The Alex Theatre (Glendale, CA)
This one-night-only event is an eclectic mix of the sort of variety acts that made vaudeville so beloved by a generation of fans. The entertainment includes Ian Whitcomb and his Bungalow Boys playing nostalgic music from the vaudeville era, comedy acts including TV legend Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop, magician Christopher Hart, plus a vintage newsreel, Charlie Chaplin's classic film "The Cure" and more.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
All dates for this event have expired.
The last event was Saturday September 20, 2008 / 8:00pm. (view all dates)
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We had a ball! Charlie Chaplin is a genius, and his film was even better on the big screen. Most of the vaudeville acts were entertaining....I hope the jugglers return next year....juggling for two? How cool is that!! As always, the Alex is a great venue...easy, inexpensive parking, & very friendly staff!! Thanks goldstar for introducing us to a great artform!!
This was a lot of fun! I'm glad I used Goldstar though, since tickets at the box office were $25, and I paid $6! Since there was no assigned seats, I got to sit in the second row. This was my first time using Goldstar, and quite frankly, I don't think I'll ever buy tickets from Ticketmaster or any other outlet before at least first checking out Goldstar.
Very pleased,
Michael
Wow! This was everything I hoped for, and my fiance and I had a marvelous evening. Ian Whitcomb and His Bungalow Boys played nostalgic music and the various acts were diverse. One of my favorite acts was magician, Christopher Hart, who had played "Thing" in the Addams Family movies...actually his long-fingered and entertaining hand was my favorite, uh, thing. Jack and Jeri Kalvan, a married team of jugglers...with Jeri being quite pregnant...were very entertaining and funny. I got a kick out of their tamed, performing Slinkies -- they coaxed them down a ramp using a lion-tamer's whip! Another act featured Mallory Lewis and Lambchop. I loved Lambchop as a child, and as an adult was privileged to see Shari Lewis perform some years ago. She was wonderful and kept the audience's attention on the little puppet...but in contrast, I felt that her daughter Mallory came off as, well, rather self-absorbed, although Lambchop was adorable as ever. After the variety acts, we were treated to a cartoon by Dave Fleischer and a couple of old movies including "The Cure" with Charlie Chaplin. We definitely got our money's worth in this memorable evening.
Six acts, an intermission, and then old movies. We didn't stick around for the films cause we've seen em all. Came specifically for Mallory Lewis, who, although not her mother, is quite good. She nails Lamb Chop, both in voice and movements. My main complaint is she could loosen up a little bit. The big surprises of the evening were the husband and (pregnant) wife jugglers who were GREAT, and the magician, who was very very good. The tenor only sang one song, which was odd, and the Abbott and Costello wannabees just showed how very very good the originals were by being very very not good. First act Ian Whitcomb was Ian, though he had a very good selection of material this time, was in good voice and hardly rambled on at all. We certainly didn't need him to come back out at the end of the acts though.
As always the volunteer staff at the theater is prepared, professional, warm and lovely.
I hope this event did well enough to warrant more of it's kind.
Lewis was Not politically funny, clever or entertaining. The trained Slinkies were hysterical. Bring back the tenor and then let him sing again...
The film portion was hysterical, the magician terriffic. It was a fun night.
I didn't know the Alex Theatre was for democrats only. The blatent, negative political asides by almost every performer was very distracting. I haven't made my mind up yet which way I well vote, so I particularly don't appreciate someone making fun of me should I not support their candidate. But I can say I will be casting my vote to not go back.
This is the second time I have attended this yearly program. This years edition was just as much fun as the previous one I attended.Members:Watch out for this event next year and if you have kids, make sure to bring them.
Very good show
This was such fun, and the audience clearly enjoyed it. Also, something unique, with many different talented performers in their different genres. We need more vaudeville!
Best Goldstar show i have attended so far
comedy , magic , juggling , LAMBCHOP !!!!! , and a charlie Chapman movie that made me the crack up every moment of it !!!
LOVED IT !!!! WOULD TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT
It was the first time that we'd ever seen vaudeville live, and all but one of the acts and one of the short films was excellent. Those were not disappointing enough, though, for me to not love it. In particular, the juggling couple and Mallory Lewis were terrific.
We laughed all night. Most of the acts were terrific and the shorts were fantastic!
Great fun, light hearted humor...it wasn't anything amazingly spectacular, but proved to be a fun evening with some great laughs. The Alex is a wonderful little theater and the staff was friendly.
Very entertaining and the acts all had a differt twist.
Superb entertainment for all the family, although some of the more risque jokes left my family and I blushing, and we've seen the Birdcage, if you get my drift.
Let me tell you, and another thing. What a palaver! i don't know, I really don't. Do they thing you were born yesterday?
Recommended for one and all. Encore! Bravo, viva etc.
Quite good.
Beautiful theater (our first time at the Alex) and a very talented lineup of performers. Smooth pickup of tickets - a good time was had by all.
Good Show...Ian Whitcomb was great fun...enjoyed by all in my group
Great to see the Tramp on the big screen and the Vaudeville acts were all very entertaining.
Most of the acts were very high quality. Venue has comfortable seating. While members get in ahead of all other general admission tickets, there were still plenty of excellant seats available.
The Alex Theatre is a historic, cultural and artistic treasure. Designed by architects Charles R. Selkirk and Arthur G. Lindley, the Alexander, as it was originally known, opened as a Vaudeville and silent movie theatre and later had a long career as a first run movie and major preview house. The theatre reopened in 1993 as a performing arts and entertainment venue.
From the late 1800s through the early 20th century, vaudeville was the common people's theatrical experience. Across America and around the world, the wildly popular genre featured variety acts of countless descriptions and later included film programs. Alex Film Society's annual re-creation of the nostalgic genre is the only vaudeville show produced regularly in Los Angeles.
Opening this year's show will be the legendary Ian Whitcomb and his Bungalow Boys playing nostalgic music from the vaudeville era. The show continues with Davis & Faversham, "Frankfurter Sandwiches" salute to vaudeville comedy; the Golden Voiced Tenor, Peter Nathan Foltz; Marvelous Manual Manipulations by Jack & Jeri Kalvan; the TV legend Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop. Closing the live show will be the Amazing Master Magician Christopher Hart and "Thing." True to the vaudeville genre, the evening concludes on the big screen with a sing-along cartoon, vintage newsreel, and Charlie Chaplin's 1917 comedy classic "The Cure" (1917), plus a Technicolor short, "The Royal Rodeo" (1939).
Built in 1925, the lovingly restored Alex Theatre was reopened in 1994. It stands today as one of the most important surviving examples of grand vaudeville and movie palaces of the early 20th century and one of the very few extant theatres with an open forecourt.
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