Down to Business

Novato Theater Company Might Leave Novato

Thriving theater group in production since 1919 can't find a spot in city to perform.

A tradition of more than 90 years of community theater in Novato could come to a close if the city's hometown theater troupe wraps up a deal with a San Rafael venue. The Novato Theater Company’s lease for its Playhouse at Pacheco Plaza is set to expire on June 30 and it has been a struggle for the group to find space for public assembly within the city limits, according to Sandi Rubay, president of the board. There are two potential locations that can accommodate the requirements of a minimum of 3,500 square feet of space, a 14-foot high ceiling and zoned for public assembly, Rubay said. But those locations are both in San Rafael. So far, an assembly hall at the St. Vincent’s property in Marinwood is the most likely candidate. It has the …

•  13 Comments
• Photos (4)

Sandi Rubay, President NTC

3:57 pm on Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thanks Tracey for letting the City and everyone know that I have spoken with truly caring people who work for the City. One clarification, Ron Averiette is Chief Building Inspector of Novato, and Tom Adams manages the City owned buildings. I couldn't say enough good things about both of these gentleman and how they have tried to assist NTC in finding a new home in Novato.   more ›

San Marin Singers Jazzed About Novato Theater Renovation

Famed high school music teacher Emily Gates brings her jazz choir to Ghiringhelli Pizzeria for a Novato Theater benefit concert on May 15. Here are a couple of video clips.

•  1 Comment
• Videos (2)

Dunn the Music Man Set for Last Mountain Play Hurrah

Stalwart director preps his biggest cast ever for Sunday’s opening of his final season, the 30th consecutive Mountain Play he’s helmed.

Outdoor theatrical productions of any stripe invite a bevy of potential pitfalls. But when the theater is tucked into a 2,500-foot-high mountain just off the Pacific Ocean, it brings an element that not even the most stalwart director can circumvent. As he helms his 30th consecutive Mountain Play this year with his second stab at The Music Man, director James Dunn knows that all too well. Dunn, who’s wrapping up his legendary Mountain Play run just months before his 80th birthday and one year before the Mountain Play celebrates its centennial, helmed dress rehearsals Sunday at Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre in advance of opening day on Sunday, May 20. But Mother Nature had another idea. The beautiful weather of the week prior gave way to a …

• Photos (8)

Actress Takes Break from Film Work to Appear on Local Stage

Heather Gordon, a Novato native and Harvard grad, plays a familar role for Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma later this month.

Fans of the stage might not get another chance to see Novato-bred actress Heather Gordon perform up close much longer. She's squeezing in an almost-hometown performance between film and TV work mostly because she's been cast in a role she has already mastered. Gordon re-steps into the iconic role of Billie Dawn in the comedy, Born Yesterday, playing at Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma from May 25 to June 10. She originally played the role in a 2006 production presented at the College of Marin. With her recent theater education and training, film experiences and the opportunity to play the role on stage again for family and friends, Gordon says she couldn't resist. Since graduating from Harvard with a masters degree in acting, Gordon has landed…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (4)

Sponsor a Young Performer in Marin Summer Theater

Many of the kids who sign up for the nonprofit troupe can't afford the modest tuition, and now there's an urgent deadline to fund scholarships.

Marin Summer Theater, a four-year-old nonprofit company of high school- and college-age performing artists, is appealing to the public to help cover scholarships for young applicants who don't have the funds to participate. Pat Nims, co-founder and director of the summer theater, said he faces a May 1 deadline to raise $2,500 in order to provide scholarships worth $3,500 to handle all the funding requests. Auditions are completed and MST has selected its company of actors, singers, dancers, musicians and techs for performances that begin in July. The lineup is the musical Spring Awakening (July 5-8 at Novato Theater Company playhouse), The Importance of Being Earnest (July 12-15, San Marin High's Emily Gates Student Center) and the musical…

• Photos (5)

Last Chance: Fall Down Laughing at 'Forum'

Novato Theater Company wraps up its current production this weekend.

You have just a few days remaining to laugh your toga off at the Novato Theater Company's production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The play, which runs through April 29, is the story of a slave who attempts to win his freedom by helping his master woo the girl next door. With magic potions and mistaken identities, the production that took six Tony awards provides fun for all ages. Lots of Novato residents take the stage in this show, including John Conway as Lycus, Will Lamers as Miles Gloriosus, Sarah Nelson as Gemini, Linda Ward as Gymnasia and Rebecca Langford, Jesse McMillin and Robert Nelson as proteans. Inspired by the farces of the ancient playwright Plautus, the title is inspired by the line vaudeville …

• Photos (2)

Can You Belt Out the National Anthem? Pacifics Want You

Calling all singers! The San Rafael Pacifics need your voice this summer.

Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light? Oh say can you belt out a perfectly pitched national anthem? Local Music Vibe is looking for musical talent to perform the anthem for the San Rafael Pacifics' 2012 summer season. The new pro baseball team, which play its games at Albert Park in San Rafael opens its season June 4 and wraps up the regular season Aug. 26. According to their website, performers will receive complimentary tickets to the game and the appearance will be promoted by Local Music Vibe & the San Rafael Pacifics. Solo a capella vocalists are preferred but small groups with very minimal instrumentation will also be considered. To be considered: Create a quick online video (YouTube/Vimeo) or a SoundCloud track (http://…

• Photos (1)

Indulge Your Eyes on MSA March Soiree

Fifteen videos on YouTube showcase talent at Marin School of the Arts.

Want to see what kind of talent we have at Marin School of the Arts? There are 15 videos to watch of the recent MSA March Soiree, which featured all sorts of performing artists who attend the school on the Novato High campus. Go to this link and you can watch them all.

• Photos (1)

In Review: MTC's 'Othello' Has Focus, High Energy

The Moor's tragedy will run through April 22 at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley. Tickets are $34.

Attending a Shakespeare performance in a 200-plus seat theater can be an exceptional experience, given a first-class cast and strong direction. Marin Theatre Company's new production of Othello, which opened last week, scores on all counts, delivering one of Shakespeare's most intense works straight-up and powerful. Director Jasson Minadakis has no tricks up his sleeve, nor does he bow to the relevance issue in his concept. It might be tempting to bring Othello home to his supposedly cheating wife from an outpost in Afghanistan, but Minadakis stages closely to the text and lets everything emerge through the language. The focus is the language, and Othello and Iago in their death struggle are given ample space to dwell upon the poetry so …

• Photos (1)

Drew Gasparini Joins Marin Summer Theater Staff

Performing artist from Novato to serve as musical director for student production of 'Spring Awakening' this July.

Last summer, Broadway actor and Novato native Jim Poulos joined the staff of Marin Summer Theater, providing a special treat for young performing artists. For 2012, the seasonal theater has another surprise in the form of Drew Gasparini, a Novato-bred composer, musician, singer and lyricist. Gasparini, a 2004 San Marin High graduate who has been living in New York the past few years, will join the 2012 MST company as musical director for the production of Spring Awakening, which performs July 5-8 at the Novato Theater Playhouse. Gasparini was active in the local music community throughout his high school career. Inspired by his parents — his mom, Kele, is a music teacher and his dad, George, is a drummer — Drew pursued music as a career …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)
• Videos (3)