The iconic Alex Theatre in Glendale celebrated its 96th birthday this past weekend with a “Happy Birthday Open House.” According to chief executive officer Nina Crowe, she was repeatedly told how important the Alex Theatre was to community members.

“It’s a community asset and a community resource and, as a local success story, Glendale Arts understands how important this really is,” Crowe reportedly was told.

Glendale Arts is responsible for the Alex Theatre. According to its website, the mission of Glendale Arts is “to integrate the arts into the identity, growth and economic vitality of the City of Glendale by presenting programming and creating partnerships that benefit youth, patrons, artists, organizations and businesses in the community and at the Alex Theatre.”

To this end, patrons and supporters are asked to financial support the theatre by making a donation that will help sustain those things that the theatre is known for: top-tier performing arts and entertainment, historic preservation, economic strength, world-class appeal and regional pride.

The free Happy Birthday open house coincided with the Alex’s reopening to the public after being temporarily shuttered during the COVID crisis and the launch of its 2021-22 season.

During the self-paced celebration, guests had the opportunity to roam the historic theatre grounds including the stage, dressing rooms and VIP spaces frequented by many top performers over the past 96 years. There were opportunities to visit the projection booth, see the digital media set up, watch two classic film shorts and check out where all the backstage action takes place.

A highlight of the event was the distribution of a voucher for a free ticket to an upcoming performance given to the first 96 attendees who visited the box office.

Tax deductible donations may be made at https://tinyurl.com/bsw4ahzb or GlendaleArts.org.