Heartbreaking news about the Rep in Sebastopol

[frogboy]

I received sad news in an email yesterday. Sonoma County Repertory Theatre will close its doors in February. I have had the great pleasure of working there on many, many shows, acting and directing the Theatre for Young Audiences program for several years.

This is tragic for the community imho. The loss of a major cultural institution in a small community is huge.

[Barry]

Sonoma County Repertory to close Sebastopol theater
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/articl...10119841?tc=ar

After more than 17 years, Main Street stage goes dark after Feb. 20 show

By DAN TAYLOR
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 2:08 p.m.

Sonoma County Repertory Theater, known to its fans as The Rep, announced today that it will shut down its theater on Main Street in Sebastopol after more than 17 years.

Sonoma County Repertory Theater producing artistic
director Scott Phillips and artistic director Jennifer King.
CHARLIE GESELL/ PD FILE, 2008

The theater will close after the Feb. 20 performance of its current production, ‘Cyrano.'

“The economic downturn has taken a huge toll on the Rep's finances,” said Denis Quinlan, chairman of the Rep's board of directors, in a statement.

The theater was founded under the name Main Street Theater in 1993, by director Jim de Priest and actors Shad Willingham and Eric Cook, in an old corner drugstore building.

At Ives Park nearby, they also started the annual Sebastopol Shakespeare Festival. Despite the closure of the theater, the Sebastopol Shakespeare Festival will continue in the park under the leadership of the Rep's former artistic and executive director Jennifer King. The 2011 summer production will be "Much Ado About Nothing."

In 1995, Main Street Theater became the Sonoma County Repertory Theater, when it opened a second location in downtown Santa Rosa, which it maintained until 2000.

The company's current artistic director is Scott Phillips, who came there as an associate artist in 1995.

"Although ticket sales have remained strong, those revenues provide less than half of the funds the Rep needs in order to continue its mission of producing classic and contemporary plays, as well as providing education and engagement programs in the community," Phillips said.

The 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa has agreed to honor tickets purchased by the Rep's 2011 season subscribers at selected 6th Street productions, Quinlan said.

The Sonoma County Repertory Theater will continue as a nonprofit organization, and will shift its mission and focus to supporting theater arts and education in the west Sonoma County area.

[Richard Nichols]

Really sad to see it go. I've seen Jennifer and Scott in action many times and have always been impressed with their high level of dedication and professionalism. Translation: fine actors, directors.

Is there any chance the theatre could stay open with more community volunteer actors, tech people?