10 Best Theaters in Los Angeles

El Capitan Theater is a historic movie theater on Hollywood Boulevard, near the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As one of the best theaters in Los Angeles, the 1920s theater combines special shows and performances with Hollywood nostalgia – showings are unique in that they often include a live-action portion when premiering new movies.

Any movie lover can find entertainment at El Capitan Theater. Owned by the Walt Disney Company, you can enjoy a massive catalog of its movies as well as a wide variety of genres and showings. The design of the theater has Spanish colonial influences, along with multiple levels of seating. Its spacious auditorium area can accommodate 1,100 people.

The Greek Theater is a prominent outdoor amphitheater in Griffith Park. As the name suggests, it has a performance stage modeled after a Greek temple and can accommodate up to 5,900 spectators. There's a section for premium seating, where the seats are more spaced out than the rest. They also come with barriers and tables, so you relax and enjoy food during a show.

The Greek Theater was opened in 1930, serving as a World War II barracks site during its early years. You'll find decades of history along with excellent shows. The location was specifically chosen for the natural acoustics provided by the park’s deep canyons.

The Orpheum Theater is the Los Angeles venue of the Orpheum Circuit, which is a series of vaudevilles and movie theaters in the U.S.. Established in 1926 in Downtown Los Angeles, this historical movie palace has a 2,350-seat auditorium decorated in a French Renaissance style.

You’ll enjoy world-class performances in opulent surroundings, including crystal chandeliers, Gothic fan-vaulted columns, and valance draperies. The Orpheum Theater usually hosts vaudeville and burlesque performances, as well as award shows and movie premieres throughout the year. Visit in summer to catch the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats classic movie series.

New Beverly Movie theater is a 300-seat movie theater owned by notable Hollywood filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. Opened in 1929, it’s one of the oldest revival houses in California. While the venue was known for showcasing erotic and European movies during the 1950s, it now screens double features in 16 mm or 35 mm.

Many of the movies aired in New Beverly Movie theater come from Tarantino’s personal collection. The director also often promotes his latest movies at this movie theater. Shows usually start at 7.30 pm throughout the week, with midnight screenings available on Fridays and Saturdays.

The TCL Chinese Theater is one of the most popular attractions in Los Angeles. Founded in 1927, this renowned icon of old Hollywood glamor regularly hosts movie premieres, imprint ceremonies, and movie festivals. It’s on Hollywood Boulevard, easily recognizable thanks to its Exotic Revival-style façade.

Tours of the TCL Chinese Theater take you through its opulent space, with guides sharing tales of Hollywood premieres. A must-see is the Forecourt of the Stars, a garden of cemented signatures, handprints and footprints of major celebrities from the 1920s to today. You can also check out the theatre’s IMAX auditorium, which showcases a modern IMAX Laser projection screen.

Geffen Playhouse has been a prominent Los Angeles landmark since 1995. It was actually founded in 1929, serving as the Masonic Affiliates Club for the University of California Los Angeles. Today, the theater offers a good mix of classic and contemporary plays as well as provocative world-premiere productions.

Besides its main stage, the complex houses the Skirball Kenis Theater and Gil Cates Theater. You can enjoy special nights throughout the week, such as Talk Back Tuesdays, Lounge Fridays, and Wine Down Sundays. Families can enjoy kid-friendly shows on Saturday mornings. Geffen Playhouse is in Westwood Village, around 8 miles west of Hollywood Boulevard.

The Mark Taper Forum is an excellent venue for innovative plays in Los Angeles. This award-winning theater is part of the Los Angeles Music Center on North Grand Avenue, between Ahmanson Theater and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Established in 1967, this intimate venue can accommodate around 739 people. The Mark Taper Forum has a thrust stage (or platform stage), which extends into the audience on 3 sides. This gives you the chance to view a performance from various angles. Past shows at this live-production theater include The Devils, The Shadow Box, 13, and Murderous Angels.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall is a state-of-the-art theater within the Los Angeles Music Center. It’s the permanent venue for the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Los Angeles Philharmonic, as well as a regular host to weekend concerts and traveling orchestras.

The REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) is part of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Dance and theater performances, movie screenings, live music, and informational talks regularly take place in this theater. You can even check out its onsite multimedia art gallery for free rotating exhibits by new American artists. You can explore the building on a self-guided audio tour for free.

The Hollywood Pantages Theater is an Art Deco theater on the corner of Hollywood & Vine in Los Angeles. During the 1930s, it hosts vaudeville shows and movies, before becoming a movie theater during the Great Depression. The movie palace even hosted the Academy Awards between 1949 and 1959.

Today, the Hollywood Pantages Theater is one of the city’s premier live entertainment venues. Broadway musicals like Hamilton, Disney's The Lion King, and Wicked ran at the theater for several years. Its palatial façade has been featured in numerous TV shows, movies, and music videos.

The Dolby Theater is a modern auditorium in Los Angeles’ Hollywood and Highland Center. It’s most famous for hosting the annual Academy Awards ceremony – its Art Deco columns display the names of past recipients of Best Picture awards.

You can also enjoy the latest movies in this 180,000-sq-ft complex. It has a 6-screen cineplex with 3,400 seats and 215 individually powered speakers. Movies are shown using the Dolby Vision projection and Dolby Atmos sound system. The Dolby Theater has hosted over 35 movie premieres, many of which are of Paramount, Disney and Universal productions.