You can also purchase tickets and memberships online 24/7 through wellsfargocenterarts.org.

Renovated Ruth Finley Person Theater re-opens with weeklong line-up of diverse artists.  Tickets on sale May 31st.

Santa Rosa, CA (May 15, 2013) – Today, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts announced its 32^nd season of world-class performances in music, dance, comedy, speakers, and family programming.  The 2013-14 season begins in mid-August with a week of eclectic entertainment celebrating the re-opening of the 1600-seat Ruth Finley Person Theater (which is currently closed for renovations).  Opening Week kicks-off on Friday, August 16 with Grammy Award-Winning soul diva Patti LaBelle, making her debut at the Center, and continues with the folk-rock singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile (Sunday, August 18), country music superstar Randy Travis (Wednesday, August 21), and concludes with the cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking comedian Ron White: A Little Unprofessional (Saturday, August 24).

“Over the past 32 years, we have gained a reputation as an arts center with broad appeal and this opening week exemplifies that,” says Rick Nowlin, Executive Director.  He continues, “From country to folk to R&B to comedy, there’s going to be something for everyone, and we’re excited to welcome our neighbors and great audience back into the Person Theater, where they will enjoy an enhanced experience including better sightlines and sound, greater comfort and improved access.”

In September, families can enjoy a special performance by The Wiggles on Thursday, September 5.  Embarking on their “Taking Off!” tour, the Australia-based, internationally renowned family entertainment group The Wiggles will bring their new cast and new music to North America for the first time.  On Friday, September 13, Live Nation presents Lewis Black: The Rant is Due.  This will be Black’s first appearance at the Center since 2008.  The Center will again present a free Fiesta de Independencia on Saturday, September 14, and on Saturday, September 28, the 38th Annual San Francisco Comedy Competition Semi-Finals will return to the Center.  “The Fiesta has become an important annual event for us,” says Anita Wiglesworth, Director of Programming. “It is hugely popular, welcoming over 2000 people to our campus, and is a great opportunity for everyone to experience traditional Mexican cuisine, culture, and community.  We are also proud to continue our relationship with the San Francisco Comedy Competition, which we’ve hosted each year since 1988 making it one of our longest lasting partnerships.”

In October, the Center welcomes “fabulous bodies doing fabulous things” (New York Times) in the form of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, part of the Rodney Strong Vineyards Dance Series, on Tuesday, October 22, and launches the first of three food-themed shows with Alton Brown Live! Edible Inevitable Tour on Friday, October 25.  The star of Food Network’s “Good Eats” brings his quirky humor and culinary-science antics to the stage in a two-hour, family-friendly show.  On Tuesday, October 30, the Center welcomes back audience favorite, and multi-award winning country music artist Vince Gill, making his sixth appearance since 2003.

The November calendar launches on Tuesday, November 5 with The Official Blues Brothers^TM Revue, produced by Dan Aykroyd, Judith Belushi (wife of the late John Belushi), and music director Paul Shaffer (“The David Letterman Show”).  Buddy Guy, a living legend of the blues who was recently awarded the Kennedy Center Award for lifetime achievement in the arts, plays the Center on Friday, November 8.  On Saturday, November 9, comedians Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Chip Esten, and Jeff B. Davis star in Whose Live Anyway?, a ninety-minute improvised comedy show based on audience suggestions in the style of the Emmy-nominated TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

As usual, the holiday season brings a diverse mixture of performances to the Center.  The #1 Christmas music artist in history makes its Santa Rosa debut – Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis performs a concert of beloved Christmas music combined with dazzling multimedia effects on Tuesday, December 3.  The Rodney Strong Vineyards Dance Series presents Compañia Mazatlán Bellas Artes’ Posada Navideña, on Friday, December 6, a traditional Mexican ballet folklorico, combined with the Posada, a Mexican holiday presentation portraying the “Pastorela” (pilgrimage) made by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Christ.  A Sonoma County holiday tradition–the Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour–returns on Tuesday, December 17 for a sixth straight year, this time with special guests Oleta Adams, Jonathan Butler, and Keiko Matsui joining multi-Grammy nominee and saxophonist Dave Koz for an especially dynamic show.  Returning to the Center for the fourth year, Moscow Ballet presents Great Russian Nutcracker for two performances of this holiday classic on Wednesday, December 18, and Thursday, December 19.

In the New Year, on Thursday, January 16, JE Media presents Psychic Medium & Author John Edward, returning for the fourth straight year on the heels of sold-out appearances in 2010, 2011, and 2012.  Next, the Center continues the food-themed shows with Robert Irvine Live! on Friday, January 17.  The star of “Restaurant: Impossible” and “Dinner: Impossible” stars in a multi-media and multi-sensory theatrical experience that provides a close-up view of a master at his craft, seamlessly combining music, video and culinary art.  On Thursday, January 30, the leading ambassadors of Irish music, The Irish Rovers, stop in Santa Rosa on their final tour, after more than four decades of charming and entertaining audiences.  Next, “the funniest woman in America” (Comedian Lewis Black) comes to the Center with her acclaimed show Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan on Saturday, February 15.

March brings four internationally renowned ensembles that cross boundaries of genre, time, and styles to the Center.  On Tuesday, March 4, Ladysmith Black Mambazo – led by founder Joseph Shabalala – performs a concert of songs spanning their 50-year career as well as selections from their newest recordings. Under the direction of Artistic Director Troy Powell, the internationally acclaimed modern dance company Ailey II presents a program of classic and new works, showcasing the country’s best young dance talent, on Wednesday, March 5 as part of the Rodney Strong Vineyards Dance Series.  On Sunday, March 9, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns to the Center after a three-year absence.  The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, along with the Moonlight Serenaders vocal group, performs the greatest big band hits of their storied founder on Saturday, March 15.

Rounding out the “foodie” series on Wednesday, April 2 is speaker Ina Garten, author and host of the highly-rated TV show “Barefoot Contessa,” who will deliver an insider’s view of her world and the pleasures of good food, cooked with love and passion.  The performance series concludes on Wednesday, May 9 when comedian and actor Mario Cantone, best known for his role as Charlotte’s flamboyant wedding planner on the “Sex and the City” series, brings his one-man musical comedy cabaret to the Center.

Two other performance series that are an important component of The Center’s programming for the North Bay community have already been announced: These are the 2013-14 Symphony Pops Series, a four-concert collaboration with the Santa Rosa Symphony, as well as the 2013-14 Clover Stornetta Family Fun Series, eight shows for children and families.  Calendar information for both of these series can be found below.

Tickets

Single tickets and season ticket packages are available by calling 707.546.3600, online at wellsfargocenterarts.org (packages not currently available online), and in person at 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa.

Main Season Tickets

• May 17 available to members of Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
• May 31 on sale to general public

Symphony Pops and Clover Stornetta Family Fun Series Tickets

• Now: Symphony Pops Season Package ($109 – $255 for four concerts)
• Now: Clover Stornetta Family Fun Series Packages ($50 – $68 for 4-show packages; $80 – $112 for 8-show packages)
• August 5 single tickets to both series available to members of Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
• August 23 single tickets to both series on sale to general public

Santa Rosa, CA (May 6, 2013) – Marga Gomez headlines the 18^th Annual Sonoma County Pride Comedy Night: A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Celebration! There will be two shows (6:00 and 9:00pm) on Saturday, June 1 at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. Special Guests are Justin Lucas and Regina Stoops.   Sonoma County Pride Comedy Night is a co-production between Wells Fargo Center for the Arts and We Mean It! Productions.

Marga Gomez has been called “amazing” by none other than Robin Williams and “astounding” by lauded author Armistead Maupin.  She is a GLAAD Award-winning comedian who has been featured on HBO, LOGO and Comedy Central. Gomez was named “Best Gay Comedian 2012” by the Bay Area Reporter and “Best Comedian 2012” by the SF Bay Guardian and SF Weekly. She has performed to acclaim in numerous comedy festivals including Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival, Hamburg’s L-Beach, San Francisco Sketchfest, Boston Women in Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Gomez is also the author/performer of nine solo plays, which have been produced nationally, internationally and Off Broadway. Her 2012 solo show, “Not Getting Any Younger,” received the San Francisco Chronicle’s highest rating. She claims to be “one of the first openly single lesbian comedians in America!”

A fresh new face on the San Francisco Bay Area comedy scene, Justin Lucas has already left both mainstream and LGBT audiences laughing in the aisles. Justin does astounding impersonations and original characters. He has opened for Bobby Lee from MadTV and fellow Filipino–American comedian, Rex Navarrete. He has been a top finalist in comedy competitions, including the 2011 Battle of the Bay Comedy Competition, 2012 Rooster T. Feather’s Comedy Competition, and the 2012 Bay Area Black Comedy Competition. Recently, he was in the semi-finals for this year’s 37th annual San Francisco International Comedy Competition. He’s known for his absurd rendition of “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, as well as pretending to be a woman having phone sex (kind of) with a man that is indescribably hilarious, as he plays both characters.

Regina Stoops was born and raised in a town called Normal though her humor is anything but.  Regina has her own unique perspective on what most might consider the mundane details of ordinary life; raising children, being married (or not), aging parents, health care, special education, mini-van motoring and the grocery store.   A regular performer in the Bay Area for years, Regina was a lesbian stay-at home mom (with three sons!) in the world of suburban soccer moms and is now thrilled to be back on stage to perform for an audience that is potty trained.

Tickets

Two shows, at 6:00 and 9:00pm, will be presented in the Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa. All seats are reserved, with cocktail tables (4 seats per table, $45 per seat) and standard seating ($35 per seat). Tickets are available at wellsfargocenterarts.org, by calling (707) 546-3600, or in person at the ticket office.

Premier Sponsor of Pride Comedy Night is Fountaingrove Lodge.  Supporting Sponsors are Jason N. Glazier of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., and Law Office of Naomi Metz.  Sponsor is Media Tweakers, Social Media Management for Small Business.

Calendar Information

Who/What:                      18^th Annual Sonoma County Pride Comedy Night:
A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Celebration!
Starring Marga Gomez with special guests Justin Lucas and Regina Stoops

When:                                 Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 6:00pm and 9:00pm

Where:                               Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa

Tickets:                              Tickets:                                 $35 – $45

Online at wellsfargocenterarts.org, by phone at 707-546-3600, or in person at 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa.
 

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About Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

A community-owned 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts is home to world-class performances, nationally recognized education programs, contemporary visual art, and many popular events. The Arts Center is located in the heart of the Sonoma wine country and ranked among California’s top performing arts presenters. Together with its resident companies, the Center presents more than 100 performances in music, dance, theater, renowned speakers, and comedy; provides education programs serving 30,000 children and adults; and hosts more than 1,000 community events a year. Owned and operated by the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, the Center relies on charitable community donations to achieve its mission – to enrich, educate, and entertain. http://wellsfargocenterarts.org

About We Mean It! Productions
We Mean It! Productions has presented LGBT comedy in Sonoma County since 1995 to more than 10,000 laughing audience members. Co-founders Ellen Maremont Silver and Robyn Bramhall have searched for talent from Los Angeles and San Francisco to the East coast in order to find the most talented queer comedians to bring to the North Bay. We Mean It! prides itself (yes, pun intended) on presenting comedians who are funny, smart, and uniquely qualified to skewer, with great humor, narrow-minded thinking. We Mean It! shows have always been held at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. http://wemeanit.net

Santa Rosa, CA (March 28, 2013) – The Board of Directors of the non-profit Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, which owns and operates Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, today announced plans for a four-phase project to upgrade facilities, improve patron and artist experience, increase accessibility, and allow greater programmatic flexibility at the 31 year-old arts and events center.  The project is estimated to cost $10 million and includes the creation of a building reserve fund to allow for ongoing maintenance and improvements.  The first phase of the “Bridge to the Future” project will begin in mid-May with a $2.8 million renovation of the Ruth Finley Person Theater, and will be completed by mid-August, in time for the start of the Center’s 2013 – 14 season, which will be announced in May.  During the construction period, the 1600-seat theater will be closed for performances; events such as the “18^th Annual Sonoma County Pride Comedy Night,” Roustabout Theater’s summer performances, and the Center’s summer art, music, and drama camps for children will continue in other venues within the Center’s 140,000 square foot complex.

“We’re looking ahead with great excitement to the next 30 years,” says Sherry Swayne, Chair of the Board of Directors.  “The ‘Bridge to the Future’ project is a result of ongoing visioning and strategic planning processes begun by the Board in 2007.  As our programming and audiences have grown over the past 31 years, this renovation is the next logical step in our evolution.”

The first phase of construction is made possible by generous donations from the Ernest L. and Ruth W. Finley Foundation, Lytton Rancheria – Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, Alan and Susan Seidenfeld, an anonymous donor, and the Board of Directors of the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation.  “Evert and Ruth Finley Person were among the founders of the center more than 30 years ago.  This new gift is intended to help it thrive for the next 30 years,” said Norma Person, president of the Ernest L. and Ruth W. Finley Foundation, which made the inaugural gift to the project.

The project is led by Berkeley-based ELS Architecture and Design, whose work at the Center began with the 2010 renovation of the Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby, and whose past theatrical projects include the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, San Jose’s California Theatre, and the Roda Theatre at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.  Construction will be performed by Shook & Waller Construction, Inc., who also worked on the 2010 Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby renovation.  Key improvements to be made this summer include removal of two piano storage barns on either side of the stage, which can currently obstruct as many as 120 seats from seeing a full view of performances; the addition of eight feet of ceiling space above the stage, allowing productions to more easily accommodate scenic and technical elements; and the revision of balcony soffits and railings, which will improve sightlines for those seated in the balcony and improve sound quality.  Balcony seats will be refurbished to improve comfort, while on the orchestra level entirely new seats will be installed, which will not only provide greater comfort to patrons and include amenities like cup holders, but will also allow for easy removal, enabling the Center to expand its programming to concerts and events requiring an open floor and general admission.  In addition, many technical elements will be replaced; new speakers, processors and digital sound mixing boards will be installed; and stage and house lighting will be upgraded to improve way-finding.

“Being new to the community and coming from a much larger city, we immediately connected with the Center because of the quality and diversity of its programming,” say Alan and Susan Seidenfeld, major donors to the project.  “We could see the challenges inherent in the facility, and wanted to help make the upgrades to improve everyone’s experience.”

Originally constructed as home to the Christian Life Center in the 1970s, the building has several idiosyncrasies not standard to performing arts centers.  For the first time in the Center’s history, loading doors will be installed backstage, facilitating quicker and easier load-ins of scenery and equipment and allowing direct access to backstage for artists and crews (currently all shows load-in through the lobby and front of house).  A ten-foot thick raised barrier separating backstage from the stage itself will be removed in its entirety along with choral risers and a small baptismal pool that are original to the facility.  These changes, along with creation of additional entrances to the stage, will improve artist access between backstage and front of stage, and reduce wear-and-tear on the front of house.

“It’s a priority for us to give back to the community, and to help make sure all residents – not just those with financial means – have access to wonderful arts and education experiences,” says Margie Mejia, Chairwoman of Lytton Rancheria, Lytton Band of Pomo Indians. “From music lovers to dance lovers to the thousands of schoolchildren who attend their first ever performance at the Center, this project will increase access to, and enjoyment of those experiences for everyone in this community, and we are proud to be supporting it.”

Significant work will also be done during phase one to increase accessibility for patrons with disabilities and mobility impairments, and to enhance safety systems in the venue.  Among the most noticeable changes will be a new entry door and wheelchair ramp leading from the lobby to a raised platform at the back of the theater, which will provide increased ADA seating and allow unobstructed views of the stage.  Additionally, ADA seating will be added in multiple locations in the theater, a new assisted listening device (ALD) system will be installed, and four ADA compliant restrooms will be added backstage.  New sprinklers and a new fire alarm system will be installed, as will a new LED aisle and step lighting system to better light the way for patrons entering and exiting the theater.

“Overall, phase one of this project is going to result in an enhanced experience for all of our patrons and artists,” says Rick Nowlin, the Center’s Executive Director.  “Patrons will find the space to have a warmer feel, will be able to see and hear better, and will find watching a performance to be very comfortable and welcoming.  Artists will be able to more easily bring their performances to our venue, facing far fewer technical challenges and obstacles, and allowing us to continue to push our own artistic boundaries.”

Beyond this summer’s improvements, phase two calls for the installation of a lobby elevator and renovation of the second level balcony and restrooms, providing improved balcony access and services to those with mobility impairments for the first time in the Center’s history, as well as creating opportunities for a second level lobby with concessions offerings.  Phase three focuses on enlivening and expanding the Center’s outdoor spaces, creation of a sculpture walk between the Center and the new Sutter medical complex, and improving landscaping, access, and flow.  The fourth and final phase of the project focuses on deferred maintenance to the nearly 40 year-old facility.  This phase will include a new HVAC system and roof for the building, replacing lobby windows and doors, washing and painting the building, and repaving the parking lot.

“Ultimately, with the fruition of the ‘Bridge to the Future’ project, this organization will have greater capacity to meet the growing and changing needs of our region in the years ahead,” says Nowlin.  “As an organization founded by the community and guided by the community, these changes are not only exciting and welcome, but are also essential to fulfilling our mission.  We are grateful to the funders of this project for their commitment to helping us serve the community through the arts.”

About Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts is home to world-class performances, nationally recognized education programs, contemporary sculpture, and many popular events. The Arts Center is located in the heart of the Sonoma wine country and ranked among California’s top performing arts presenters. Together with its resident companies, the Center annually presents more than 100 performances in music, dance, theater, renowned speakers, and comedy; provides education programs serving 30,000 children and adults; and hosts nearly 1,000 community events a year. Owned and operated by the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, the Center relies on charitable community donations to achieve its mission – to enrich, educate, and entertain.

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Executive Director Rick Nowlin shares details of the “Bridge to the Future” project with Center supporters during a celebration to launch the project on March 27th. Photo by Will Bucquoy.

Sherry Swayne, chair of the board of directors of the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, thanks donors for their support of the “Bridge to the Future” project. Photo by Will Bucquoy.

]]> http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/news/wells-fargo-center-for-the-arts-announces-facilities-renovations-to-begin-in-may-2013/feed/ 1 http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/uncategorized/santa-rosas-own-in-ny-gilbert-sullivan-pirates-of-penzance/ http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/uncategorized/santa-rosas-own-in-ny-gilbert-sullivan-pirates-of-penzance/#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:03:58 +0000 Kristi http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/?p=7718 The Pirates of Penzance romp onto the stage in Santa Rosa

New York’s Gilbert & Sullivan Players present musical masterpiece featuring live orchestra, soloists and chorus including Santa Rosa’s own, Laura Sudduth

A fun and carefree comic operetta allows for plenty of laughs when Santa Rosa’s Wells Fargo Center for the Arts hosts “The Pirates of Penzance” by New York’s renowned Gilbert & Sullivan Players. The swashbuckling frolic comes to the Ruth Finley Person Theater for one-night-only on Wednesday, May 8^th at 8 p.m. The Gilbert & Sullivan production, performed in its original format, is an exuberant musical theater masterpiece featuring the rich sounds of a 17-piece live orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists. Among the stellar cast for the May 8^th production will be soprano Laura Sudduth of Santa Rosa. She joined New York’s Gilbert & Sullivan Players in 2012 and is currently on her first extended tour with the renowned company, performing in the ensemble and as a featured dancer at prestigious theaters across the country.

“I am thrilled to be performing in Santa Rosa at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. It feels like a triumphant return of sorts, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share this performance with my family, friends, and the community that raised me,” says Sudduth.

Sudduth is a 2004 graduate of Santa Rosa High School’s ArtQuest program. Her first performance at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts was in the Center’s East Auditorium in “As You Like It” with the Summerfield Waldorf School. She went on to perform with the Santa Rosa Symphony and the Summer Repertory Theatre at Santa Rosa Junior College. After graduating from UOP, Sudduth moved to New York to pursue a career in music and theater.

“The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players is one of the most respected theater companies in America. It is a rare privilege to have them come to Santa Rosa and we are especially excited to present Laura Sudduth as she takes the stage locally with this acclaimed company in ‘The Pirates of Penzance,’” says Anita Wiglesworth, Programming Director for Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

The production is your chance to get carried away by pirates, bumbling British Bobbies, frolicsome Victorian maidens, and the delightfully dotty modern Major-General. Together, they’ll take you for a rollicking romp over the rocky coast of Cornwall. Written and performed in English, it tells the story of Frederic, indentured to a band of soft-hearted pirates; Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley; and the antics of her father and sisters, the pirates and the police…and, amongst all of this, Frederic and Mabel fall in love!

“Everyone loves the topsy-turvy world of Gilbert & Sullivan,” says Sudduth. “They wrote fun, witty material that challenges the classical vocalist and the actor in each of us. It’s a blast to perform that material with this group. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything!”

“This Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, in particular, has delightful number after delightful number,” says Wiglesworth, “such as the original tune from which ‘Hail, hail the gang’s all here’ is drawn and the famous ‘I am the very model of a modern Major-General.’ It’s terrific. It’s funny.”

Directed and conducted by Albert Bergeret with choreography by Bill Fabris, “The Pirates of Penzance” resonates with classic elegance and power while the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players vibrancy, energy and contemporary sense of humor keep the show alive and exciting to a modern audience.

Lovers of the arts through-and-through, the Nelsons sometimes attend two and three performances in one weekend. But, while they cherish the opportunity to see world-class artists so close to their Sonoma home, it’s the Center’s Education Through the Arts programs they love the most. For the past six years, Gary and Marcia, through their company NelsonJobs.com, have invested over $50,000 a year in the Center’s arts and education programs, ensuring that North Bay students can experience the arts too.

“It’s a financial investment in our community,” says Gary Nelson. “If you look at investing $50,000 and you’re contributing to the benefit of 30,000 students, that’s a smart investment! If it helps even one child to be more successful in school, then that could make a big difference in our community, as well as in the life of that child.”

With support from people like Gary and Marcia Nelson, the Center is able to place artists into classrooms and instruments into the hands of students from low income families. And, each year, thousands of children hop aboard school busses to attend live theater performances. For many, it’s their only chance to experience that special magic.

“The Center’s programs are tangible and meaningful, with a proven track record of success. I can’t speak highly enough about them or about our relationship with the Center. Simply put, this is one of the best investments we’ve ever made.”

Click here to discover the benefits of becoming a Corporate Alliance Partner of Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.