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AboutThere's always something Happening at the Santa Paula Theater Center
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OUR BEGINNINGS WERE HUMBLE
Since 1985, the Santa Paula Theater Center has been a cornerstone of Ventura County’s arts scene, delivering exceptional live theater experiences in an intimate local setting.
Founded by veteran stage, film, and television actors Bill Lucking and the late Dana Elcar, both residents of Santa Paula at the time, the company began its journey in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church. Just two years later, in 1987, the Theater Center moved to its current home, where it continues to thrive.
Each season, we present five Main Stage productions, thoughtfully curated to engage, entertain, and inspire. Our artistic team selects a dynamic mix of plays, from newly released works by emerging playwrights to beloved classics, period dramas, comedies, and mysteries. We embrace the challenge of appealing to a wide range of theatrical tastes and generations.
Our Backstage series offers a more intimate and experimental venue for alternative productions. This space is dedicated to original one-acts by Ventura County playwrights, lesser-known gems, and edgier works that push the boundaries of traditional theater. It also serves as a creative incubator, offering emerging actors, directors, and designers a platform to develop and showcase their talents.
Beyond the stage, the Santa Paula Theater Center is deeply committed to community engagement. We offer acting classes for youth and adults, fostering the next generation of performers. For those interested in the technical side of theater—lighting, sound, set design, and construction, our experienced volunteers are eager to mentor and welcome new members into our creative family.
Whether you're a lifelong theater lover or a newcomer discovering the magic of live performance, the Santa Paula Theater Center invites you to be part of our vibrant and growing community.
Founded by veteran stage, film, and television actors Bill Lucking and the late Dana Elcar, both residents of Santa Paula at the time, the company began its journey in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church. Just two years later, in 1987, the Theater Center moved to its current home, where it continues to thrive.
Each season, we present five Main Stage productions, thoughtfully curated to engage, entertain, and inspire. Our artistic team selects a dynamic mix of plays, from newly released works by emerging playwrights to beloved classics, period dramas, comedies, and mysteries. We embrace the challenge of appealing to a wide range of theatrical tastes and generations.
Our Backstage series offers a more intimate and experimental venue for alternative productions. This space is dedicated to original one-acts by Ventura County playwrights, lesser-known gems, and edgier works that push the boundaries of traditional theater. It also serves as a creative incubator, offering emerging actors, directors, and designers a platform to develop and showcase their talents.
Beyond the stage, the Santa Paula Theater Center is deeply committed to community engagement. We offer acting classes for youth and adults, fostering the next generation of performers. For those interested in the technical side of theater—lighting, sound, set design, and construction, our experienced volunteers are eager to mentor and welcome new members into our creative family.
Whether you're a lifelong theater lover or a newcomer discovering the magic of live performance, the Santa Paula Theater Center invites you to be part of our vibrant and growing community.
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Our homeThe land previously housed locations and buildings of Gaston Melies’ silent film studio, The Star Film Stock Company, from 1911 to 1916 ( or 1913). After his departure to Hollywood, Alice Stowell Mc Kevitt, one of the founders of the Santa Paula Ebell Club purchased the property in 1916 to provide a home for the Club whose express purpose was to bring the cultural arts to Santa Paula.
One year later, in September of 1917, the club held its first meeting in this building. The building and grounds were owned by the McKevett Corporation and rented to the Club for $1 per year an arrangement that lasted approximately 70 years. Our building was declared a County Landmark No. 76 in 1982, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places#89000949 in 1989 Ventura County Historical Landmark #76.. The building was made a landmark because of its importance in three areas: architecture, landscape architecture, and social history. The building is considered an outstanding example of Shingle Craftsman style. The architects were the noted Los Angeles firm of Sumner Hunt and Silas Burns, who also designed the Glen Tavern Inn, and the Los Angeles Ebell Club. 
Make donation to our Building Legacy Fund |