Live theater to open in downtown Santa Rosa

Live theater will return to downtown Santa Rosa in September when the Left Edge Theatre, a resident company at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts since 2015, moves to the site of the former Best of Burma restaurant at 528 Seventh St., just off Mendocino Avenue.

Renovations are planned at the venue, which also will house small concerts, comedy shows, classes and private parties and serve food and drink, said Argo Thompson, 55, founding artistic director and chief executive officer of Left Edge. Patrons will be able to order light meals from several downtown restaurants.

“There needs to be some more things to do downtown, and we hope to make a difference,” Thompson said.

The new 199-seat cabaret-style space will be renamed The California, after the former vaudeville and movie house that operated on B Street in downtown Santa Rosa from 1930 to 1977.

The downtown area has seen live theater companies come and go. The Sonoma County Repertory Theatre, which began in Sebastopol, opened and ran a theater space on Fifth Street from 1995 to 2000.

Actors Theatre started in the Brickyard building on Seventh Street in 1984. The company continued at several venues before moving to the Luther Burbank Center in 1989. Thompson became artistic director in 1993. Actors Theatre eventually merged with the Santa Rosa Players to form the 6th Street Playhouse in 2004.

Thompson, a fourth-generation Santa Rosan, has a long history in local theater, including his role as founding artistic director of the 6th Street Playhouse in the Railroad Square district.

“This is like coming home to me. I’m really excited,” he said. “We think we’ll be serving a need, because right now, there’s no live theater downtown.”

Luther Burbank Center has been a good home to Left Edge, but the company is looking forward to a new chapter, he added.

“Over the years, many studies have been conducted and much discussion has been held about the importance of a strong downtown core. I feel strongly about our company contributing to the vitality and livability of downtown,” Thompson said.

The California will serve as home to both Left Edge Theatre and its youth program, Young Actors Studio.

“Hopefully, (with) the partnerships we hope to form with downtown restaurants and services, we can help with the revitalization of downtown Santa Rosa,” Thompson added.

For details about Left Edge Theatre’s 2022-23 season — including the Tony Award-winning musical “Fun Home,” which opens at The California on Sept. 3 — visit the company’s website at leftedgetheatre.com. For more information about The California, visit caltheatre.com.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5243. On Twitter @danarts.