Alex Theatre has an uplifting story to tell

The survival of the Alex Theatre in Glendale was in serious doubt when the landmark venue nearly lost vital funding with the state’s elimination of local redevelopment agencies in 2012. Its prospects look considerably rosier now.

“We’re still working with the city and the state to finalize all of the details,” said Elissa Glickman, CEO of Glendale Arts, the private nonprofit that manages the Alex, “but we are in the process of renegotiating our lease and our management agreement with the city of Glendale.” And, she noted, “I’m signing contracts with promoters and renters for next season.”

Glickman has another reason for optimism: The Alex Theatre’s recent yearlong, $5.26-million, approximately 6,600 square-foot expansion has attracted two large-scale musicals that would not have been possible before the renovation: a January presentation by Theatre Royale of “Les Misérables,” and McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s Equity production of “Billy Elliot: The Musical,” coming to the Alex Feb. 20 through 22 following its run at the La Mirada Theatre, McCoy Rigby’s home base.

The inclusion of the latter is especially significant, and not only because the show has earned glowing reviews in La Mirada — Los Angeles Times’ reviewer David C. Nichols wrote that the production “delivers the electrifying heart and soul of the material” and named it a “Critics’ Pick” — but because McCoy Rigby Entertainment, headed by husband-and-wife executive producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, will present the Tony Award-winning musical at the Alex in partnership with Glendale Arts and the Downtown Glendale Assn.

Many McCoy Rigby productions have gone from La Mirada to Broadway and have toured nationally; “Billy Elliot” marks the first time that the company has partnered locally.

The new arrangement makes sense, said McCoy, because audiences in Glendale and La Mirada are such separate entities. “It feels like the perfect fit, to share shows between these two venues. And “with budgets and finances the way they are in theater these days,” he said, “to be able to share a show, to help with the budget process, is a smart way to go.”

And the newly renovated Alex Theatre is “gorgeous,” McCoy added. “It is happily similar [to the La Mirada Theatre] in terms of number of seats, backstage, the lights that they have and the number of dressing rooms. All of that is very important when you’re sharing a show like ‘Billy Elliot.’ “

The arrangement also allows the Alex to keep ticket prices “relatively low,” Glickman said, noting that, with the exception of an opening night VIP ticket, “Billy Elliot’s” highest ticket price is $75, with discounts for students, seniors and Glendale residents.

“We wanted to bring the best entertainment we could for musical theater,” she said, “but we wanted to make it accessible and affordable to our community and for our constituents.”

Prior to the renovation, the Alex Theatre’s longtime resident company, Musical Theatre Guild (MTG), presented professional concert-staged readings of musicals and “filled a tremendous void” at the venue, Glickman said. “They were our one link to musical theater, and they were very successful.” But the lengthy construction period forced MTG to relocate and the organization found a new home at the Moss Theatre in Santa Monica on the New Roads School campus.

Now, with new and upgraded dressing rooms, increased loading capacity and storage and shop space, and new freight and passenger elevators, Glendale Arts is in the position to realize its vision of bringing Alex audiences a full musical theater experience, Glickman said. “Billy Elliot,” the musical blockbuster about a young boy pursuing his passion for dance against all odds in a northern mining town, is a particularly good fit, she said.

“It’s such a great family-oriented musical. It’s high energy and has an incredible message: If you have a dream you can achieve it, you can have hope…and you can have these things as long as the people around you support you.”

(This “Billy Elliot” comes with a dramatic back-story of its own. The La Mirada production’s original Billy, Noah Parets, broke his arm during rehearsal. In true “the show must go on” tradition, he was replaced by Mitchell Tobin, who, like Parets, had played “Billy” in the national touring production. “We got him out here and literally the fourth day of his rehearsal was opening night,” McCoy said.)

“One of the things that we are most proud of,” Glickman said, “is that the Alex has built a reputation over the last four years for being a destination spot for the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. We’ve brought in some spectacular events that are really diversified, from the Los Angeles Ballet and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, to a conversation with Neil Gaiman and Phil Jackson. We’re booked a solid 180 to 200 days a year. We’re probably one of the busiest independent houses in the region, and we take great pride in that.”

Whether or not the partnership with McCoy-Rigby will continue depends on the success of the new venture, but both parties say that they are willing.

“Tom and I have talked about what they are looking to do next season,” Glickman said. “And in September, [the Alex] will be 90, so we are looking closely at all of our programming. Musical theater is in that mix, and based on the way things are tracking with ‘Billy Elliot’ currently, I can see us expanding this partnership down the line.”

McCoy concurs. “We’re excited not only about ‘Billy Elliot,’ but about the potential of more shows to come to the Alex in the future,” he said. “Let’s see if it works for them, and if it works for the folks in Glendale… if they like what they see. I have a feeling they will.”

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LYNNE HEFFLEY writes about theater and culture for Marquee.--

What: “Billy Elliot: The Musical”

Where: Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and 21; 3 p.m. Feb. 22

Admission: $25 to $75. (Feb. 20 VIP ticket with post-show reception, $100).

More info: (818) 243-2539, www.alextheatre.org.