A 1934 Depression-era Sonoma Plaza cinema where the first stage manager died falling from the catwalk — and reportedly never left
476 First St E, Sonoma, CA 95476
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Standard cinema admission; prices vary by screening
Access
Wheelchair OK
Single-level auditorium; historic building on Sonoma Plaza
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1934 · Sonoma Plaza National Historic Landmark District · Last James W. Reid-designed Theatre · Depression-Era Commercial Architecture
In 1932, at the bottom of the Depression, Samuele Sebastiani decided to build a theater. He retained James W. Reid and his brother Merritt Reid — the San Francisco architects who had designed more Bay Area theaters than any other firm of the era — to create a proper movie house on the east side of Sonoma's historic plaza. Merritt Reid died during construction; James closed their office afterward, making the Sebastiani the last theater the firm would complete.
The building went up with Italian Renaissance styling: textured wall surfaces, soft polychromatic paint finishes, and a massive metal marquee with the name spelled out in red neon obtained from nearby Mission Hardware. The stage measured 60 by 80 feet — large enough for dramatic performances, not just film screenings. A 5,000-square-foot ballroom with kitchen facilities occupied the upper floor for banquets and dances.
The theatre opened April 7, 1934. Robert Montgomery's Fugitive Lovers was the first feature; admission was 30 cents. The venue has been in near-continuous operation ever since — hosting first-run films, foreign cinema, and the Sonoma Valley Film Festival, which uses it as a signature venue. As of 2026 it is in its 92nd year of operation.
The 421-seat auditorium retains its original interior paint and the Reid marquee — a combination that makes it the only surviving example of the firm's Bay Area work with both elements intact. The nonprofit Sebastiani Theatre Foundation holds the building in trust for the community.
Sources
The first ghost associated with the Sebastiani Theatre has a name and a documented job: Barbara was the theater's original stage manager. During a performance — partway through the show, with the audience in their seats — she fell from the catwalk above the stage. The Sonoma Index-Tribune and Sonoma Magazine have both published accounts of this death, attributing the story to theatre staff and local paranormal investigators who have worked the building.
According to the accounts, Barbara did not register what had happened to her. The theater's management told the crowd she would be resting at home, and Barbara, who apparently continued to experience the theatre as her place of work, took that as an instruction. She is described by paranormal investigators as an ambient presence — still moving through the backstage, still helping children find their seats.
The second figure is called Trixie, described as a young woman from the 1930s in a yellow dress. Reports locate her in the women's restroom, visible in the mirror, and in the dressing rooms, where her laughter is heard and lights switch themselves on and off.
A third entity — referred to as the Shadow Man — occupies the left side of the theater's balcony, which has been cordoned off for years. Paranormal investigator Carla Heine, cited in local press, claims a murder took place in that section and was never officially reported. Investigators describe feeling intense unease on the balcony and have reported phantom footsteps pacing the aisle during investigations.
Notable Entities
The 421-seat Sebastiani Theatre has operated continuously since 1934 as Sonoma's primary cinema and arts venue. The original marquee, interior paint finishes, and stage are intact. The catwalk where stage manager Barbara fell to her death is above the main stage. The theatre is part of Sonoma ghost tour itineraries during Halloween season.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Stockton, CA
The Fox California Theatre opened October 14, 1930, designed by Clifford Balch and Floyd Stanberry in Spanish Colonial Revival style with a seating capacity of 2,500. It was one of only two movie palaces built in California's Central Valley. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, the theatre underwent an $8.5 million restoration and reopened September 2004 as the Bob Hope Theatre, renamed in honor of entertainer Bob Hope at the request of lead donor Alex G. Spanos.
Redwood City, CA
The Fox Theatre at 2215 Broadway in Redwood City opened in 1929 as The New Sequoia. It operated as a neighborhood movie house through the mid-20th century, closed, was restored, and reopened as a concert and events venue. The 2022 renovation brought contractors into the building's attic, where they discovered an urn containing human ashes — a find that the theatre's management confirmed publicly.
Pasadena, CA
Gilmor Brown founded the Pasadena Playhouse in 1916 with a traveling acting troupe and built the current 686-seat Spanish Colonial Revival theater at 39 South El Molino in 1924–1925. The California legislature designated the Playhouse the official State Theatre of California in 1937. Brown ran the theater until his death in 1960, producing more than 2,000 plays and training actors who went on to Hollywood careers.