REDCAT

I have worked with REDCAT for years, it was really nice too see such a beautiful building in DTLA, I hope that means that they will continue the good work they provide the inner city kids.
Most inner city schools have taken the Arts out of the LAUSD :(:(:((every child should be given the same options, OR retund my Property Taxes and stop selling Lottery Tickets) where is that money going.
Children should all have the tools it takes to be whatever their dream, every child in school should have a computer on their desk and have the option to play a musical instrument.
Thank you REDCAT for your interest in Children, they are little people with BIG DREAMS!

Park in the Walt Disney Concert Hall structure — $ 9. Entrance to the REDCAT is on P3.
Venue is super intimate — there’s a store, a bar/​lounge area, a art gallery, and a theater, but other than that, it’s not fancy shmancy at all. Some people were confused at to where the theatre was — it’s that intimate — the two entrances to the theater are super unassuming, but you can’t miss them — they’re like the only two doors that could possibly lead anywhere interesting, aside from the restrooms.
Really like the crowd that you see here — definitely really varied and more characteristic of «artsy LA» than you’ll find anywhere.

I might be a little biased, but I LOVE this place. Nice intimate theatre, a lounge with beer wine and spirit, an art gallery– what more can you ask for?!
Parking is easy, a nice secure structure (Walt Disney Concert Hall), $ 9 during an event. The entrance is a little tricky to find if you’re not familiar: it’s off of the parking level P3 – or off 2^nd St if you’re hoofin’ it.
Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
Tickets are generally between $ 20-​$ 30, but they have decent student discounts (especially if you are a CalArts student). They showcase all different disciplines: dance, theatre, music and multimedia. Plus they encourage discussions after the show in the lounge (open late after an event).
Any enquiries can be directed to

REDCAT = Roy and Edna Disney/​CalArts Theater for those of you who are wondering. It’s attached to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, but it’s a smaller and more intimate space. I’ve been here mainly for film festivals, such as Outfest, and more recently saw a film by Kidlat Tahimik, whose name is prominent in the Fipipino film industry, called Mababangong bangungot, or Perfumed Nightmare (1977), that he acted, directed, wrote, produced, etc. and he was there to talk about the film.
In the lobby, there is a bar that serves beverages, coffee, and alcohol. In the space, you can chat it up with friends or even those who are also attending the event. The theater itself has great acoustics and it can hold maybe 200 – 250 people. The theater can show either live performances or film/​video. It’s a great space and I should visit more for their regular programming.

Cool

Great, original programming. Very small, intimate venue. No matter where you sit, you’ll be fine. Eat before you come because the bar only stocks beverages and snacks.

Decent exhibition space for the water/​bathtub show (avant-​garde architecture okay) but it’s literally one big room and that’s it. Coming from the Walt Disney entrance on Grand, you really feel like this place was an after-​thought because you’re routed through the parking garage.
I appreciate that the space is welcoming to up-​and-​coming artists and less ivory-​tower than a traditional museum space, but something’s wrong when my favorite part of the space is the bar. Speaking of which, the bar is a cool place to spend an hour reading the paper with a coffee or beer (they serve both). Lighting is really nice with the huge window that faces Bunker Hill, and staff are nice.

Two physically very close entities actually facing each other on 1^st Street, Disney Concert Hall & Redcat on one side, and Ahmanson & Mark Taper, seem to have strategies of having one of the venues be more «conservative, establishment» and the other to be more «experimental & avant-​garde». Redcat in the same site as the Disney Concert Hall is the smaller more intimate venue that houses musical & theatrical forms from around the world, while Disney Concert Hall houses the L.A. Philharmonic that is run by board of directors which hints of a more Western traditonalist approach although I did have the chance to sit near Frank Gehry, the primary architect of the hall, to listen to a Classical Japanese Gagaku Concert.
Redcat (Roy & Edna Disney/​CalArts Theatre) is a far smaller space than the Disney Concert Hall, but I like the way the seats were located at a steeper pitch so that even a person sporting a Madge Simpson Beehive hairdo would not be able to block the view of the stage of the person sitting in back. Calarts is the entity directly running Redcat. CalArts is in Valencia/​Santa Clarita, and is an art institute which educates in undergraduate & graduate programs in the fields of Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/​Video, Music, & Theatre.
Many of the performances at Redcat are by the students of CarArts demonstrating the leading edge & avant-​garde but other programs are from other parts of the country if not the world. A few years back, there was a beautiful Gamelan Kebyar, Balinese percussion concert with associated elegant, ethereal dancers. Bali is unique in the island archipelago nation of Indonesia in that it is the only island left that still retains East Indian traditions such as the Hindu religion, dance, customs, & rites surrounded by a sea of Islam. The Balinese take art a notch or two above most other cultures by incorporating art into their everyday lives on a scale we as Americans can barely imagine.
Anton, Neko, Kuri: November 21 – 24, 2013
This time around a Japanese Contemporary dance/​theatrical group, Fai Fai, as part of the Sharon Lund Dance Series. The «story» centers around a Nora Neko (stray cat) that has leukemia. The neighborhood is somewhere in a quiet, forgotten part of Tokyo full of mostly kindly but eccentric folk like in any other community throughout the world. The neighbors, who are usually too busy or alienated to interact, find the opportunity to connect with each other because they are either fond of the cat or are afraid of them.
The actions & vocalizations are part pathos, comical, surreal, mime, modern geometric style dance, playing with words, expressions of emotion with body language, etc. At least, to me, it shows how disconnected we are living in modern, metropolitan megalopolis where we are so bombarded by all the rigors of big city life and have reached sensory overload that we can find connection with each other only through the catalyst of the concern for the friendly, dying cat.
In many ways Anton, Neko, Kuri is merely a slice of life. It depicts everyday occurrences in any city around the world, but this theatre piece is interesting because of its universality as well as the physical performance of the actors themselves. I found Neji to have a very unusual body dance technique in being able to articulate his joints into such improbable angles especially with his legs & feet. I found out later that he was well versed in Buto– (post WII avant-​garde dance usually wearing white make-​up & slow deliberate, difficult movements). Ko-​ji was quite entertaining doing his «Pasta, Pasta» scene, and later it was revealed that he had worked in a restaurant for a number of years.
Anton, Neko, Kuri was good entertainment for only $ 20. This is a deal compared to getting «canned» entertainment at the Arclight in Hollywood for $ 14 and leaving unsatisfied since many Hollywood movies now can be so vacuous.
PS There is a cool, full service bar at Redcat where you can hang out before & after performances. Great way to discuss what was experienced or catching up on news from friends who attended. The Leffe Ale from Belgium was particularly good with hints of orange peel, sweet spices such as cinnamon, allspice in a golden brew filled with flecks of white yeast to give a slightly meaty texture.

No signage at main Walt Disney level. On south side, SW corner of WD complex. Cheap pkg lots around.

As things go, REDCAT seems to enjoy a pretty high profile in Los Angeles. I see banners for it all around town, and KCRW is always promoting some REDCAT show. I went for the first time about a month ago, when my CalArts friends had their pre-​graduation reading night. It was a great show, and the venue was perfect.
The event was free and open to the public, but we were still issued tickets, which was both kind of silly and kind of nice. I keep ticket stubs, so that was a plus, but we were late to the show and had to walk back out to pick up free tickets at the box office. Oh well, I guess art doesn’t spring from efficiency.
The theater was small and cozy with comfortable seating, the rows of chairs stacked stadium style so even the farthest back corner gets a good view of the stage. The décor was spare, and the stage was set up so viewers had no choice but to focus on the readers. The acoustics were good, and the readings were fun. I guess it makes sense that CalArts students get to use the CalArts theater, but still — pretty nice!
There was a little reception after the show, involving a catered buffet and an open bar. The REDCAT bar is small and comfortable, and the bartender that night was friendly. There were two Craftsman beers on tap — not bad, REDCAT, not bad at all.
I don’t take full advantage of the L.A. theater scene, but visiting REDCAT made me curious. I hope to come back to this little theater sometime soon. Maybe I’ll pay for something next time.

2012 was a slamming year for REDCAT programming.
Consistently one of the best venues for performing arts in Los Angeles. Great sight lines. Excellent sound. Intimate. Welcoming.
Get a membership.

i was going to calarts back in 2003 when REDCAT opened and it’s been my pleasure, as an alum, to watch this multiuse space grow into a cutting-​edge interdisciplinary contemporary arts center for innovative visual, performing and media arts.
tucked into the back of the walt disney concert hall, REDCAT is comprised of three distinct parts: a black box theatre, an art gallery and the lounge. the theatre is an amazing versatile performance/​presentation space and every season includes a wide array of different kinds of work: theatrical performances, music recitals, film screenings, dance shows, literary presentations, lectures… and various interdisciplinary combinations of all of the above.
i’ve seen some stellar work here, including a marta carrasco performance, theatre presented by visiting companies from all over the world, lovely balinese gamelan concerts, puppet shows, and a robot machine orchestra, to name a few. there’s something for everyone and it’s almost always good stuff.
the gallery space hosts about five different shows a year and it’s consistently pretty interesting and thought provoking work. i’ve seen some superb exhibitions, including an awesome damian ortega installation, shadow dramas by kara walker, the first survey of margaret killagen’s work and a residency from the copenhagen-​based superflex.
and then there’s the ultra cool lounge which offers a full service bar (top shelf liquors, fancy beers and great wines), a couple kinds of coffee/​espresso drink options, some sweet treats, free wifi and a little selection of books for sale. it’s a nice place to relax and have a drink before or after catching a show.

There are two entrances to REDCAT. The easiest to find entrance is on the street on Hope and upper 2^nd Street (not the 2^nd Street tunnel). The other entrance is through the 3^rd level of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) parking garage.
REDCAT has three components — a small auditorium, an art gallery, and a lounge. I’m going to focus on the lounge which closes at 8P unless there is there is an evening performance in the auditorium. Instead of the ordinary «well drink» alcohol served at the WDCH lobby bars, the REDCAT lounge has premium booze like Chopin vodka, Nolet Gin, Knob Creek Bourbon, Ardbeg Scotch, and Don Julio tequila. Typically, there’s nothing going on at REDCAT so it’s a quiet oasis before a concert at WDCH. So if you don’t have the pocketbook for the Founders Room, hang out with the young local musicians and art students at the REDCAT lounge.

I came here for the first time during this years Outfest film festival. It’s a very intimate theater. Good sound with stadium type seating. The seats are like foldable chairs so don’t lean back or forward cuz you’ll fall onto someone.
The bar area is pretty small. The bartenders were nice and fast. The drinks were super strong and cheap. My kind of bar: D

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve only been to REDCAT a handful of times over the many years I’ve lived in LA. Mostly, it’s because I’m a recluse and frequently shy away from venturing out into the world. Especially the world of crowded freeways and crazy drivers. But REDCAT is one of the few places around you can consistently catch some quality experimental/​avant-​garde/​unusual/​somewhat ‘out-​there’ performances. AND the venue itself is comfortable, clean, intimate-​but-​not-​too-​small, sounds great, and has plenty of parking. Even my people-​avoiding nature is enticed enough by this to leave home for an evening of artistic adventure.
A couple of years ago I attended a performance of George Crumb’s Black Angels for String Quartet. It’s one of my favorite pieces, though I’d never seen it performed live before. It happened to be on Valentine’s Day. In the evening. And guess what? The show was sold out. SOLD OUT! I did, thankfully, buy my ticket in advance, but I had to wonder… who on earth were all these other people spending Valentine’s day listening to George Crumb? Cal Arts students? Music nerds? Other single recluses?
Beats me, but apparently I’ve found my people. Thanks REDCAT, for temporarily restoring my faith in the good citizens of Los Angeles. Even if I don’t get out to visit you as often as I’d like.

Attached to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the REDCAT is a glorious venue that houses performance art, music, film, and special-​engagement art exhibits. A multi-​purpose space that encourages independent art, I have gone to the REDCAT for everything from band recitals, fashion shows, and films.
Most recently, I went to a preview screening of Miranda July’s new feature film «The Future» presented by the LA Film Fest. Miranda July is one of my most favorite people on the planet. I am sort of obsessed with her and everything she does. Needless to say, I was in absolute glee to be in the front row to see her new film and to hear her speak. It’s times like those when I feel lucky to live in a city with venues like these that have programming that is accessible to everyone and not just the privileged.
The theater was of a decent size and the sound and picture quality were good. While there could be some improvements, the theater gets the job done and hosts programming you often won’t see anywhere else. 5 stars all the way.

Mark Murphy moved down from On The Boards in Seattle to head up RedCat and LA is the better for it. Thank God we have a place in LA that can and will host groups with The Wooster Group as well as local artists.
Keep it up Mark.

Warm and cozy. Not nearly as stuffy as Disney Hall. Cal Arts students have it as a handy performance space. They also let other talented Los Angeles-​based artists in now and then, too. I’ve also seen good and bad stuff here myself.
From the theater and dance students who paid $ 150, 000 for an education at Cal Arts, only to go here and dry hump a wall, and cuss and it’s a «performance piece», to the wonderful Arias with a Twist and the mind blowing Tongues Bloody Tongues by LA locals Killsonic. Love it.
I love the cute bar (cheap Japanese beers), and the books for sale. Pick yourself up the Margaret Kilgalen book!
Not necessarily kid friendly, make sure to read up on what you are going to watch before you have the kiddies in tow.

A Giant Fetish-​Heeled Tranny Corseted to within an inch of his life, splayed wide open and strapped to a gyrating metal hoop spinning through outer space while being probed by aliens. What’s not to like?
Disclaimer: I didn’t pay to see this magnificent show. A girlfriend (a genuine female) called the afternoon of, to say that someone, a friend of a friend of a friend, to whom I owe no allegiance, invited us to the filming of a special midnight performance closed to the public. Would we like to come? The mere thought of free street parking in front of Disney Hall at midnight made me shout an immediate yes, without thought to what the performance might actually be.
A finer yes was never said. The show was magnificent. «Arias with a Twist» features drag queen Joey Arias, known, for those of you who need a mainstream connection, for his performances with Cirque du Soleil’s «Zumanity». If the show had been only a straight up performance of the elegantly-​evening gowned Arias singing Billy Holliday’s «You’ve Changed.» the night would’ve been worth it. He nailed not just the vocals, but the essence of the song itself.
But it wasn’t only that. This extravaganza is a collaboration with freakishly imaginative puppeteer Basil Twist, and reknowned fashion designer Thierry Mugler. The ingenious set and lighting design, coupled with descending screen devices allowed us to be transported from outer space to marrionette jazz ensemble, to a jungle, to Manhattan, all without a glitch.. or, if you were Joey Arias, with many glitches as he hurtled through decades and landscapes without seeming connection.
Forget about plot. We didn’t care. You won’t either.
Joey cavorts through a lush jungle, complete with ridiculous snake, and monkeys. Later, in a hallucinatory scene he sings «Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.»
He’s a cross between Betty Page, Ditta von Tease and Godzilla as he stomps through a Manhattan Skyline dumped onto the stage before our eyes.
There is a Busby Berkeley meets Ziegfeld Follies number in which Joey is surrounded by a stage full of puppet chorus girls.
It was a little eerie because we saw this at a late night show devoid of any audience. Everyone in there was related to the production, which had already played to great reviews last year in New York.
Girlfriends, I don’t mean to dis you, but there were many moments I wished I were accompanied by the gay boyfriend who has long since absconded to the Bay Area.
Redcat is the cubic zirconium to the Geary bling that is Walt Disney Concert Hall. In the Disney pantheon of characters I don’t know if Redcat is the ugly stepsister, but I do know she’s too brash to be the self-​effacing Cinderella. Redcat, in conjunction with Cal Arts, takes on all the films, music, and performances that Disney Hall won’t touch.
They’ve also got an excellent modern lounge-​bar-​coffeehouse. Free Wifi. A less embalmed crowd.

Redcat is like the warm underbelly of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Please don’t misunderstand… I love the Philharmonic, but let’s be honest; they need to build on the «Grannies Tea & Bun Run» crowd before all their fans die off.
Redcat on the other hand is youthful, edgy, diverse and sometimes downright weird. I like wierd. You can see performances as run of the mill as Bach’s Circle, puppet theater and modern dance to the ever freakish Caden Manson/​Big Art Group.
Plus…afterward, you can go down to Japantown and have noodle soup and saki. Head on down… oh and don’t forget to climb all over the Disney Hall, it’s like jungle gym for adults.