Movies making a comeback at Newport’s Lido Theater
Following about a year-long stint as a live-music venue and then a three-month closure, the Lido Theater in Newport Beach is returning to its roots as a movie house.
Regency Theatres is expected to finalize a lease with property owner Fritz Duda Co. for the 1930s single-screen theater in the next several days, according to Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon.
It is unclear when the theater could reopen. Its marquee reads “Events coming soon.” Representatives of Regency Theatres did not respond to requests for comment.
“I urge the community to support the theater when it opens,” Dixon said. “It’s an exciting addition to come back to the Balboa Peninsula area.”
Regency Theatres had operated the vintage flamingo-pink theater at 3459 Via Lido for decades before losing its lease in June 2014.
Lido Live, which had operated the theater since 2014, left the property on New Year’s Day after Fritz Duda Co. terminated its 20-year lease, according to Hammer Brunch, who ran Lido Live.
It’s unclear why Lido Live’s lease on the property ended. Representatives of Fritz Duda Co. could not be reached for comment.
In 2014, Fritz Duda representatives described Lido Live as a fresh tenant that would breathe new life into the aging theater. The building got a fresh paint job — muted green and tan instead of the traditional pink — the interior was rehabilitated and the vision for the venue changed.
It began hosting private movie screenings and an occasional public film, but its main focus became live musical acts. Performers including Smokey Robinson and 1970s and ‘80s tribute and cover bands have headlined at the venue, aiming to attract an older audience that might shy away from contemporary acts that commonly play at other music venues in Orange County.
After Lido Live’s unexpected departure, rumors began circulating that the building would be razed.
Gail McClain, who helped organize the Friends of the Lido Theater group that advocated for preservation of the murals inside the theater in 2014, said she’s pleased that the site will remain intact and again be a place for people to see films.
“Sometimes we take things for granted until they’re not there anymore,” she said. “You can’t get it back once it’s gone.”
