On April 7, Sonoma’s revered Sebastiani Theater “officially” turned 90 years old, and the ole gem on the Square has never looked better.
Following a birthday celebration on that day to commemorate the first movie shown there (it was Fugitive Lovers starring Robert Montgomery, and the admission price was 30 cents), the celebration continues throughout the year with a varied array of films, concerts and other planned excitement, including some fundraising for some much-needed upgrades,
Theater manager Roger Rhoten became involved with the Sebastiani in or around 1986, before taking it over alongside his wife, Diana, in 1991. Rhoten says the 90-year anniversary is “a real milestone, and just thinking of all the wonderful things that have taken place in this theater over the years is pretty amazing.”
As locals know, the Sebastiani has always been primarily a movie theater that also did the off live performance. Rhoten says while the theater had always done things that way in the past, “maybe it was 80% film and 20% concerts or live performances and now, over the last five years or so, that’s really flipped over to the opposite,” with more live performances than films.
While the dark cloud that hangs over movie theaters has only worsened over the past few years (Sonoma’s only other movie theater, Prime Cinemas, had its final curtain in April of 2023), Rhoten says he feels fortunate that “we have a great community that supports us in whatever we do.” He adds, “We’re lucky to have the sort of space we have with a stage and lights where we can do more live events and programs.”
Jocelyn Vick, president of the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation board, says while the theater is beautiful as is, some much needed upgrades are on the horizon. According to Vick, first up are some major ADA improvements that have been allowed to slide due to the historical significance of the theater but are well overdue. “There’s technically eight levels to the theater from the stage, and all of those need better accessibility and ramps,” she says, adding that there needs to be better seating as well as easier bathroom access for all patrons.
Another need for the theater is the ability to sell beer and wine. Vick notes that venues must sell food besides candy and popcorn in order to get a beer and wine license. And to do that, a kitchen and a three-hole sink is needed. “If you’ve ever taken a tour of the theater, you know how limited space is,” Vick says. “I always say that the dressing rooms are so small you have to go outside to change,” she adds with a laugh.
Another issue is that distributors and companies that provide first-run feature films require a theater to show said film all weekend long. If the Sebastiani has a live event, they won’t be able to secure the film, so a second screen is needed. However, Rhoten says that the planned addition won’t affect the larger main theater. “We’re looking to add a second screen in the back, so that way, if we get a first-run film, we can just move it there if there’s another event,” he explains.
On the positive side, the Sebastiani’s partnership with the Sonoma International Film Festival has recently resulted in brand-new seat cushions for the theater, which were donated by the fest.
The theater has always prided itself on being a community center, with the upcoming schedule being an excellent example of that.
This summer, a variety of attractions for young, old and everyone in between are booked at the theater. Weekdays, through July 20, the annual Performing Youth Arts Camp is being held. Attendees are focusing on acting, Shakespeare, all kinds of dancing, juggling, puppetry, arts & crafts, costume creation, storytelling… The list is a long one.
Vick feels a particular affection towards the performing arts aspect of the Sebastiani. It was an annual performance of Witchy-Poo at the theater that introduced her daughter to tap dancing, igniting a passion for dance that continues to this day. That excitement and connection also caused Vick to invest personal time and energy into the theater.
“I got involved because my daughter was so excited, and it launched a whole love of dance,” Vick effuses. “Kids who started at Witchy-Poo are on Broadway now.” This includes Ellen Toscano, aka “The Singing Auctioneer,” who gave back to the Sebastiani, where she got her start as the auctioneer at the 90th anniversary event.
In the upcoming months, adults will also have their choice of entertainment. The Sebastiani is hosting two candlelight concerts in July. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons takes place Thursday, July 18 at 6:30pm, before giving way to an evening devoted to the songs of Coldplay at 9:30.
Later in the summer and into the fall, one can catch such diverse acts as the Valley of the Moon music festival (family friendly and free, Sunday, July 28); Celeste Mancenelli’s one woman show, Crying on the Camino (Saturday, Aug. 10); multi-platinum spoken word/poet/musician Mary Lambert (Aug. 17); and local Pink Floyd cover band Pete Floyd (Friday, Sept. 20), just to highlight a few.
When asked what they would like to see upon looking ahead to the big 100 for the theater, both Vick and Rhoten comically suggest being excited if they can just be there. Adds Rhoten, “This is just a great community gathering place, and the community comes together for all sorts of fun and entertainment. I’d like to see that continue.”
Vick echoes that sentiment, saying, “I’m excited for the community involvement and to keep bringing things to Sonoma for families and the community to enjoy and to be inspired by.”
The Sebastiani has endured many changes over the years, and many more are on the horizon. A functioning non-profit, they accept donations at any time. They also offer several options for their “Movie Lover’s Club” as another means of support.
Visit them online at sebastianitheatre.com.
When I was a teenager in the early 1960s the Sebastiani family opened the theater on Monday and Tuesday to show foreign films they wanted to see and offered them to the community. Around 1965 Sonoma High Drams teacher Chuck Henderson took over the theater as a live theater venue presenting plays including the world premiere of a play about Jack London. I asked if I could show a movie and he agreed. It was a silent TARZAN OF THE APES starring Elmo Lincoln. I placed two 8mm projectors on the front of the balcony and had a turntable to DJ the music from the family record collection. Martin Denny’s QUIET VILLAGE surely was part of the mix along with energetic classical music. I love the theater from the stunning marquee and old box office (say high to the woman inside but don’t expect a response) into the lobby where you will be greeted by the friendliest staff and them on with the show. I live in Oakland but enjoy several visits a year.