Ojai Playhouse
145 E. Ojai Avenue,
Ojai,
CA
93023
145 E. Ojai Avenue,
Ojai,
CA
93023
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Related Websites
Ojai Playhouse (Official)
Additional Info
Architects: J. Arthur Drielsma
Functions: Movies (Classic), Movies (First Run), Movies (Independent)
Styles: Mission Revival
Previous Names: Isis Theatre, Ojai Theatre, Glasgow Playhouse
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
805.646.1011
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News About This Theater
- Oct 14, 2014 — 100 Years at the Ojai
Serving the small community of slightly less than 10,000 people, the Isis Theatre was built by J.J. Burke and opened on September 4, 1910 with Jack Conway in “The Valley of the Moon”. In the early years the theatre also had vaudeville acts and moved the chairs aside twice a week for dancing.
The theatre was renamed Ojai Theatre on May 10, 1926, when it was purchased by Fred & Lidie Hart. Throughout the decades the 370-seat theatre changed ownership and management several times. It was called Ojai Theatre until closing in 1965. Wayne Glasgow took over management and reopened the theatre as the Glasgow Playhouse on June 16, 1966 with “Shakespeare Whallah”. It was remodeled to the plans of architect J. Arthur Drielsma and had a Scottish motif. Seating was provided for 214. On January 29, 1970 it was taken over by B&B Amusements.
It was sold to Khaled Al-Awar on August 5, 1983, who changed the name to Ojai Playhouse.
Mark & Kathy Hartley bought the theatre on March 2, 2008 and financed a major renovation of the old building. The Hartley’s have changed the name back to Ojai Theatre, though the marquee still calls it the Ojai Playhouse.
The Ojai Playhouse generally screens first run movies, and has also been the venue for the Ojai Film Society screenings on Sunday afternoons since 1988, when foreign and independent films are shown. The theatre was continuously run as a movie theatre, with only temporary closures from time to time, usually due to renovation or change of ownership. It was closed due to flooding from a burst water main in December 2014 and remained closed due to a legal dispute with the theatre owners and an insurance company for damages claim.
New owners took over in 2021 and plans are to refurbish and renovate, to re-open in 2022. Due to delays, it reopened on November 23, 2024. It is equipped with 4K digital projection with Atmos sound and also 35mm projection. The seating capacity has been slightly reduced to 200-seats.
Contributed by
MagicLantern, Elise DePuydt
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
I was fortunate to live in Ojai a truly magical place in 1987-8 helping to reopen the Ojai Valley Inn & CC…the Playhouse was a great refuge in a great little hideaway…caught The Living Daylights, Stakeout there amongst others in this little single aisled jewelbox…It is rumored that Roger Ebert has used it to preview films there from time to time
A vintage view of “The Ojay” as the Playhouse was also known in the Fifties, can be seen here on this postcard from my collection:
View link
ELEPHANT WALK is playing.
Ojay seems to be a lovely little Californian town. I wonder what the interior was like. Somehow so many theaters never show photos of their exteriors and interiors on their websites.
Most of Ojai turned out for the 2 pm matinee of “Dark Knight” yesterday. Here are some photos:
http://tinyurl.com/6qjn7p
http://tinyurl.com/5m63cq
http://tinyurl.com/5tps4f
The Ojai Playhouse has just undergone an extensive renovation, thanks to owners Mark and Kathy Hartley and is now stunning! The sound system is top notch, as Mark is in the music industry.
The April 11, 1966, issue of Boxoffice said that San Francisco theater man Arthur Glasgow had bought the Ojai Theatre and would rename it the Glasgow Playhouse, operating it as an art house after refurbishing it.
Boxoffice said that the refurbishment was to be done by the F.F. Shearer Co., with architect Arthur Drilsman, though they must have meant B.F. Shearer Co. and architect J. Arthur Drielsma. Some issues of Boxoffice got more than their share of errors.
The Hartleys had an option to buy on the Ojai Theatre and chose not to. In 2010 the theater reverted to Khaled Ad-Awar and he returned the name of the theater to the Ojai Playhouse. In 2012, Mr. Al-Awar purchased a digital projector, an investment in the community that will ensure the screening of movies for many decades to come. E.DePuydt
Reopening November 22, 2024
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/ojai-playhouse-relaunches-new-owner-1236060250/
Boxoffice, Nov. 21, 1953: “H. H. Flesher sold his Ojai Theatre, 370-seater in Ojai, to Fred N. Bower, formerly of Fargo, N.D. Flesher had operated the showcase since 1946.”
The original Isis Theate was opened by druggist Delacy Clarke on September 4, 1911 on Main Street. A local historian says the Isis debuted August 19, 1914 with “The Valley of the Moon.” The Isis was rebooted 15 years after the original reopening as the Ojai Theatre on May 10, 1926.
The theater basically survived to the end of a second 20-year leasing agreement closing with mainstream films in 1965. William Glasgow took on the venue after a refresh relaunching as an art film venue as the Glasgow Playhouse on June 15, 1966 with the Merchant Ivory film, “Shakespeare Wallah.” That policy runs for a year and a note about unpaid taxes. Ted Morris' B&B Amusements took on the venue relaunching with “The Mad Woman of Chaillot” “Rachel Rachel” on January 29, 1970. It appears to have closed August 5, 1982 with “Chariots of Fire.”
Khaled Al-Awar took on the venue in 1983 renaming it as the Ojai Playhouse with Roy Scheider in “Blue Thunder” on August 5, 1983. It ran with mainstream movies to March 2, 2008 with “No Country for Old Men.” The Hartleys took it over from there as a film society and art house venue. After a $10 million renovation David Berger reopened it with repertory films on November 22, 2024 with “Heat.”