Miles Williams - Artistic Director
The ALEX is having a moment.
As we consider our place in LA’s entertainment landscape, the history of our theatre here on Brand Boulevard is making itself heard. Once a movie palace - Disney, Ben Hur, Star Wars - the most common refrain we hear from passersby is “I remember coming to see movies here as a child”. This place really mattered to people in the past - creating foundational memories - joy, wonder, amazement, delight. It brings our patrons those same feelings now.
Since 1925 the ALEX has been a place of community, a place for people to come and escape into the world of stories and music, dance and laughter, comedy and tragedy. Whether presented on the big screen or live on stage, the ALEX has this role to play in people’s lives - a role that we love, a role that we accept as our mission for Glendale, and greater Los Angeles.
With the success of The Odyssey, we have seen thousands and thousands of people amazed at our architecture, our film presentation, our history - wrapped up in a welcoming vibe - an elevated experience. A place where the walls can whisper about the past hundred years, and tell the stories of generations who discovered the ALEX when they were children.
The theatre has always been a place for everyone; a safe space for all of us - misfits, dreamers, artists, fans. At the ALEX we embody this same mission for the whole community of Los Angeles. A place where artists and audiences of every diversity are valued. A theatre where everyone can feel welcome, enjoy our multi-hyphenate calendar of Cinema, Music, Dance, and Comedy - and celebrate what resonates within them.
Here at the ALEX - we create community - and want you to be a part of it.
About the ALEX Theatre
September 4, 1925 - The Alexander Theater opened as a Vaudeville house and movie palace.
1920s-1950s - The Theatre served as a preview house for major Hollywood studio films, drawing the most glamorous stars of its day, including Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin, Bing Crosby, and Barbara Stanwyck.
1940 - The iconic marquee and 100-foot tall Art Deco neon tower with chasing colored lights and sparkling sphere were added to the exterior. The Theatre’s name was officially shortened to “Alex.”
1991 - After screening first-run blockbuster films such as Ben hur, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Hunt for Red October over the course of 60 years, the Alex ceased operations on September 26, 1991 with a screening of Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
1992 - The Glendale Redevelopment Agency purchased the Alex Theater to serve as the centerpiece of Glendale’s revitalized Brand Boulevard and embarked on a $6.5 million rehabilitation of the facility.
1993, New Year’s Eve - The Alex Theater opened as a performing arts and entertainment center. The new facility included a stage expansion and new seating layouts, theatrical systems, and screen.
1996 - The Alex Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
2026 - With the launch of new 70mm film projection, the ALEX enters a new era of Studio films. The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan breaks box office records, and re-establishes the ALEX as a premiere movie palace .
About The EVNSONG
The EVNSONG, is the brainchild of industry veteran Miles Williams, a Los Angeles-based arts impresario with a multi-hyphenate legacy in entertainment, and who has contributed to over 5000 shows in the past 35 years; featuring legends such as Johnny Cash, Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, Yo-Yo Ma, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Alicia Keys, Thom Yorke, Tori Amos, Miley Cyrus, and Stevie Wonder.
Arriving in Downtown Los Angeles to work on the storied Last Remaining Seats film series, he went on to fulfill a pivotal role in the transformations of both the Orpheum Theatre and the United Theatre on Broadway, hosting countless live entertainment luminaries, film festivals, location shoots, and numerous television specials including American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, and the Daytime Emmys.
Recent endeavors have included the historic ALEX Theatre, presenting an ongoing showcase with the most diverse offerings in LA. From first-run cinema, international music, film festivals, ballet and modern dance, stand up comedy, special events, podcasts, and orchestral music. The EVNSONG has reinvented the ALEX as the theatre of misfit shows - offering its stage to artistic gems that are overlooked by mainstream promoters but cherished by the diverse audiences of greater Los Angeles.
Defined by its mission-driven approach to arts programming, the EVNSONG embodies its commitment to the magic of entertainment in historic theatres - creating transcendent experiences - in every language - for every audience.