We spend a lot of time at the Fox Ritz Theatre, 5214 Wilshire Blvd., near the end of its life when it was called the American in "Opening Night" (Faces Distribution, 1977). Here Gena Rowlands is seen upstage right, coming onstage from her dressing room. She plays an overwrought actress trying to understand the character she's playing in a new play headed for Broadway.
The Ritz is supposed to be a tryout house called the Orpheum in New Haven. John Cassavetes directed and also appears as an actor in the film. Other featured performers include Ben Gazzara as the director, Joan Blondell as the play's author, Paul Stewart as the distressed producer and Zohra Lampert as Gazzara's wife.
Does it look like a legit house? Not really with all those drapes. But that was its use at the time.
A side wall view during rehearsal with Blondell and Stewart watching.
Looking out. The square in the terrazzo where the boxoffice was says "American Theatre."
"We're going to walk." We get a rare glimpse of the marquee soffit.
Lampert, Gazzara and Rowlands on Wilshire. The street sign at the corner says "Sycamore."
A look into the house during a preview performance.
Gazzara pacing the lobby during a preview.
A mirror view and a closer look at the Skouras-ized drinking fountain.
Downstage right. We'll later see that dimmerboard at another theatre.
Another down right view.
The show is going badly. Gazzara is up on a platform letting in the house curtain.
Heading out. Time to take the show to New York.
See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Ritz Theatre for more about the building. Now gone, it was a 1926 design by L.A. Smith for West Coast Theatres. Thanks to Brendan Lucas and Henry Stanny for noting the appearance of the Ritz in the film.
Rowlands spots the marquee of the show's New York theatre during a stroll the day of the opening. We are indeed on Broadway but it's Broadway in Los Angeles. It's the marquee of the Arcade Theatre, 534 S. Broadway.
The crowd coming into the Arcade Theatre for the New York opening. That bit of yellow readerboard just beyond is the marquee of the Cameo Theatre.
See the pages about the Arcade and Cameo theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site for the history of the buildings along with many photos both vintage and recent.
When we go inside our Broadway house in New York it turns out we're at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Here we're offstage right with the lockrail behind the dimmers we last saw at the Ritz. It's immediately obvious that we have lots more wing space here. The same set is onstage that we saw at the Ritz.
Strangely overdressed theatregoers coming in for the premiere. And what's also strange is that they're coming down the balcony stairs ratther than going up.
A look across the auditorium prior to the show. Rowlands is late. Out drinking again and trying to come to terms with her part. It calls for an older woman and she's determined to figure out a way to play it without age being relevant. She's said that it'll be the end of her career if she's percieved as old.
Downstage right at the Civic waiting to start.
Blondell and Stewart at the back of the main floor.
Onstage at the Civic. The show doesn't go well. Rowland's character is drunk and improvising.
Rowlands and the crew backstage waiting for a cue during the show's last act.
Gazzara outside the Arcade during the show. He's heading to a bar for a double Scotch.
On IMDb: "Opening Night"
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