The Marjorie Luke Theatre

What The Marjorie Luke Theatre does

The Marjorie Luke Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts venue located in Santa Barbara, California. It operates an 808-seat historic Spanish Colonial Revival theatre originally constructed in 1933 and renovated in 2003, and is governed through a joint-use partnership between the Santa Barbara Center for Culture, Youth, Performing Arts & Community (SBCYPAC) and the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The theatre was renamed in honor of longtime community advocate Marjorie Luke by actor Anthony Edwards. Annual attendance exceeds 40,000 visitors, and cumulative attendance since the 2003 renovation has surpassed 500,000 patrons.

The venue generates revenue through a diversified mix of facility rentals to more than 100 resident and visiting arts and education organizations, ticket sales from hosted performances, and charitable contributions including a Donor Tile Wall program and Business Sponsorship arrangements. Its operational footprint is lean, with three full-time employees supplemented by a part-time production crew, and it offers a subsidized access pathway via the Dreier Family Rent Subsidy Fund. Partnerships with UCSB Arts & Lectures, State Street Ballet, and the Santa Barbara Symphony anchor its programming mix.

In 2020 the theatre launched the Virtual Concert Series, which has attracted over 600,000 online viewers, extending audience reach well beyond its physical catchment. Production quality was recognized with a 2019 Emmy Award. The venue's positioning is that of a community-anchored mid-scale presenter, monetized primarily through rentals and donations rather than primary content production.

Name

The Marjorie Luke Theatre

Legal name

The Marjorie Luke Theatre

Website

https://luketheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Marjorie Luke Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts venue operating an 808-seat historic Spanish Colonial Revival facility in Santa Barbara, CA, serving more than 100 local arts organizations and 40,000+ annual visitors through rentals, ticketed events, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue Rental

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Theatre rental services
• Community arts programming
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Live event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Theatre Rental: Rental fees for use of the 808-seat venue by performing arts groups, schools, and community organizations. Rental rates available upon request with subsidy options for nonprofit renters through the Dreier Family Rent Subsidy Fund.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, businesses, and foundations. The theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with EIN 77-0543169.
3. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from tickets to produced and hosted events at the venue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Marjorie Luke Theatre is an 808-seat historic performing arts rental venue in Santa Barbara, CA. Its core offering is venue rental to local and touring arts groups, schools, and community organizations for theatre, dance, music, film, lectures, and benefit events. The theatre supplements its rental operations with produced programming such as the Virtual Concert Series and Viva el Arte Latino cultural series, along with donor/sponsorship products including wall tile sponsorships and seat sponsorships.

Product overview

The Marjorie Luke Theatre is an 808-seat performing arts rental venue in Santa Barbara, CA, operated as a public/private partnership between SBCYPAC (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) and the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The core offering is venue rental for theatre, dance, music, film, and lectures, supported by professional technical equipment including ETC Sensor3 dimmers and hearing loop systems. The theatre supplements its operations through ancillary programs including a Virtual Concert Series (free streaming content), the Viva el Arte Latino cultural programming series, donor tile wall sales, seat sponsorships, and business sponsorship opportunities. A Dreier Family Rent Subsidy Fund assists nonprofit renters with affordability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Viva el Arte: A free annual series of music and dance concerts celebrating Latino heritage, presented in partnership with UCSB Arts & Lectures, serving more than 15,000 students and community members each year.
• Virtual Concert Series
• Dreier Family Rent Subsidy Fund
• Mind, Body & Soul Series

Products and services

• The Marjorie Luke Theatre Venue Rental

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UCSB Arts & LecturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Co-presenter of Viva El Arte de Santa Barbara program, bringing Latin American music and dance performances to the community. The program serves 15,000+ students and community members annually.
• Santa Barbara Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Unique joint-use partnership created in 2002 between SBCYPAC, Inc. (501(c)(3) nonprofit) and the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The theatre is owned by the District and operated by the nonprofit for community and school use.
• Isla Vista SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Viva El Arte de Santa Barbara program, hosting school performances and community events.
• Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Viva El Arte de Santa Barbara program, hosting performances in Guadalupe.
• SBCC FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The War Shirt documentary virtual concert series production.
• Pacific Pride FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of events including She's The He West Coast Premiere and sponsor of The War Shirt documentary.
• Montecito Bank & TrustmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness sponsor visible on website, representing community financial institution support for the arts.
• Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & CulturemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing support for the arts through grants, exhibitions, educational programming, and cultural advocacy. Local partner of California Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Large Southern California performing arts complex hosting Broadway tours, dance, opera, and concerts. Comparable as a nonprofit rental and presenting venue at substantially larger scale.
• Center Theatre Group: Major Los Angeles performing arts organization operating the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre. Comparable nonprofit producing/rental model at much larger scale; represents the broader incumbent theater landscape.
• La Jolla Playhouse: Tony Award-winning nonprofit theatre in San Diego producing and hosting productions. Comparable California nonprofit theater model with producing, rental, and education programming.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Major nonprofit regional theatre operating two venues in Berkeley, CA. Comparable nonprofit theater presenting/producing model with educational and community programs.
• Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center: Las Vegas performing arts center with a 2,500-seat main hall and additional venues. Comparable nonprofit rental/presenting venue model with community programming focus.

Direct peers

• The Granada Theatre: A 1,600-seat performing arts venue in Santa Barbara presenting concerts, dance, film, and community events. Most directly comparable regional competitor for touring productions, rentals, and donor support.
• Lobero Theatre: Historic 600-seat nonprofit performing arts venue in Santa Barbara hosting music, dance, theatre, and film. Comparable in mission (nonprofit community venue), scale, and target audience within the same Santa Barbara market.
• South Coast Repertory: Professional nonprofit theatre in Costa Mesa, CA producing and presenting plays in its own venue. Comparable California-based nonprofit theater organization combining producing, rental, and education programming.

Others

• UCSB Arts & Lectures: University presenting organization that is also a current co-presenter partner (Viva El Arte). Adjacent programming partner rather than direct competitor, sharing audience and donor pools in the Santa Barbara market.

Regional players

• Vivo Performing Arts (was Music Academy of the West): Santa Barbara-based nonprofit music education and performance organization. Comparable regional nonprofit in the same Santa Barbara arts ecosystem with shared partner organizations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/luketheatre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MarjorieLukeTheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/luketheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/luke_theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Marjorie Luke Theatre