These are exciting times at The Lobero Theatre, as we continue the 150th Anniversary of our founding by José Lobero in 1873. Your theater — Santa Barbara’s theater — is the 4th oldest continuously operating performing arts venue in the United States, and has played a major role in hosting and presenting a remarkably diverse mix of artists. The Lobero’s continued engagement with Santa Barbara is attested to by the record audiences we have seen in the past year.
For over a century and a half, the variety of the Lobero’s presentations has included vaudeville acts, boxing matches, and performances by actors who went on to legendary status in Hollywood. Such masters as Stravinsky, Horowitz, and Keith Jarrett have appeared on our stage, to be followed by David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Joan Baez, and hundreds more. It is a unique history, in a unique venue, in a city which itself is unique.
However, the artists who have graced our stage are not the sole story of the Lobero. Throughout the nearly 50 years I have been associated with the theater, I have worked with an extraordinary group of colleagues — our exceptional staff and dedicated board, who worked together during the Covid shutdown to ensure that the Lobero would not only survive, but thrive, in spite of the suspension of live performances. Our volunteers, who tirelessly look after the house and our audiences before, during, and after performances, are unsung heroes. But, most importantly, it is you — our patrons — who are our reason for existing.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our employees live and work, Amazon Santa Barbara is proud to sponsor the Lobero Theatre Foundation in its incredible 150th year. It's an honor to contribute to this downtown gem of a venue which means so much to Santa Barbara and our vibrant and historic culture.
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LIMO Creative Studios is grateful to support the Lobero Theatre and its creative community as a Corporate Sponsor.
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Courtesy of Santa Barbara Historical Museum
The Lobero Golden Eagle was recovered from the shipwrecked Yankee Blade in 1854 off Point Arguello. For years, the eagle hung above the stage of José Lobero’s Opera House, until it disappeared with the closure of the theater. Rediscovered decades later and now fully restored, it once again graces the Lobero Theatre in celebration of its 150th Anniversary.
To experience the full story of this fascinating artifact, please scan the QR code.
Photo by Zach Mendez
The Lobero Brubeck Circle supports amazing jazz artists and music education to carry Brubeck’s passion for jazz performance into the next generation.
Interested in learning more about all of our new benefits, including invitations to exclusive Brubeck Circle parties and events, discounted tickets and more? Contact Sylvie Monsivais 805.679.6007 or smonsivais@lobero.org Sponsored by
Tickets
Thank you for 150 years of filling Santa Barbara with iconic performances, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and memories that will last forever.
Here’s to the next 150 years!
5.16.23
Rodney Crowell: The Chicago Sessions Tour with special guests Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
The two-time GRAMMY® winner has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the Americana Music Association, was honored with ASCAP’s prestigious Founder’s Award, and was presented with the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award.
Presented by Lobero LIVE
5.17.23
Mighty Poplar
Regarded as some of the finest players of their generation, Mighty Poplar features Andrew Marlin (Watchhouse), Noam Pikelny and Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), and Greg Garrison (Leftover Salmon).
Presented by Lobero LIVE
5.20.23
Lobero’s 150th Ovation Celebration, featuring Chubby Checker and The Wildcats, with special guests Glen Phillips, Spencer The Gardener, and La Boheme Dancers
A FREE Community Block Party Event. Come twist the night away!
Join us for this exciting outdoor event.
Presented by EARL MINNIS PRESENTS
5.21.23
AHA! Sing It Out!
A dozen teens and two AHA! staff take to the stage and bust out a solo rock ‘n roll song backed by a live band – truly a process of transformation. They learn to overcome fears, support their peers, stand tall, and sing out.
Presented by AHA! Santa Barbara
5.27.23
Adderley School – Celebrating 30 Years
This musical revue highlights some of school’s most special moments from the past 30 years, with Master of Ceremonies James Corden. Alumni will raise their voices and usher in the next 30 years.Presented by Adderley School
5.28.23
La Escalada (The Climb)
The debut of their newest, eveninglength aerial dance works, unveiled in three acts, distills the power and beauty of this ancient art form into a fresh melange of kinetic movement that transitions seamlessly from floor to air. Presented by Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Dance
6.9.23 & 6.10.23
The Third Annual Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival
The festival honors the rich surf history and diverse storytelling styles of filmmakers, artists, shapers, and
surfers who started it all. A highlight of the event will be the outdoor Surf Film Festival Block Party.
6.17.23
The Glow Gala
This premiere performance combines tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and acrobatics into 44 numbers full of excitement and sure to get you out of your seat, and dancing along!
Presented by Momentum Dance Company
6.22.23
Ana María Martínez & Takács Quartet
The quartet features Edward Dusinberre (violin), Harumi Rhodes (violin), Richard O’Neill (viola), and András Fejér (cello). Experience what The Washington Post calls “one of the most esteemed and beloved string quartets today” playing transfixing masterpieces.
Presented by Music Academy
7.15.23 & 7.16.23
An Evening with Graham Nash
The extraordinary GRAMMY® Awardwinning renaissance artist will be joined on stage by his longtime musical partners, Shane Fontayne (guitar and vocals) and Todd Caldwell (keyboards and vocals).
Presented by EARL MINNIS
PRESENTS and Lobero LIVE
7.20.23
The Jerry Douglas Band
The band, led by 14-time GRAMMY® Award winner Jerry Douglas, has been forging new paths into the musical horizon since 2017, with deep roots in bluegrass and folk that spreads out into the Americana and jazz landscapes. Presented by Lobero LIVE
7.21.23
Cowboy Junkies
7.11.23
Augustin Hadelich and Jonathan Feldman – Celebrity Series Recital
Jonathan Feldman (Academy teaching artist and Chairman of Juilliard’s collaborative piano department) shares the stage with Mosher guest artist Augustin Hadelich (a violinist who has played with virtually every major orchestra in the U.S. and the world). At 7:30 PM.
Presented by Music Academy
7.13.23
An Evening with Jimmy Webb
Jimmy will be performing his many hits, including songs from his Glenn Campbell songbook, plus many collaborations with numerous artists spanning his 50-year history in the music industry.
Presented by PCI Concerts
One of the most unique and enduring bands in alternative rock, the Canadian band has managed to maintain a creative vision that’s served them sublimely, inspiring them to write some exceptional material and also find unexplored landscapes in the work of other songsmiths.
Presented by Lobero LIVE
7.22.23
An Evening with Fleetwood Mask –The Fleetwood Mac Experience Endorsed by Mick Fleetwood, Fleetwood Mask brings audiences the very best of Fleetwood Mac’s 50-year history, with a focus on the 1975 forward five-piece version of their lineup that catapulted the band to super stardom. Presented by Mask Live Entertainment LLC
7.23.23
SING! Concert – Special Event
Our famed SING! children’s choir joins forces with the Young People’s Chorus of NYC – an innovative program that has become the model for children’s choruses around the world. See how pairing with the “Chorus of the World” takes our SING!ers to the next level.
Presented by Music Academy
7.29.23
An Evening with the Robert Cray Band
Five GRAMMY® wins and 20 acclaimed studio and live albums punctuate the Blues Hall of Famer’s career. Robert’s band features Richard Cousins (bass), Dover Weinberg (keyboards), Terence F. Clark (drums), and Steve Jordan (drums, percussion).
Presented by Lobero LIVE
the Suma Flamenco Festival and won the Critics’ Award of the XXVI Festival de Jerez. Presented by the Flamenco Arts Festival
8.5.23
State Street Ballet Summer Intensive
8.9.23
Patti Smith Trio
Celebrating the Lobero’s historic 150th Anniversary, this remarkable fundraising concert benefits the Lobero Theatre, Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA), Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, and Bob Dylan Center.
Presented by EARL MINNIS PRESENTS
8.25.23
Jazz Piano Legend David Benoit
8.4.23
Alfonso Losa y Compania in “Flamenco: Espacio Creativo”
The show premiered in 2021 at the Teatros del Canal in Madrid as part of
The iconic pianist, composer, arranger, producer has garnered over 20 chart-topping radio hits, endearing fans with his magical soundtracks for the Peanuts television movies, film scores, and more.
Presented by J Swizz
Hope Sterling Kelly passed away peacefully in Santa Barbara on January 8, 2023. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to anyone she had ever met. Born in 1929, Hope grew up in West Los Angeles, attended UCLA for two years, and then graduated from Stanford University in 1950. She married Richard Sawyer in 1951 (Div. in 1965), and they soon had their son Richard and daughter Rebecca. Hope grew up loving ballet, tennis, Campfire Girls, the theater, going to the beach, and playing competitive sports. Her love for travel and adventure led her to working as a travel agent at Bel-Air Travel.
In 1970, Hope married Laurence (Larry) B. Kelly, and they moved to Santa Barbara, where they fell in love with the picturesque scenery and community. They were members of the The Valley Club, The L.A. Country Club, and the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, where they celebrated many holidays with family and friends. In the last 20 years of her life, Hope became a competitive ballroom dancer with the Santa Barbara Dance Studio, traveling to events throughout California, Nevada, and Hawaii. She was also a very involved grandmother and great-grandmother until the end, attending school events, cheering on her grandkids in their various sports, and always available as a trusted confidante. She loved attending church and gained a deeper spiritual understanding of her purpose-driven life while attending the quaint Summerland Presbyterian Church.
Hope’s positive attitude and radiant spirit were contagious and the second you met her, you felt like a lifelong friend. She was a guiding light, a pillar of support, and someone who you could always count on. Hope was very active with The Lobero Associates, raising funds for theater projects and bringing in new members. Because of her involvement, the Lobero Theatre stage curtain was named in her honor in 2022, which was a wonderful highlight. We thank Hope for her deep love of the Lobero and all her kind support thoughout the years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry, and her sister Jacqueline Sterling Williams. Hope is survived by her son, Richard Sawyer (Kathleen Barron), her daughter, Rebecca Conway, her three stepdaughters Pauline Kelly, Pamela Bento, and Patricia Morehart, along with her grandkids Barron Sawyer (Kerry Sawyer), Holly Misic, Steven Conway (Chelsea Conway), Carolyn Doyle (Christopher Doyle), and Lauren Kerstner (Nick Kerstner), along with 12 great-grandchildren whom she absolutely adored.
bradnack.com
Facebook @bradnack
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Twitter @Brad_Nack
Artist Brad Nack has always considered the Lobero to be a pillar of the performing arts community. He felt it was a huge honor to be invited to take on the rewarding endeavor to paint a series of three pieces for our 2022-23 season. What resonates most with the artist is mid-century art, which is a core part of his identity. Brad’s goal is to create art that is free of pretense –based on a foundation of craft, experimentation, and curiosity.
“I love the Lobero” are the words I hear most often after mentioning I work for the theater. This treasured venue has had a place in the hearts of our community since its inception. Over the years, the Lobero family has created a cherished cultural heritage which has been enjoyed for generations. As we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of this historic theater, let’s work together to endow its future. Show your “love for the Lobero” by making a gift to the Lobero Endowment Fund. It’s easier than you might think.
To learn more about how you can make a significant gift to endow our future, please contact Jim Dougherty at 805.679.6005, or jdougherty@lobero.org
Your ticket to drink, nosh and unwind in our inviting courtyard.
Come enjoy the pre-show festivities. Sheila will welcome you.
Purchase VIP Tickets for many Lobero LIVE events to experience curated receptions and unique fan experiences. More info at Lobero.org or contact Sheila Caldwell, Donor Relations & Events at 805.679.6013 or scaldwell@lobero.org
Photos by: Evan Maidaa, Louie Esquivel
anniversary
Congratulations
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Cottage Health would like to congratulate The Lobero Theatre on their 150th anniversary.
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Wishing a Happy 150 th Anniversary to the Lobero!
Congratulating the Lobero on 150 years!
Rob Adams | Greg Bartholomew | Christos Celmayster
Francois DeJohn | Toni Floyd | Steve Hayes | Caitlin Hensel
Jason Liehr | Michael Martz | Dan Moll | Liam Murphy
Kristopher Roth | Nolan Tooley | Dylan Ward
We are excited to join the Lobero Theatre in celebrating their 150th anniversary!
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