The Madnani Theater is a 49-seat black box theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, that can be rented for rehearsals, readings, classes, community meetings, screenings and special events. Its telescopic seating retracts to 15 seats to open up the stage area. It is a small room for a small group, not a large reception hall.
Seminars and company events
The venue lists community meetings and special events among its rental uses, next to productions, acting and improv classes, auditions, readings and rehearsals. For an organizer, that makes it a room for a small workshop, a presentation to a group of up to 49 people, a staged reading or a team session with a stage. The site also offers the space for film, television and commercial shoots.
The theater provides lighting and AV equipment, all new, and a sound and light technician booth above the stage. There is a piano. Air conditioning and Wi-Fi for cast and crew are included. The venue is clear about what it does not provide: no technical staff, no box office services, no public Wi-Fi and no streaming services. A renter brings its own operator for the booth and plans for connectivity.
Rooms and capacities
The theater itself has 49 cushioned seats and is wheelchair accessible. With the telescopic seating retracted, it keeps 15 seats and a larger stage area, which suits rehearsals, classes and standing or movement-based sessions.
The lobby holds a box office and a concessions area, and a patron restroom. The green room has its own stage entrance and a restroom for cast and crew, with makeup mirrors, lighting and retractable countertops. The green room is useful as a preparation or breakout space for presenters.
Rental and use
The theater opened in fall 2022 after a full renovation, under the name Madnani Theater, formerly known as the Lex Theater. It is affiliated with the Hollywood Schoolhouse, and its mission is to provide a performance and engagement space for the school's students and the wider community. Rentals can be short or longer term, so a one-evening booking and a multi-week production are both possible. Contact the venue through its website to discuss dates, as no rates or calendars are published on the pages we read.
Catering
The site does not describe catering. The lobby has a concessions area, and the venue does not say whether outside food or drink is allowed. Ask before planning any refreshments.
History and setting
The renovation was made possible by a donation from the Madnani Family Trust, with additional funding from the Ahmanson Foundation and other private donors. The Hollywood Schoolhouse has educated children on its Hollywood campus since 1945.
Getting there
The theater is at the corner of McCadden and Lexington, at 6760 Lexington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Parking is on the street only and is subject to posted restrictions, so tell attendees to plan extra time.
