North Hollywood's Avery Schreiber Theater to Close this Month

After a 10-year run hosting a variety of shows that helped put the NoHo Arts District on the map, the iconic Avery Schreiber Theater is closing its doors.

The renowned theater, which opened on July 1, 2003 and played host to shows like The Columbine Project, Black Angels Over Tuskegee, The Big Voice, Total Improv Kids (all of which eventually went off Broadway) and dozens of others from a number of gypsy theatre companies, will be renovated into a gastro pub called Fat Dog, continuing the trend of chic eateries opening up in the neighborhood.

Built in 1948, the space served mainly as an auto body repair shop for its first 50 years. It later became the Bitter Truth Theatre, where future owner Linda Fulton performed with her mentor Avery Schreiber. After it was sold once more and gutted, Fulton purchased the space and renamed it in honor of the late comedic genius, using the Schreiber as the home base of her group Total Improv Kids. Since then, Fulton, the Schreiber and the groups she has brought in have been credited with helping grow the NoHo Arts District.

"For years, Linda Fulton and The Avery Schreiber Theater has served as a neighborhood anchor, reminding us that North Hollywood was and always will be about the arts," said L.A. councilman Tom LaBonge. "Thank you for giving our community the gift of a stage."

For Fulton, it's heart-breaking to let the space go, but the timing was right.

"After my husband passed away a couple years ago, my focus began to change and I found I couldn't be as present," she said. "My passion for my work with Total Improv Kids has grown and I decided I wanted to focus more of my time and energy on that rather than running a theatre."

Others in the community reflected on how much they would miss the Schreiber, but also echoed their support of Fulton's decision.

"Linda is the best kids improv teacher I know and while she'll be missed as a theatre owner, her legacy lives on," said Nancy Bianconi, president of the NoHo Communications Group. "Linda worked tirelessly for over 10 years in developing NoHo into Los Angeles' premiere arts district. I'm happy for her and glad she will still be around."

Fulton will move her Total Improv Kids next door to The Sherry Theater and she will still be active in helping to run NoHo's Whitmore Lindley Theater as well as lending a hand to a sister theatre to be called the Avery Schreiber Playhouse run by Joanne Mosconi.

"I set out to create one of the best places in L.A. for someone to put on a show and I feel like we did that at the Schreiber," Fulton said. "I tried to run the best theatre I could and I'm proud of what we've seen perform here."

Fulton is letting her Total Improv Kids close down the theater with a June run of their original show Kids of Comedy, a short form improv show run completely by kids from the moment the lights go down to the moment they come up. Taking audience suggestions, these incredibly talented actors perform a series of hysterical original improv games that will go toe to toe with any adult improv in L.A.

"I originally opened the theater for the kids so it's fitting," Fulton said. "I am so grateful to the community for their support and thankful to NoHo and the City of Los Angeles and everyone who has come through these doors over the years. I feel very blessed."

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