Arlington Theatre

This article is about the theatre in California. For the theatre in Texas, see Theatre Arlington.

34.4179°N 119.697°W / 34.4179; -119.697

Arlington Theatre

Front of the Arlington with ticket booth at center
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.com

The Arlington Theatre is a historic movie theatre in Santa Barbara, California, United States. Combining the Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles of architecture, it the largest movie theater and principal performing arts venue in the city. In addition to regular screenings and artists, it is home to many events associated with the annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

History

The Arlington was built at 1317 State Street, on the former site of the Arlington Hotel that was destroyed following the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. The current structure was erected in 1930 as a showcase movie house for Fox West Coast Theaters. It was restored and expanded in the mid-1970s by Metropolitan Theatres, reopening in 1976.

In March 2024, its operator, Metropolitan Theatres, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company stated that the theater will not be affected and will continue to operate normally during the bankruptcy procedure.^[2]

Architecture and design

Looking toward the entry, just past the ticket booth

Fountain in the center of the hallway

Doors into the theater

The Arlington was designed in the Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles by the local architectural firm Edwards and Plunkett.^[3] The exterior features a Mission Revival steeple that ends in an art deco finial, a red tiled roof, and a covered courtyard with a fountain and free-standing ticket 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 original proscenium was formed by what appeared to be a large stone arc, through which could be seen a river and hills painted on the curtain. This effect was later removed to allow for lighting equipment for stage shows.

One of the Arlington's signature features is its Robert Morton pipe organ, originally from Loew's Jersey Theatre and installed in 1949. The organ is hidden below the orchestra floor on a platform that rises into view for performances.