With lamps lit along its historic edifice, the New Victoria Theatre‘s transformation was the center of attention as the sun set Thursday, and several hundred supporters gathered outside to welcome the completion of the Santa Barbara downtown arts district.
The theater is now home to the Ensemble Theatre Company, a move that lifts the company from its quaint former home at the Alhecama Theatre, 914 Santa Barbara St., and squarely into the heart of the downtown arts district, just a short distance from the Granada Theatre, the Arlington Theater and State Street.
Dignitaries from the city, county and national levels gathered around Ensemble Artistic Director Jonathan Fox and his team to cut the ribbon and celebrate.
The company will debut its 2013-14 season starting Dec. 5, and audiences will get the chance to enjoy shows in the contemporary, 300-seat theater at 33 W. Victoria St.
Noozhawk took a tour of the construction progress earlier this year, when project supervisor James Tooley of Frank Schipper Construction said the renovated theater will have better sight lines, with raised seating facing a 65-foot-wide, 30-foot deep stage.
On Thursday, the ribbon cutting drew an impressive crowd of supporters, many of whom were among the 300 or so donors who contributed to the project.
Rich Schuette, president of Ensemble’s board of directors, said completion of the building will “take theater into a new place” in Santa Barbara.
Mayor Helene Schneider described talking to Lee Luria, who purchased the building for the company, and had compared the project’s completion to putting the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle together “and seeing the big picture,” she said.
“It’s something that’s been in people’s dreams for many, many years,” she said.
County Supervisor Janet Wolf and Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, also spoke, and Capps said the new space would be able to introduce theater to the next generation.
“I have a grandson that lives on the Mesa,” she said. “He’ll learn what theater is at a place like this.”
With the company entering its 35th season, “the Ensemble finally has a new theater home,” Fox told the crowd, adding that at last, the professional space would match the professionalism of the company’s productions.
Derek Westen, who worked as the campaign co-chair for the New Vic, said that to make it a contemporary venue, a 55-foot fly tower had to be constructed.
To their credit, he said, the city’s Historic Landmarks Committee and City Council approved the plan unanimously.
Previously the lobby was cramped, but now with an expanded sidewalk and patio area, the building has more than five times the lobby space, he said.
The doors are remaining closed until Saturday, when the “Curtain Up!” event will allow patrons to get a glimpse of the new theater.
There are still tickets left for the after-party of Saturday’s event, which can be purchased on the Ensemble’s website.
The general public is invited to check out the new theater from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
