Antaeus Theatre Company Unveils Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center

Antaeus Theatre Company will name its new venue at 110 E. Broadway in the City of Glendale the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in honor of the Gindlers' $1 million capital campaign contribution and long-standing patronage.

Following months of construction, doors will open on March 2 with Open Stages, four days of free events set to introduce Antaeus to the Glendale community. The inaugural production, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, will begin previews on March 16 and open on March 23.

"We are all so grateful, honored, and humbled by Kiki and David's devotion to the arts in Los Angeles and in particular by their incredible gift to Antaeus," stated Antaeus co-artistic directors Bill Brochtrup, Rob Nagle and John Sloan. "With this beautiful new complex, we will be able to make more art than ever before and serve more people in our community with our programming."

"The Antaeus membership includes some of the finest actors working on stage, film and TV today," said David Gindler, who serves as Antaeus's board chair. "Their level of commitment to the craft of acting and to the company's work captured our admiration many years ago."

"The Performing Arts Center begins a long-awaited new chapter for Antaeus - not just for today's theater fans, but also a space to inspire the next generation of theater audiences and theater makers," added Kiki Gindler.

"This is an exciting time for the arts and our Glendale community," said Assembly member Laura Friedman (D-Glendale). "For decades, Antaeus has brought the arts to life for countless audiences and inspired thousands through their outreach programs. It's a pleasure to welcome them to their new home."

The Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center complements Glendale's ongoing commitment to integrate vibrant arts space into the fabric of city life, ensuring the arts remain accessible to all. Located across the street from The Americana at Brand, and just a few blocks from the newly remodeled Glendale Central Library as well as the Alex Theatre, the center promises to build upon Glendale's growing reputation as an arts and entertainment destination. The flexible, multi-use space will enable Antaeus to expand upon all facets of its activities, from stage productions, to off-stage exploration of the process of making theater, to educational initiatives for actors and students of all ages. The center will include an 80-seat theater, a reconfigurable 45-seat performance/classroom space, a theater classics library and a lobby art gallery. Antaeus's inaugural gallery exhibition, viewable through May 7, features paintings by playwright William Saroyan, on loan from the William Saroyan Foundation in partnership with the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance.

In a welcome letter to the company, City of Glendale Mayor Paula Devine wrote, "Antaeus Theatre's inclusion in downtown Glendale will enrich our local economy [and] enhance the community's quality of life."

Philanthropists Kiki and David Gindler support numerous performing arts organizations in the Los Angeles community and beyond, including the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Music Center, The Industry and Beth Morrison Projects.

Kiki Ramos Gindler serves as the president of the board of directors of Center Theatre Group, and also sits on the boards of the Los Angeles Opera, The Music Center and Pomona College. She is also a member of the National Council for the American Theatre and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative Advisory Committee.

David Gindler currently serves as the chair of the board of directors of Antaeus Theatre Company and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and also sits on the boards of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Music Center, and Beth Morrison Projects. David is a senior partner at the law firm of Irell & Manella LLP, where he specializes in intellectual property litigation and licensing, with an emphasis in complex patent litigation.

Antaeus is a cooperative theater ensemble founded to empower the actor and to bring classical theater to Southern California. The company exists to create a family of artists and audiences and is dedicated to exploring stories with enduring themes. Taking their company name from the Titan who gained strength by touching the Earth, Antaeus members-many of whom are familiar to film and television audiences-regain their creative strength by returning to the wellspring of their craft: live theater. Members of the company span a wide range of age, ethnicity and experience; they have performed on Broadway, at major regional theaters across the country, in film, television and on local stages, and are the recipients of numerous accolades and awards. Audiences, who never see an understudy due to Antaeus' trademark "partner casting," frequently return to see the same play in the hands of an equally excellent but very different set of actors.

For more information about Antaeus Theatre Company, call (818) 506-5436 or visit online at www.antaeus.org. For a schedule of Open Stages events, including tours, performances and family-friendly workshops, see below or go to Antaeus.org/OpenStages.

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