B Street Theatre's Michael Pollock Celebrates His 50th School Tour Season

B Street Theatre Company Member Michael Pollock began rehearsal for his 50th B Street Theatre School Tour on January 2, 2017. History Extravaganza III, a play adapted from student play submissions, will mark Michael's 50th tour and almost 17 years working as an actor at B Street Theatre. While many of our patrons recognize the B Street Company Members who appear on our resident stages, Michael's work has been seen by countless students throughout Northern California and the Bay Area.

Michael began working as an actor for the B Street Theatre School Tour in the Fall of 2000 when he performed in Folktales from Around the World directed by Company Member John P. Lamb. Since that time, Michael has worked on 49 World Premiere tours written by B Street Staff Artists and while he loves his work, the job isn't always easy or glamorous. Michael sees call times before 6:00am, long days on the road in rain or shine and countless unloading and reloading of sets, props and costumes.

Says Producing Artistic Director Buck Busfield: "The tour is the foundation of B Street Theatre and is vital in supporting the mission of the organization. Michael's experience and dedication to the tour is unparalleled. He is the perfect person to represent the company as we travel to schools throughout the region."

Over the past 16 years, Michael's work has been seen by over 1.5 million students. He has delivered over 4,500 performances in more than 3,000 venues that range from schools to hospitals and community centers. Needles to say, students across the region are used to seeing his talent on stage and are drawn to the passion he brings to his work.

About Michael (Mikey) Pollock: Michael performed his first role in 5th grade when he played John Adams in a scene from 1776. He went on to study drama and band at Mitchell Junior High School and Cordova High School where he played Doody in Grease and Prince Dauntless in Once Upon a Mattress. He studied acting at Sacramento City College where he played Jamie in Hot L Baltimore, Officer Klein in Arsenic and Old Lace, Stanley in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Eugene in Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound. He performed and wrote in the Pennywhistle Players, a touring acting class, for eight semesters. Michael wrote Mr. Toad's Christmas Carol and The Rapunzel Project for Storytime Theater and participated for twelve years in the 291/2 hour Playwrights Festival at Sacramento City College. He graduated from California State University Sacramento with a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. Michael began touring for the B Street School Tour in September of 2000 and has performed for fifty tours over the last seventeen years. In addition to his work on the tour, he was the sound board operator for B Street Mainstage and the Assistant Stage Manager for The Ladies Foursome. Through some mathematical formulas it is estimated that he has performed for over 1.5 million students.

More about B Street Theatre: B Street Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre company producing primarily new work for adults, families and children. The two-theatre playhouse on B Street in Midtown Sacramento is home to the Mainstage Series, B3 Series and Family Series, each created to feature intimate, quality theatre for audiences year-round. Recognized as one of the nation's top professional theatres, B Street Theatre has produced more than 100 new plays, 60 of which are world, national, West Coast or regional premieres.

B Street Theatre was originally founded in 1986 for the purpose of bringing the excitement of live performance to children through the B Street Theatre School Tour. This educational outreach program serves over 200,000 students in Northern California annually.

B Street Theatre programs include the Mainstage Series, B Street Theatre Family Series and Family Series Student Matinees (for school field trips), the B3 Series, B Street School Tours, Sketch Comedy, B Street Acting Conservatory and Studio for Young People, and the B Street Theatre Internship program for pre-professional and post-college training.

In 2014, B Street brought its most popular play ever, Around the World in 80 Days, to India. The original cast performed in 3 Indian cities, furthering the organization's mission by bringing high quality theatre to an international audience, while also raising money for Indian educational enrichment and schools and partnering with an overseas performing arts center with the hope of future international collaboration.

Street Theatre has produced over 250 professional productions since 1986. 2016 marks B Street's 30th anniversary season.

More information at www.bstreettheatre.org.

The mission of B Street Theatre is to promote education and literacy, social interaction, and cultural enrichment by engaging children and adults in the highest quality theatre arts and playwriting.

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