The Ross Valley Players Takes A Bow And Celebrates Its 80th Anniversary 6/27
By: Gabrielle Sierra May. 26, 2010
The Ross Valley Players takes a bow and celebrates its 80th Anniversary in June. The theater company has planned a special anniversary event Sunday, June 27, 2010 featuring buffet, wine and beverages, entertainment, raffle and silent auction. Tickets are available at $28.80 per person.
"It was during the depression and we didn't have any money, we had no culture, we had nothing to do, so we started something in our own backyard," said Beth Lloyd, wife of the first RVP president in a 1981 interview for the Oral History Project of the Marin County Free Library.First performances were given at the community room of St. John's Episcopal Church. Other RVP venues in the 1930s included San Rafael High School and Woodland Theatre, an outdoor theater located in Kent Woodlands.
Then in the early 1940s, The Ross Valley Players settled in an old barn, which evolved and eventually became its home base.
The barn was built in the 1860s, as part of the Kittle farm. By the late 1930s, the barn was being used as garage for the Kittle family and for the storage of costumes and props by the Ross Valley Players. In November of 1940 the barn began its transformation into a theater space with a first play reading of "Life with Father," directed by Mrs. Arthur Dettner.
In 1945, The Kittle Estate became the Marin Art and Garden Center. Between 1948 and 1954, major interior renovations were being made at the barn, including the addition of a stage, bathrooms and a concession area. The Ross Valley Players Barn Theatre has recently been updated with various improvements including a light booth, scene shop, new restrooms, box office and wheel chair accessibility.
During its history, the company has continued to bring new plays to its audiences. The Ross Valley Players was the first Bay Area company to secure the rights to "Laura," "Picnic," and in recent seasons has presented West Coast and Bay Area premieres including Neil Simon's "45 Seconds from Broadway" and "Premiere!" by Dale Wasserman.
In addition to full productions, the Ross Valley Players has a history of presenting original one acts, Christmas Gaieties, dinner dances, variety shows featuring comedy skits and musical numbers and youth and teen Theater Productions directed by MarIan Hayes Cain. The company has continued a tradition of presenting annual benefit events featuring variety shows with unique and clever themes. In the 1960s the Ross Valley Players established the "Arvey Awards" (RVP's answer to the "Oscars") which were presented until the 1980s for acting, technical work and off-stage devotion.
During its 80-year history RVP has served as a theatrical organization where amateurs can spread their wings and practice their skills. Many actors, directors, designers and technicians have "earned their chops" with The Ross Valley Players, which has fostered and honed the talents of theatrical hopefuls including award-winning director and College of Marin Drama Department founder and professor emeritus, James Dunn.Dunn (noted for his association with several Marin theater companies including The Ross Valley Players, The Mountain Play Association and Marin Shakespeare Company) was a member of the Ross Valley Players early in his career, appearing for the first time on Barn Theatre stage at the age of 21 in the 1953 production of "The Happy Time." Dunn also appeared in RVP productions in the early 1950s including "Mr. Roberts, "Detective Story" and "The Seven Year Itch."
The Ross Valley Players is a non-profit theatrical company which has been honored with several awards during its history. Recent honors include S. F. Bay Area Critics' Circle awards for directing and acting the Ross Valley Players 2008 production of "The Cocktail Hour."
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