Roger Rhoten’s marquee moment

Lots of ways to celebrate Rhoten and the Sebastiani Theatre in five-day Rogerfest, starting Friday.|

He is as known for his annual appearance as the penny-farthing-pedaling Uncle Sam in the 4th of July Parade as he is for his mellow front-of-house persona at the Sebastiani Theatre, where he welcomes moviegoers as though he’s missed them sincerely.

“Well, look who it is,” he’ll say with a smile. “You’re gonna like this one, folks. Great movie. Great show.”

Roger Rhoten has been a Sonoma fixture for decades, where he’s labored to keep a historic “theatre”alive. That’s theatre - spelled the old way. Because, as Mark Twain once said, “the difference between the almost right word and the right word ‘tis the difference between the lightening-bug and the lightening itself.”

The Sebastiani Theatre is 83 years old and - despite several aesthetic refreshments over the decades - is suffering the indignities and ravages of old age. Designed by the same architect who created San Diego’s Hotel Del Coronado and the Cliff House in San Francisco, it was commissioned in 1932 in a fit of spare-no-expense optimism, despite the long shadow cast by the Great Depression.

It is steel-framed and built sturdy, and took 10 years to complete. Its inaugural film, MGM’s “The Fugitive Lovers,” screened for a sold-out crowd who’d paid 30 cents a seat. Until 1980 the theater hummed right along. But then, as with any good movie, there were several plot twists and archetypal characters – a landlord, a struggling tenant and - just in time - a swashbuckling hero to help save the day.

That was 25 years ago, when Rhoten stepped into the frame after the previous manager raised the white flag. According to a 2009 article in the Index-Tribune, the prior manager had fallen considerably behind with the IRS and Rhoten was brought in as the new manager lessee. His first move, according to I-T writer Gerald Hill, was to funnel $60,000 of his own money into Dolby sound and modern projection.

Then he really went to work.

Acoustic corrections, new carpet and paint, refurbished seats, a functioning neon marquee. Rhoten’s ambitious vision was to reclaim the theater’s grandeur while staying true to its original character and charm. But making a go of a single-screen marquee in the age of the Cineplex is nigh to impossible. The Sebastiani has been on financial life support for years.

A lifesaving transfusion in the form of a five-day fundraising extravaganza promises to kick-off a reversal of the theater’s fortunes. Beginning ?April 28 and through ?May 2, the Friends of the Sebastiani is hosting a series of events to honor Rhoten’s unflagging efforts to keep alive an iconic community venue. From dinner and a roast to live performances and favorite films, Rhoten-palooza will have something for everyone.

And what will Friends of the Sebastiani do with the proceeds? “The first thing that has to be done is to bring it up to ADA standards, and that is going to require adding on to the building,” Rhoten said.

Because they don’t want to alter its historic façade, the addition - currently under design by local architecture firm RossDrulisCusenberry - is planned for the back of the building.

“We don’t have a great dressing room area, we don’t have a green room or storage space,” Rhoten said. “And when we try to bring in other programming, we need a nice place for performers to be in.”

The interior, too, needs significant updating.

“The seats are probably the one thing people complain about the most,” Rhoten said. They’ll be replaced, but kept harmonious with the aesthetic.

“It’s almost like a museum, a step back in time,” Rhoten said, explaining the governing approach to the restoration.

Current plans also include installation of a small kitchen. “We’d like to be able to get a license to serve wine,” Rhoten said.

In the age of Netflix and Amazon and generally declining attendance, movie theaters everywhere are forced to chase alternative revenue sources.

With the theater’s lease secured by the foundation for the next 25 years – with an option for 25 more beyond that – the Sebastiani will define Sonoma’s cityscape for the foreseeable future. But to get by she’ll need a little help from her friends.

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