Kirk Douglas Theatre will dim its lights in honor of its namesake

The Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City will dim its lights Wednesday night to honor the actor, producer and philanthropist who died Wednesday at age 103.

Center Theatre Group announced that the tribute will take place at 7:50 p.m., in advance of the 8 p.m. performance of “Until the Flood.”

“Kirk Douglas was a star in every way — in his art, his love for his family and country, and his tremendous philanthropy,” Center Theatre Group’s artistic director, Michael Ritchie, said in the announcement. “Kirk always said theater was his first love and you could see that in his face as he sat front and center on opening nights.

“As the world mourns the loss of Kirk Douglas, we are especially going to miss him in the audience, and in our lives here at Center Theatre Group so we will borrow a long-standing Broadway tradition and dim the lights at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. It is a small recognition of a man that brightened so many lives and made this theater possible.”

Kirk Douglas Theatre opened its doors in 2004 and is Center Theatre Group’s stage for new and experimental work. Kirk and Anne Douglas’ initial $2.5-million donation in 2002 propelled the transformation of the 1940s movie theater into a stage for live performance.

In 2009, Douglas premiered his autobiographical “Before I Forget” at the venue.