Local Arts Spotlight: the Glendale Room
While the global pandemic seemed to close many beloved Los Angeles spots, in October of 2021, Glendale gained a dark, cozy little spot on Artsakh Ave, between Broadway and Wilson Ave, two blocks from Glendale Central Public Library. With a bright pink neon sign and the walls lined with books, the Glendale Room has been offering superb comedy shows which includes stand-up, improv, sketch along with storytelling shows and classes for the curious. The Glendale Room is led by Sean Casey, a Chicago-native who, along with some friends, opened up the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica in 2008.
How's Glendale treating you?
Sean Casey: Jewel City?? Glendale's the absolute best. My family and I have lived here for six years and unless we're going up the coast to see Sea Otters there's no reason to ever leave. Welcome to my TED talk on how I'm going to bring sea otters to Glendale.
How did the space get started?
I've been lucky enough to be involved with comedy spaces across L.A. for 15 years. I have a small club at the Santa Monica Promenade called Westside Comedy Theater, and when I read an article (shout-out to local press) that the City of Glendale was starting its Arts & Entertainment District here on Artsakh Ave, I was immediately drawn to how I could be a part of that. Walkable, arts-friendly streets are my favorite. The Pop-Up-Program was the perfect shape to experiment with a small, inviting performance space - the type of space I'm drawn to as a performer or audience. We've all been stuck in our living rooms for the past two years, so I hoped to create a space that reflected a cozy vibe - something more homey, less big and echoey. Comedy thrives in these types of spaces, where you can share a laugh with the people seated close by.
Where does the incredible unique look of Glendale Room come from?
All the books? It's a few ideas lined up together that brought us to the book-lined library/used bookstore feel. (1) I love libraries. They have this magical ability to be both safe places AND places where you encounter new, mind-expanding ideas. (2) Live performance & printed books are similar - they're both physical, tactile in-real-life expressions of their mediums. When I watch a comedian's set or open a physical book it's the same experience to me. I'm taking time to appreciate someone's viewpoints & thoughts - observations that took them hours/years to assemble & refine. When I see a book, that's, at a minimum, a year of someone's life I'm looking at. And a WALL of books? It's like the assembled works of hundreds of years, people so passionate about topics they'd devote a decade to putting it down on paper. It's impressive. (3) And then, surrounded by all these tomes, we tell a fart joke. How ridiculous. There's reverence for the books - the considered thoughts they convey, but there's also irreverence - there's a lot of fun in being lightly naughty in a library, a place where you whisper, and here's where we let the laughs fly - there's a lot of fun in that release. (4) Last point, the titles are random on purpose. You might have noticed the books are a total hodge-podge of titles and topics. The happy accident there, is another rage against the increasing digitalization of thought. My online experience, like most peoples', is somewhat directed and funneled at this point - I'm shown articles and ads that reinforce data points of interests I DO have, but I'm not introduced (or reminded) often of fun surprises that help feed my curiosity. But when I browse the shelves here, it's that random surprise association that gets me every time - a book on zeppelins, next to Chicano poetry, next to Gone Girl. It re-wilds your mind a little, keeps you open. So now we're free to dream about that Glendale Sea Otter sanctuary, right?
You're in a prime spot on Artsakh Ave; blocked off from street traffic, in front of a few popular restaurants and eateries, as well as the LOOK Dine- In Theater. Do you get a lot of random people finding the space in time for a show?
ALL. THE. TIME. GEN Korean BBQ and their hour+ waitlist has to be the biggest driver of curiosity-seekers. People stop by on their way to or from a movie at LOOK or the Laemmle. We're all finding our way back to live events again, and I'm really proud of our role in helping communicate that not only is nightlife returning in Glendale, it features new, unique destinations that weren't here before the pandemic.
Could you tell me about the comedy classes The Glendale room offers?
We're pleased to offer 6 week classes in Improv Comedy, Standup Comedy, and Storytelling. Each class is taught by deeply talented performers who love helping people from all walks of life connect with their comedic and creative voices. We also offer weekend Drop-Ins and Workshops for people with more demanding schedules. For up-and-coming standups, we provide two weekly Open Mics - Wednesday nights at 8 PM and Sunday afternoons at 4 pm. If Improv, Standup, and Storytelling are performance types you enjoy, but you're scared silly to try them yourself, our Classes are wonderfully supportive environments and the perfect excuse to reconnect with friends while doing a fun activity. None of our classes are taught by sea otters (yet).
Check out the Glendale Room's CALENDAR for upcoming shows and classes!