The historic California Theatre is a 1,718 seat auditorium built in 1928 located in Downtown San Bernardino, originally built as a vaudeville movie palace. The theatre currently hosts a wide range of performance types including legitimate theatre, musicals, plays, symphony celebrity headliners, concerts, children’s theatre, ballet, recitals, fashion shows, corporate seminars, graduation exercises and naturalization ceremonies. The California Theatre also serves as host to several touring companies such as the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonia Mexicana, Worldwide Theatricals and Inland Dance Theatre, Inc. 

 

     Playing a major role in providing quality performing arts to the Inland Empire, the California Theatre serves a population of 26 million people in a 30-mile radius, which includes 448,000 households with an average annual earning of $40,000 plus. The Theatre has gone through numerous renovations to upgrade both patron comfort and production capabilities. 

 

     Despite renovations, the Theatre is still home to the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ; a rare find. Music – and history – come to brilliant and melodic life whenever the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ is played. The organ is still played today in theatre during silent film programs.

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- FACT -

The late Will Rogers made his final stage appearance at the California Theatre.