Acting on 1927

LACC Theater Department History

For a complete listing of past productions, by name or year, please visit the LACC Theater Archives page.

Los Angeles City College started in 1929, using the buildings and site formerly used by UCLA on North Vermont Avenue. Before 1929, the first College President, William H. Snyder, had contacted Harold Turney, a Universal talent scout, who had a training theater at the Studio called the Playcrafters. By the time LACC occupied the campus, Snyder, Turney, and the studio heads had agreed to move the Playcrafters operation to the campus and use the huge inherited auditorium for its activities.

The first production of the Theater Department used the studio's spotlights, scenery, etc., and the first students were enrolled. During the first production, The Queen's Husband, Mr. Turney became ill and Jerry Blunt, a graduate theater student at UCLA and a member of the Playcrafters group since 1927, came back to the campus to help direct. After his graduation, Mr. Blunt was hired by LACC.

Historical Photo of a Show in 1936

The two men, Turney and Blunt, established the basic philosophy of the department: that the productions form the climax of the student's course, and that the student appears before the public as many times as possible each semester. To that end, an extensive system of classes embracing all phases of the dramatic field was organized as a part of the regular college curriculum.

LACC Little Theater 1936

During World War Il, the girls in the department organized a variety show they named the GI Girls. Each weekend they were bused to perform at military bases in Southern California. They were so popular and had so many requests that a second troupe was formed, called GI Girls II. The soldiers who drove the buses were always amused because their orders were to "pick up the girls" at the intersection of Lily Crest and Heliotrope.

 

 

Following World War II, a third theater was added featuring central staging. This welcome addition was adapted from a bungalow, a war emergency building. Plays were alternately scheduled into the three theaters, giving students opportunities for various stage experiences.

 

 

Interim Theater

In 1959, the large auditorium was razed to make way for the new Administration Building, and in 1963 the Little Theater was torn down to make way for the new Theatre Building. The demise of the Little Theater was not without emotion as it had been the home of the Theater Department for over 32 years and many a student had enshrined it in memory. Before the leveling of the Little Theatre, the Engineering Annex was pressed into service as an "Interim Theater." Fortunately, for three and a half years it proved to be a most workable playhouse, and the training of students never slackened.

 

New Theatre Building 1966

With the opening of the new Theatre Building, the Theater Department had, at last, a well-designed theatre building to accommodate all their activities and performances. This included a large proscenium theater, a smaller black box, and an intimate classroom stage. The large theatre was named the Camino, the black box, the Caminito, and the smallest, the Cameo. These names were given in honor of El Camino Real, which is thought to have passed nearby as it diagonally crossed through the campus. The road was created by the Franciscan Fathers as a route from one California mission to another, in this case from the Los Angeles Mission to the San Fernando Mission. 

Photo of the Old Little Theater

 

 

THEATER DEPARTMENT OFFICE

Theatre Arts Building 208

To leave a message:
Phone: (323) 953-4000 ext. 2970
Email: lacc-@email

Show Information                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Theater Department Box Office:
To leave a message:
Phone: (323) 953-4000 ext. 2990
Email: @email

Visitors and playgoers, please visit LACCD Check-In before arriving

Department Chair:
Eddie Bledsoe
@email

Acting Program:
Costume Design Program:
Eddie Bledsoe
@email

Technical Theater Entertainment Technology Program:
Johnny Garofalo
@email