A sprinkler alarm at The Granada Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara sent a city fire engine crew to the century-old building on Wednesday afternoon. The firefighters found the stage awash in water after rigging onstage apparently broke and boomeranged into a number of sprinklers overhead at about 2:50 p.m.
Several people evacuated from the theater, said Captain Jeremy Denton, who was acting battalion chief for City Fire on Thursday. There was no fire, he said, but until the sprinkler system is repaired, someone is on watch at the eight-story building in case of fire.
The stage was likely being prepped for Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, which was set to perform on Thursday night, brought to town by UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures. That performance was canceled, with no reschedule at the moment.
Granada Theatre management was unable to comment as they are busy making arrangements.
The opulent theater, which anchors the arts district downtown, turns 100 years old this April. It operated as a movie palace and live theater into the 1980s and was completely renovated between 2003 and 2008, with the live theater on the ground floor, five floors of individual condominiums — one of which holds theater management — and two penthouses on the upper floors.
The program originally scheduled to place on Saturday at the Granada — Limón Dance Company —has changed to UCSB Campbell Hall. The date and time remain the same – January 27 at 8 p.m.
According to a statement put out by UCSB Arts & Lectures on Thursday evening: “Given the proximity of the performance date, this event will now be general admission (no assigned seating), with the exception of “Gold Circle” ($100 or more) ticket holders, who will have access to the section marked ‘Reserved.’ Please arrive early to allow time to purchase a parking permit and select seats. Current tickets will still be valid for entry, however the section and seat number will no longer apply.”
In an update issued on Friday, January 26, Arts & Lectures announced “Renée Fleming in Recital” will be held one block up the street at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street. The date and time remain the same: February 1, 7 p.m. As for tickets and seating, A&L said: “In the next several days, the Arts & Lectures ticket office will reseat patrons in comparable seats at the Arlington Theatre and issue new tickets.” Granada Theatre tickets will not be honored, A&L said, asking patrons to pass the word, if they’ve given or ordered tickets for friends.