The Fonda Theatre has stood on Hollywood Boulevard since 1926, when it opened as the Carter DeHaven Music Box Theatre with a stage revue. Designed by the prolific Los Angeles architecture firm Morgan, Walls & Clements in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the building has spent nearly a century cycling through identities as a playhouse, a radio broadcast studio for Lux Radio Theater, a movie house, and finally a live music venue.
Along the way it carried names like the Music Box Theatre, the Guild Theatre, and the Fox Theatre, before the Nederlander Organization renamed it after actor Henry Fonda in 1985. A careful restoration beginning in 2002 returned much of its 1920s character, and in 2012 concert promoter Goldenvoice took over operations and reclaimed the shortened Fonda Theatre name it carries today.
Quick Answer
The Fonda Theatre is a historic 1,200-capacity concert hall at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, operated by Goldenvoice. It opened in 1926 as the Carter DeHaven Music Box Theatre, was renamed for actor Henry Fonda in 1985, and today hosts standing-room concerts (about 1,200 people) as well as smaller seated shows (about 621 people) in its balcony and orchestra sections.
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Stats at a Glance
Location: 6126 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California 90028. Type: Concert hall / historic theater. Opened: October 20, 1926. Architect: Morgan, Walls & Clements. Style: Spanish Colonial Revival. Standing capacity: about 1,200. Seated capacity: about 621. Operator: Goldenvoice (since 2012). Famous for: named ‘top venue in Los Angeles’ by LA Weekly in 2015.
A Hollywood Boulevard Survivor
Few Hollywood Boulevard venues have changed roles as many times as this one. After opening as a 1920s revue house under actor-producer Carter DeHaven, it moved into legitimate stage productions, then became a radio studio where Lux Radio Theater broadcast star-studded adaptations through the mid-1940s, before Fox West Coast bought and converted it into a movie theater with Streamline Moderne touches, running under names including the Guild Theatre and the Fox Theatre.
That layered history is part of what makes the building a Hollywood Boulevard landmark rather than just another concert stop. Its exterior and lobby still reflect the Spanish Colonial Revival detailing from its original 1926 construction, even after decades of adaptive reuse and a 2002 restoration that brought back much of that original character.
Life as a Modern Concert Venue
Since Goldenvoice’s 2012 restoration and relaunch, the room has become a fixture on touring routes for acts who want a historic, mid-sized Los Angeles stage rather than a cavernous arena. Its intimate scale and vintage theater bones give shows a different feel than the larger venues nearby on Sunset or in downtown LA.
The venue’s recognition as LA Weekly’s top Los Angeles venue in 2015 reflected that reputation, built on nearly a century of hosting everything from stage productions to sold-out concerts under the same Hollywood Boulevard roof.
Seating & Capacity: Standing Room vs. Seated Shows
The Fonda’s configuration changes with the show. For most concerts, the main floor is general-admission standing room, and the venue’s overall standing capacity runs about 1,200. For seated theatrical or comedy-style bookings, capacity drops to roughly 621, since the floor and balcony are set up with fixed or folding seating instead.
The balcony typically offers a mix of seated and standing room; standing balcony spots are usually first-come, first-served, while reserved balcony seats are only sold for select shows. Which setup applies to a given night depends entirely on that event’s listing, so it’s worth checking the specific show page before assuming either layout.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets & Box Office
Tickets are sold primarily through AXS and through the venue’s own show listings, with phone orders also available. The Fonda’s box office additionally sells tickets to most Goldenvoice-promoted Los Angeles shows in person, generally at a lower fee than buying online, on a weekly schedule rather than daily hours — historically Tuesday afternoons. On the night of a show, the box office opens at doors and sells remaining tickets while supplies last.
Because exact weekly hours, fees, and on-sale dates shift by event and season, confirm the current schedule and buy verified tickets through the official Fonda Theatre site or AXS before a visit. The venue operates cashless at events, accepting credit, debit, and mobile payment for anything purchased inside.
Getting There & Parking
The Fonda Theatre sits on Hollywood Boulevard just off the 101 Freeway, between Gower Street and El Centro Avenue, at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard. The venue does not operate its own parking lot, but the Hollywood & Gower lot sits directly adjacent and charges variable event pricing, and metered street parking is available nearby — read posted signage carefully, since restrictions change block by block.
Rideshare drop-off and the Hollywood/Vine Metro Red Line stop are both realistic alternatives to driving, given the venue’s spot in the busy Hollywood Boulevard entertainment corridor.
Bag Policy & What to Bring
The Fonda enforces a bag-size limit: bags, backpacks, and similar items may not exceed 14 by 14 inches, so oversized bags, suitcases, and luggage won’t be allowed inside. Outside food and drinks, alcohol, professional cameras, recording devices, weapons, chairs, umbrellas, and sealed water bottles are also restricted, and management can deny entry to any item it deems unsafe or inappropriate for the show.
Policies can be adjusted for specific tours or security needs, so it’s worth double-checking the official venue info page for the exact current list before heading out, especially for a touring act with its own added restrictions.
Water on your back and hidden zip pockets against your body. Built for long festival days in crowds.
Charges fast enough to top up your phone between the opener and the headliner.
Many venues let empty soft flasks through security. Refill inside and roll it up when it's empty.
The Fonda Theatre FAQs
When did The Fonda Theatre open?
It opened on October 20, 1926, as the Carter DeHaven Music Box Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
What is the capacity of The Fonda Theatre?
About 1,200 for standing-room concerts, or roughly 621 for shows set up with seating, depending on the event.
Who operates The Fonda Theatre today?
Concert promoter Goldenvoice has operated the venue since taking it over and restoring the Fonda Theatre name in 2012.
Where is The Fonda Theatre and is there parking?
It’s at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, CA, just off the 101 Freeway between Gower Street and El Centro Avenue. The venue has no lot of its own, but the adjacent Hollywood & Gower lot and metered street parking are both nearby.
How do I buy tickets to a Fonda Theatre show?
Through AXS or the venue’s own listings online, by phone, or in person at the box office, which also sells lower-fee tickets to most Goldenvoice LA shows on a weekly in-person schedule. Check the official Fonda Theatre site for current on-sale details.
What is the Fonda Theatre’s bag policy?
Bags may not be larger than 14 by 14 inches, and items like outside food, alcohol, professional cameras, and recording devices are restricted. Confirm the current list on the venue’s official site before a show.
Why was it renamed The Fonda Theatre?
The Nederlander Organization renamed the building in honor of actor Henry Fonda in 1985, after decades operating under names like the Music Box Theatre, Guild Theatre, and Fox Theatre.
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