Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles Concert Evacuated, Cancelled Due to Bomb Threat

About 600 people were evacuated from the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, California on Saturday afternoon due to a bomb threat.

Will & Grace star Leslie Jordan had just walked onto the stage to as a special guest to open the 2 p.m. event when police announced the threat and evacuated the premises, Gay Men’s Chorus executive director Jonathan Weedman told the Los Angeles Times. Adjacent street Brand Boulevard, between Wilson and California avenues, was shut down out of caution.

Police swept the theater and had it cleared by 4:30. The chorus planned to go forward with their 8 p.m. evening show and another 2 p.m. show on Sunday.

Weedman told the Times that this is the first time ever that a GayMen’s Chorus event had to be halted because of a bomb threat. This is also a first for the Alex, which opened in 1925.

Weedman noted the current sociopolitical climate in our nation:

“This is a difficult time for the LGBTQ community, and we will not be deterred,” he said to the Times. “The show must go on, and our message [of inclusiveness] will continue.”

h/t: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-concert-cancelled-20180623-story.html