Final Touch-Ups at the Ahmanson

The Ahmanson Theatre opened in 1967 with a production of “More Stately Mansions.” Tonight, the theater will be rededicated after a $17.1-million renovation that was designed to convert it into a somewhat less stately mansion.

From the beginning, and throughout the Center Theatre Group’s star-studded seasons at the Ahmanson, there were complaints that the hall lacked intimacy and warmth. Actors and theatergoers alike griped about the distance between stage and seats. The acoustics for spoken drama were especially criticized. Yet the backstage wasn’t considered big enough for such productions as “Miss Saigon.”

The renovation tackled all of these problems. The ceiling is lower and acoustically redesigned. New boxes on the sides narrow the hall in an attempt to improve the sound quality. Seating capacity can drop to 1,300 from the previous 2,071 by sealing off the back rows of the mezzanine and the balcony with new electronic dividers. With the relocation of a cafe and dressing rooms, the backstage is larger.

Tonight, an invitation-only audience will take a gander at the still-not-quite-finished hall from two directions: first from the stage, then from the seats. Artists from the Music Center’s resident companies will perform, dignitaries will speak. The redesigned theater will undergo its first real test when previews of “Miss Saigon” begin on Jan. 17.