American Musical Theatre of San Jose

Last updated
AMTSJ performed at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose. San Jose Center for Performing Arts.jpg
AMTSJ performed at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose.

The American Musical Theatre of San Jose (AMTSJ), previously known as the San Jose Civic Light Opera (SJCLO), was a major professional nonprofit musical theatre company in San Jose, California. Founded in 1934 as the San Jose Light Opera Association, it became the second largest theatre company in the Northern California (exceeded only by the American Conservatory Theater), with an annual budget of $9.8 million and an attendance exceeding 150,000, including 15,000 season ticket holders. The company performed at the 2,677-seat San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. The organization incurred debts after a 2002 agreement to become a receiving house for touring Broadway productions. It closed in December 2008. [1]

Contents

History

The American Musical Theatre of San Jose had been through many name changes:

San Jose Light Opera Association

In 1934, a group of community volunteers formed the San Jose Light Opera Association (SJLOA), performing works by Gilbert and Sullivan. The first production was The Mikado , [2] held at the Victory Theatre on North First Street near Santa Clara Avenue in downtown San Jose, where they would perform for several more years. Shows were later held at Theodore Roosevelt Junior High School Auditorium, the Montgomery Theatre downtown, and then the Santa Clara University Theatre. [3]

For the 1957/1958 season, SJLOA shifted from light opera to musical theatre. (Light opera is light-hearted opera usually with a happy ending; musical theatre can be thought of as a play with singing.) Also, performances were moved to the San Jose Civic Auditorium. The first productions in the new venue were Carousel and Guys and Dolls . [2]

San Jose Music Theatre

In 1972, as the company continued to grow in popularity and success, SJLOA changed its name to San Jose Music Theatre (SJMT), in time for its move into the new San Jose Community Theatre (renamed in 1975 as the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts). To mark the occasion, SJMT hired its first Equity actor, Enzo Stuarti, for its production of South Pacific . Unfortunately, the move to the new venue was delayed when the interior ceiling of the Community Theatre collapsed, closing the building for three years for repairs. [4]

In 1975, SJMT finally debuted at the Center for Performing Arts with Guys and Dolls. That same year, SJMT began to contract much more Equity talent, including stars like Michele Lee, Tommy Tune, JoAnne Worley, Theodore Bikel, and Tyne Daly. [3] The influx of Equity actors forced SJMT to begin a costume shop; before that, actors were responsible for making their own costumes. By 1979 SJMT was providing costumes for the entire cast.

The 1979/1980 season saw a downturn in the company's fortunes. The premiere of City of Broken Promises , based on the book of the same name by Austin Coates, ran so far over budget that SJMT faced bankruptcy. The President of the board resigned, and newly installed President Anthony J. Mercant demanded that each board member donate $500 or resign. The members complied, and this, coupled with a grant from Chevron, averted financial disaster. [3]

San Jose Civic Light Opera

After the 1979/1980 season the board hired Stewart Slater as General Manager, [5] ushering in a new era and another new name: the San Jose Civic Light Opera (SJCLO). In Slater, who had been general manager of American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, the board chose someone from outside the organization and a proven business leader. Within two years of Slater's hiring, SJCLO once again had a balanced budget and began a streak of eight profitable seasons.

When Slater took over, the company relied heavily on star power to draw audiences. The big names were paid for at the expense of production quality; many of the supporting cast were unpaid volunteers. One of Slater's first acts was to end this practice, avoiding costly stars to bolster the quality of the entire production. [6] [7]

In 1984, thanks to a successful season ticket renewal campaign, the CLO had a rare surplus of $40,000 in advance ticket sales, prompting Slater to take an unprecedented risk for the organization. He hired a Chicago arts publicist, Danny Newman, to organize the largest direct mailing campaign ever done by an arts organization, spending the entire surplus. [5] The gamble paid off, with the number of season ticket subscribers increasing by 10,000 within two years. [6]

The Slater era saw steady growth in the company's reputation and attendance. Performances such as the critically acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar in the 1989/1990 season and the widely successful restaging of Chess in 1991/1992 were considered notable achievements by Dianna Shuster, whom Slater had promoted to Artistic Director in 1985. [8]

American Musical Theatre of San Jose

In 1995, the theatre changed its name yet again, this time to American Musical Theatre of San Jose, to commemorate its 60th anniversary. [9]

In February 2002, AMTSJ announced an agreement with the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest operators of live theatre and music in the United States, allowing AMTSJ to present touring Broadway shows in the same season with locally produced shows. The move ended a 67-year era of exclusive locally produced works and led to the departure of artistic director Dianna Shuster. [10] [11]

Following the Nederlander agreement, single-ticket sales, subscriptions, and donations all plummeted, leading to a loss at least $2 million over two years, [12] and to the departure of Slater after 24 years as executive producer. [13] Michael Miller, the new executive producer, blamed the downturn on the community disconnect caused when the Nederlander agreement displaced local talent and on the struggling Silicon Valley economy. [14]

Upon his arrival from Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, the AMTSJ alumnus Miller launched a program to boost revenues with flexible ticket package offerings, extensive marketing, and aggressive fundraising. [14] The plan paid off almost immediately, with AMTSJ showing over $500,000 of positive revenue for 2005, cutting debt by one third. [15]

Bankruptcy and liquidation

On November 26, 2008, AMTSJ laid off all of its employees. The following week, it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ended operations. [1] Executive producer Michael Miller announced that the sudden failure was due to a $1.7 million loss on an adaptation of Disney's musical Tarzan in partnership with Theater of the Stars in Atlanta. Miller called legal action against Theater of the Stars "likely" and claimed that money given to Theater of the Stars by AMTSJ for Tarzan was diverted for other purposes. [16] [17] Company assets were auctioned the last week of February 2009.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opera San José</span> Opera company in San Jose, California

Opera San José is an American opera company founded in 1984 by Irene Dalis (1925-2014) based in San Jose, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Repertory Theatre</span>

The San Jose Repertory Theatre was the first resident professional theatre company in San Jose, California. It was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber. In 2008, after the demise of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the San Jose Rep became the largest non-profit, professional theatre company in the South Bay with an annual operating budget of $5 million. In 2006, it was saved from impending insolvency by a $2 million bailout loan from the city of San Jose; this was later restructured into a long-term loan similar to a mortgage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curran Theatre</span>

The Curran Theatre, located at 445 Geary Street between Taylor and Mason Streets in the Theatre District of San Francisco, California opened in February 1922, and was named after its first owner, Homer Curran. As of 2014, the theater is owned by Carole Shorenstein Hays.

Skylight Music Theatre, known until January 2012 as Skylight Opera Theatre, is a professional light opera and musical theatre company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1959, Skylight performs in the 358-seat Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee. Offering a broad spectrum of works, including Gilbert and Sullivan and other light opera, small-scale operas and musicals, the company is known for its all-English repertoire.

<i>Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera</i> Nonprofit professional theater company in Pennsylvania, USA

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Despite its name, the organization presents musical theatre classics rather than opera. Its productions draw more than 200,000 patrons each year and its annual budget is nearly $10 million.

Broadway by the Bay, is a community-based musical theatre company located in the San Francisco Bay Area and performing in Redwood City. It also provides a "Theatre Arts Academy" offering performing arts experiences to local children. After beginning in with productions of three annual Gilbert and Sullivan productions, the company shifted its focus to modern musicals in 1966. Since then, it has produced musicals continuously in San Mateo County. In 1983, the group changed its name to Peninsula Civic Light Opera, and again in 1999, to Broadway by the Bay.

The Nederlander Organization, founded in 1912 by David T. Nederlander in Detroit, and currently based in New York City, is one of the largest operators of live theaters and music venues in the United States. Its first acquisition was a lease on the Detroit Opera House in 1912. The building was demolished in 1928. It later operated the Shubert Lafayette Theatre until its demolition in 1964 and the Riviera Theatre, both in Detroit. Since then, the organization has grown to include nine Broadway theaters, making it the second-largest owner of Broadway theaters after the Shubert Organization, and a number of theaters across the United States, including five large theaters in Chicago, plus three West End theatres in London.

Lamplighters Music Theatre is a semi-professional musical theatre company based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1952 by Orva Hoskinson and Ann Pool MacNab, the Lamplighters specialize in light opera, particularly the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as such works as The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, Of Thee I Sing, My Fair Lady, Candide, and A Little Night Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacquelynne Fontaine</span> American opera singer

Jacquelynne Noelle Fontaine is an American opera singer, actress, and beauty pageant titleholder. She held the title of Miss California 2006, finished in the top 10 and won a preliminary talent award at Miss America in 2007. She is known for her performance as Carlotta Giudicelli in the adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Academy of Music.

Kooman and Dimond are Emmy nominated songwriters for the stage and screen.* Their television work includes the Disney Junior series Vampirina and the Netflix series Ridley Jones.* Their stage musicals include Romantics Anonymous, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, Dani Girl, Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court, and Orphie & The Book of Heroes. They are also known for their cabaret material ; and their album Out of Our Heads, released in 2011.

Michael Kooman is an Emmy nominated composer writing for the stage and screen. His television work includes songs on the Disney Junior animated series, Vampirina and the Netflix series Ridley Jones.* He is most known for his musical Romantics Anonymous, which premiered in 2017 at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. He is half of the writing team of Kooman and Dimond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony Silicon Valley</span>

Symphony Silicon Valley is the professional symphony orchestra of San Jose and the South Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 2002 following the demise of the San Jose Symphony, the orchestra debuted to rave reviews and standing ovations on November 23, 2002 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Started initially by Ballet San Jose as a way to keep their core musicians employed and in town after the closure of the San Jose Symphony, the orchestra was so successful that it was spun off as its own separate nonprofit organization after the first year.

BroadwaySF is a commercial theatrical production company in San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Playhouse</span> Non-profit theater company in California, U.S.

San Francisco Playhouse is a non-profit theater company in San Francisco, California, founded in 2003 by Bill English and Susi Damilano. The theater stages nine plays yearly, including Broadway plays, musicals, and world and regional premieres.

Rick Lombardo is a prolific and award-winning American theatre director, playwright and adaptor. He is the former producing artistic director of San Jose Repertory Theatre, and the former Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, Massachusetts. Lombardo is currently the artistic director of Penn State Center Stage, and the director of the School of Theatre at Penn State University and the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture.

The Cinnabar Theater, located in Petaluma, California, is a professional non-profit theater producing opera and musical theatre, drama and a chamber music series in a 120-seat venue, under the auspices of the Cinnabar Arts Corporation. The venue is also home to the Young Repertory Theater, the longest running and largest youth performing arts program in Sonoma County. The company's Music Director is Mary Chun.

Jason Jurman was an American film, television and theater actor. He was best known for his starring role in the 2007 film Cougar Club, opposite Warren Kole, Joe Mantegna, Faye Dunaway, and Carrie Fisher. His television credits included roles in The Bedford Diaries, Blue Bloods, and Law & Order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haddon Kime</span> American film composer

Haddon Kime is an American theatre and film composer, lyricist, sound designer, and director. Early in his career, Kime frequent collaborated in the theatre scenes of Boston and New York City writing music and sound designs for plays and musicals produced by New Repertory Theatre, Boston Playwrights Theatre, Gloucester Stage and Speakeasy Stage among others. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, and is credited with inventing the zoomsical during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.

Joseph Zachary Nederlander was an American theater owner and operator who served as the executive vice president of the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest live theater owners and producers in the United States.

Craig Bohmler is an American composer who specializes in opera and musical theater. His musicals include Gunmetal Blues (1991), which has had well over 100 professional productions; Enter the Guardsman (1997), which won the international Musical of the Year award and received an Olivier Award nomination; and Mountain Days (2000), celebrating the life of John Muir. His operas include Riders of the Purple Sage (2017), an adaptation of Zane Grey's book of the same title which was broadcast nationwide in November 2017 and internationally in 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 Quillen, Shay. "American Musical Theatre of San Jose closes down", San Jose Mercury News , December 1, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "AMTSJ Mission Statement and History". www.amtsj.org. American Musical Theatre of San Jose. Archived from the original on 3 November 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 "History of AMTSJ", American Musical Theatre of San Jose.
  4. ↑ "Center for Performing Arts Waits in Wings for Renovations", San Jose Mercury News , March 25, 2000.
  5. 1 2 Green, Judith. "The Secret of CLO's Success: Stewart Slater Lifted a Community Theater from Desperation to State-of-the-Arts", San Jose Mercury News , October 20, 1991.
  6. 1 2 Green, Judith. "San Jose: Culture at the Crossroads", San Jose Mercury News , December 28, 1986.
  7. ↑ Frymer, Murry. "San Jose CLO's 55th Season is Music to Pair's Ears", San Jose Mercury News , November 5, 1989.
  8. ↑ Frymer, Murry. "Women in the Spotlight — Shuster: Her Struggle to be a Director is Paying off at San Jose CLO", San Jose Mercury News , January 22, 1988.
  9. ↑ "CLO Changes Name on 60th Anniversary", San Jose Mercury News , March 11, 1995.
  10. ↑ McCollum, Charlie. "Silicon Valley Groups Paint Bleak Picture of State of the Arts", San Jose Mercury News , August 24, 2002.
  11. ↑ Winn, Steven. "Crucial Moves in Axis of Bay Area's Theater World", San Francisco Chronicle , August 24, 2002.
  12. ↑ D'Souza, Karen. "Theater Group Posts Loss for Second Straight Season-Ticket Sales, Donations Slump for American Musical Theatre", San Jose Mercury News , August 4, 2004.
  13. ↑ D'Souza, Karen. "What Led to Parting of Ways of AMT Board, Former Boss", San Jose Mercury News , August 8, 2004.
  14. 1 2 D'Souza, Karen. "New Executive Aims to Get AMT Back in the Black — To Reverse a Dramatic Two-Year Downturn, Michael Miller Wants More Local Productions", San Jose Mercury News , August 8, 2004.
  15. ↑ D'Souza, Karen. "Musical Theatre Posts Surplus, Stirring Hope for Rebound — Belt-Tightening, Marketing Changes Credited", San Jose Mercury News , September 12, 2005
  16. ↑ Weselby, Cathy. "San Jose's American Musical Theatre shuts down", Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, December 1, 2008.
  17. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Theater of the Stars Indefinitely Postpones Tarzan; Works to Repay Advanced Funds". Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.