In 1967, Fr. Fred Gaglia arrived at the Servite campus and quickly went about the work of starting a theatre program to complement the school’s other extra-curricular offerings. Volunteers from the local theater community donated their time, including professionals from the Laguna Festival of Opera, Disney Studios and 20th Century Fox.
As the program grew and received recognition from local arts organizations for the quality of its productions, a plan was developed to build a professional theatre that could serve not only Servite, but also the surrounding community. A feasibility study and two years of design and planning began in 1975 as well as a fundraising effort to offset costs of the $1.5 million project. The new theater was the latest in a series of campus improvement projects in the 1970s, following the construction of the first pool, biology lab and conversion of former residences to classrooms.
Servite consulted experts in theater construction from throughout the country to ensure the facility would be of the highest caliber. The project also included a new wing of classrooms and a courtyard designed to foster a sense of community. From the time it opened in 1977, it has been a center for campus life as well as theatrical and community performances.
Over the years, the theater has been host to a variety of community events, from local ballet recitals to performances by notable composer Henry Mancini (1980) to rocker Alice Cooper (2015-2018). It remains the home of the award-winning Tri-School Theatre program and continues to be the heart of campus as we celebrate masses and special occasions together as a community.
