The Lark Theater is a single-screen

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ** Filmmaking, the process of making a film * Movie theate ...

Larkspur, California Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States. Larkspur is located directly south of Kentfield, California, Kentfield and south of San Rafael, California, San Rafael, at an elevation of . As of the 2 ...

, United States.

History

The Lark Theater was built by the Blumenfeld family in 1936, over a horse-shoe pit. It anchors the North End of Larkspur's historic downtown district, and is designated a Larkspur Heritage Building.Daedalus Howell
"On a Wing and a Prayer, Lark Stays Aloft,"
San Francisco Chronicle, April 15, 2005 It is a contributing structure in the

Larkspur Downtown Historic District The Larkspur Downtown Historic District, known also as Old Downtown Larkspur, is a historic district (United States), historic district along Magnolia Avenue in downtown Larkspur, California, Larkspur, Marin County, California. The district co ...

, which is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The Lark was designed by architect William B. David, who began his career in the firm of S. Charles Lee and went on to design many Northern California cinemas of the period, including the Lark's sister theaters the ''Park'', in

Lafayette, California Lafayette (formerly La Fayette) is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 25,391. It was named after the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer of the American Revolutionary ...

, and the ''Noyo'' in

Willits, California Willits (formerly Little Lake and Willitsville) is a city in Mendocino County, California, Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located about north-northwest of Ukiah, California, Ukiah, at an elevation of . The population was 4,9 ...

. It may not be a coincidence that all three structures used four-letter names that fit neatly above the marquee. The theater is Larkspur's only Art Deco building. It originally seated 400 people and featured both heating and air conditioning at the time it opened. Its neon sign and stopped tower are typical details used for 1930s movie theaters. The two small buildings on either side of the theater were originally used as office and storage space for the theater.

Closure and renovation

Over the decades of its existence, the Lark has been a first-run movie theater and an

art-house An art film, arthouse film, or specialty film is an independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made prima ...

venue. But by the late 1990s, the building was empty and in disrepair. The theater had been dark for five years, and was slated for demolition in 2003, when local residents mounted a campaign to "Save the Lark." Sufficient funds were raised to restore the theater's interior and exterior, and to do so with environmentally safe materials. Local professionals donated services and volunteers, led by co-founder and Executive Director Bernice Baeza, worked to restore the Lark to its original splendor. For these efforts, the Lark Theater was awarded the 2005 Art Deco Preservation Award from the California Art Deco Society and certified as a green business by the County of Marin. Later, a successful capital campaign made it possible for the non-profit Lark Theater LLC to purchase the building. On July 9, 2004, the Lark Theater re-opened as an independent,

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

community film and culture center with a screening of the 1949

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

classic ''

Impact Impact may refer to: * Impact (mechanics), a large force or mechanical shock over a short period of time * Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US Science and technology * Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event * Imp ...

'', which was partially shot in Larkspur. The seating capacity was reduced to 205 seats (down from 400). Since that time, the Lark has offered cultural programming which includes first-run, independent and classic film, an annual Youth Film Festival, live broadcasts of events of civic interest such as the Presidential debates and inauguration, fundraisers for local schools and non-profits, panel discussions and live music.John Dugan
"Marin Cheers on U.S.: Lark Theater the Epicenter of Cup Fever,"
Marin Independent Journal, June 18, 2006 In November, 2012, the theater installed a new 4K NEC digital projector for its single screen. The sound system was upgraded to handle 7.1 media. The theater also has two Meyers powered speakers, one subwoofer, a 16 channel audio mixing board, audio effects processors and stage lighting for live performances on the small stage.

References

{{Reflist

External links

The Lark Theater website
Cinemas and movie theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area Buildings and structures in Marin County, California Larkspur, California Event venues established in 1936 Historic district contributing properties in California Tourist attractions in Marin County, California Art Deco architecture in California Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters National Register of Historic Places in Marin County, California Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in California