San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre and “Young Frankenstein “
By: Teri Muse
The San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre is the oldest theatre in all of California and one of the few community theatres still thriving in spite of many changes over the years. Bobby Hundley, President of the San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre provided a little history on the theatre which has been under the auspices of the City of San Gabriel since the 1960’s. He talked about how civic light opera companies did great in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s but didn’t plan on the digital boom making such a huge impact on the performing arts. They have had to reinvent themselves over and over again and rely heavily on community support.
To help keep musical theatre prepared for the future, the San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre started a program called “Broadway Locker” to help young people learn about back office and other roles in the theatre beside performing arts. They have partnered with San Gabriel, Pasadena and South Pasadena Unified School Districts to provide students with countless hours of experience in the field of musical theatre.
Mr. Hundley pointed out how musical theatre contributes close to a trillion towards the gross national product which is more than agriculture, technology and manufacturing. Musical theatre also is one of the biggest contributors to the local economies by bringing in guests for out of town who will spend money on food, lodging, etc.
To end his presentation, a star of their upcoming Young Frankenstein musical performed live for us, wowing us with her vocals and stage presence. The Young Frankenstein musical will be offered Saturday and Sunday October 21st and 22nd. . Tickets range from $20-$60 with a $10 discount offered if you mention that you are from the Arcadia Rotary. You can contact the theatre at (626) 399-3876 for more information.