A Message to Our Community

Rose Center news for our patrons and friends…

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The Friends of the Rose – our nonprofit organization that has proudly and dutifully managed the operations of the Rose Center Theater for nearly two decades – has been formally notified that the City of Westminster is moving forward with plans to repurpose the facility into a cultural center. As part of this decision, the City has directed us to begin winding down our operations and to prepare for departure from the theater that has been our home for more than twenty years.​

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A little background…

For more than ten months, Friends of the Rose has been engaged in contract negotiations with the City of Westminster. During this time, our contract renewal was extended while the City commissioned an independent feasibility study to evaluate the future of the Rose Center. That study, conducted by TheatreDNA, recommended that Friends remain as the managing entity due to our strong leadership, high-quality productions, financial solvency, and proven operational excellence.

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Despite this recommendation, the Westminster City Council voted 3–2 to reject the study’s findings and instead move forward with repurposing the venue into a cultural center. As a result, we must conclude our production operations at the Rose Center Theater effective December 31, 2025, when the building will transition into its repurposing phase.

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This was not a decision initiated by Friends of the Rose.
 

It was a choice made by the City Council as part of their new vision for the building’s future use.

 

Since opening in 2006, this theater has been a place where students discovered their confidence, where families gathered, where cultures connected, where thousands of performers took their first steps onto a stage, and where a vibrant, inclusive arts community has grown year after year. To be asked to wind down operations in the space we have lovingly built, nurtured, and stewarded is a big change for everyone, but one we hope will create new opportunities as well. 

 

We share your sadness. And we share your frustration that this transition will impact so many programs, performances, and long-standing community traditions. Our team will be reaching out directly to all affected organizations, and we will do everything in our power to support you through this unexpected change.

 

Serving this community has been a great honor. Watching children grow into artists, celebrating diverse cultural stories on our stage, and providing a creative home for thousands of families and performers has made the Rose Center Theater the heart of not only Westminster, but of the greater Orange County arts community. We are deeply grateful for the past 20 years. And while this transition comes far sooner than any of us hoped, we want to make one thing very clear:

 

This is only intermission!

 

The Friends of the Rose has been actively reviewing all options for the future, and fully intends to continue providing access to the arts for our community. Whether through alternative venues, new partnerships, or future opportunities, we are committed to ensuring that the creativity, connection, and cultural vibrancy built here will continue. We will share updates as the City provides more information about their transition timeline.

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To commemorate our time at the Rose and celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we invite you to join us for a special 20th Anniversary / Rose Center Tribute Performance on Tuesday, December 30th (more details to come). And don’t miss our spectacular holiday production, Robin Hood and the White Arrow: the Feast of Stephen, running through December 21st! This will be our last musical in this space, so really a “don’t miss!”

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If our musical productions have brought joy to you or your family over the years, you are always welcome to share your thoughts with the Westminster City Council and City staff. Your messages help communicate how meaningful the Rose Center Theater and our production team have been to this community.

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Thank you. To every patron, performer, student, parent, renter, volunteer, and supporter who made this theater a home. Your passion and dedication are the reason the Rose Center Theater has thrived, and the reason we will continue on.

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With gratitude, and love for the arts,

The Friends of the Rose