By Ariyana Griffin
Contributing Writer
LEIMERT PARK — After a renovation project that lasted nearly 15 years and cost $40 million, the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center opened its doors to the community Aug. 20.
Mayor Karen Bass, City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, Department of Cultural Affairs General Manager Daniel Tarica and other community and arts leaders attended the official ribbon cutting.
The theatre will be managed by the city Department of Cultural Affairs and Where Art Can Occur (WACO) Theater Center to bring concerts, plays and other live performances to the space.
“We know that the Vision Theater rises again as a platform for Black creativity, for community, for commerce, and it is a landmark that has anchored Leimert Park for nearly a century, and now it is back stronger than ever,” Mayor Bass said. “We know that this building sits in the heart of a neighborhood that is celebrated the world over as a mecca for Black culture.”
Bass highlighted the contributions that actress Marla Gibbs gave to the theater, which she owned during the 1990s.
“Marla Gibbs, who put her heart and soul in our community here, I want to just thank her for what she did,” Bass said. “And I know for me, it’s an honor because when I was a member of the state Assembly, I was proud to help secure the funding that was part of what kickstarted this.”
About 500 people attended the reopening ceremonies with community members invited to preview some of the renovations and learn about the programming that the community can look forward to. Sitting at the center of Leimert Park, the newly renovated theatre has upgraded state of the art equipment, a lounging area, green room, a larger stage, remodeled seating in the 729-seat auditorium and various other upgrades.
“This theater will give our artists, our musicians, our filmmakers, even our children, a stage,” Councilwoman Hutt said, “And it will give young people a place to see themselves on screen and behind the camera.”
There were five performances during the opening by the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, SHINE Women’s Drum Alliance, the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, and the Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles.
Charles Zacharie, a dancer who has previously performed with Lula Washington, shared that he is excited to see the new arts and education programming come to Leimert Park.
“It feels excellent because I once used to go here to watch movies, and then I performed here several years ago when Marla Gibbs owned it,” he told a reporter. “So to see it revitalized again: wow.”
The theatre was originally built by Howard Hughes and opened nearly a century ago on April 21, 1932 as the Leimert Theatre. It was in operation until 1968. After being purchased by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1968, it was renamed the Watchtower.
In 1990 it was renamed to the Vision Theatre by Gibbs with the mission to bring back an arts and culture hub in Leimert Park. In 1992 the theater began to regress due to the economic hardships that fell on Los Angeles and it eventually went into foreclosure in 1997. The city of Los Angeles took over the property in 1999.
“I’ve been waiting, I’ve been looking at it for years, and it’s just nice to see it come back,” said Ellary Bhimji-N’namdi.
“I’m excited that we’re opening something in our community that’s quality and that will bring quality entertainment to our community.”
“There are a small number of Black theaters in the United States that are here and thriving,” Deron Hall said. “You look at the Apollo in New York City, the Forest in Dallas, and you also have the Vision here. “It’s historically significant because it’s very rare that actual Black communities still exist and then historical cultural icons are also present, and that’s exactly what this is.
“It’s in the center of one of the most important Black communities in the entire world, and it’s fully renovated with state-of-the-art equipment, and now is positioned to thrive in partnership with Waco Theatre Center,” he added.
“When the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrive in 2028, I want the entire world to experience Leimert Park,” Bass said. “I want them to hear this community’s music, taste its food, meet its entrepreneurs, and feel its art. That story starts right here, welcoming the world to the Vision Theater.”
“The Vision Theatre has long been a special place in Leimert Park and in the lives of so many who call this community home,” Hutt added. “Its reopening represents both a celebration of that history and an investment in our future.
“This theatre will be a cultural and economic engine for Leimert Park and all of Los Angeles for generations to come.”
In 2025, the Mayor’s Office helped establish a partnership between the Department of Cultural Affairs and Where Art Can Occur (WACO), co-founded by Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s mother. Through the partnership, WACO will provide programming for the theater.
“I have spent my entire career building stages for Black stories,” said Shay Wafer, executive director of the WACO Theater Center. “To now stand in the Vision Theatre — in Leimert Park, in the community that has shaped and sustained Black Los Angeles for generations — and know that this is our home, is a moment I do not have adequate words for.
“Our partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs is a testament to what becomes possible when a city chooses to invest in its own cultural legacy. We are not just opening a theater; we are opening a door that will never close.”
“The renovation of the Vision Theatre unites historic preservation with state-of-the-art venue upgrades to create a world-class cultural venue that all Angelenos can be proud of,” said Daniel Tarica, general manager of the city Department of Cultural Affairs. “This landmark in the heart of the creative hub of Leimert Park will be a main stage that uplifts local talent, serves as a resource for the community, and will be a cultural destination for all.”
Ariyana Griffin is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers.
