Granada Centennial Celebration Kicks Off With Free Documentary Screening on April 3
A Weekend of Festivities in Santa Barbara, Spotlighting the Past, Present and Future of the Theater Coming April 12-14
The centennial celebration of The Granada Theatre kicks off in a big, big way, beginning on Wednesday, April 3, with a FREE premiere screening of The Granada: Celebrating 100 Years of the Arts in Santa Barbara, a special anniversary documentary by April Wright that delves into the rich history of this storied venue, from its origins as a vaudeville and silent-movie palace in 1924 to its esteemed tenure as a premier Warner Bros. movie theater. Following the screening at 7 p.m. is a discussion with Wright and film historian Ross Melnick. The 30-minute film is free, but patrons are asked to visit ticketing.granadasb.org/19135 to reserve a seat.
A big anniversary weekend celebration takes place April 12-14. Kicking off the festivities are two historic films originally presented at the theater — Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. and Star Wars: A New Hope — both of which screen on Friday, April 12.
Saturday is the big event where Los Angeles’s 40-piece Pacific Jazz Orchestra makes a stop in town as part of their inaugural season, to perform a program led by founder Chris Walden, a seven-time Grammy-nominated musician and conductor, who has conducted the L.A. Phil, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and more. American Idol star, actress, and philanthropist Katharine McPhee will lend her powerful pipes to the orchestra, as will blues and jazz star Billy Valentine, song stylist Sheléa, and vocalist Adam “Aejaye” Jackson.
Santa Barbara’s homegrown talent rounds out the weekend on Sunday, April 14, with John Palminteri playing host to an evening of music featuring Hunter Hawkins, Jackson Gillies, and Rachel La Commare — three of Santa Barbara’s gifted solo artists making their mark on stage. Then Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, and Santa Barbara high schools will be providing a sneak peek into their upcoming spring musicals. Finally, the celebration will continue outdoors on State Street with the Granada Centennial Festival Block Party featuring live music.
Prices for the centennial weekend events are very affordable, with Friday’s historic screenings only $19.24 in honor of the theater’s opening year; Saturday night “present day” performance tickets at $20.24, and Sunday night “future talent” tickets at $21.24. All seats for each night are priced the same, so there is no tiered pricing. Click here to purchase tickets for any of these events.
