Oroville State Theatre

Built in 1928 by renown California architect Timothy Pflueger, the Oroville State Theatre was one of many California theaters owned and operated by the Turner & Dahnken Circuit, one of the largest independently owned theater chains in the country. The late 1920s were a period of prosperity in Oroville, reflected by a number of major building commissions, an abundant agricultural industry and ultimately the gold rush which lent support to Oroville’s economy during the early years of the Great Depression.

Over time the City of Oroville has experienced economic peeks of strength and growth as well as the turbulence of struggles and challenges. The fate of the theatre has been a passenger to that roller coaster ride. During one downturn, the Theatre was sold to United Artists who modernized several aspects of the theatre but with considerable loss to the interior detail and damage to the Theatre’s infrastructure. UA held the Theatre for only a short time before seeking to divest itself of the project.

In 2014, the Oroville City Council voted unanimously to approve a contract allowing the State Theatre Arts Guild (STAGE) to operate and manage the Oroville State Theatre.

Today, the theatre provides several types of services: live performances featuring celebrated artists; co-sponsored performances as a collaboration between two or more local organizations; and a rentable venue for community events such as graduations, recitals and city meetings.

The historic Oroville State Theatre is staffed exclusively by an all-volunteer team of workers and supporters who come together to be a part of the ongoing “Miracle on Myers Street”— a community project named not only for sustaining the Theatre’s day-to-day operations but promoting the dream of completely restoring the building to its original appearance and ambiance.