South Valley Civic Theatre :
Community Theater Flourishes
F
or those who have kept South Valley Civic Theatre ( SVCT ) flourishing for over 50 years , community theater fosters the best of the arts , bringing together theater lovers on the stage and off to share their diverse talents . Whether in front of an audience or behind the scenes — these artists capture and transport audiences into another world , making a unique magic that changes lives as often as it entertains . As SVCT launches into its most ambitious season ever--with five productions at the Morgan Hill Playhouse and three at Limelight in Gilroy--it continues to strive for delighted audiences with every performance .
SVCT ' s acquisition of Limelight as a second performance venue is exciting in many ways . First , it enables SVCT to again truly be a " South Valley " organization , returning to its roots in Gilroy . Second , it provides the opportunity to expand its theatrical breadth for adults without cutting back on its commitment to performance opportunities for local youth . Limelight ' s first adult comedy of the 2022-2023 season , The Outsider , was a hit , with sold out performances and laughing-outloud audiences . The final two Limelight comedies will be Later Life and Becky ' s New Car .
Meanwhile , at the Morgan Hill Playhouse , the children ' s musical , Honk ! Jr ., based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale , “ The Ugly Duckling ,” opens in October and will be SVCT ' s first children ' s production in three years . The comedy A Christmas Story ( based on humorist Jean Shepherd ’ s memoir of growing up in the midwest in the 1940s ) and Matilda the Musical ( based on the beloved children ' s novel by Roald Dahl ) will delight actors and audience members of all ages . SVCT ' s annual offering for teen actors will be the musical , The Drowsy Chaperone , transporting audiences to the 1920s , the Golden Age of musicals . Finally , for adult audiences , SVCT will mount a production of the dark and challenging Stephen Sondheim musical masterpiece , Sweeny Todd .
For SVCT , aiming for sustained excellence in community theater- -while also juggling nine shows in the new season-- requires successful recruitment and retention of talented actors , directors and staff , including those from the broader Bay Area .
By Elizabeth Mandel
Annalisa Tkacheff , executive director at Silicon Valley Shakespeare , recently performed with SVCT for the first time . She observed that , " Tigers Be Still allowed me to dig deeply into a complex character in a show that is not often done and in a very unique space . Limelight ' s three-quarter thrust stage layout means the actors perform right in the middle of the audience , which is an amazingly intimate way to experience a production ."
Allie Bailey , previously a director and producer with Los Altos Stage Company , is another example of this fresh talent . She directed Limelight ' s A Nice Family Christmas , acted in The Outsider , and will be directing A Christmas Story at the Morgan Hill Playhouse . " The more that I work with Limelight and SVCT , the more that I see the people ( who volunteer their time tirelessly to make both companies thrive ) are truly the beautiful enthusiastic lure that brings me back again ,” Bailey said .
Bailey strongly supports SVCT ' s recruitment efforts , adding , " Individuals outside the immediate community can bring in new perspectives , resources , opportunities , and patrons to help enrich the company . Bringing in a fresh perspective can offer community members that might have been overlooked in the past opportunities to shine both on and off the stage ."
SVCT ' s recent productions of Cabaret and Beauty and the Beast , with new-to-SVCT leads Sarah Duarte ( Sally Bowles ), Vaughn Mayer ( Clifford Bradshaw ), Nicole Yarbrough ( Belle ) and Ken Christopher ( the Beast ), demonstrated the success of this outreach , with sold-out performances and enthusiastic audiences .
SVCT has thrived for over 50 years in part because of this continual infusion of talent and ideas . As SVCT looks ahead , all theater lovers should take heart : you don ' t need to be an actor to get involved with your local , non-profit community theater . Opportunities range from artistic staff , such as directors or choreographers , to project coordination , financial oversight , house management , sewing costumes , painting sets , publicity , backstage help , and more . To learn how you can contribute to the magic that is live theater , go to https :// www . svct . org / volunteer .
To learn more about SVCT ' s 2022-2023 season or to order tickets , go to https :// www . SVCT . org .
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