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 Front of the Arlington with ticket booth at center | |
 Interactive map of Arlington Theatre | |
| Address | 1317 State Street Santa Barbara, California United States |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,018 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | May 22, 1931[1] |
| Reopened | May 22, 1976[1] |
| Architect | Edwards and Plunkett |
| Website | |
| arlingtontheatresb | |
TheArlington Theatre is a historic movie theatre inSanta Barbara, California, United States. Combining theMission Revival andSpanish Colonial Revival styles of architecture, it the largest movie theater and principalperforming arts venue in the city. In addition to regular screenings and artists, it is home to many events associated with the annualSanta Barbara International Film Festival.
The Arlington was built at 1317 State Street, on the former site of theArlington Hotel that was destroyed following the1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. The current structure was erected in 1930 as a showcase movie house forFox West Coast Theaters. It was restored and expanded in the mid-1970s byMetropolitan Theatres, reopening in 1976.
In March 2024, its operator, Metropolitan Theatres, declaredChapter 11 bankruptcy. The company stated that the theater will not be affected and will continue to operate normally during the bankruptcy procedure.[2]
The Arlington was designed in theMission Revival andSpanish Colonial Revival styles by the local architectural firmEdwards and Plunkett.[3] The exterior features a Mission Revivalsteeple that ends in an art decofinial, a red tiled roof, and a covered courtyard with a fountain and free-standingticket booth.
The interior is elaborately decorated. The lobby ceilings are heavily beamed and painted, and the auditorium, which seats 2,018 on its main floor and balcony, is designed to give theatergoers the impression that they are sitting in a colonial Spanish town's outdoor plaza. To create this effect, each auditorium wall features built out houses, staircases, and balconies, and the ceiling is designed to evoke the dark sky and stars.
The theater's originalproscenium was formed by what appeared to be a large stone arc, through which could be seen a river and hills painted on thecurtain. This effect was later removed to allow for lighting equipment for stage shows.
One of the Arlington's signature features is itsRobert Mortonpipe organ, originally fromLoew's Jersey Theatre and installed in 1949. The organ is hidden below the orchestra floor on a platform that rises into view for performances.
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34°25′04″N119°41′49″W / 34.4179°N 119.697°W /34.4179; -119.697