Latino Theater to manage LATC

The Latino Theater Company has received final approval of a $4-million state grant that will allow it to assume management of the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown L.A.

City Councilwoman Jan Perry’s office, which represents LATC’s downtown district, said that the Latino Theater had secured the grant the week of March 1. The funds, from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment Board, will be used for LATC’s renovation.

The awarding of the management agreement brings to a close a drawn-out -- and often contentious -- battle over who should run the historic venue, which served as a home to the Latino Theater, Will & Company, Moving Arts and Playwrights’ Arena theater companies.

Plans call for the historic structure to include gallery space for the Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture. Renovations will begin in May. “We will be closed for four months during that time,” said Jose Luis Valenzuela, Latino Theater’s artistic director.

Will & Company, aligned with downtown developer Tom Gilmore, had competed with the Latino Theater to operate LATC when the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department solicited proposals in 2003 for the municipally owned theater complex to be taken over by a private operator.

Although the proposal by Gilmore and the troupe to a Cultural Affairs panel won out over Latino Theater’s bid at that time, it was not approved by the City Council. Councilwoman Perry instead tried to bring together Will & Company and Latino Theater, an effort that failed when the groups were unable to find common ground for operating the facility.

In December 2005, a report from the city of Los Angeles’ chief legislative analyst recommended that a 20-year lease be awarded to the Latino Theater Company and the Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Latino Museum will become co-manager of the facility when renovations are done.

LATC tenants were notified by the city in writing in January that they would have 60 days “to either renegotiate with the new landlord or be prepared to seek other arrangements,” Valenzuela said. “So whoever didn’t talk to our company got a notice to vacate because restoration is about to start.”

A widely distributed e-mail from Will & Company’s associate artistic director Fran DeLeon on March 8 announced that her troupe had been told to vacate LATC by March 7. “We’re putting boxes in my garage, in my living room, we’ll be rehearsing in my backyard,” DeLeon said in an interview that week. “We’ve been trying to figure out what our future is.”

Perry expressed dismay over Will & Company’s eviction but said that she would “work with the city attorney and see if we can do anything to help,” including discussing “alternative spaces” with the troupe.

In the meantime, DeLeon said, the troupe is continuing its regular school touring schedule while it searches for a new home.

Valenzuela said that he expects Playwrights’ Arena and producing companies Culture Clash, Cedar Grove Productions, East L.A. Classic Theatre and Robey Theater Company, among others, to mount productions at the facility.

Moving Arts theater company, whose production of “The Winners’ Circle” will close at LATC on March 25, is in discussions with Latino Theater regarding its future there. “We’re looking forward to completing our run and then we are examining our options,” said Moving Arts co-founder Lee Wochner.

East L.A. Classic Theatre is “still working out the details and a strategy for fund-raising,” said Tony Plana, executive artistic director, “but we’re excited about working with Latino Theater Company and focusing on educational programming and performances.”

Jon Lawrence Rivera, artistic director of Playwrights’ Arena, said that “at the moment” his company plans to remain at LATC; Robey Theater’s artistic director Ben Guillory said that he hasn’t decided whether the Robey will become an LATC tenant, but that the company had agreed to co-produce plays with Latino Theater once renovation is completed.

“We’re going to need a lot of support,” Guillory said, “but I think Jose Luis has a great vision.”