By Mike Hazlip—
Theatre in the Heights is back after a lengthy intermission of more than a year, due to COVID-19 shutdown orders.
The small community theater resumed live performances last month and is currently showing Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Showings will continue through Aug. 29, on weekends only, Friday-Sunday.
A spokesperson for the theatre did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening. Due to the county’s current health order, attendees and staff are required to wear masks inside the theater, according to a posting on the theatre’s website.
The theater has been running on donations from its loyal fans over the past year, with supporters being thanked on the theater’s social media page for helping the theater stay alive. Donations were also encouraged during the Big Day of Giving earlier this month.
A typical production costs the organization between $3,000 and $5,000 for royalties, set design, props, and costumes, according to theater president Blake Flores. Organizers have set up a donation page for anyone who wants to support the theater.
Tickets for this month’s production are $15. Season tickets are also available through the organization’s website for $100.
Theatre in the Heights is located at 8215 Auburn Blvd., in Citrus Heights. Showtimes and more details can be found at www.theatreintheheights.com.
Theatre in the Heights is located at 8215 Auburn Blvd., in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip—
The stage is set for the only community theater in Citrus Heights to return to live performances this summer.
Theatre in the Heights earlier this month announced plans to reopen after being shuttered more than a year, following COVID-19 shutdown orders. Theater vice president Vanessa Voetch told The Sentinel Thursday of plans to continue the run of Neil Simon’s “The Dinner Party.”
Voetsch said she hopes to have the first live performance June 25, and plans to add three weeks to the performance to run through July 18. No performances will be held July 2, 3, and 4 in observance of the Independence Day holiday, Voetsch said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is widely expected in June to loosen restrictions that have been in place since last year. Voetch said plans are still tentative pending a final decision by state authorities.
“We’re still kind of waiting to see what’s going to be allowed, and what date,” Voetch said. “But so far it’s looking good that we can at least open up at 75% capacity by June 15. We’re not going to be quite ready by then, but I think that’s a good thing because we don’t want to rush it.”
The theater has been running on donations from its loyal fans over the past year, with supporters being thanked on the theater’s social media page for helping the theater stay alive. Donations were also encouraged during the Big Day of Giving earlier this month.
A typical production costs the organization between $3,000 and $5,000 for royalties, set design, props, and costumes, according to theater president Blake Flores. Organizers have set up a donation page for anyone who wants to support the theater.
“We’ve been very blessed with our patrons donations and they’ve been helping a lot,” said Voetsch, who also said she was grateful the theater’s rent was cut in half during the pandemic.
Theatre in the Heights is located at 8215 Auburn Blvd., in Citrus Heights. Showtimes and more information is available at www.theatreintheheights.com.
Theatre in the Heights opened in 2017 at 8215 Auburn Blvd. // CH Sentinel
By Rylie Friesen-– Theatre in the Heights, a small venue for local theatrical performances in Citrus Heights, has been closed since March 17 when coronavirus mitigation efforts led to the statewide closure of businesses deemed non-essential.
With no source of income from ticket sales, the 47-seat theater has struggled to pay rent at its location at 8215 Auburn Blvd., behind Baskin Robbins. But in a newsletter update last week, the theater said rent has been paid the last two months due to donations and residual box office receipts.
“We want to thank those of you who so generously gave donations to help us pay rent for April,” the theater posted on its Facebook page.
Under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-stage plan to reopen the state, the theatre should be allowed to reopen in the third or fourth stage. However, dates for when the state will enter those stages have not been announced, leaving the theater and other businesses still in limbo.
“Currently, we are working on several contingency plans, depending on the various possibilities of re-opening dates and restrictions that might be in place,” the theatre said in its May 7 newsletter.
Phone and email messages left with the theater on Friday were not returned by press time Saturday afternoon.
The theater opened in 2017 when its founders, Blake Flores and Vanessa Voetsch, saw an opportunity to open a community venue where attendees could “see the art of the theater come alive.”
In 2019, the theater performed productions such as Neil Simon’s “God’s Favorite,” and “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery” by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin, Jr.
Additional information about the theater is available at www.theatreintheheights.com, where donations can also be made.
Theatre in the Heights opened on Auburn Boulevard in January 2017. // CH Sentinel
By Hazel Ford–
Citrus Heights residents no longer have to go downtown to see a quality show — as long as they don’t mind the size of the theatre, that is.
Tucked away next to a barber shop in the Aquarium Depot shopping plaza on Auburn Boulevard, a small theater is making a big step to bring entertaining shows to Citrus Heights. The Theatre In The Heights, which opened in January of this year, features a 52-seat auditorium sandwiched between a barber shop and Baskin Robins at 8215 Auburn Blvd.
The tiny theater has already earned 4.9-out-of-5 stars from reviewers on Facebook, with comments highlighting the unique hole-in-the-wall setting and surprising quality of performances. A ticket price of $15 earns an admission at the door, followed by the show and complimentary snacks and beverages included.
The theater is currently performing William Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labor’s Lost,” a romantic comedy set in Navarre in 1594. The King of Navarre and his three lords decide to have three years devoted to study, free of distraction from women. But when the Princess of France and her ladies in waiting arrive, each man unintentionally falls in love. The show stars Jason Markiewitz as King Ferdinand, Vanessa Voetsch as the Princess of France, and Cary Babka as Berowne, among others.
For several of the actors, Love’s Labor’s Lost was their first Shakespearean production, and while the talent was certainly present, there were moments when the dialogue seemed forced. The presentation was simple but appealing, however, and the costumes were well done. Many of the characters were comedic, and each actor clearly had deep passion for their role.
After the current production concludes on Aug. 6, the theatre plans on performing A Thousand Clowns, Blithe Spirit, and The Game’s Afoot, according to a schedule posted on the group’s website. Each play runs for approximately one month, and the cast takes a few weeks off between productions.
President Blake Flores founded The Theatre in the Heights along with Vanessa Voetsch, who is the secretary and treasurer, and also handles publicity. He said that while the theater functions like most community theaters, it is a bit smaller.
“Getting a building is expensive,” Flores said in an interview last week. “Finding a building we could afford is what drove the size.”
He said the small theatre operates as a nonprofit and none of the actors and actresses get paid for their roles. The group holds ongoing auditions to bring in new talent, and the theatre’s Facebook page has regular announcements with casting calls for upcoming shows.
Flores, who has performed as an actor in several prior shows, said he’s admired how appreciative the Citrus Heights community has been towards his theater, with attendees welcoming a chance to “enjoy quality shows without going down town.”
Upcoming performances of “Love’s Labor’s Lost” will be held on Aug. 4-6, with “A Thousand Clowns” beginning on Aug. 26 and continuing through Sept. 17. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theatreintheheights.com.
