We opened our first production, another pair of Sherlock Holmes one-acts we adapted ourselves, because we couldn't afford royalties. At that time Sacramento theatre consisted of Music Circus, Sacramento Civic Theatre (now the home of Sacramento Theatre Company), Stagedoor Comedy Playhouse, the Old Eagle Theatre (which was mostly a booking house) and several small homeless companies that booked into whatever space they could find.
Within three months we planned our first season and added our first childrens' production in a co-op arrangement with Paul Ford and his Story Theatre troupe. Three years later there was a partnership change. Charles Slater, a professor of theatre arts at American River College and a reviewer for the now defunct Sacramento Union, came on board as a co-producer. Along with his wonderful artistic sense and enthusiasm, Charlie financed a remodel of the theatre that allowed for doubling the stage size and increasing the capacity from 65 to 137 seats. Our choice of shows also became much more adventurous, tapping into the young, hip downtown crowd.
Another three years, October 1983, a Sunday afternoon, two games of softball, a nap, a phone call - turn on the television. The Chautauqua Playhouse, along with two other buildings along the R Street corridor were on fire. An arsonist, a 19-year-old man with a long history of arson was living in a nearby halfway house. He was observed riding a small bike with butterfly handlebars between each of the fire scenes - an image not easily forgotten. He was later tried and convicted of the offenses.
And this is where the story gets interesting. We had just opened a production of Minnies Boys (a Marx Brothers musical) and, with the energy and enthusiasm of everyone involved in the theatre and the production, plus borrowed props, costumes and scenery, we reopened the following weekend on the YWCA stage. The show must go on! The Sacramento theatre community and theatregoers rallied around our loss and fundraisers were held by Sacramento Civic Theatre and the Stagedoor Comedy Playhouse. I believe it was this cooperation and support of theatre by other companies that helped lay the foundation for SARTA and The League of Sacramento Theatres.
Between the winters of 1983 and 1985, we produced four shows in various
area locations through the kindness of the theatre community. In April 1985, we moved into the La Sierra Community Center and have thrived as a community theatre, although the new suburban audience dictated a change in programming. Our thanks to all of those who were around and helped us through that difficult period. In addition to the many actors and directors who have graced our stage with their wonderful work over the past 30 years we want to thank a few behind the scenes people not already acknowledged: Bill Wahl, Bill Rogers, Jack Phipps, Daryl Petrig, Mary MacDonald, Marie Raymond, Boots Martin, Warren Harrison, Gil and Lenore Sebastian, Diane Bartlett, Janice Hoberg, Linda Arnold, Hank Young and Les Zein.
As I'm well over my allotted 350 words, I ask for forgiveness from the many people I forgot or didn't have space to include...
- Rodger Hoopman, Producer/Artistic Director |
