Rio Theatre

Rio Theatre

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The Rio Theatre currently presents a wide variety of events including: concerts, lectures, video presentations, movies, and theatre. How does it work?

Also just added: we now do weddings and meeting conferences! For more info email: [email protected] The Rio Theatre can accommodate a wide variety of events, including concerts, lectures, video presentations, movies and theatre. Our multi-purpose venue has 680 seats and a thrust stage 40 feet wide, with center section at 24 feet. Pricing for the Rio Theatre is based on the particular event, dependant of technical needs and staffing needs . Rehearsals and classes are charged hourly. Non-profit educational Organizations and public schools get special deals ....


The Foyer and Cabaret Space:
Tear drop shaped, with an approximate size of 24 feet wide and 60 feet deep..This is the main lobby space. The Beautiful Main Theatre:
Historic, romantic and very functional..

685 original historic movie theatre seats + wheel chair spaces
Thrust stage is 40 feet wide total, with center section at 24 feet
Stage floor is masonite
Large movie screen 20 feet high by 30 feet wide
Grand drape can close to cover movie screen
Complete sound system ( below )
Lighting system ( below )
35 mm film projector
Panasonic PT-D5700U Digital projection unit, compatible with HD , Blu-Ray and other audio visual equipment using worlwide playback standards
Backstage area behind movie screen, approximately 400 square feet
Open space in front of stage for dance, orchestra pit, special effects
Standard rental rate for rehearsals and classes in the main theatre is $40 hourly with a 2 hour minimum. Standard rental rate, well, is not standard.. Since every event is different, with varying budgets, all rentals are negotiated individually. The mission of the Rio Theatre is to make space available for the arts, at an affordable price. There is a sliding scale from commercial events to Non-profit organization and schools. This does not include sound system and operators, nor lighting operator. We need the technical requirements in order to price these items correctly.. If you are interested in booking the Rio Theatre, please fill out our booking form here. Keep in mind, the Rio Theatre's newly renovated marquee will be made available to promote your event with a full price rental.. This is a boon for advertising your event, on one of the busiest intersections in Santa Cruz.. The Crying Room
Used mainly as a green room ( hospitality), this room is on the second floor, with a full view of the main theatre. Couches, table and chairs. Used also as a dressing room, with another smaller private dressing room across the hall..Private rest room can be made available. Rio Theatre Audio Spec's:

RIO THEATRE SOUND SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS AS OF JANUARY 2011
Front of House:
Midas 56 channel Verona console
8 channels of DBX 1231 EQ
10 channels of DBX 166 compression / gates
1 x TC electronics M1 Reverb unit
1 x TC electronics D2 Delay unit
1 x Yamaha SPX 990 multi effect unit
1 x Drawmer DS404 Quad Gate unit

Main Speakers:
4 per side PAS model FT-1 ( 15"x 1")
2 per side YorkVille (RCF drivers) 18" subs
2 PAS 15" Subwoofers
System is Tri Amped with a DBX Drive rack and with about 10,000 watts of QSC PLX amps
1 per side passive PAS model FT- 1 for front fills. Monitors:
Monitor desk is a Soundcraft SM 20 - 40 inputs ( 6 mono 7 stereo mixes total 20 mix outputs)
Mid Eqs (2)are full parametric /sweepable hi pass filter / sweep able high and low bands or switch able to shelf Eqs.

10 channels DBX 1231 Eqs
4 channels DBX 166 compressor/gates
10 EAW SM159zi (15"x 1") monitors and QSC PLX amps for up to 10 mi

Snake and Splits :
40 channel split to FOH and to Monitors ( Monitor split is to stage right but will reach stage left ) The snake is new and in perfect working condition! There are also left and right sends on this snake

There is a 16 channel send snake at FOH to Stage right (only) this snake has both genders on all 16 Channels at both ends and is used to get signal from FOH to amp racks and my be used for clear coms etc. There are TWO 16 channel break out snakes , used to patch from front and back line to main snake box. Microphones :
SHURE : sm-58
Beta 58
SM-57
55SH
B-52
Beta-91
Sm-7

Audix : adx-50
ADU small diaphram condensers
adu large diaphram condensers

Crown PZM

Direct boxes:
BSS active
Whirlwind active
CBI, Rolls, ART passive

Art stereo isolationtransformers

Light Pilot
The RIO light pilot must be restored after every show with the colors wich are in every instruments. Please refocus as follows:

2 Source Four 19 degre 575W (FHO#1) Focus Dowstage C
6 Parnel 575W front of the stage wash (FHO#1) Focus Downstage SR, C, SL (FHO#1)) - Focus Upstage SR, C, SL
3 specials Source Four 26 degre 575W (FHO#1) Focus SR, C, SL
6 Par 64 500W over the stage as over head or back light) Focus Downstage SR, C, SL and Upstage SR, C, SL
2 Source Four 26 degre 575W (Ladder House Right) Focus Side Wash
3 Source Four 36 degre 575W (Ladder House Right) Focus Side Wash
1 Par 64 M 500W (Ladder House Right)
2 Source Four 26 degre 575W (Ladder House Left) Focus Side Wash
2 Source Four 36 degre 575W (Ladder House Left) Focus Side Wash
2 Par 64 M 500W (Ladder House Left) Focus Side Wash
1 FollowSpot in house. Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RioTheatreSC

Photos from Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship's post 10/13/2026
10/13/2026

Join us in supporting Second Harvest Food bank when Mountainfilm on Tour Santa Cruz screens
November 14th at 7 PM (Doors at 6 PM), Rio Theatre
Adventure Playlist

Mountainfilm on Tour returns to the Rio Theatre on November 14th with films that explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission of using film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. This year's screening will present the Adventure playlist. While presenting an inspiring film collection, the show is also an opportunity to support Second Harvest Food Bank as they kick off their Holiday Food Drive. Every ticket purchased, along with b**r sales (provided by Sante Adairius Midtown Portal) will share a portion of revenue with this organization. This year thanks to our Sustaining Sponsor we will be offering $10 (plus fees) student ticket prices. For more information, list of films and tickets visit https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2026/11/14/mountainfilm

For those of you wishing to directly support Second Harvest you can do so by visiting https://donate.thefoodbank.org/team/859800

10/10/2026

One of my favorite films at Banff, October 10th @ 7PM, this year is BEST DAY EVER. It won a standing ovation at the Film Festival in Banff, Canada. Tickets are still available and a portion of ticket sales will go to Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship

https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2026/10/10/banffcentremountain

Freehub PRESENTS Mountain Bike Film Festival — Rio Theatre for the Performing 10/07/2026

NEW FILM! NOVEMBER 6, 2026

Freehub PRESENTS Mountain Bike Film Festival — Rio Theatre for the Performing Dain Zaffke & Robin Sansom Join us at the historic Rio Theater for a special screening of Freehub PRESENTS: A Mountain Bike Film Festival with prizes, cold drinks, new films, and good company! Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS) is proud to host this stop on the tour at the histo

Golden State Theatre x KPIG Radio Presents: John Craigie Keep It Warm 2026 Tour with special guest: Lucy Clearwater — Rio Theatre for the Performing 10/06/2026

NEW SHOW! NOVEMBER 22, 2026

Golden State Theatre x KPIG Radio Presents: John Craigie Keep It Warm 2026 Tour with special guest: Lucy Clearwater — Rio Theatre for the Performing For over a decade, John Craigie has made music that brings people in, not with spectacle but with sincerity and songs that feel like conversations. His new album I Swam Here, out February 6, 2026 on Zabriskie Point Records, was written and produced by Craigie and recorded between New Orleans and As

Film: My Name is Gitta — Rio Theatre for the Performing 09/30/2026

NEW FILM! OCTOBER 18, 2026

Film: My Name is Gitta — Rio Theatre for the Performing Sometimes you have to go back…, to move forward.” Gitta is a vivacious nonagenarian holocaust survivor who has long ago processed and overcome her childhood trauma, and for decades has been telling her story of recovery and forgiveness at schools. But as she retraces her steps across Europe and ...

2025-26 Banff World Tour Intro Video - USA (28476) 09/27/2026

Don’t miss out on this years fall screening of the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour - Santa Cruz on October 10th.
Supporting Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship
We’ve got a great lineup of films to share with you. Tickets available at riotheatre.com

2025-26 Banff World Tour Intro Video - USA (28476) This is "2025-26 Banff World Tour Intro Video - USA (28476)" by BCMFF World Tour on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Film: Frankenstein with live score — Rio Theatre for the Performing 09/20/2026

NEW FILM! OCTOBER 16, 2026

Film: Frankenstein with live score — Rio Theatre for the Performing Join us for an evening of classic horror with a live movie score as SLEEPBOMB plays along to FRANKENSTEIN (1931). SLEEPBOMB is a San Francisco group focused on music for film. Stylistically ranging from psychedelic rock and electronics to drone and post-doom metal, Sleepbomb has been described as a

Alok — Rio Theatre for the Performing 09/18/2026

NEW SHOW! MARCH 14, 2027

Alok — Rio Theatre for the Performing ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed poet, comedian, public speaker, and actor. ALOK’s literary works “Beyond the Gender Binary,” “Femme in Public,” and “Your Wound, My Garden,” have garnered global recognition. Their dynamic presence has captivated audiences in over 40 cou...

Ladysmith Black Mambazo — Rio Theatre for the Performing 09/18/2026

NEW SHOW! FEBRUARY 10, 2027

Ladysmith Black Mambazo — Rio Theatre for the Performing For over sixty years, South Africa’s five-time GRAMMY award-winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo have warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming stage presence. It was Paul Simon’s 1987 Graceland album that first introduced Ladysmith Bl...

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1205 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA
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