The Elysian Theater

The Elysian Theater ✨ The Place For Live Comedy in Frogtown, LA✨ The Elysian is an independent comedy theater and 501(c)3 non-profit based in the Elysian Valley of Los Angeles.

At the Elysian, we believe all great work comes out of experimentation and we’re far more interested in the artist’s process than their finished product. Our goal is to foster a supportive space, audience and community that allows artists to enact their unique creative vision. The non-profit was originally founded in 2018 when a group of emerging performers and comedians came together at The Lyric

Hyperion Theater in Silverlake, CA. Informed by the ethos of clown, they embraced an approach of devising new works live in front of audiences, risking vulnerability and failure as a means of discovering gold. The theater became a destination for those seeking innovative, original live comedy that was unexpected, transgressive, participatory and communal. A creative culture grew that offered artists of all disciplines a place to experiment and test boundaries away from the influence of the local entertainment industry and develop shows that would go on to tour the world and win festivals. In 2021, the non-profit established a new home in Frogtown at the historic Elysian Theater - a 135-seat thrust theater built in 1927 - where we continue to cultivate unconventional live comedy. Over fifty percent of Elysian shows are “Work in Progress” - featuring emerging artists developing their voice or established artists developing new shows. In addition to presenting and producing shows, The Elysian also offers year-round workshops and classes in clown, improv and performance art from resident artists, community members, and international award winning performers and teachers. The Elysian believes by nurturing the performing comedy community in this way, artists are able to generate works that inspire, challenge, delight and contribute to the world of comedy at large. MISSION: Our mission is to support innovative artists devising original and unconventional live comedy, by cultivating a diverse and collaborative community that values experimentation as a means of pushing the boundaries of modern comedy. VISION: Our vision is to contribute to the landscape of performing artists, helping them discover and strengthen their voice. We seek to offer a space in Los Angeles that is a respite from the pressures and expectations of the film and television industry. We believe our philosophy of giving artists a space to safely develop works in progress with a supportive audience that embraces original, innovative work, will generate a higher quality of new work that advances the contemporary culture of comedy, both in live theater and beyond. AGE LIMIT: Shows are all ages, but please be aware that some shows incorporate 18+ content and language. Attend shows at your own discretion, and please email [email protected] if you have any questions about a particular show. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: The performance room is wheelchair accessible, however The Elysian does not have wheelchair accessible bathrooms at this time. The stage can be made wheelchair accessible with advance notice. STANDBY TICKETS: We’ll begin a standby list 30 minutes prior to showtime for sold out performances. By showtime (or 10-15 after), we’ll inform standby list if we can get them in seated or standing room. Typically everyone gets in! Though there’s no guarantee.

Resuming programming this week ❤️ Take care and see you soon!
01/14/2025

Resuming programming this week ❤️ Take care and see you soon!

Our neighbors at Frogtown Creative are collecting resources, and seeking these items today. Drop off at 29232 Gilroy❤️
01/11/2025

Our neighbors at Frogtown Creative are collecting resources, and seeking these items today.

Drop off at 29232 Gilroy

❤️

As we work to support our artists and audiences this week, we wanted to also share some local resources - reposted from ...
01/10/2025

As we work to support our artists and audiences this week, we wanted to also share some local resources - reposted from

Stay safe everyone ❤️

All events and classes now cancelled today and tomorrow
01/08/2025

All events and classes now cancelled today and tomorrow

All shows cancelled tonight - stay safe everyone ❤️
01/08/2025

All shows cancelled tonight - stay safe everyone ❤️

CLASS ALERT 🍏 classes at the Elysian coming up in January & February! Head to the link in our bio or elysiantheater.com/...
01/07/2025

CLASS ALERT 🍏 classes at the Elysian coming up in January & February! Head to the link in our bio or elysiantheater.com/classes for more info & enrollment!

1/18: SHAKESPEARE IN LA with Anya Saffir

1/28-2/1: BOUFFON 1 with

2/2-2/3: MOVEMENT FOR COMEDIANS, CLOWNS, & IMPROVISERS with

2/10-2/11 & 2/19: LANGUAGE OF NONSENSE with

🍏🍏🍏

HAPPY (almost) NEW YEAR! ⭐️ Beyond ticket sales and rental fees, we rely on the generosity of individual donors and publ...
12/31/2024

HAPPY (almost) NEW YEAR! ⭐️ Beyond ticket sales and rental fees, we rely on the generosity of individual donors and public and private organizations to propel our mission to be a destination for cutting-edge live comedy and performance in Los Angeles, and a space where both emerging and established artists can develop, incubate, and launch their boldest ideas.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Elysian today to help support us and LA artists and performers in 2025 🐥 campaign link in our bio! We appreciate you!

Photos from the 12/12 🐁🌈🫧Tickets to this week’s shows at the link in our bio! shot by
12/27/2024

Photos from the 12/12 🐁🌈🫧

Tickets to this week’s shows at the link in our bio!

shot by

a skunk in the skunk room 😮 and her name is Holiday… 🦨🦨🦨
12/22/2024

a skunk in the skunk room 😮 and her name is Holiday… 🦨🦨🦨

TODAY! 2pm-6pm in the Skunk Room 🦨 come shop and hang out and look at dogs!!!Vendors:The Elysian (Abandoned Lost and Fou...
12/21/2024

TODAY! 2pm-6pm in the Skunk Room 🦨 come shop and hang out and look at dogs!!!

Vendors:
The Elysian (Abandoned Lost and Found!)
David Farrier (Web Worm Merch!)
Nina Millin (Spells, Bells & Beyond!)
Stevie Nelson (Pocket Compliments!)
Addie Weyrich (Merch!)
The Last Bookstore (Books!)
Cast & Combed (Jewelry!)
Frogtown Brewery (Beverages!)
+ more more more!
Music by Nathan Blue

🫧 This is an end of year opportunity to donate to the Elysian in its mission to support artists in creating original and unconventional live comedy! 🫧

⭐️ FREAK NATURE PUPPETS 2024 ⭐️ Celebrating a year with our first-ever Company-in-Residence, built to help early-career ...
12/20/2024

⭐️ FREAK NATURE PUPPETS 2024 ⭐️ Celebrating a year with our first-ever Company-in-Residence, built to help early-career collectives grow and flourish. Congratulations to Freak Nature on an amazing, prolific season of creation. From the development of a brand new show, Freak Nature Presents: Freak Nature, to our puppet bathrooms, thank you for bringing so much whimsy and delight to the Elysian this year.

🫧 And on December 28th… PUPPET SUNDAE
Freak Nature invites you to be a part of the Puppet Sundae — a different kind of “puppet slam”. Puppeteers of all experience levels will be given a random team of co-conspirators to form a brand-new puppet collective and debut a short-form puppetry act in front of a crowd... all within 24 hours.

Want to join the fun? Become a performer/builder/participant for FREE by filling out the form on the event’s page on our website by 11:59PM on 12/26. No experience necessary. The less experience you have, the more you are encouraged to sign up!

THIS WEEKEND 🪽 swipe swipe swipe!
12/13/2024

THIS WEEKEND 🪽 swipe swipe swipe!

Don’t miss the last STAND UP AND CLOWN of 2024! 12/16 at 9:30pm 🤡 tickets at the link in our bio
12/12/2024

Don’t miss the last STAND UP AND CLOWN of 2024!
12/16 at 9:30pm 🤡 tickets at the link in our bio

SWIPE ⛄️ Monday-Thursday showsvault shows at
12/09/2024

SWIPE ⛄️ Monday-Thursday shows

vault shows at

Happy Friday 🪿 SWIPE FOR SHOWS!
12/07/2024

Happy Friday 🪿 SWIPE FOR SHOWS!

Photos from the Halloween ⭐️ DON’T MISS THE NEXT on Sunday 12/15! Enjoy a bizarre evening of magic, drag, characters on...
12/06/2024

Photos from the Halloween ⭐️ DON’T MISS THE NEXT on Sunday 12/15!

Enjoy a bizarre evening of magic, drag, characters on characters, clown, art, & time traveling friendship featuring…

Il Fungo (bouffon troupe)
Kylie Brakeman (NYT great performers list, TV writer)
Obsidienne Obsurd (violist, drag queen, horse girl)
Lady Sapphire Noir (12x award winning burlesque performer)
Erica Gooding (aerialist)
Naathan Phan (magician as seen on AGT)
Jill Young (award-winning comedian)
+ hosted by Emily Maverick & Geri Courtney-Austein!

🤡 LINK IN BIO FOR TICKETS 🤡

photos by

Support local comedy! ❤️ our $25 for ‘25 campaign is at the link in our bio ⭐️
12/06/2024

Support local comedy! ❤️ our $25 for ‘25 campaign is at the link in our bio ⭐️

clowning at The Elysian & featured in 🤡🤡🤡article by photos thanks for the kind words ⭐️ clown class available to enr...
12/04/2024

clowning at The Elysian & featured in 🤡🤡🤡

article by
photos

thanks for the kind words ⭐️ clown class available to enroll in now! link in bio!

Address

1944 Riverside Drive
Los Angeles, CA
90039

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Videos

THE SIMPLE CLOWN led by Zachary Steel still open for enrollement on our website 🤡 Go deep into the world of the Simple Clown with Zachary Steel, USC professor and Director of Comedy, who performs monthly on the Elysian stage with Cruel Babes. The simple clown is simply you without all the know-how and wherewithal, left only with hope and an unrelenting pursuit of fun amidst the unknowns of the audience, and the world around you. We will explore this version of us, vulnerable to even the slightest shifts, stripped of all the cleverness and the wit. We will progress to create, stumble through, and happen upon wild, physical, nonsensical comedic material, a celebration of our own personal ridiculousness. CLASS IN THE SKUNK ROOM: FRIDAY 12/13 from 1-5PM | SATURDAY 12/14 FROM 1-5PM | SUNDAY 12/15 FROM 1-5PM 🤡🤡🤡 enroll today 🤡🤡🤡

The Elysian presents the Edinburgh Percolator Saturday July 20th $10 tix all the live-long day 10:30AM Doors Open 11am-12pm Amando Houser-DeliaDelia! The Flat-Chested Witch 12:15-1:15pm Elizabeth Aziz-Live From the Brickyard Mall 1:30-2:30pm-Alex Kern Thank You So Much For Coming 2:45-3:45pm Madeleine Woolner-Jury Duty 4-5pm Griffin Kelly-Ladies Ladies Lotion Time 5:15-6:15pm Fielding Edlow-Gaslighting Is My Love Language 6:30-7:30pm Kelly Reilly-The Dolphin I Loved 7:45-8:45pm Chris Grace-Sardines (a comedy about death) 9-11pm Edinburgh Anonymous AFTERPARTY IN THE SKUNK ROOM *lineup subject to change

PITCHES ARE OPEN for the Elysian’s third annual Spaghetti Festival! Our annual new works festival showcasing wild new works of daring and uncategorizable shows from emerging talent. We’re looking for your💡unproduced great idea💡to bring to life for the first time on the Elysian stage! Selected shows will receive a performance slot, artistic development resources, promotional support, and more. Submit thru link in bio!

The Elysian’s Edinburgh Percolator starts this Saturday! Join us starting at 1pm in the theater as we spotlight Work in Process performances gearing up to travel to the biggest arts/culture festival on the planet, the Edinburgh Fringe. FIRST UP: Serenity Garcia (@serenityhasquestions) “The Little things” THEN: Amadeo Fusca (@amadeo_fusca) The Conductor AND: Natasha Mercado (@champagnetashi) #1 Son Catch Natasha at work in all four Percolators, as we feature the development of her show as we head into this year’s Fringe! $10 for the whole day! Link on our website 5-7pm EDINBURGH ANONYMOUS Are you going to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival? Thinking about it? Maybe next year? Undecided? Come one come all for our FREE community sessions after every Percolator showcase. We’re hosting various Q+As, workshops, and providing resources from our partners at @edfringe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✨🍻✨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #edinburghfringe #elysiantheater #fringefestival

April 21! Hang up and call us now. Get ready for a time-bending, heart-melting cosmic circus. Your transcendent variety show from the celestial ether is taking The Elysian stage. Enjoy a bizarre evening of magic, drag, characters on characters, clown, art, and time-traveling friendship that leaves you wondering if you just fell in love. (You did.) Hosted by beautiful cosmic freaks Emily Maverick & Geri Courtney-Austein.

We will be doing DNA analysis and gonna come for ya monsters. Update: house left far worse than house right. Interesting. THANK YOU @tessthemessjackson ! 🫡🫧❌

If you are not yet familiar with the brilliance of Joseph Keckler join us Thursday night at 7:30 🙌🙌🙌

Huge shoutout to @officialsunco for donating our new green room lights!! Our non-profit depends on donations to literally keep the lights on. 💡

Happy New Yearrrr keep making all the weird things🥂 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚🦨

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