Marquee Lighted in Revival Bid
In hopes of recharging the NoHo Arts District, celebrities and area residents gathered for the relighting of El Portal Theater Center’s marquee.
Actress Judith Light flipped the switch on the restored Art Deco neon marquee and six antique lampposts outside the theater Monday night, and comedian Dom DeLuise entertained the crowd of more than 300 people.
The theater, a vaudeville and movie house that opened in 1926, is getting a face-lift that should be completed by October, with grand opening ceremonies scheduled for November.
Supporters are hoping that the theater’s $5.5-million renovation will help boost other businesses along Lankershim Boulevard.
“We want the community to know that the theater is making a comeback,” said Pegge Forrest, spokeswoman for El Portal. “The marquee light will once again become a staple along Lankershim, and everyone will get used to having us around.”
The theater sustained extensive damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
When completed, the complex will house a 390-seat Pavilion Theatre, a 99-seat theater, an art gallery and other amenities, Forrest said.
On Monday, celebrities signed bricks that will be part of the NoHo-El Portal Alleywalk, similar to the Walk of Fame, in the refurbished theater’s inner lobby.
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