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To Play or Not to Play - Theatre Bay Area

Given the competition inherent in the world of theatre-making, more often than not, actors are grateful just to be working. But is simply working enough to further an actor’s career goals, or are there times when turning down a production might be the best choice? In cases where abuse or value conflicts are present, the answer is easy. 

 
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Critical Discourse - The Role of the Theatre Critic - Theatre Bay Area

"Critics are commonly spoken of as if they were a race apart—like numismatists, taxonomists or hangmen," says Irving Wardle in his book Theatre Criticism. "Everyone, certainly every theatre-goer, is to some extent a critic. Some speak their opinions, some publish them; some pass through criticism and create material for the rest of us to criticize. The better we do it, the greater our chance of turning a transient pleasure into a permanent possession."

 
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Navigating Rejection - Theatre Bay Area

"Anybody with brains in this business knows rejection is going to be a big part of it," says Marco Barricelli, artistic director for Shakespeare Santa Cruz and longtime actor. "It shouldn't be a surprise when it happens." Truer words were never uttered. And yet, no matter how readily we as actors accept this fact, that moment of rejection still bruises--slightly for some, more heavily for others, depending on their approach to dealing with it.

 
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Putting the Age Back in Stage: Senior Theatre Companies Around the Bay - Theatre Bay Area

Last year my son and I were invited to perform in a holiday revue with a local group of singers and dancers, most of whom would qualify as seniors. There were young children and families in the show as well, but the bulk of the performers were from a generation I’ve now learned is termed the “Golden Boomers”—those folks born at the front end of the Baby Boomer generation who comprise more and more of the general population.

 
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The Rise of the Retro Dome - Theatre Bay Area

The last few years has seen a swath of news coverage on theatre closures in the Bay Area and around the nation. But amid all the rubble, there are glimmers of light—theatre companies opening in the direst of economies and surviving. One such theatre is the Retro Dome in San Jose, which opened its doors in September of 2009.

 
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Company Spotlight - Young Actors' Theatre Camp - Theatre Bay Area

"Imagine a camp where you have 150 best friends and everyone is an artist just like you. That's Young Actors' Theatre Camp," says camp director and co-founder Shawn Ryan. With a mission ‘to discover and develop the artist within,' YATC prides itself on creating a supportive environment to bring out the artist in kids who might otherwise see themselves as the "freaks and geeks" of their schools.