Mayor Karen Bass will join dignitaries Thursday evening for a grand-opening celebration at the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center in Leimert Park, a historic venue returning after a $40 million, 15-year restoration.
The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the theater, 3341 W. 43rd Place.
The celebration follows an official city ribbon-cutting in August and will precede a three-day free public program of music, film screenings, family activities and other events beginning Friday.
The theater originally operated as a movie house from 1932 to 1968. It was later owned by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and actress Marla Gibbs before the city purchased it in 1999.
The Vision Theatre will be co-managed by the city Department of Cultural Affairs and the WACO Theater Center, founded by Tina Knowles and actor Richard Lawson.
The renovated venue includes a 729-seat auditorium, a new mezzanine and balcony, expanded stage and backstage facilities, and upgraded audio, visual and broadcast technology.
“The Vision Theater rose again as a platform for Black creativity, community and commerce,” Bass said in an August statement marking the completion of the restoration. “This theater is a landmark that has anchored Leimert Park for nearly a century, and it is coming back stronger than ever.”
Shay Wafer, WACO Theater Center’s executive director, said the partnership with the city will create a permanent cultural home in Leimert Park.
“We are not just opening a theater; we are opening a door that will never close,” Wafer said in the city statement.
The public celebration, titled “Our Vision: Three Days of Black Art, Culture & Community,” will begin Friday with a 6:30 p.m. pre-show experience, an 8 p.m. Club 20/20 live show and a 9:30 p.m. outdoor night market along Degnan Boulevard.
Saturday’s schedule includes an 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. family block party, followed by a screening of Disney’s “A Proud Family Wizmas” and a discussion with talent from “The Proud Family.”
Guided tours of the restored theater will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, followed by a 6 p.m. live music showcase.
The weekend also will include a conversation with the cast of Netflix’s “A Different World,” according to Variety.
All activities are free with an RSVP. Information is available at wacotheatercenter.com.