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Sierra Classic Theatre and Mammoth Lakes Arts Center: For the love of all things theatrical |
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Saturday, 15 September 2007 |
By Stacey Powells
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
During the last few years, the arts in Mammoth Lakes have been bursting with a variety of entertainment ranging from popular musical artists invading our area and blessing our ears with their songs to top-of-the-line television and movie actors honing their craft in front of high altitude audiences. Theater in the community has been no exception. The demand for regular productions is being met. Sierra Classic Theatre has been around for almost a decade and now Shira Dubrovner has brought her love of theater and the arts to the community by founding the Mammoth Lakes Arts Center (MLAC). She has put her own money where her mouth is, and the MLAC recently completed its second full production by partnering up with SCT for As You Like It.
Now with two theatrical entities in town, some members of the community have been a bit confused about the roles of each. I had a chance to sit down with both Shira Dubrovner and SCT's president, or "Queen," Stacy Corless to get the 411 on the present and future relationship between the two entities and what the community can look forward to from both MLAC and SCT.
MT: First let's define both organizations.
Stacy Corless: The Sierra Classic Theatre has been around for nine years and produces classic plays and some newer works as well.
Shira Dubrovner: Mammoth Lakes Arts Center is a venue for all kinds of productions. As Artistic Director it's my job to see that we have productions all year round. I need to fill the venue in order to keep this place running.
MT: So you are two separate entities.
SC: Yes.
SD: Absolutely.
MT: How did the co-production come about?
SC: SCT picks its productions ahead of time. We knew we were going to be doing As You Like It, and needed a director and a space.
SD: MLAC rented the space to SCT for the production.
MT: Then how did you end up directing the play, Shira?
SD: Well first I said, “Does it have to be Shakespeare?”
SC: And I said, “Yes, it has to be Shakespeare.”
SD: I was a bit skeptical.
SC: You weren't the only one.
MT: As You Like It was a great success. Does this now mean that SCT has a regular place to perform?
SC: Success has a lot to do with the venue.
SD: It's a real theater so now SCT can rent the space and won't have to go to several different venues.
MT: MLAC has to fill up venue space so all productions at the venue won't be SCT.
SD: No. We will have our own productions as well. It's just like if you are going to the movie theaters down in the city. A big venue with lots of different movies playing at the same time in the same place. MLAC is the venue for Mammoth. It will be used for all types of arts—performing, visual...anyone can rent the space.
MT: And SCT?
SC: We will be having a membership meeting mid-September and everyone is invited to see what we are all about, and we will be announcing auditions for the Murder Mystery.
MT: Shira, you just held auditions for Dracula. How did you decide whom to cast?
SD: First and foremost, I want people from the community to audition. I need to create the best production possible and cast as closely to the character as possible. If there isn't anyone in the community who fits the role, then I might cast from outside the community.
MT: I'm from a theater background myself (mostly backstage) and in every production I was involved with the director cast the role to fit the character, no matter what.
SD: That's usually how it's done but we want to use people from the community as much as possible.
SC: And there are so many facets that go into putting together a production. We need sets created, lighting design, sound, costumes, stage hands...it takes many people to make it all work so there are a number of ways to be involved in local theater.
SD: Everyone has a great time and you meet wonderful people.
MT: How did this recent production work out between SCT and MLAC?
SD: The collaboration between SCT and MLAC has been in the true sense of the word extremely supportive. SCT was the first in town to embrace MLAC to make it work and MLAC will be there to support SCT. This community is about supporting each other.
SC: Shira took a huge risk in coming here to do what she's doing and is still taking that risk. We need to support MLAC. We need to all get involved to make it work for all of us.
SD: SCT said they wanted to support what I was doing and they did.
MT: What can the community look forward to in terms of more entertainment?
SD: We have Dracula coming in October and I'm negotiating for a Christmas show and in January I'm hoping to bring in the musical I Love You You're Perfect, Now Change with a few television actors coming up from Los Angeles. Also the Troubadour Theater Company might come up and SCT will be doing their spring play at MLAC.
SC: The murder mystery is coming up and we will be auditioning for the Spring production in February.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 21 September 2007 )
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