Special Anniversary Week Programming September 3-6, 2025 Including Film Screenings, a Birthday Gala, and Community Open House
Glendale, CA – The Alex Theatre (the ALEX) (thealex.com), announces a specially curated season to celebrate the theatre’s historic relevance and unveil a new programming vision. For 100 years, the ALEX has stood as a beacon of creativity, community, and cultural legacy. The theatre, with support from the City of Glendale’s Library, Arts & Culture Commission, is commemorating the milestone with a dynamic slate of programming that spans cinema, music, dance, comedy, and immersive live experiences. From silent film classics to 100 performer concert spectacles, the centennial season bridges eras and genres, uniting tradition with bold innovation.
The ALEX centennial season is the vision of Artistic Director Miles Williams and resident promoter/operator The EVNSONG. The ALEX joins the ranks of premier independently programmed venues, offering curated seasons of diverse programming from September through June each year.
“The ALEX is here to serve the community offering cultural enrichment and lifelong memories to our patrons and performers alike,” said Williams. “We are mindfully hosting presentations from every genre – global artists, independent producers, emergent talent, and other like-minded performing groups to build a community of collaborators presenting arts at the ALEX.”
The centennial celebration launches with a week of events honoring the historic legacy of the ALEX and igniting a bold new season. The anniversary programming begins on September 3rd with the film premiere of Monsieur Aznavore, honoring the life and music of Charles Aznavour followed by an invitation-only gala on anniversary day, September 4th, hosted by Glendale’s favorite son, comedian Jack Jr. and featuring an intimate performance by acclaimed pianist Joel A. Martin.
September 5th features a day-long Community Open House for the public to explore the theatre’s forecourt, auditorium, lobbies, history wall, and join behind-the-scenes onstage tours. In the evening, comedian Jack Jr. will join Artistic Director Miles Williams for a live town hall style conversation reflecting on the theatre’s legacy.
The signature series, Century in Cinema, explores hit films from each decade, starting with the ALEX’s first decade, the 1920s, and running through each decade to the present day. Century in Cinema is presented by the EVNSONG and Nostalgic Nebula at the ALEX.
The series highlights cult classic films celebrating their own anniversaries such as Napoleon Dynamite and Batman Begins at 20 years, Scott Pilgrim vs The World at 15, and the Talking Heads groundbreaking concert film Stop Making Sense by Jonathan Demme at 40 that includes a Q&A with co-star Jerry Harrison. The Napoleon Dynamite screening is followed by a discussion with fan-favorite cast members Jon Heder (Napoleon), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro).
The centennial season includes a slate of popular dance programs including tango from Argentina from the Patagonia Dance Company, a production of Carmen by Barcelona Flamenco Ballet, classic story ballets by World Ballet Company, the off-Broadway production, A Taste of Ireland, and modern dance from Los Angeles choreographer Hannah Gallagher’s HMG the Company.
Music programming features Season Partners Glendale Youth Orchestra (GYO) and Angeles Chorale. GYO concerts will feature Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Rato and Mahler. GYO has been performing at the ALEX for 30 years, making it the longest standing orchestra to perform at the ALEX. The Angeles Chorale is a 65-voice, auditioned, professional-level, volunteer choir based in Los Angeles that will perform a holiday program featuring Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles, followed by evenings of American classics, and Bernstein and Bloch.
The music season also includes the Ravi Shankar Ensemble, American Armenian vocalist Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Martha High’s Funky Divas with Fred Wesley & The New JBs, and the return of the Pacific Jazz Orchestra (PJO). A fun family-friendly offering is Animaniacs: In Concert starring the show’s original Emmy-winning composer, Randy Rogel on piano and the voice talents of Rob Paulsen (Yakko & Pinky on Animaniacs and Raphael on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).
In time for the Halloween season, interactive live events include Haunted Objects Live: Chilling, True Tales from the Newkirk Museum of the Paranormal with paranormal investigators Greg and Dana Newkirk from Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits. The Newkirks will take the audience on a journey through history, folklore, and true-life accounts of encounters with objects that seem to possess a life of their own.
Also on the season calendar, is an ever-growing slate of special programming including The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others, Punjabi Festival, Georgian National Ballet, Los Kjarkas, Krist – Singto, and more.
Through this growing and inclusive community, the EVNSONG plans to present future annual programmed seasons at the ALEX.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
THE ALEX100 CENTENNIAL SEASON OPENING EVENTS
September 3, 2025 – 7:30 PM Monsieur Aznavore Premiere Screening
An exclusive first look at the highly anticipated new film Monsieur Aznavore, honoring the life and music of Charles Aznavour.
September 4, 2025 – 7:30 PM Centennial Birthday Gala
A joyous, invitation-only evening commemorating the official 100th birthday of the Alex Theatre. Hosted by Glendale’s favorite son – comedian Jack Jr. and featuring an intimate performance by acclaimed pianist Joel A. Martin, blending classical and jazz traditions in a musical tribute to the past and future.
September 5, 2025 – 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM Community Open House
Explore the theatre’s forecourt, auditorium, lobbies, history wall, and get a behind-the-scenes onstage tour in this day-long public celebration.
Town Hall Q&A – 7:00 PM – FREE EVENT
Comedian Jack Jr. and the ALEX Artistic Director Miles Williams host a live town hall style conversation reflecting on the theatre’s legacy and offering a preview of the vision for the beginning of next century at the ALEX.
A CENTURY OF CINEMA
Presented by Nostalgic Nebula and the ALEX Forecourt activations created by FanMail Cinema Club
September 6, 2025 – The 1920s – OPENING WEEKEND FREE MOVIES
A blockbuster opening of cinema launching the signature film series with three landmark screenings from the same decade that the ALEX first opened.
12:00 PM – The General (1926) – Buster Keaton’s silent-era masterpiece
4:00 PM – Metropolis (1927) Fritz Lang’s visionary silent epic set the blueprint for science fiction cinema – with live musical accompaniment )
8:00 PM – Nosferatu (1922 – restored print) with live musical accompaniment for an immersive silent film experience.
Saturday, September 20 – The 1930s
- 12:00 PM – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- 4:00 PM – The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- 8:00 PM – The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Saturday, October 25 – The 1940s
- 12:00 PM – Fantasia (1940)
- 4:00PM – The Great Dictator (1940)
- 8:00 PM – Spellbound (1945)
Friday, November 28 – The 1950s
- 12:00 PM – Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- 4:00PM – Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
- 8:00 PM – A Touch of Evil (1958)
Thursday, January 1 – The 1960s
- 12:00 PM – The Jungle Book (1967)
- 4:00PM – Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
- 8:00 PM – Planet of the Apes (1968)
Sunday, January 11 – The 1970s
- 12:00 PM – The Muppet Movie (1979)
- 4:00PM – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- 8:00 PM – Alien (1979)
Sunday, February 1 – The 1980s
- 12:00 PM – Honey I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
- 4:00PM – Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- 8:00 PM – Ghostbusters (1984)
Sunday, March 8 – The 1990s
- 12:00 PM – Jumanji (1995)
- 4:00PM – Galaxy Quest (1999)
- 8:00 PM – Pulp Fiction (1994)
Sunday, April 5 – The 2000s
- 12:00 PM – Shrek (2001)
- 4:00PM – King Kong (2005)
- 8:00 PM – Star Trek (2009)
Monday, May 25 – The 2010s
- 12:00 PM – Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- 4:00PM – Ready Player One (2018)
- 8:00 PM – John Wick (2014)
October 4, 2025 – 20th Anniversary Celebration of Batman Begins
Spend a full day in Gotham with a cinematic tribute to one of the most influential trilogies of the 21st century — Christopher Nolan’s visionary Dark Knight Trilogy — on the big screen.
12:00 PM – Batman Begins (2005) – The origin story that redefined the superhero genre, starring Christian Bale.
4:00 PM – The Dark Knight (2008) – The iconic, Oscar-winning crime epic featuring Heath Ledger’s legendary Joker.
8:00 PM – The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – A high-stakes finale that closes Nolan’s saga with grit, grandeur, and grace.
October 8, 2025 – 7:00 PM STOP MAKING SENSE: A film by Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads
Live Event Hosted by Jerry Harrison
Newly restored in 4K to coincide with its 40th anniversary, the 1984 film was directed by renowned filmmaker Jonathan Demme and is considered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time. Starring band members David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth (along with their incredible touring musicians), the live performance was shot at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater and features Talking Heads’ most memorable songs. The live event will feature a public screening of the re-release and hosted by co-star Jerry Harrison who will deliver introductory remarks, post screening comments and audience Q&A. “Presentation licensed by A24© All rights reserved”
October 10, 2025 – 7:00 PM SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD 15th Anniversary Screening Event
Enjoy a selection of vendors, themed photo ops, and a video arcade before a live music tribute to the film. Fifteen years ago, a three-piece rock outfit with a smoking hot redhead on drums took the world by storm in Scott Pilgrim vs the World and you are invited to the ultimate celebration at the Alexxxxxx Theatre. (Watching out for the Evil Seven Ex’s, of course) Before the show, geek out with friends in the forecourt and discuss obscure video game trivia, shop from local vendors, snap pics with themed photo ops, or test your skills in the arcade.
October 12, 2025 – NAPOLEON DYNAMITE LIVE 20th Anniversary Celebration
A Very Special Evening with Jon Heder, Jon Gries & Efren Ramirez – Event is BYOT (Bring Your Own Tots) The beloved indie classic was released 20 years ago.This unique evening includes a full screening of of the film followed by a lively, freewheeling, discussion with fan-favorite cast members; Jon Heder (Napoleon), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro).
INTERACTIVE LIVE EVENT
October 17, 2025 – HAUNTED OBJECTS LIVE – Chilling, True Tales from the Newkirk Museum of the Paranormal
Join Greg and Dana Newkirk (Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits, Amazon Prime’s Hellier) for an interactive presentation uncovering the chilling true stories behind the world’s most haunted objects. As two of the world’s only full-time paranormal investigators, the Newkirks have spent their lives collecting and caring for cursed artifacts, possessed dolls, and other creepy artifacts said to display supernatural activity. During this presentation, the Newkirks will take you on a journey through history, folklore, and true-life accounts of encounters with objects that seem to possess a life of their own.
DANCE
September 19, 2025 – CONTINUIM – HMG The Company
This modern dance showcase features the work of Hannah Gallagher, a Los Angeles choreographer and director of HMG the Company. Hannah recently choreographed for the feature film Step Aside. She has presented live work all across the world and performed with artists such as Janet Jackson, Lil Wayne, Kidfresh, and Eden XO and the UnityLA Live Company Show.
October 3, 2025 – PATAGONIA TANGO Furia Tanguera
Founded in Los Angeles in 2022, Patagonia Dance Company features 12 resident company dancers and a rotating cast of seasonal guest artists from Argentina. The company performs original choreography of Artistic Directors Oscar Mansilla and Romina Rodriguez, as well as repertory by guest choreographers.
October 11, 2025 – A TASTE OF IRELAND
After premiering Off-Broadway last season, A Taste of Ireland – The Irish Music & Dance Sensation returns to stages across the country in 2025, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a production that is Celtic, for this generation. A Taste of Ireland transports the audience through the story of Ireland’s tumultuous history delivered with a pint of Irish wit.
November 15, 2025 – CINDERELLA, World Ballet Company
This dazzling production brings the beloved fairy tale to life with 40 international dancers, over 150 radiant costumes, and breathtaking sets.
December 11-12, 2025 – THE NUTCRACKER, World Ballet Company
Driven by the belief that ballet is for everyone, performances appeal to newcomers and seasoned ballet goers alike. The company attracts many international artists and comprises renowned professional dancers representing over ten countries.
March 1, 2026 – CARMEN, Barcelona Flamenco Ballet
Carmen remains an icon of bravery and resilience, representing the struggle for gender equality, a message more relevant than ever in today’s world. This fresh approach has been met with great enthusiasm in renowned theaters around the globe, such as the National Opera of Cluj-Napoca and the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul.
MUSIC
September 27, 2025 – JAZZICAL KOMITAS – Passion of Fire
Jazzical Komitas is an experience like no other. This acclaimed music, written by Komitas Vardapet, has been recreated in Joel Martin’s trademarked Jazzical® style for a new global audience. Like fire, there are many layers to this music: red, hot, and painfully beautiful. Jazzical Komitas celebrates the heritage and art of the Armenian people – past, present and future through music.
GLENDALE YOUTH ORCHESTRA (Season Partner)
Formed in 1989 by a group of Glendale music lovers and schoolteachers. The Glendale Youth Orchestra (GYO) is a leading independent youth music organization where students are challenged musically and encouraged in a positive environment. Students range in age from 10-23 and come from throughout Los Angeles County. The GYO is an advanced orchestra that performs three concerts each season of a wide range of music from classical to film to world music under the direction of the Music Director and conductor, Henry Shin.
November 9, 2025 – 6:00 PM Russian Romantics: Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff. Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 performed by 15 year-old Everett Leigh.
February 22, 2026 – 6:00 PM Bella Italia celebrating Italian composers including Rota’s legendary film score for The Godfather.
April 26, 2026 – 6:00 PM A Mahler Portrait featuring the 2026 Concerto Winners and the grandness of Gustav Mahler.
ANGELES CHORALE (Season Partner)
Established in 1975 the Chorale has brought inspiring choral music experiences to the Los Angeles community for over 50 years with a mission is to engage, enrich and inspire audiences, singers, and a diverse community by performing great choral music with a passionate commitment to excellence and to increasing access to and appreciation of choral music in greater Los Angeles.
Dec 10, 2025 – Holiday in Harmony featuring Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles
March 15, 2026 – Snapshots of America
May 31, 2026 – Bernstein & Bloch
December 13, 2025 – THE PACIFIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA
The Pacific Jazz Orchestra (PJO) is Los Angeles’ premier 40-piece ensemble for jazz and beyond, redefining the orchestral jazz experience. With an annual concert season featuring five distinct projects and an impressive lineup of guest artists, the PJO transcends genres to present a vibrant array of musical styles.
February 13, 2026 – LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN
Lucy Yeghiazaryan is an American Armenian vocalist who has become a leading voice in American straight-ahead jazz by bringing the real richness of her heritage together with her love for the ultimate American artform.
February 15, 2026 – FUNKY DIVAS with Fred Wesley
Get ready for a funky good time when Martha High’s Funky Divas, backed by the Fred Wesley & The New JBs, perform a power-packed show of hits from those played & sang with the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Martha sang on stage with Brown for 40 years, while Fred is the legendary band leader and trombonist of the JBs era in the 1970s, considered the Forefather of Funk while taking funk to the next level with Parliament-Funkadelic featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.
February 21, 2026 – ANIMANIACS IN CONCERT
Join the voices of Animaniacs, the iconic animated Warner Bros series produced by Steven Spielberg, for a “zany animany and totally insaney” evening as they perform the world-famous songs from the beloved cartoon series backed by the original projected animation. Animaniacs: In Concert stars the show’s original Emmy-winning composer, Randy Rogel, on piano and the voice talents of Emmy winner Rob Paulsen (Yakko & Pinky on Animaniacs and Raphael on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).
March 31, 2026 – THE RAVI SHANKAR ENSEMBLE Presented by Sister Midnight
The Ravi Shankar Ensemble, curated by Sukanya Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, is a multi-generational group of musicians dedicated to performing and preserving the legacy of Ravi Shankar’s music. This ensemble showcases his compositions and the rich traditions of North Indian classical music, using both live performances and archival visuals.
More events added often, view the full calendar including special programming at thealex.com
The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203
Ticket Information
Tickets to all events and performances are available online at thealex.com
The Alex Theatre Box Office window is open on ticketed event days beginning 2 hours before event start time and remains open until 30 minutes after start time.
Box Office: Text Line (818) 254-8404 or email at letsconnect@thealex.com
Discounts are available on standard ticket prices for students, children, and seniors. Group discounts are available for select performances. To reserve a group, please call the Box Office.
About the ALEX
The Alex Theatre (originally named the Alexander Theatre) opened its doors on September 4, 1925, as a grand neighborhood vaudeville house and silent movie palace designed by Arthur G. Lindley and Charles R. Selkirk, the same architects behind Glendale’s landmark Hotel Glendale. From its earliest days, the venue became a premier Hollywood preview house, drawing stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin, and Barbara Stanwyck for early screenings of major studio films like National Velvet and Going My Way.
In 1940, theatre architect S. Charles Lee transformed the venue’s exterior into an Art‑Deco visual icon, adding a 100‑ft neon tower crowned with a starburst sphere, along with a sweeping angled marquee and terrazzo forecourt that helped the ALEX become a beacon on Brand Boulevard. The interior, which remains one of Southern California’s rare “atmospheric” theatres, simulates an open-night sky with painted garden walls, twinkling celestial lights, and Greek and Egyptian motifs—a sensory escape for audiences since the 1920s.
After decades as a thriving first-run movie house, the theatre closed in 1991 amid changing cinema trends, ending its run with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In 1992, a community-led campaign resulted in the Glendale Redevelopment Agency purchasing the theatre, investing $6–6.5 million in restoration. It reopened on New Year’s Eve 1993 as a performing arts center, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Today, the ALEX stands at the heart of Glendale’s cultural identity, hosting over 100 annual events, including concerts, films, dance, theatre, comedy, film screenings, and community celebrations attended by over 100,000 patrons each year.
About THE EVNSONG
The EVNSONG, is the brainchild of industry veteran Miles Williams, a Los Angeles-based arts impresario who has contributed to over 5000 shows since beginning his career in 1991; featuring legends such as Johnny Cash, Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, Yo-Yo Ma, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Alicia Keys, Thom Yorke, Tori Amos, Miley Cyrus, and Stevie Wonder.
He spent nearly a decade in a key role at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, one of Southern California’s most successful and ambitious venues of the 1990s, renowned for its innovative programming model and ability to attract world-class talent across genres.
Following success at Cerritos, he was recruited by the owner of the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. His arrival was integral to the theatre’s revitalization and grand reopening in 2001 — a pivotal moment in the city’s performing arts resurgence. That same year, Williams founded his company the EVNSONG soon to th its25 year in business.
Under his influence and expertise, the Orpheum quickly became prominent as a premiere Los Angeles venue, a sought-after location for high-profile concerts, television tapings, and feature films, hosting artists like Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, and Thom Yorke; filming episodes of American Idol and America’s Got Talent; and appearing in major films including Dreamgirls and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Building on the success at the Orpheum, Williams played a pivotal role in the opening and operations of the Theatre at Ace Hotel — a restored 1,600-seat movie palace in downtown Los Angeles that quickly became one of the city’s most fashionable and sought-after venues for live entertainment. Opened in 2014, the Theatre at Ace Hotel fused historic Gothic architecture with popular programming, drawing a new generation of artists and audiences to its stage. The venue quickly established itself as a cultural touchstone, hosting acclaimed acts such as Florence + The Machine, St. Vincent, David Byrne, and LCD Soundsystem, as well as Hollywood premieres, immersive experiences, and festival events for Sundance.
As the live entertainment industry ground to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams, like many in the field, found himself reflecting on what was next. In the stillness of the shutdown, he began a search for a new project — one that would allow him to rebuild not just a venue, but a sense of purpose and connection through the arts.
That search led him to the Alex Theatre in Glendale.
Arriving just as live performance was beginning to reawaken, Williams approached the opportunity with cautious optimism — curious to see how audiences, artists, and presenters would reassemble in a radically changed cultural landscape. What he found exceeded all expectations: a passionate and diverse community, deeply invested in the arts, with the Alex standing proudly as Glendale’s central cultural landmark.
Inspired by the theatre’s legacy and energized by its potential, Williams saw the opportunity to transform the ALEX into a new operating model — a Collaborative Presenting House — one that could honor its cinematic and vaudevillian roots while serving as a home for new voices, new formats, and a new artistic ecosystem in Southern California. At the heart of this mission is the continued growth of the theatre’s Community of Collaborators — artists, performing groups, producers, and creatives who share a belief in independent artistry, equitable access, and the transformative power of live performance.
The invitation doesn’t end on stage. Audiences are called to take part as well — not just as ticket holders, but as members of a vibrant cultural environment that values substance over spectacle, story over scale, and connection over commerce. The newly minted Patron Program, set to be unveiled in the Fall of 2025, will allow like-minded patrons a chance to join the ALEX in its new direction.
Miles Williams has shaped a Centennial Season that reflects both reverence and reinvention — a year-long celebration designed not just to look back, but to leap forward. With a curatorial eye honed by decades of multidisciplinary work, he has brought together a season of cinema, music, dance, conversation, and immersive experiences that honors the venue’s legacy while charting a bold, inclusive course for its next century.
With every show, Williams and his team extend that invitation — to be moved, to belong, and to build the future of independent arts and culture together.
