"The Gymnast"

The Variety Theatre, 5253 W. Adams Blvd., is seen extensively in the film "The Gymnast" (Red Road/Wolfe Releasing, 2006). It's the gym where Dreya Weber and Addie Yungmee learn aerial fabric acrobatics. Ned Farr wrote and directed the film. The cinematography was by Marco Fargnoli.  It's not often that a film gives you the address of the location they're headed to but here Dreya holds out the card for the theatre.

 

 

 

Crossing the street to the building. The club area is in the former bank building on the corner. The theatre building is to the right. 

 

 

 

Coming in the front door. The dressing room, seen later in the film, is off to the right just inside the door, in part of the former lobby. 

 

In the auditorium, setting up some fabric panels for aerial work. That's Allison Mackie, playing the instructor, on the left. Addie Yungmee is helping with the ladder. Dreya is on the right with the booth ports in the background.

 

 Getting up in the air. 

 

"This is Jimmy. He runs the place."

 

Looking toward the stage. 

 

 

Dreya in front of the stage. 

 

 

Addie and Dreya cocooned. 

 

Dreya's husband, played by David De Simone, confronts Addie and tells her to break off the affair she's been having with Dreya. Dreya later leaves him and as the film ends is heading to Vegas where Addie's new job is.

Thanks to Lindsay Blake, of I Am Not a Stalker fame, for spotting the theatre in the film. She has a great selection of shots from the many films and TV shows that have been shot at the Variety and the adjacent Club Fais Do-Do.  

See the page about the Variety Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building's history and additional photos.

On IMDb: "The Gymnast"