Starting at the end of the story, the big Granada Centennial Weekend finished off on Sunday evening with collective singing in the rain followed by dancing in the streets.
More specifically, Sunday’s pageant of young local talents closed with an audience sing-along of “Singing in the Rain,” after the San Marcos High School troops previewed their upcoming production of their spring musical production. We were then led outside the Granada’s doors, where a block party was underway, stoked by Santa Barbara's premier party meister Spencer the Gardener . The collective vibe on the block and in the theater was fairly giddy, and even the rain gods agreed to clear the skies in time for the wrap-up party.
A sense of ongoing historical continuity was central to the clever and illuminating 100th party planning by the Granada forces that be. Friday night was film night, reflecting the deep cinematic legacy in this moviehouse and performing arts haven. Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. (with silent movie music specialist Michael Mortilla in the house) and Star Wars: A New Hope, (screened in 1977 in 70mm format), both significant items from the Granada’s epic list of screenings over the years, were given a welcome big screen close-up.