Oceanside Theatre Company Marks Completion of Phase I of Sunshine Brooks Theater Revitalization
July 21 Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Public Open House Celebrate Milestone in $2.2 Million Campaign To Restore the Historic City of Oceanside-Owned Theater
(Oceanside, CA) July 14, 2026 – Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC) will celebrate the completion of Phase I of the Revitalize the Brooks Capital Campaign with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, public open house and tours at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the historic Sunshine Brooks Theater, 217 N. Coast Highway in downtown Oceanside.
City and County leaders, arts and cultural advocates, project partners, donors and community supporters will gather to mark the completion of the first phase of the revitalization of the 90-year-old, City of Oceanside-owned Sunshine Brooks Theater, where Oceanside Theatre Company has served as steward since 2011. The ceremony marks a significant milestone in preserving and renewing one of Oceanside’s most recognizable cultural landmarks while preparing it to serve future generations of audiences, students and artists.
Phase I is part of OTC’s $2.2 million Revitalize the Brooks Capital Campaign, an effort to restore and modernize the historic theater while preserving its architectural character. Built in 1936 and later donated to the City of Oceanside by Hattie “Sunshine” Brooks, the theater has served generations of residents as a center for performing arts, arts education and community gatherings, contributing to the cultural vitality and quality of life throughout the region.
Invited dignitaries include San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez, Oceanside City Councilmember Eric Joyce, community arts and cultural leaders, project partners and campaign supporters. The program will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks by city leaders and representatives of the Oceanside Theatre Company Board of Directors. The public celebration will also feature:
- Self-guided tours of the newly completed Phase I improvements
- Performance by OTC Summer Theatre Camp students from The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition
- Refreshments
The completed improvements include expanding the theater’s restroom capacity from two to six all-gender restrooms, creating a more open and accessible lobby, installing a modernized HVAC system, enhancing concessions, improving patron circulation, and upgrading Studio 219 and adjacent public spaces. Together, these improvements increase accessibility, improve visitor comfort and strengthen the theater’s ability to serve audiences, students, artists and community groups year-round.
Unlike many renovation projects, construction was completed while the Sunshine Brooks Theater remained in operation. Throughout the project, Oceanside Theatre Company continued producing professional theatre, youth productions, arts education programs, concerts, comedy, film and community events, requiring close coordination among theater staff, volunteers, artists and the construction team to safely balance ongoing programming with an active construction site.
“One of our highest priorities was making sure the Brooks remained a living, working theater throughout construction,” said Kevin “Blax” Burroughs, Producing Artistic Director of Oceanside Theatre Company. “Keeping our stages active meant our audiences continued to experience live theatre, our students continued learning, and our artists and staff continued creating. It was challenging, but it reflected our commitment to serving the community without interruption.”
The Phase I improvements were designed by architect Ann Worth, AIA, principal of Object Projects, and constructed by Courtney Ciurej and the team at CJ Shores Construction. Both Object Projects and CJ Shores Construction are women-owned businesses. Working closely with Oceanside Theatre Company, the City of Oceanside and project partners, the design and construction teams balanced modern building improvements with preservation of the theater’s historic character.
“The Brooks has always been a civic landmark as much as a performing arts venue,” said Worth. “Our goal was to improve accessibility and functionality while respecting the building’s historic character, ensuring it can continue serving the community for decades to come.” Worth previously served as chair of the Oceanside Arts Commission and has served on Oceanside Theatre Company’s Advisory Board for more than 10 years.
The campaign was led by a volunteer Revitalize the Brooks Committee whose fundraising effort surpassed its original $885,000 goal. Early support from the County of San Diego funded the project’s feasibility study, helping launch the initiative, while the City of Oceanside committed $500,000 toward Phase I construction and building improvements. Together with private philanthropy, foundation grants and community donations, those investments made the first phase of the revitalization possible.
“This project reflects what can happen when a community decides the arts matter,” said Chuck Lowery, Oceanside Theatre Company Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Revitalize the Brooks Capital Campaign. “The County of San Diego helped launch the project, the City of Oceanside made a significant investment in its future, and donors, volunteers and community partners carried it forward. This project is a powerful reminder that the arts remain essential to our quality of life.”
Following the ceremony, guests are invited to tour the renovated spaces, meet members of the project team and learn about the next phase of the Revitalize the Brooks Capital Campaign, which will continue transforming the Brooks into a vibrant year-round destination for professional theatre, arts education and community events.
Event Details
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
1:00 p.m.
Open House, Tours, Youth Performance and Refreshments Immediately Following
Sunshine Brooks Theater
217 N. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
About Oceanside Theatre Company
Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC) is the resident professional theatre company at the historic Sunshine Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside. Since 2011, OTC has served as steward of the City-owned theater, presenting professional theatre productions, concerts, comedy, film, literary events and year-round arts education programs that enrich the cultural life of North San Diego County.