Magic Theatre Update

Thanks to everyone who read my post about saving the Magic Theatre. The Magic Theatre's donation drive was a smashing success, hopefully in part because of the awareness fostered by the huge outpouring of media coverage and calls for donations that spread through the online world. The theatre raised far more than their $213,000 goal. The total numbers were close to $455,000. Pretty impressive considering the tough times. I'm so happy that the Magic Theatre has weathered the storm. Really, a big thank you to everyone who donated.

Still, there's plenty of dark clouds on the horizon for hundreds of small regional theaters across the country. Many have closed their doors or will be closing soon, and cutbacks have been very severe. I know I'm not the only one who sorely misses American Musical Theatre of San Jose. Perhaps in the future we can mimic the the same kind of banding together that the community displayed to help the Magic. I'm sure we can pool enough resources to keep theatre doors open! 

Here are some words from The Stanger's Slog section regarding Magic's rescue--

The Magic Theatre's emergency fundraising drive was a success, raising $455,000--counting a $100,000 matching grant that put the company well over its $350,000 goal--"from about 1,100 donors in something like 23 states," Board of Trustees President Missy Kirchner said in a Friday conference call with Artistic Director Loretta Greco. "We're still counting," she added. "Donations are still coming in."

That's good news indeed--I can't wait to see what the new season has in store.

Goodbye to The American Musical Theatre of San Jose

It is very sad for me to see a theatre close, especially when it's one that has been a part of my life. In the case of The American Musical Theatre of San Jose, we're losing a landmark that has been a part of San Jose life since 1935. The theatre has been a cultural icon of Silicon Valley since before the tech boom--it started way back when Silicon Valley was little more than a collection of orchards with a struggling community in the middle. What does it mean when a city lets go of something this defining? Something so integral to its identity?

AMT started as CLO (Civic Light Opera), and then it evolved into the San Jose Musical Theatre. It wasn't known as the American Musical theatre until 1995, when the theatre celebrated its 60th anniversary. Originally it was a strictly local company, but began hiring big stars to bring in a wider audience during the 80's. In the early 90's I saw Sally Struthers play Miss Hannigan in a wonderful production of "Annie", which also starred a bevy of local children (many of whom were friends with my sons) playing the adorable orphans. This theatre was the area's major employer of the abundant local musical theatre talent.

In 2002, AMT changed from a local theatre company to a national tour company. Instead of mounting local productions, must of the musicals were national tours of Broadway shows. Many local theatre people and audience members (myself included), were angry, but the theare felt it could get a wider audience by changing the model.

Unfortunately they were wrong, and when they faced a financial disaster in trying to mount a tour of Disney's Tarzan, AMT had to close. I am very sorry for the theatre and the community. I can only hope that maybe this will leave an opening for another local, professional musical theatre company to emerge again.