California Musical Theatre
Encyclopedia
California Musical Theatre is the largest nonprofit arts organization ( primarily producing musical theatre
) in the state of California
and the city of Sacramento
's oldest professional performing arts
organization. Its summer stock theatre, Music Circus
, has been producing Broadway
-style musicals since 1951.
In 2002 Music Circus produced its last season under a traditional canvas circus tent. The following year California Musical Theatre opened the Wells Fargo Pavilion
. Built over the original concrete tent foundations, the new facility was designed to emulate a circus tent to continue the Music Circus tradition of a canvas big top. The enclosed, permanent architecture of the arena theatre is covered by an insulated space-age fabric.
In 1949 the original Music Circus began its operations in a vacant field in Lambertville, New Jersey. Begun by St. John Terrell as a summer stock theatre
hybrid, mixing musical theatre within a circus tent, the new musical theatre performed in the round. The unique experience gained popularity through the 1950s and 1960s. Theatres copied the format and name, eventually spawning similar Music Circus theatres along the East Coast
as far south as Miami.
In California, producers Russell Lewis and Howard Young began scouting a location to build their theater and were lured to Sacramento by Sacramento Bee president Eleanor McClatchy. The theatre opened with a production of Show Boat, the same show which opened the original Lambertville theatre as well as the North Shore Music Theatre
. In 1951 the Sacramento Music Circus tent went up for the first time under the operations of what was originally known as the Sacramento Light Opera Association. McClatchy had been a patron of the Sacramento Civic Theatre (now known as Sacramento Theatre Company
). Its facility had a large parking area that would be the home to the original Music Circus tent.
In 2008 a controversy erupted nationwide when its then artistic director resigned over the revelation of his personal donation of $1000 to a political campaign to support California proposition 8
. The proposition, which would amend the state constitution to limit marriage between a man and woman passed and donor information became public. A number of Broadway artists who had previously worked with the director became critical and called for a boycott of the theatre by all gay artists and performers.
. Today it is now one of only a few professional theatres producing musicals in an arena setting.
, The Phantom of the Opera
, Chicago
and The Producers
. California Musical Theatre is a founding member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and Executive Producer Richard Lewis is a member of the League of American Theatres and Producers.
, the union for professional actors and stage managers in the United States; the theatrical trade union IATSE; the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; and the American Federation of Musicians
. During the summer Music Circus season, crews are augmented with student interns and community volunteers.
Many notable Broadway, performers and designers have worked with CMT throughout the years. Music Circus has been the start for a number of actors, singers, musicians, designers and administrators that have become well known throughout the national theatrical community and mainstream America through the music and television industries.
the minimal amount to be a listed donor. On November 10, gay artists called for a boycott of the theatre. On November 11, the Artistic Director issued an apology on the online site Playbill and made a similar donation to the Human Rights Campaign
. On November 12, he resigned from California Musical Theatre. Executive producer Richard Lewis stated that the director was not forced to resign but did so of his own accord. Lewis stated "Any political action or the opinion of Scott Eckern is not shared by California Musical Theatre. We have a long history of appreciation for the LGBT community and are truly grateful for their longstanding support."
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
) in the state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the city of Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
's oldest professional performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
organization. Its summer stock theatre, Music Circus
Music circus
Music circus is an American theatrical form begun in Lambertville, New Jersey, by St. John Terrell in 1949. Established as summer stock, the new theatre venues primarily housed light operas and operettas, produced in the round, under a circus-style big top....
, has been producing Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
-style musicals since 1951.
In 2002 Music Circus produced its last season under a traditional canvas circus tent. The following year California Musical Theatre opened the Wells Fargo Pavilion
Wells Fargo Pavilion
The Wells Fargo Pavilion is a theatre venue, located in Sacramento California and owned by California Musical Theatre & Sacramento Theatre Company.- Overview :...
. Built over the original concrete tent foundations, the new facility was designed to emulate a circus tent to continue the Music Circus tradition of a canvas big top. The enclosed, permanent architecture of the arena theatre is covered by an insulated space-age fabric.
History
Summer stock theatre
Summer stock theatre is any theatre that presents stage productions only in the summer within the United States. The name combines both the seasonal time of year with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes...
hybrid, mixing musical theatre within a circus tent, the new musical theatre performed in the round. The unique experience gained popularity through the 1950s and 1960s. Theatres copied the format and name, eventually spawning similar Music Circus theatres along the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
as far south as Miami.
In California, producers Russell Lewis and Howard Young began scouting a location to build their theater and were lured to Sacramento by Sacramento Bee president Eleanor McClatchy. The theatre opened with a production of Show Boat, the same show which opened the original Lambertville theatre as well as the North Shore Music Theatre
North Shore Music Theatre
North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States.-History:...
. In 1951 the Sacramento Music Circus tent went up for the first time under the operations of what was originally known as the Sacramento Light Opera Association. McClatchy had been a patron of the Sacramento Civic Theatre (now known as Sacramento Theatre Company
Sacramento Theatre Company
The Sacramento Theatre Company is a Regional Professional Theatre in the Northern California city of Sacramento.- History :The theater was originally formed as the Sacramento Civic Repertory Theatre in 1942, an ad hoc troupe formed to entertain locally stationed troops during World War II.Realizing...
). Its facility had a large parking area that would be the home to the original Music Circus tent.
In 2008 a controversy erupted nationwide when its then artistic director resigned over the revelation of his personal donation of $1000 to a political campaign to support California proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
. The proposition, which would amend the state constitution to limit marriage between a man and woman passed and donor information became public. A number of Broadway artists who had previously worked with the director became critical and called for a boycott of the theatre by all gay artists and performers.
Music Circus
From 1951 to 1989 the summer Music Circus program was the only season produced by the Sacramento Light Opera Association. Most of those years under the direction of Lewis and Young. Its summer stock performances have been located in nearly the same location since is conception. Actors, directors and designers from all across the country travel to Sacramento to build productions entirely original. The current executive producer, Richard Lewis, is the son of the original producer Russell Lewis. Sacramento Music Circus was once one of many summer stock musical theatres performing in the roundTheatre in the round
Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area...
. Today it is now one of only a few professional theatres producing musicals in an arena setting.
Broadway Sacramento
Originally known as the Music Circus Winter Season and later as The Broadway Series, these shows are performed during Music Circus' "off season". Generally, these are touring productions of current musicals performed at the Community Center Theatre. Starting in 1989, the series of shows has included The Unsinkable Molly BrownThe Unsinkable Molly Brown (musical)
The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a musical with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and book by Richard Morris. The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and her wealthy miner-husband....
, The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
, Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
and The Producers
The Producers (musical)
The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics written by Brooks and music composed by Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich...
. California Musical Theatre is a founding member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and Executive Producer Richard Lewis is a member of the League of American Theatres and Producers.
Cast, crew and behind the scenes
California Musical Theatre employees operates under contracts with Actors' Equity AssociationActors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
, the union for professional actors and stage managers in the United States; the theatrical trade union IATSE; the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; and the American Federation of Musicians
American Federation of Musicians
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is a labor union of professional musicians in the United States and Canada...
. During the summer Music Circus season, crews are augmented with student interns and community volunteers.
Many notable Broadway, performers and designers have worked with CMT throughout the years. Music Circus has been the start for a number of actors, singers, musicians, designers and administrators that have become well known throughout the national theatrical community and mainstream America through the music and television industries.
Controversy
In November of 2008, information that became publicly available, showed that the then Artistic Director had donated to the "Yes on 8" campaignCalifornia Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
the minimal amount to be a listed donor. On November 10, gay artists called for a boycott of the theatre. On November 11, the Artistic Director issued an apology on the online site Playbill and made a similar donation to the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
. On November 12, he resigned from California Musical Theatre. Executive producer Richard Lewis stated that the director was not forced to resign but did so of his own accord. Lewis stated "Any political action or the opinion of Scott Eckern is not shared by California Musical Theatre. We have a long history of appreciation for the LGBT community and are truly grateful for their longstanding support."