The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, in collaboration with DramaDogs, a theater company, is pleased to present “Our Lutah”, a monologue performance. The event will feature a staging of Terre Ouwehand’s Lutah Maria Riggs monologue, performed by E. Bonnie Lewis, directed by Ken Gilbert, live flute music by Bob Sedivy, and projected old photos of Lutah, Santa Barbara, the earthquake of 1925, and early Fiestas—Lutah loved Fiesta!

The performance will be held on Saturday, August 10 from 4-6 PM. A reception will precede the performance and a brief talk by local female architects will follow. All are welcome.

Lutah Maria Riggs was the first woman in California to be named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. She was the first licensed female architect in Santa Barbara. A draftswoman for noted architect George Washington Smith, she eventually became a partner in his firm. Lutah joined the Smiths on travels to Europe and Mexico and contributed significantly to what became known as the Santa Barbara style. Some of the better-known buildings she designed include Lobero Theatre, El Paseo, the library at Botanic Gardens, Vedanta Temple.

Events like this exemplify how the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara continues their mission of educating the public on the built environment, evident also in our support of students continuing their education in architecture and related fields through our Scholarship Programs. One of our scholarships is aptly named after Lutah Maria Riggs and every year we partner with the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara to award scholarships to selected Santa Barbara County students.

Images: Lutah Maria Riggs papers, Architecture and Design Collection. UCSB.