Showcase Theater Revitalized for Public and Artists

For Immediate Release –

Marin County, CA –

With Showcase venue finished, a revised Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium project moves forward

Renowned musician Tito Puente Jr. recently celebrated the grand reopening of the revitalized Marin Showcase Theater with a Latin jazz concert for a packed house. A staple arts venue in Marin for the past three decades, the Showcase Theater underwent a thorough renovation this past summer, finishing up under budget and on-time for the scheduled concert to take place in a beautiful new space.

Located at 10 Avenue of the Flags in San Rafael as part of the County of Marin Department of Cultural Services’ Marin Center Campus, the Showcase Theater had been awaiting renovations for years, including seating upgrades and key theater space updates. The project, managed by County of Marin Department of Public Works (DPW), included:

• Replacing all the seats with 300 new seats that meet modern comfort expectations for a live arts venue.
• Adding contemporary public safety elements such as pathway and step lighting, as well as handrails.
• Improving theater space for accessibility, including accessible theater systems control locations and adding ramps to the stage to better accommodate events such as award ceremonies and graduations.
• Implementing public comfort upgrades and restyling the theater space with new flooring, carpeting, paint and general detailing.
• Updating the sound system and speakers with modern equipment and relocating it to provide the best acoustics and space usage possible.
• Installation of acoustical treatments to the rear of the auditorium for improved sound. 

“The Showcase Theater has always been an intimate space for wonderful performances,” said Gabriella Calicchio, Director of Cultural Services. “But now it is truly a top-tier theater and perfect for a wide range of performances and events.”

The project took three months to complete and cost $866,000, coming in about $16,000 under budget. Funding for the project was made possible by Cultural Services being awarded a grant through the Shuttered Venues Operators Grant (SVOG) program from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that reimbursed the County’s General Fund for certain salaries and benefits expenditures from March 2020 through June 2022 because of lost operating revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SVOG program’s mission was to support the ongoing operations of eligible live venues and operators during the uncertain economic conditions caused by the pandemic. The department incurred costs and submitted allowable General Fund expenditures to the SBA to qualify for the reimbursement, and the Board of Supervisors allocated the reimbursement to the General Fund for strategic infrastructure projects, including the Showcase Theater.

Also located at the Marin Center is the iconic Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium (VMA), which has been undergoing work since closing for construction in June 2023. The initial closure was to allow for a seismic retrofit of the building, which was completed in April 2024 and the building remained closed as the seismic project rolled into a subsequent project after additional improvements were identified to address health, safety, and accessibility issues.

Several issues were identified while the seismic retrofit project was underway. The findings resulted in the need to develop a significantly more extensive renovation of the facility. The current building update project includes:

• Foundation remediation due to settling and subsidence of the soils beneath the building
• Mitigation measures to alleviate water intrusion through the building’s floor slabs and below-grade walls.
• Replacement of sanitary sewer lines and other interior drain lines.
• HVAC reliability upgrades including replacing chiller, boilers, and cooling tower. 
• Replacement of the orchestra pit lift mechanism, including accessibility elements.
• Replace entry doors to meet modern standards.
• Provide accessible dressing rooms and restrooms for performers.
• Theater upgrades including targeted modernization of the audio-visual and lighting systems.
• Implement sustainable building functions to reduce the facility’s environmental impact.

While the improvements identified above were targeted for project completion by December 2025, complexities of the needed repairs and differing site conditions identified during the design phase have resulted in the timeline being revised to a December 2026 target for completion.

The VMA building update project, which has an estimated cost of $15.1 million, is a significant investment in the premier arts and performance venue for Marin. Funded by a one-time allocation approved by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, the effort is intended to restore and preserve the historic venue, improving the safety and functionality for performers and visitors.

“This is a big commitment for the County of Marin,” said DPW Director Rosemarie Gaglione. “But the effort is crucial for this architectural gem to stay operational and provide a top-quality space for future generations to enjoy the arts in Marin.”