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This Friday, August 5, the Yost Theatre celebrates it’s grand reopening. The ninety-nine year old Yost has sat semi dormant for the past two decades; serving as a church and sporadic host of live events during that period. Now, fresh off a pricey remodel and upgrade, Orange County’s oldest standing theatre will once again open it’s doors for full time entertainment purposes. Thus far, plans don’t seem to include any cinematic offerings, as the venue has been earmarked for live concerts and club use in this latest incarnation.

 

 

The Yost’s rebirth has also come with a bit of controversy, as local activists and politicians have pointed to the venue as a flagship of downtown Santa Ana’s alleged gentrification. A hotspot for Latino culture and commerce, for some fifty years, the downtown area has been undergoing a transformation over the past decade; transitioning in to what critics have labeled an affluent “hispster” scene. As longtime Hispanic businesses begin to disappear, in favor of trendy outlets and art lofts, some have come to question the motives behind these changes. Still, there are others who feel this is a welcome change from the “armpit of Orange County” reputation the area had suffered through and welcome downtown’s possible return to glory.

 

In any case, the Yost reopening it’s doors to the public is certainly welcome news. For more information on the theatre’s namesake, please take a look at our earlier post on Ed Yost. For more information on the downtown Santa Ana theatre scene refer to our post here.