The Music Center's Mark Taper Forum
Opened in 1967, the Mark Taper Forum (Taper) is The Music Center’s smallest and most intimate theatre and was designed for the production of dramas and experimental theater. It was named for S. Mark Taper, a prominent real estate developer, banker and philanthropist. The venue is the ideal stage for dramatic plays and productions by Center Theatre Group and has received virtually every theatrical award including a special Tony for theatrical excellence, which was awarded in 1977.
A circular building that measures 140 feet in diameter, the Forum rises from a reflecting pool. The upper 27 feet of the Forum cantilevers out from the base, which is covered in dark, split-face granite blocks. The dark granite mirrors that of The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion across Jerry Moss Plaza.
The Taper’s drum-like structure features a 378-foot-long cast concrete relief mural in an abstract pattern that encircles the theatre and suggests the movements of the performing arts. Designed by sculptor Jacques Overhoff, the relief is a repeating pattern that is seven panels in width with seven repeats, for a total of 49 panels; the artist chose seven panels as the width so the eye would never be able to see the repeating pattern given the circular shape of the building. Inside the Taper, the entrance features a 60-foot wall, created by designer Tony Duquette, called “Curved Wall”, which is composed of 50,800 abalone shell tiles.
Featuring a thrust stage that juts out into the audience, the theatre’s 736 seats are arranged in a semi-circle in classical amphitheater style, surrounding three sides of the stage. This design gives audiences the opportunity to view the performance from a variety of perspectives. As such, the theatre does not feature either a stage arch or curtain.
The Music Center oversaw a $30 million renovation of the Taper interior from 2007–2008 to upgrade its technical capabilities and audience amenities while maintaining the structural integrity of the original design. Award-winning architectural and design firm, Rios Clementi Hale Studios (now known as Rios), led the theatre’s architectural renovation.
As part of their work, the architects doubled the size of the lobby area, enhanced the abalone wall with recessed lighting and added a new main refreshment area. In addition, the lobby now includes mirrored columns a metal mesh wall covering called Cascade Coil Drapery, decorative terrazzo flooring and a raised ceiling and floor. By raising the lobby floor, the architects provided audiences with access to the theatre directly from Jerry Moss Plaza.
Featured at the Mark Taper Forum
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Sat May 18 7:00 PM
Center Theatre Group The Trial of the Catonsville Nine
Mark Taper Forum
The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, written by Daniel Berrigan and directed by Michael John Garcés, will be the first play featured as a Taper Legacy Reading when it returns to the Taper stage for a one-night-only reading on May 18. The pl...Show More
The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, written by Daniel Berrigan and directed by Michael John Garcés, will be the first play featured as a Taper Legacy Reading when it returns to the Taper stage for a one-night-only reading on May 18. The play received its world premiere at the Taper in 1971, in a production commissioned and directed by Center Theatre Group Founding Artistic Director Gordon Davidson. The reading will feature film, television, and Broadway veteran Bill Pullman (The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, Oleanna, Independence Day, The Sinner), taking on the role of the author, Daniel Berrigan, with additional casting to be announced soon.
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Mon May 20 11:30 AM
A TMC Arts Program: Arts Grown L.A. The Music Center and City of Lancaster Present The Alley Cats
44933 N Fern Ave, Lancaster, CA
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
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Mon May 20 10:00 AM
A TMC Arts Program: Arts Grown L.A. The Music Center and City of Lancaster Present Jazz It Up!
44933 N Fern Ave, Lancaster, CA
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
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Sun May 26 11:30 AM
A TMC Arts Program The Music Center and Marina Culture Jam Present TAIKOPROJECT
Burton Chace Park, Marina Del Rey, CA
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Utilizing authentic instruments hand-crafted in Japan, TAIKOPROJECT weaves tr...Show More
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Utilizing authentic instruments hand-crafted in Japan, TAIKOPROJECT weaves traditional and modern forms of taiko together and share elements of their Japanese and Japanese-American culture.
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Tue May 21 8:00 PM
Thu May 30 8:00 PM
LA Phil Kraftwerk
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Over nine nights at Walt Disney Concert Hall, legendary German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn, which was composed, produced, and recorded by Kraftwerk founders Ra...Show More
Over nine nights at Walt Disney Concert Hall, legendary German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn, which was composed, produced, and recorded by Kraftwerk founders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1974.
The concert series will present eight Kraftwerk albums: Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991), and Tour de France (2003). Each night will feature one complete album plus additional compositions from their catalog. Concert number nine will be a finale with groundbreaking works spanning five decades of the Kraftwerk repertoire.
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Tue May 21 8:00 PM
Thu May 30 8:00 PM
LA Phil Kraftwerk
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Over nine nights at Walt Disney Concert Hall, legendary German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn, which was composed, produced, and recorded by Kraftwerk founders Ra...Show More
Over nine nights at Walt Disney Concert Hall, legendary German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Autobahn, which was composed, produced, and recorded by Kraftwerk founders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1974.
The concert series will present eight Kraftwerk albums: Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991), and Tour de France (2003). Each night will feature one complete album plus additional compositions from their catalog. Concert number nine will be a finale with groundbreaking works spanning five decades of the Kraftwerk repertoire.
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Sat May 11 10:00 AM
Sat May 25 10:00 AM
Creative Ways | Mental Health Wellness Fair
Gloria Molina Grand Park
Join us for Gloria Molina Grand Park and Center Theatre Group’s Creative Ways | Mental Health Wellness Fair, a place embracing mental wellness through the arts. “Take Action for Yourself, Take Action for Others, and Take Action f...Show More
Join us for Gloria Molina Grand Park and Center Theatre Group’s Creative Ways | Mental Health Wellness Fair, a place embracing mental wellness through the arts. “Take Action for Yourself, Take Action for Others, and Take Action for your Community” at this inclusive gathering for all ages. Dive into two days engaging activities promoting well-being and health awareness. From cultural presentations to workshops, booth activities, and inspiring stage programs, there is something for everyone. This unique collaboration brings imaginative and exploratory experiences that use the arts to strengthen our communities.
As part of the CTG:FWD initiative, Center Theatre Group will host workshops at the intersection of arts and wellness, as well as activities celebrating the upcoming Ahmanson Theatre production of A Strange Loop, Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical exploring race, queer identity, and mental health challenges with humor and honesty.
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Sat May 18 7:30 PM
Sat Jun 08 7:30 PM
LA Opera Turandot
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Captivated by a beauty who scorns love, a renegade prince enters an all but impossible contest, where the price of failure is death. But beyond the legendary riddles, he’ll find another challenge in melting Turandot’s stubborn heart.
Captivated by a beauty who scorns love, a renegade prince enters an all but impossible contest, where the price of failure is death. But beyond the legendary riddles, he’ll find another challenge in melting Turandot’s stubborn heart.
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Sun May 26 1:30 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Arts Grown L.A. The Music Center and Marina Culture Jam Present Melody of China
Burton Chace Park, Marina Del Rey, Ca
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
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Tour The Music Center Campus
Free tours are available of all The Music Center's theaters.