The Globe Theatre on Broadway, Reopens to Its Second Century
A downtown Broadway treasure built in 1913 has reopened in 2025. I met at the newly remodeled and reopened Globe Theatre at 744 S. Broadway with Houman Sarshar, CEO of the Globe Theatre organization. Sarshar’s family joined with several investors in 1986 to purchase the theater and the Garland Tower building that surrounds it. The Globe has enjoyed a colorful and historic existence since it was built in 1913 and is now well into the second one-hundred years of its existence. Sarshar is fascinated by the history of LA’s theater district and stressed the importance of a proper restatement of the Globe Theatre’s past:
HISTORY: The Morosco Theatre opened on January 6, 1913, bringing full-length dramatic productions to LA’s theatre district. Two of the greatest names in American theatre were involved in building and operating the theatre: Oliver Morosco and the Belasco family. In the Depression, the 1400-seat theatre was renamed The President, then switched from stage productions to movies and newsreels. In 1947, the theatre was renamed the Globe and was a venue for Spanish-language films until it closed in 1986. In the same year, the theater was purchased by a group of investors headed by the Sarshar family. At that time, the theatre floor was leveled and for many years, the lobby on Broadway was used as retail space while the auditorium became a nightclub. In November of 2024 the facility was temporarily closed for extensive remodeling. The Globe has now been reopened and is ready for any contemporary entertainment event that can be imagined.
Sarshar envisions a “different kind of theater space inspired by the notion that anything imaginable becomes possible on its stage. The facility is designed as a venue for corporate events, private events, weddings, birthday celebrations, children’s events, fund raisers, open-to public-events, ticketed events and….? “We are working with a very select few creative groups to create various experiences for our patrons. We are keying toward private events where we can offer a creative and memorable experience”.
In order to meet this goal, they provide a prep kitchen as well as a cold kitchen plus a full service, licensed bar. In addition, they have partnered with one of the top catering companies in Los Angeles to provide an unlimited banquet and party experience. Sarshar stressed that every function and amenity in the facility is modularized so that it can be custom designed to provide a thrilling backdrop to functions and events.
There are literally no limits to the experience provided. “As long as its legal, your imagination is the only limit,” said Sarshar. The theater offers a standing capacity of 1,575, a gala style capacity of 320 and a row seated capacity of 560. “With everything being modular we can modify the size of the staging depending on needs – from a four-piece classical quartet to a rock band concert and from an intimate gathering of a few friends to a theatrical production.”
In addition, they have an LED screen properly dimensioned to provide feature film projection. The electronics and sound system are new and state of the art. He further explained that ,“The last year has been dedicated to turning the Globe Theatre into the most multi-functional plug-and-play space in Los Angeles. What makes us unique in the family of historic theaters on Broadway is the combination of capacity, the flat floor and the plug-and-play amenities available make the Globe Theater unlike any other venue in Los Angeles – there is nothing else like it.”
An impressive line of events has already been booked. Sarshar disclosed that starting Monday, November 17, as a nod to the history of this first Vaudeville theater in California, the theatre will start a weekly production of no cover charge events open to the public, featuring their LED screen and a live DJ, and clips of old musicals and Broadway performances all evening long. It is Sarshar’s vision that these weekly events will lead to a revitalization of the tremendous entertainment resources of LA’s Broadway Theater District that have lain dormant for years – a “kick start” so to speak.
Their web site is currently under construction but should be available by the time you read this article. If you have an idea for an event, you would like the Globe Theatre to help you produce, contact them at: www.globetheatre-la.com. The Globe Theatre lives on!
(Be certain to spell “Theatre” in the Old English style) to discuss your vision.
By John Nilsson