MissionThe ACT II Valley Community Theatre’s mission is to build a community theater group which produces cooperative theater experiences for adults. Our goals are to provide excellent cultural and education experiences for participants and audiences and to be worthy contributors to the arts community.
HistoryValley Community Theatre (VCT) began in 2003 in the Santa Ynez Valley to bring together enthusiastic performers in various theatrical productions. Anne Guynn, Frank DeJohn, and George and Laurie Wright had the initial vision and then recruited others to help bring the vision to life.
Since that auspicious spring, VCT produced ten shows including Plaza Suite (Fall 2003), The Dining Room directed by Carey McKinnon (Fall 2004), Steel Magnolias directed by Polly Firestone Walker (Fall 2005), and a number of original Broadway Revues including: “Broadway in Love” (created and directed by Linda Burrows), “Our Favorite Broadway” (created and directed by Kirsten Klitgaard assisted by Linda Burrows), and “Quiet Please, There’s a Lady Onstage” (created and directed by Kirsten Klitgaard assisted by Linda Burrows), and “A Rodgers& Hammerstein Revue” (created and directed by Amy Calvert). During the 2006-2007 season VCT produced “A Rodgers & Hammerstein Revue” created and directed by Amy Calvert in November, Lanford Wilson’s Talley & Son directed by Carey McKinnon in February, Teresa Rebeck’s BAD DATES starring Polly Firestone Walker in March, and the comedy Moon Over Buffalo in May. During the 2007-2008 season VCT presented a special Music Theater Workshop and produced one show, Studs Terkel’s WORKING in April 2008 (directed by Linda Burrows). The actors and the production staff all volunteer their time to produce excellent (though small scale) live theater. We found a wonderful collaborator in this effort in the Santa Ynez Valley Grange and its stewards. When a new production is ready, the VCT family converts the Grange Hall in Los Olivos into a small theater. The intimacy and immediacy of The Grange creates a very special theatrical performance experience for the audiences. Further education and training in theater has been one of VCT’s objectives and to that end VCT coordinates various workshop and training opportunities recruiting theater professionals as teachers. VCT has offered workshops in improvisation, scene study, voice, acting technique, and musical theater performance skills. These workshops are usually housed at The Grange. Other community organizations have supported VCT with rehearsal space and other needs: The Women’s Club, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Bethania Lutheran Church, St. Mark’s Church, and the very talented photographer Mike Mesikep – we are indebted to them all. In addition, the Jones Family has provided invaluable storage and work space for VCT. In 2006-2007 VCT began a series of evening Readers’ Theater play readings hosted at different homes typically on a Friday evening. These are a fun and informal way to enjoy acting. There is a real sense of a growing family about VCT. The Valley has many talented residents and the joy of being part of a creative venture is just plain good for the soul. |