Balboa Performing Arts Theatre
707 E. Balboa Boulevard,
Newport Beach,
CA
92661
707 E. Balboa Boulevard,
Newport Beach,
CA
92661
10 people
favorited this theater
In the early-2000’s, a $2.5 million dollar restoration project, led by community activist and President of the Balboa Performing Arts Theater Foundation, Dayna Pettit was planned. The project proposed to turn the 1928 movie palace into a cinema and performing arts center capable of hosting live events and films for 350 people.
Originally opened as the Ritz Theater in 1928, it was renamed Balboa Theatre in 1939. It was taken over by Pussycat Theatres in 1973 and operated as an adult theatre until 1975. Later operated by Landmark Theatres, it closed as a movie theatre in 1992, after years of lobbying the city for support, the city of Newport Beach purchased the building in 1998, and with construction underway, a proposal was made to re-open the theatre in 2008, but this deadline has been well past in 2012.
Plans may call for a return of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” which had been a controversial staple of the beach community’s cinema.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Where can we see Rocky Horror Picture Show? I live in Downey,CA.
You can see RHPS at The Art Theatre in Long Beach. I was the Assistant Manager at the time of the closing of the Balboa. The last night of Rocky Horror we had lines all they way to the Balboa pier. After the Balboa closed I worked at The Port in Corona Del mar which is also set for major renovation. I’m hoping both or either will make a deal with Landmark Theatre Corp. who ran the theatres at the time of closing for film booking. I hope I will be involved in running of the Balboa when it re-opens. Where do I apply??
I saw “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” here.
OMG, my friends and I saw Rocky Horror here many, many, many times throughout the 1980s….people definitely dressed in character and got into it then, with stageshows, virgin auctions and all. The theatre was pretty run-down, but beautiful underneath the years of wear- can’t wait to see it renovated!
“Midnight Insanity” who is the cast that performed at the Balboa before it closed is currently at the Warner Grand in San Pedro. For more information please go to www.midnightinsanity.com
According to this website, the Balboa was built in 1928 and opened as the Ritz Theater. The name was changed to the Balboa Theater in 1939.
1983 photo of the Balboa Theatre.
View link
As I recall, Rocky Horror was my first film at the Balboa. I can also remember seeing Christopher Guest’s The Big Picture and Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train there during my college years. Usually ate at BJ’s Pizza across the street and always seemed to be raining. Good times.
Summer,1992 – The last showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a night I won’t forget because I received a phone call at 3:00 AM from my son who went to the final performance with his friend. Anton parked his car on Balboa Island and took the Balboa Ferry across to Balboa Peninsula as a pedestrian. However, he forgot that the Ferry closed at 2:00 PM and now needed a ride from his mom:) A good time was had by all.
This theater was awesome… so many Rocky Horror memories, great audiences and performers, I remember a night back in 1987 where the band INXS attended a screening after shooting a video down at the arcade… amazing times… Pizza Pete’s and the old Balboa Theater, damn… the last film I saw here was AKIRA back in 1990… it’s a shame this theater isn’t better taken care of… RIP