2025 was a marquee year for The Granada, rooted in community, connection, collaboration, and creativity.
In a busy year, the historic theater welcomed nearly 70,000 attendees across 74 performances and events, spanning genres from classical to rock music, dance to comedy, and Broadway to film. The diverse lineup helped draw new audiences to the theater, with nearly a fourth of all ticket sales to first-time patrons.
New Audiences
The Granada prides itself on being deeply connected to the community. In 2025, it expanded its programming to appeal to more Santa Barbara locals. Comedy shows, cult movie classics, and Americana music were all popular with first-time ticket buyers.
Comedian Mark Normand’s “Ya Don’t Say” tour was a standout, with nearly three-fourths of the tickets purchased by new patrons. Other highlights include Labyrinth in Concert, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, An Evening with The Dude: Jeff Bridges in Person Screening The Big Lebowski, and Brad Williams, which also saw more than half of ticket sales coming from first-time attendees.
“One of the most eye-opening insights from 2025 was seeing just how effective certain genres are at bringing in new audiences,” said Ashley Dawson, Director of Marketing and Database Services. “Many of our outside renters presenting comedy, concerts, and Spanish-language programming saw first-time buyer percentages exceeding 50%, which is remarkable.”
New Granada Programming
In 2025, The Granada partnered with Santa Barbara Records to present the Locals & Legends program, celebrating strong, local artistic talent and legends that have shaped America’s music culture. The spring show paid tribute to the enduring legacy of David Crosby.
“What makes this program especially meaningful is the community-driven collaboration between The Granada, Santa Barbara Records, and the Santa Barbara Symphony,” said Dawson. “With The Granada serving as the connective thread, Locals & Legends lifts artists, blends genres, builds meaningful connections, and tells a broader story about the depth and creativity of our local music community.”
Community Engagement & Education
In 2025, The Granada expanded its commitment to community engagement through hands-on educational initiatives. Production tours offered local students a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a live performance to the stage, giving them firsthand exposure to the technical and creative elements of theater production.
“With the support of our donors, The Granada was able to provide free student tickets to multiple performances throughout the season. said Drew Davis, Associate Director of Development. “One standout opportunity was Mean Girls, where Girl Scout troops attended the show, participated in discussions about the harmful effects of bullying, and earned anti-bullying badges as part of the experience. I am proud that we were able to provide opportunities such as these to our local students.”
During the holidays, The Granada presented the 25th anniversary screening of How The Grinch Stole Christmas with a screening attended by almost 1,000 movie-goers, 45 percent of whom had never attended a Granada show. To promote the family-friendly film, The Granada also engaged in a unique social media campaign that engaged the community and highlighted the festive experience.
“We partnered with six local organizations to participate in a community scavenger hunt for free tickets to see our screening of The Grinch. Not only was it fun and engaging, but it gave us an opportunity to connect with local organizations and businesses we haven’t before,” said Dawson. “It wasn’t just about promoting an event, it was about inviting the community in and creating an accessible pathway for people who may have never stepped inside The Granada before.”
Classical Granada Shows
While The Granada expanded its programming in 2025, its eight resident companies and touring productions continued to thrive.
“Our resident partners continued to do an exceptional job maintaining a loyal and engaged audience,” said Dawson.
Two of the theater’s top five-grossing shows were The Los Angeles Philharmonic and New Year’s Eve with the Symphony. Ballet Preljocaj and Great Gatsby Ballet performed to a nearly packed house, and many performances of The Nutcracker enjoyed the same level of attendance.
Touring Broadway shows continued to remain popular with Mean Girls, Ain’t Too Proud, Kinky Boots, and STOMP gracing The Granada stage in 2025.
Sell-outs
In 2025, The Granada boasted an average of nearly 80 percent of tickets sold across all of its programming, with several shows, including The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Psychedelic Symphony, having more demand than tickets available.
Rock for First Responders, An Evening with The Dude: Jeff Bridges in Person Screening, The Big Lebowski and Rock Orchestra by Candlelight sold 99 percent of their tickets.
These genre-blending and immersive shows clearly captured the public’s attention.
“This type of programming proved to be a powerful draw for both longtime patrons and first-time visitors, and it’s an avenue of programming we’re excited to continue exploring as we look toward 2026 and beyond,” said Dawson.
In 2025, thinking outside the box—whether it’s cult classics, comedy shows, or community scavenger hunts—helped attract audiences who might not have otherwise visited. Looking ahead to 2026, the theater’s playbook is clear: keep the beloved classics coming while continuing to surprise audiences with something new.