Sacramento Theatre: A Small Community of Playwrights, Actors, and Other Performing Artists

People that have lived here a long time will often say that Sacramento's dead. That there is no culture to be found in Sacramento. That isn't exactly true. It's just that in comparison to San Francisco or Los Angeles the scene is Sacramento is small and tightly knit.

As a writer I've always wanted to try out different types of writing, including plays. So, I spent the better part of the last two years exploring the theatre scene in Sacramento. And this is what I found.

To start off with, yes, there is performing arts scene in Sacramento. Like I said, it's small but it exists. And there are active groups that support this scene. The problem is that you really have to work to find out about those groups.

There are two organizations in Sacramento, SARTA and The League of Sacramento Theatres, that are meant to promote the theatre scene in Sacramento. These organizations provide some information on the Sacramento theatre scene but that information is not comprehensive. Both SARTA and The League only put up information for theatres that pay membership dues.

In the greater Sacramento area there are over thirty active theatres. That includes college theatres and local production companies. There are more opportunities for actors than playwrights, with about eighteen schools that offer acting classes but only two playwrighting workshops and one playwrighting class.

The oddest thing about the theatre scene in Sacramento is the segmentation of age groups. The younger crowd sticks mostly to the colleges. While the independently run theatres and production companies tend to attract an older crowd, leaning towards retirement age.

Here are links to all the organizations that had active programs during 2008:

ACTING CLASSES

American River College, Theatre Arts Department

Consumnes River College, River Stage, Next Stage

CSUS, Sacramento, Dept. of Theatre & Dance, Playwrights Theatre

Folsom Lake College, Falcon's Eye Theatre

Sacramento City College, City Theatre, Art Court Theatre

Actors Workshop

Allen Schmeltz Productions

Mosaic Acting Theatre Ensemble

River City Theatre Company

SacActors.Com

PLAYWRIGHTING WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, AND FESTIVALS

Playwrights Collaborative, a playwrights workshop.

Thistle Dew Dessert Theatre, a playwrights workshop.

Sacramento City College, TA 395 Playwriting

Sacramento City College, Local Playwrights Festival

Sacramento City College, 29 1/2 Hour Playwriting Festival

Cosumnes River College, Playwright's Festival of New Works

Capitol Stage, Playwrights Revolution

Lambda Players, Best Lesbian Themed Play

The above information should give anyone interested in being a part of the Sacramento theatre scene a good start. I recommend the program offered at Sacramento City College highly. I also recommend the Playwrights Collaborative if your looking to write your first play.

So, despite what you may have heard, there is some culture in Sacramento. And some ways that you can involved, too.