Grush General Contractor Inc., the $6 million project (largest in venue history) broke ground on Nov. 17 and is currently in the initial demolition stage.

When the renovation is complete in April, the 6,162-seat Greek will feature a restored 1930s main entrance façade and 35,000 sq. ft. of improved plaza areas with upgraded concession stands. An improved and relocated box office, new picnic plaza in front of the theater and an up-to-date sound and lighting system are also part of the modernization program.

Additionally, the theater's backstage dressing rooms, commissary and artists lounges will be renovated for modern conveniences and comfort.

"It is a challenging and exciting project, knowing that you are contributing to the preservation of a historic landmark that millions of people have visited and will visit in the future," said David Karian, senior project manager with Ed Grush.

Neighbored by the Los Angeles Zoo and the Griffith Observatory, the Greek Theatre is nestled in a lush corner of 4,100-acre Griffith Park. It is owned by the city of Los Angeles, operated by Los Angeles-based Nederlander Group and features an outdoor amphitheater with a stage 61-ft. wide by 46-ft. deep.

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Built with a $1 million grant from philanthropist/gold miner Griffith J. Griffith, the Greek officially opened on Sept. 25, 1930, with a performance by local soprano Ellen Beach Yaw and an excerpt from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.

It has been used as World War II barracks, a backdrop for the 1963 film "Bye Bye Birdie" and has hosted more than 167 high school and college graduations. It has also welcomed performers such as Judy Garland in 1957, followed by her daughter Liza Minnelli in 1981 and Neil Diamond in 1986.

Recent seasons at the Greek have featured performances by Sting, Pearl Jam, Jose Carerras, Marc Anthony, Tina Turner, Elton John, Santana, The Gipsy Kings, the Russian National Ballet and Paul Simon with a special guest appearance by Paul McCartney.

Karian said that while he is conscious of the project's tight, five-month construction schedule, his biggest concern is the absence of as-built documents on the historic theater.

"It is a little like working in the dark when you don't have clear historical record construction drawings that show how the facility was actually built and what the actual existing conditions are," said Karian, whose company added elevated auditorium seating to the venue 20 years ago and renovated the bathroom facilities four years ago.

"This means that figuring out how the improvements we are making fit into that puzzle can't be determined until you are actually performing the work."

Such was the case in the Greek's main theater building, where Karian said his team had no idea what it would find behind the old, wood-framed and plastered ticket booth until after it was demolished. (It was found it to be in fairly good condition.)

Architect Zoltan E. Pali, founder of Los Angeles-based SPF: Architects, said re-creating the site's original façade was a challenge because it is "always difficult to know what has been damaged or removed due to modernizations" until construction actually begins.

"Our hope is that when we remove the subsequent modernizations that enough of the original architectural features are still largely intact," Pali added. "Then it will be simpler to either re-create or repair those portions that have been lost or damaged."

Because a new season is scheduled to begin at the Greek in April, Karian said there is absolutely no room for project delays. "The show must go on," he added.