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Mission Statement

The mission of Raising the Curtain Foundation to enhance the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts, an inclusive performance venue for members of the community, artists, students, and educators. Founded in 2018, the Foundation will help create and promote programming held at the Newhall Family Theatre to help introduce the performing arts to the local community.

BOARD MEMBERS

The Foundation is guided by a dedicated team of individuals from the Santa Clarita Valley, bringing expertise in nonprofits, education, theatre, and business. Our Board of Directors includes:

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  • Kim Pearlman, President

  • Nickie DeTolve, Vice President

  • Florence Loring, Secretary

  • Joelle Danahy, Treasurer

  • Suzan Solomon

  • Carol Rock

  • Terrence Garner

 

Advisory members include Tom Lund, Newhall Family Theatre Manager, and Dr. Leticia Hernandez, Superintendent of the Newhall School District.

 

Together, we are committed to enhancing the Newhall Family Theatre as a hub for creativity, education, and community engagement.

The History and Legacy of the Newhall Family Theatre

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Built in 1925, the Newhall Grammar School featured an auditorium that quickly became a gathering space for the growing community. Silent film cowboy and local resident William S. Hart often delighted children by screening his movies in the theater. However, in 1939, a mysterious fire destroyed the original auditorium. Thanks to the generous support of the community, which rallied to collect donations, and funding from the federal Works Progress Administration, the Newhall Auditorium was rebuilt in stunning Art Deco style and reopened in 1941.

The auditorium became a cherished place where children learned and performed, community members celebrated milestones, and events brought people together. Unlike the multipurpose rooms built in schools after 1940, which prioritized functionality over performance, the auditorium remained a unique and beloved space for theater and the arts in the Newhall area.

 

As Santa Clarita Valley’s population grew, so did the demand for classroom space. By 1975, the auditorium was repurposed as a warehouse to allow funds to be redirected toward building new schools. Decades later, in the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the once-forgotten space was rediscovered. Efforts began to restore its former glory, with the goal of giving new generations of students and the community a place to experience the magic of live performance.

 

The nonprofit group Theatre Arts for Children initiated a fundraising campaign to restore the building, but the high costs of removing hazardous materials and ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act exceeded their budget.

 

In 2011, the Newhall School District’s Governing Board proposed a bond measure to fund restoration and renovation. The measure passed, and alongside other district improvements, the long-awaited restoration of the auditorium was finally set in motion.

 

The official groundbreaking ceremony took place in March 2016. The restoration adhered to the original WPA Art Deco design while incorporating state-of-the-art updates, including advanced lighting and sound equipment, more than 500 seats, and a projection screen. The space was renamed the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts and officially reopened in May 2019 with an animation showcase in collaboration with CalArts.

 

The theater’s grand revival was interrupted when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2019, closing performance spaces worldwide. After a period of darkness, the Newhall Family Theatre reopened in October 2021 with A Celebration of the Performing Arts. This community event featured workshops for children and showcased local talents through music, dance, theatre, spoken word, and comedy, breathing life back into a historic and treasured performance venue.

 

Today, the Newhall Family Theatre stands as a testament to the power of community, creativity, and resilience, continuing its mission to inspire and enrich Santa Clarita Valley through the performing arts.

Mailing Address

24820 Orchard Village Rd. STE A #200

Santa Clarita CA 91355

Phone

Tom Lund, Theatre Manager

(661) 291-4016

Email

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© 2025 Raising the Curtain Foundation. Raising the Curtain Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, tax ID #83-1308176

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