Jay McAdams, Executive Director of 24th Street Theatre.
What began simply as a place for the production of plays has developed into a unique and important community institution. The 24th Street Theatre offers high-quality professional theatre for all ages, showcases the works of local artists, operates arts education programs with neighborhood youth, and is an innovator in Spanish-language shows and events.
Built in the 1920s as a Carriage House, the big green doors of the 24th Street Theatre are always wide open, inviting members of the neighborhood to stop in, to be entertained, and to participate as members of a dynamic artistic community.
Jay, who has worked in South LA for 15 years, recounted how he and his colleagues “didn’t choose 24th Street Theatre to be a democratic space, it chose to be a democratic space. The neighborhood dictated what 24th Street Theatre became. Once we set up camp here, we realized we could not just do art for art’s sake, but had to respond to what the environment needed of our art and space.”
Originalmente construido en los 1920s como una casa de transporte, las puertas verdes de 24th Street Theater siempre están abiertas, invitando a miembros de la comunidad a visitar, ser entretenidos y participar en la programación de actividades artísticas.
