Shrine Auditorium
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| Al Malaikah Temple | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location: | 665 W. Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles, California |
| Built/Founded: | 1925 |
| Architect: | John C. Austin |
| Added to NRHP: | April 2, 1987 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 87000577 |
The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners.
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[edit] History
Opened in 1926, the current Shrine Auditorium replaced an earlier 1906 Al Malaikah Temple which had been destroyed by a fire on January 11, 1920.[1] The fire gutted the original building in just 30 minutes, and nearly killed six firefighters in the process.[2]. The new auditorium was designed by San Francisco-based theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh, with local architects John C. Austin and A. M. Edelman associated.
In 2002, the Auditorium underwent a $15 million renovation that upgraded the auditorium's stage with state-of-the-art lighting and rigging systems, and included new roofing and air conditioning for both the Auditorium and Expo Center, modernized concession stands, additional restrooms, repainting of the Expo Center, and a new performance plaza and parking garage. The entire complex follows a Moroccan architectural motif.
The Shrine Auditorium seats approximately 6,300 people (reseated during the 2002 renovation from the original 6,700 capacity) and has a stage 194 feet (59 m) wide and 69 feet (21 m) deep.
[edit] Events
The Shrine Auditorium has hosted a number of events, mainly for entertaiment. The Academy Awards were held at the Shrine from 1947–1948 and for eight times between 1988 and 2001 until it moved to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Shrine has hosted several Grammy ceremonies until 2000 when it had moved to the nearby Staples Center. The Primetime Emmy Awards were also held at the venue for a decade beginning in 1998. However, the Primetime ceremony was moved to the nearby Nokia Theatre (which is next door to Staples Center).
Among other entertaiment events the Shrine has hosted were the American Music Awards, BET Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, People's Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
For 33 years Shrine Auditorium was home to the University of Southern California Trojans basketball team. The Trojans' home court was on the Shrine's stage. The Shrine Circus, concerts, stage shows and other events are also held here. The Shrine Auditorium was also the venue for the 55th Miss Universe beauty pageant, held in July 2006.
The Auditorium features two boxes above the orchestra level holding 40 people each and seven loges on the balcony holding between 36 and 47 seats each (total capacity of the loges: 274). Of the remaining seats, 2,964 are on the orchestra level and 2,982 on the balcony level
[edit] Shrine Expo Center
Adjacent to the Shrine Auditorium is the Shrine Expo Center, which features 54,000 square feet (5,000 m²) of exhibit and meeting space--34,000 in the main level and 20,000 in an open mezzanine. The Expo Center has a capacity of 4,000 patrons. Trade shows, banquets, conventions and rave parties, among other events, have been held there.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Los Angeles |
Venues of Oscars 1988 - 2001 |
Succeeded by Kodak Theatre Hollywood |
| Preceded by Impact Arena Bangkok, Thailand |
Miss Universe Venue 2006 |
Succeeded by Auditorio Nacional Mexico City, Mexico |
