The San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre is moving forward with long-anticipated plans for a new facility, thanks to a $750,000 donation from the Hinds Foundation.
The funding will help pay for brand new lighting and sound systems, including microphones, speakers and control boards. It’s part of a larger vision to transform the decades-old theatre into a modern cultural arts hub.
“Anyone who's ever visited our theater or seen a play here can tell that this is not a purpose-built theater,” said Kevin Harris, managing artistic director of SLO REP. “That's not why it was built. This is the old library building that was built in the mid-50s.”
The new venue will feature two performance spaces: a 215 seat mainstage for musicals, comedies, and dramas and a smaller 100-seat black box theater for intimate performances such as late-night cabarets.
“We’ve raised over $20 million at this point to make this new theater a reality, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone in San Luis Obispo and the Hinds Foundation,” Harris said.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2026, following the completion of the city’s Cultural Arts District Parking structure at Nipomo and Monterey Streets in Downtown San Luis Obispo.
