The Lobero Theatre

The Lobero Theatre celebrates this momentous anniversary by honoring the past and safeguarding the future of this vibrant community treasure.

The Lobero Theatre is a historic performing arts venue located in downtown Santa Barbara, California. It was built in 1873 and is one of the oldest theaters in the state. The Lobero has been a center for performing arts in Santa Barbara for 150 years, hosting a wide variety of events including plays, concerts, dance performances, and lectures.

The theater has a capacity of 680 seats and has been renovated several times over the years to update its facilities and improve its acoustics. The Lobero Theatre is known for its intimate atmosphere and has hosted many famous performers, including Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Bing Crosby, Susan B. Anthony, Bela Lugosi as Dracula, John L. Sullivan, W.C. Fields, Clark Gable, Paul Robeson, Humphrey Bogart, Lucille Ball, Tom Waits, Marcel Marceau, Ingrid Bergman, Orson Welles, Dave Brubeck, Richard Pryor, Charles Lloyd, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carol Burnett, David Crosby, Neil Young, and Jack Johnson.

Originally founded as Jose Lobero’s Opera House in 1873 the Lobero is the oldest operating theatre in California and the fourth oldest performing arts theatre in the country.

In addition to its role as a performance venue, the Lobero Theatre also serves as a community resource and education center. The theater hosts a number of educational programs, workshops, and outreach initiatives aimed at promoting the arts and culture in Santa Barbara and the surrounding region.

Overall, the Lobero Theatre is an important cultural landmark in Santa Barbara and a beloved venue for performing arts in the area.