Alex Theater

CITY HALL — The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission Wednesday approved a float design for the 2009 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade that pays tribute to a longtime Glendale landmark. With a 2009 parade theme of “Hats off to Entertainment,” Glendale Float Assn. members seized the opportunity to incorporate the Alex Theater into the design proposal, said Jerry Deal, treasure of the association. “That’s something we talk about every year and it just didn’t fit,” he said.

GLENDALE -- The turkeys are onscreen this Thanksgiving when the Alex Film Society hosts its 2nd Annual Big Screen Event featuring the Three Stooges. The salute to the kings of comedy takes place on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 2 and 8 p.m. at The Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd. Headlining an all new program will be the early M-G-M short, "Plane Nuts" (1933). Never released on TV, "Plane Nuts" hasn't been seen in nearly 50 years. The society will also present pristine prints of "Women Haters" (1934)

GLENDALE -- Some of the best of Los Angeles cabaret performers are turning out for "A Holiday Cabaret," Sunday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m. at The Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale The performance will celebrate the season while raising funds for LA's Best, an afterschool education and enrichment program focusing on children with limited resources. Best stands for Better Educated Students of Tomorrow. The list of performers contributing their talent includes George Ball, Karen Benjamin, Bill Hutton, Dale Kristien of Burbank and Amanda McBroom.

Walter Alex Forstall   Walter Alex Forstall born on October 13, 1918 in New Orleans, Louisiana and passed away on October 2, 2011 in Granada Hills, California. Loving husband of Lorrayne A. Forstall and mother of Gary Forstall, Judy Barnes, Tina Gan (Leslie Gan) and Mark Forstall (Debbie Forstall). He is also survived by seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. As a young adult Walter performed as a professional dancer and violinist. He was well known performer to the Alex Theater in Glendale.

For those who had other things to do on New Year's Day, it's still not too late to catch an up close look of Glendale's award winning float for the Tournament of Roses Parade. The float -- titled “Living the Good Life!” -- won the Governor's Award for best depiction of life in California. It features a trolley car, a roll of movie film and Glendale's own Alex Theatre, where it will be parked in front of until Friday morning. The float will be on display in front of the Alex Theater at 216 North Brand Blvd.

Robert Shaffer DOWNTOWN -- A 23-foot-tall basset hound descended on Brand Boulevard Monday, slowing traffic and generally creating a stir. But the dog didn't take a bite out of The Alex Theater or cause a giant mess on the street. On the contrary, Glendale's Tournament of Roses parade float was a drooling success with the locals. Some at the Rose Parade Saturday thought the hound looked unhappy or just downright mean. But not Monday. "It looks beautiful," said Glendale resident Richard Powell.

Tumblers from Taiwan at the Alex Magic, ballet and acrobatics will collide when the National Acrobats of Taiwan perform Saturday at the Alex Theater. The two-hour performance will begin at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary between orchestra, terrace and balcony seats. For more information or to reserve seats, log on to www.alextheater.org or call the box office at (818) 243-2539. Fun for the whole family With board games, bingo and popcorn, Pacific Community Center's "Family Fun Night" at 5 p.m. Wednesday should have something for everyone.

Paul M. Anderson GLENDALE -- Looking for an easy way to burn off calories after Turkey Day? Try a cornucopia of belly laughs provided by three of America's most famous turkeys, commonly known as Moe, Larry and Curly. The Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd., is holding its second annual Three Stooges film festival at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. The highlight of the show will be a rare short never screened on television, said Frank Gladstone who organized the film festival.

Janine Marnien GLENDALE -- If you've always wanted to eat at Glendale's downtown restaurants but haven't had the time or money to try them all, you can have those cravings satisfied Wednesday night during "A Taste of Downtown Glendale." The proceeds of the evening will go to Glendale Healthy Kids, an organization that helps children of uninsured families get access to health services. "We wanted to do something different that nobody else was doing," Glendale Healthy Kids board member Jean Maluccio said.

Ryan Carter THE ALEX THEATRE -- A goal for the members of a local dance company is to help children see the heroes inside themselves. The American Repertory Dance Company, in residency at The Alex Theatre, will present two free shows at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday at The Alex, 216 N. Brand Blvd. "Stories of Heroes" will examine heroism through five dances, which touch on themes of perseverance, courage, sacrifice and kindness in two 35 minute shows, company Art Director Bonnie Oda Homsey said.

The curtain on the Alex Theater's long-awaited backstage expansion will rise this November, theater officials announced Tuesday. The $5.2-million project, which will add 6,400 square feet to the theater, is scheduled to break ground on July 1, said Elissa Glickman, chief executive of Glendale Arts, the nonprofit organization formed in 2008 to manage the theater. The Alex will be closed until a grand re-opening in November, but the work won't be completely finished until March 2014, she added.

For those who had other things to do on New Year's Day, it's still not too late to catch an up close look of Glendale's award winning float for the Tournament of Roses Parade. The float -- titled “Living the Good Life!” -- won the Governor's Award for best depiction of life in California. It features a trolley car, a roll of movie film and Glendale's own Alex Theatre, where it will be parked in front of until Friday morning. The float will be on display in front of the Alex Theater at 216 North Brand Blvd.

Walter Alex Forstall   Walter Alex Forstall born on October 13, 1918 in New Orleans, Louisiana and passed away on October 2, 2011 in Granada Hills, California. Loving husband of Lorrayne A. Forstall and mother of Gary Forstall, Judy Barnes, Tina Gan (Leslie Gan) and Mark Forstall (Debbie Forstall). He is also survived by seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. As a young adult Walter performed as a professional dancer and violinist. He was well known performer to the Alex Theater in Glendale.

GLENDALE — In the classroom and out on the athletic fields and courts, there's the responsibility of performing to a high standard. For a group of local high school and junior college student-athletes, they've been taught by their teachers and coaches the traits of integrity and sportsmanship. The second annual Athletes with Character and Ethics Awards, sponsored by the Glendale Character and Ethics Project, celebrated many of the high-caliber student-athletes from Crescenta Valley High, Glendale and Hoover and Glendale Community College on Wednesday night at the Alex Theater with respect to the project's theme standards of strong moral character, sportsmanship, integrity and responsibility.

CITY HALL ? A new nonprofit arts organization could join the mix of a city-sponsored performance arts network later this year ? nearly two years after the City Council voted to form the group. The proposed Glendale Arts Council would use a $75,000 city subsidy to produce small-scale arts programming ? such as poetry readings and juried art shows ? raise funds for future programming and form partnerships with the local business community. For Councilman John Drayman, who spent much of his career working in the arts, the new arts nonprofit is a key part of his plan to use the arts to drive economic development in the city.

DOWNTOWN — The Alex Theatre has seen an increase in attendance and erased its roughly $55,000 operating deficit for this fiscal year, according to the venue’s latest financial report. In the second quarter of this fiscal year, attendance at the historic theater more than doubled to 33,248 from the first quarter, even as the total number of public activities — including plays and other productions — fell by 12.3%, according to the report. The latest figures, outlined in a quarterly report to the Redevelopment Agency, represent a marked improvement for a venue that saw double-digit drops in activities and attendance for the first quarter from the same quarter a year ago, or July through September.

CITY HALL — The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission Wednesday approved a float design for the 2009 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade that pays tribute to a longtime Glendale landmark. With a 2009 parade theme of “Hats off to Entertainment,” Glendale Float Assn. members seized the opportunity to incorporate the Alex Theater into the design proposal, said Jerry Deal, treasure of the association. “That’s something we talk about every year and it just didn’t fit,” he said.

The Glendale Rose Float Association earned the 2008 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Mayor?s Trophy for the ?Most outstanding city entry, national or international? for the city of Glendale?s float entry, ?Bon Voyage.? The colorful float was decorated by community members and depicts a bi-plane taking off from Glendale?s historic Grand Central Air Terminal. Glendale entered its first float in the parade back in 1911 and has had an entry in the parade for the past 94 consecutive parades, which makes it the second oldest continuous float entry in the parade, according to the Glendale Rose Float Association?