TheatreWorks Celebrates 50 Years With Reflection, Optimism

PALO ALTO, CA — Q): What do you get when you put an artistic conceptual thinker, an interior designer with a penchant for drama and a Santa Clara County supervisor with the managerial skills of a drill sergeant all in one place?

A): This is no joke. You get a highly successful theater company that has stood the test of time, endurance of critical acclaim and a Tony award to boot.

Just ask Robert Kelley, a 72-year-old director who founded TheatreWorks Silicon Valley of Palo Alto in 1970 a year out of Stanford University with a major in creative writing. The ambitious Kelley gathered a group of 70 artists, composers and technicians for the first production, a rock musical called "Popcorn," on April Fool's Day.

But in many respects, it was so well received, critics and audience members knew this extraordinary director was kidding around.

Performances hit the stage of the Lucie Stern Community Center, but for the most part, the group moved around in sometimes interesting venues. After all, this is the Silicon Valley where much innovation occurred in people's garages.

Kelley recalled a memorable production at the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center. The dressing rooms were situated near the vivarium where reptiles like to thrive.

"We had to put towels up to do our make up without freaking out," he said.

Then along with its special version of "Cabaret," there was the theater company's version of "Alice in Wonderland" staged in the Palo Alto City Hall basement where theater goers sat on the off ramps on blankets.

Such as the case of local theater.

"It was a way to bring people together, and it turned out to be a big success," Kelley told Patch.

After 175 shows, the company working under the auspices of a successful nonprofit organization has come a long way.

On Sunday, it receives a prestigious, noble Tony award for best regional theater. The Tony Awards will air on CBS at 8 p.m. PST from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Kelley will attend.

"I'm proud of the company and this award. It's one of the mountain peaks you dream of climbing in theater. This is such a collaboration — an award that's really for thousands of people," he said.

It's been decades since a California collective won since the Berkeley Repertory Theatre took the high honor in 1997.

TheatreWorks, which floats performances between Palo Alto and Mountain View, is hoping it's not done with its high achievements. In December going into the 50th year, the group is set to take on "Pride and Prejudice," based on the 1813 classic romantic novel by Jane Austen. The story is the type of TheatreWorks' cerebral productions that regular Lynn Szekely-Goode can't get enough of.

Beyond singling out the company's known diversity in casting, the Los Altos Hills woman enjoys more than anything seeing a play then chatting about it.

"I love discussing a play as I'm driving home," she told Patch. "They continually do quality projects.

As a board member, she's involved on a few fronts and will be watching the Tony Awards at a special gathering. Szekely-Goode has secured season tickets for years. This means eight shows a year.

Her favorite?

"'Ragtime' — I saw it in New York than here at least three times. It was riveting," she said, referring to the Silicon Valley theater.

She toyed with the idea of being an actress as she attended the University of Colorado but thought the better for it economically.

"I wanted to be an actress but wanted to pay the rent," she said.

She majored in business and became an interior designer.

Sometimes the talents merge for those engaged in TheatreWorks productions.

County Supervisor Joe Simitian got involved in theatre in the 1960s in Palo Alto and hasn't looked back since.

Working on "Popcorn" with Kelley was his "claim to fame," he said.

He was TheatreWorks first stage manager. And at age 17, he was considered hard nosed in keeping things and people in line. Some may refer to the characteristic as one who runs a type ship. Hint: just watch a Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meeting to see Simitian in action.

"It's been delightful to watch in the intervening 50 years," he summed up TheatreWorks' evolution. "It's also been a lot of hard work."

Most memorable production?

Simitian recalls the ticketing system malfunctioning before the play "Trying" was to be performed. Organizers just called the audience in for free.

"I remember where I sat for that," he said.

All is part of the "shared experience" known as good theater.

"It's been a tremendous gift to the Peninsula and South Bay, as it's not only survived but thrived," he said.

See also

• Tony-winning TheatreWorks Gets Plays By Pulitzer Nominee Writer