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A theatrical marriage took place in Santa Rosa in February, 2005 when two established theater companies, The Santa Rosa Players and Actors Theatre, joined forces and moved into the newly renovated 6th Street Playhouse and presented their first joint production. Jerry Herman's popular and beloved musical "Mame" was performed to sell out crowds.
In less than five years the newly formed theater company, which adopted the name of the 6th Street Playhouse, has garnered critical acclaim for its productions and World, West Coast and San Francisco Bay Area premieres, received preservation awards, theatrical award nominations and has been noted internationally for revered talent on its main stage. The 6th Street Playhouse celebrates its 5th Anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010 with a dance party celebration with Rock-a-Billy, Country and Swing music performed by the Shannon Rider Band, which includes several band members featured in "Hank Williams: Lost Highway." The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theatre and cost $25 per person.
The 6th Street Playhouse partnership between the Santa Rosa Players and Actors Theatre was formed in 2004. Managed by one board of directors, the 6th Street Playhouse venue emerged from the renovated 107-year old Del Monte cannery. The renovation project received the City of Santa Rosa Award for Cultural Enrichment and the Sonoma County Historical Society Award for Preservation of a Historical Building.American architect, set designer and playwright Paul Gilger of Sonoma County, orchestrated the conversion turning the large brick structure, located in the historic Railroad Square district, into a 186-seat professional, state-of-the art theater facility theater. The project included excavation to create the seating terraces and an orchestra pit; the installation of interior walls, new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; and new theatrical equipment including sound, lighting and stage rigging. The renovation also included the installation of refurbished seats acquired from a former Santa Rosa movie theater and the tireless job of cleaning old brick.
The theater facility features a lobby, box office, wing space, lighting, rigging, scrims, flies, backdrops, storage, dressing rooms and sound booth. The main theater is an intimate venue with excellent sightlines, acoustics and flexibility. In January 2008, 6th Street Playhouse completed its 99-seat black box Studio Theatre and where it presented the West Coast premiere of "Public Exposure," by Robert B. Reich.Since its debut in 2005, the 6th Street Playhouse has flourished presenting full seasons in both theaters including popular musicals, American classics, comedies, the avant-garde and productions featuring the students of its School of Drama. The 2008 6th Street Playhouse production of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" received international attention as it featured noted actor of stage and screen, Daniel Benzali, in the role of Willy Loman. The world premiere of "Ham for the Holidays," a holiday comedy set in 1940 about a radio station awaiting the arrival of Orson Wells, written and directed by Shad Willingham, opened in the Studio Theatre in December 2009. In January 2010, the musical "Hank Williams: Lost Highway" opened on the main stage featuring screen actor and former Blue Man Group member Tahmus Rounds as Hank Williams.
The 6th Street Playhouse has received several honors for its contribution to the theatrical community, including six outstanding award nominations from the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics' Circle in 2009.For more information visit the 6th Street Playhouse website at www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
