Lompoc Theatre Project Breaks Ground on Second Phase of $18.8 Million Renovation

Historic Venue Targets 2027 Reopening in Conjunction with Its Centennial

Rendering of the Lompoc Theatre front entrance | Photo: 19-6 Architects

On a foggy Friday morning, public officials, community leaders, and supporters gathered beside the historic Lompoc Theatre to celebrate the groundbreaking of Phase Two of the long-anticipated, $18.8 million renovation effort. The milestone marks a major step toward reviving an iconic cultural landmark that has served as an anchor of Old Town Lompoc since 1927.

“This theater will open its doors to the next generation,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann during the May 2 ceremony. “Our young people will not just sit in the audience. They’ll stand on stage, take classes, gain confidence, and see themselves as creators of culture, not just consumers of it.”

Interior of the current Lompoc Theatre | Photo: Shannon Brooks

The project’s goal is to fully reopen the theater in 2027, aligning with its centennial anniversary. In its prime, the Lompoc Theatre hosted vaudeville acts, movie screenings, and live performances by icons such as Liberace, Van Cliburn, and The Coasters. In the 1930s, it was even an official Mickey Mouse Club venue. But by 1975, facing economic challenges and shifting media consumption trends, the curtains closed. The final film screening took place in 1991.

While the building sat largely dormant for decades, preservation efforts never ceased. The Calvert family, longtime owners, protected the structure from demolition before eventually selling it to a local nonprofit. In 2012, the Lompoc Theatre Project formed with the mission of transforming the aging venue into a vibrant community arts and education center.

The nonprofit acquired the keys in 2016 and by the end of 2017, they had paid the back taxes, gutted the interior, and restored the iconic marquee. The group’s vision extended beyond restoration — it imagined a hub for creativity, accessible to all.

A decade of fundraising has attracted major donors, including actors Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall, who now serve as honorary project chairs. Despite impressive progress, the project still needs to raise $9.8 million to meet its final goal.

Supervisor Hartmann helped bring in crucial state-level support. Thanks to her advocacy, State Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Gregg Hart were able to secure $2.2 million in California state funding in 2023. Many regional partners have also stepped in, including the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the Hutton Parker Foundation, and the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation.

“The leadership team on this is just extraordinary,” said Scott Reed, former president and CEO of the Music Academy of the West. Reed cofounded Lane 4 Fundraising, which is advising the Lompoc Theatre Project.

The team combines deep local roots with global expertise. Santa Barbara–based architectural firm 19six, whose portfolio includes renovations of the Granada, Arlington, and New Vic theaters, is leading design. TheatreDNA, a Los Angeles–based firm known internationally for performance venue consulting, is also on board.

Benton Delinger, TheatreDNA’s cofounder, brings both professional experience and personal connection. He grew up in Lompoc and more recently returned with his wife as a full-time resident. “I started working on this back in 2012 in the early phases of developing the concepts of what it could be,” Delinger said.

Rendering of the Lompoc Theatre stage | Photo: 19-6 Architects

Inside the current Lompoc Theatre | Photo: Shannon Brooks
Hardhats for guests at the Lompoc Theatre groundbreaking on May 2, 2025 | Photo: Shannon Brooks
Inside the current Lompoc Theatre | Photo: Shannon Brooks
Concession stand inside the current Lompoc Theatre | Photo: Shannon Brooks

Executive Director Mark Herrier’s connection to the theater runs even deeper. A Lompoc native turned Hollywood actor and director, Herrier attributes his career to a transformative viewing of The Music Man at the Lompoc Theatre when he was 10. “There’s something about being in a space like this, laughing and crying together. It’s maybe the most democratic thing we have left, and it’s fundamental to human experience,” he said. “As a 10-year-old, I was able to have my life transformed because of that, and there are 10-year-olds in this town that don’t have that opportunity, and that’s the main reason I’m doing this.”

From left, Joan Hartmann, Mark Herrier, Monique Limón, and Gregg Hart at the groundbreaking for the Lompoc Theatre | Photo: Shannon Brooks

One of the most symbolic elements of the restoration is the historic Land Office, the oldest wooden commercial building in Santa Barbara County, dating back to 1874. Once used as the theater’s dressing room, it will be relocated and repurposed into a “cinema boutique and smart room” for smaller screenings, gaming, and events.

Construction work is already underway. In the next year, crews will complete a seismic retrofit and reroof the main building, which includes upper-level office space. Phase Two also includes a full overhaul of the main stage. One planned configuration for a “Backstage Theater” draws inspiration from Austin’s famed Continental Club. It will host intimate concerts for up to 85 attendees and weekly live music events in a black box type of setting where the audience and performers are on the same level.

Larger productions will take place in the fully restored 450-seat auditorium. The vision is ambitious: first-run films, concerts, plays, ballets, and more — all bringing new life and economic activity to downtown Lompoc. As Hartmann noted, this revival has the potential to change life in the city. “Too many of our residents wake up early to commute long hours out of town, and then on weekends, they often leave again, chasing art, music, entertainment, and opportunity elsewhere,” she explained. “That spending and spirit flows out of the town, but the reopening of this theater will change that.”

The theater will also be made available at no cost to local arts groups, giving them a home stage and platform. Santa Barbara–based State Street Ballet has already expressed interest. Executive Director Cecily MacDougall shared plans to bring productions like The Nutcracker to Lompoc, offering both professional performances and youth opportunities. “Our mission is to make ballet accessible to the widest audience,” she said. “This theater makes that possible.”

Lompoc Theatre Group is now raising funds to complete the third and final phase, which will cover extensive interior and exterior renovations. A variety of naming rights are up for grabs along with programming sponsorships. Individual donations can also be made via the website: lompoctheatre.org.

As the groundbreaking remarks wrapped up, Herrier summed it up simply: “It takes a village to build a theater. And it takes time. But we’re over halfway there — and that’s worth celebrating.”