College Theater Employees Challenge Cuts

Solano Community College President Jowell Laguerre said May 1 that despite budget cuts to the college theater department, the show would still go on at Harbor Theater.

"Our goal is to continue our programs," he said. "We probably won't have the same caliber (of shows)."

But today, two employees of the presumably soon-to-be-cut Solano College Theatre Association said that was in doubt, and so is vital help to high school and middle school theater productions.

Here's the letter that's being circulated:

Greetings Friends and Colleagues,

     A great tragedy is about to occur at Solano College and I don’t mean on the stage. On Wednesday, May 16th, the governing board will be asked by Dr. Laguerre to discontinue all financial support to the Solano College Theatre Association. The skillfully worded interview with the press stated that we will be moving toward a more student based model. The truth is we have always had a student based program.

   Our award winning productions generally cast about 90% current students with the remaining 10% filled by seasoned local talent and former students that return to show us what they have accomplished. Our backstage and up-in-the-booth running crews are completely made up of students who are trained and supervised by faculty and technical staff.

   The SCTA is a non-profit organization that exists as the production arm of the theatre. In that capacity it is responsible for running all technical aspects of the theatre.

These include, but are not limited to: season selection and the securing of rights, hiring of the technical staff with which the students work, marketing and box office management for the theatre as well as the departments of music, dance, film and any other organization that rents or uses either of  our venues. The SCTA is also active as a fundraising operation that provides scholarships and job opportunities that directly benefit our students. All of these tasks are overseen by Managing Director Chris Guptill who also interfaces with all other departments of the college to insure that faculty, academic and safety issues are properly addressed.

   The proposal that will be presented to the governing board will, if approved, eliminate the positions of Managing Director, Marketing and production staff, and all technical staff as of July 1^st. All duties performed by this team will either cease to exist or be transferred to faculty. In addition, funding for warehousing and management of the theatre’s extensive costume and stage properties is in jeopardy. If this occurs 6 colleges, 16 high schools and middle schools, 22 local and regional theatre companies throughout Northern California, and 9 youth theater programs will no longer have rental access to our stock. We also provide technical support to other campus programs and several local charities.

   Please forward this E-mail to anyone you know who cares about the arts and has any interest in helping to prevent Solano County from returning to the cultural wasteland it once was. The Governing Board members E-Mail address are available on the college website. I hope to see you at the Board meeting next Wednesday, May 16^th  in building 1400 on campus at 6:30 P.M.

Respectfully,

Darcia Tipton

(and Jennifer Bristow)

What do you think? Will the planned cuts to the college theater department destroy the ability of the college to put on productions at the Harbor Theater that will draw people downtown?