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Opinion
Hottest ticket in town
BUCK BUSFIELD, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, B STREET THEATRE
I
n 1986, me, my brother and a group of young Sacramen-
to theater artists were inspired to provide quality theater
entertainment to children. We wrote a play about Aesop’s
Fables, bought a beat up van that was missing a back seat, es-
tablished official headquarters in a one-bedroom Midtown
apartment and began a school tour.
Thirty years on, that program has become the most pro-
lific theater of its size west of the Mississippi — the B Street
Theatre. The theater company continues to delight audienc-
es and impress critics with its professional yet intimate con-
temporary productions for adults and children.
B Street has built a community of almost 30,000 devoted
subscribers and patrons, and has dedicated itself to produc-
ing more than 100 new plays — 60 of which are world, na-
tional or regional premieres. Yet despite its successes, we at
B Street have never lost sight of our original mission to enter-
tain and educate children about theater and playwriting. To-
day, we offer an expansive educational workshop program,
a children’s playwriting competition and the same beloved
school tour — which has now reached 4.8 million students in
its 30-year tenure — but now we have a new van.
We are also building a new home, a state-of-the-art per-
forming arts complex in Midtown Sacramento.
When it opens in February 2018, the 48,000-square-foot
Sofia Tsakopoulos Center For The Arts, or “The Sofia,” will be
home to B Street Theatre’s mainstage with 250 seats, and the
Sutter Theatre for Children with 365 seats. It will be Califor-
nia’s first year-round, professional theater for children.
In the same spirit of community from which the B Street
Theatre was born, Sutter Theatre will open its doors to host
local artists, community organizations and touring acts. The
Sofia will become an entertainment hub for all of Sacramen-
to, where locals and visitors alike can see theater, comedy,
dance or musicals in an intimate, professional space every
night of the year. In addition, its large public lobby, class-
rooms, open-air courtyard and on-site full service restaurant
make the facility a true destination in Sacramento.
This new venue is more than a new home for the B Street;
it will be a preferred venue of choice for professional and
community artistic organizations throughout the greater
Sacramento region. And, as with any great community and
civic effort, it would not have been possible without the sup-
port of many. The $30 million landmark project was funded
by thousands of gifts from patrons and community leaders
for over a decade. We were given a gift of land from Sutter
Health valued at more than $7.5 million, and a contribu-
tion and loan from the City of Sacramento, as well as an
$8.4 million loan from the California Infrastructure and
Economic Development Bank.
We are most excited about the opportunity to serve more
children (of all ages!) through our many programs including:
• The School Tour, to provide entertainment to children
while encouraging in them a love for the theater and a
specific appreciation for the art of playwriting.
• Playwriting Workshops, to initiate young writers into the
process and skill of creative writing and to introduce par-
ticipants to the entire process of a theatrical put on stage.
• Two annualstudent playwriting competitions, giving
students the chance to have their plays performed by
The B Street School Tour — open to students throughout
Northern California.
• Student matinées, which provide 900 students ev-
ery week for 20 weeks per year with the excitement
of a live performance at B Street. For many children,
this is their only exposure to professional theater.
The Walk in our Shoes Statewide Tour, where we col-
laborate with the California Mental Health Services Au-
thority and public relations agency RSE to reduce stigma
associated with mental illnesses by debunking myths
and educating young people about mental wellness.
The Adult Day Reporting Center, a workshop series that
focuses on developing reading, vocabulary, presen-
tation and performance skills in adults. Participants
are encouraged to take risks and learn new skills in an
environment that is safe and conducive to creativity.
The Summer Acting Program offers students a fun,
exciting and creative environment from profes-
sional instructors active in the fields of theater, and
fosters creativity, confidence and team building.
And last but not least, the conservatory for adults, which
provides aspiring actors of all ages with a positive and
creative atmosphere where they can learn the craft of
acting — from basic technique to the practical aspects of
building a career in the theater.
As we move into our new home and begin a new chapter
for our company, we will always be tied to our roots, our
mission and our community. See you at The Sofia! n
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