BY CARY GINELL
We just received the following news release from Cabrillo Music Theatre:
It is with great sorrow that the Board of Directors of Cabrillo Music Theatre announces that it will suspend its productions at the conclusion of the 2015-2016 season, following the production of THE LITTLE MERMAID, running July 15-24, 2016.
As the only locally based professional musical theatre company and Resident Company at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza for the last 22 years, this was a painful and difficult decision.
Escalating theatre costs, unmet commitments by the Civic Arts Plaza box office, a reduction in essential grant income from key funders, and a decline in ticket sales have created an insurmountable challenge. It is the judgment of the Board of Directors of Cabrillo Music Theatre that continuing to produce musicals at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, under the terms and conditions mandated by the City of Thousand Oaks, would be fiscally irresponsible.
The current environment makes Cabrillo Music Theatre more vulnerable to the highs and lows of box office sales and community support. Our dependence on private sector donors, corporate sponsors and grants has increased. But unfortunately those resources were not enough to sustain the organization. Our short and long-term stability is at stake and the Board of Cabrillo Music Theatre has determined that it would be negligent to move forward at this time with future shows and raise the risk of incurring more debt.
Sadly, the suspension of productions of Cabrillo Music Theatre means the cancellation of 2016-2017 season (EVITA, TARZAN, SISTER ACT, and PETER PAN). The loss of Cabrillo’s outreach programs for the U.S. Military, students from underserved schools, bringing entertainment to our community’s seniors, and finding homes for rescue animals, will be deeply felt throughout the community. Unfortunately, the absence of Cabrillo Music Theatre will result in a significant loss of income to local businesses, restaurants and stores, who benefitted by Cabrillo’s direct investments in the community, and by the hundreds of theatre artists each year, who help drive the local economy during roughly 40 weeks of production per season.
As the City of Thousand Oaks holds all funds generated by the season and single ticket purchases, all subscriptions for 2016-2017, and accompanying donations, will be returned to subscribers.
Cabrillo Music Theatre would like to thank our hardworking and supportive office staff, countless volunteers and faithful donors and sponsors, including the Alliance for the Arts, for their commitment to keeping the arts alive in Thousand Oaks. Most of all, Cabrillo would like to thank our tremendous subscribers, many of whom have been with Cabrillo for the full 22 years in the Civic Arts Plaza. There is no theatre without an audience, and Cabrillo Music Theatre audiences have been the very best partners we could imagine.
While this marks the end of Cabrillo Music Theatre’s current iteration at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, members of the Board of Directors will explore ways that Cabrillo can reinvent itself for a more secure future.
Cabrillo Music Theatre plans to outdo itself with our upcoming productions, CHILDREN OF EDEN and THE LITTLE MERMAID, two extraordinary shows that will entertain and inspire audiences. We hope that the community will show love and support for Cabrillo by attending these last two shows of the 2015-2016 season, and by helping us celebrate 22 years of excellence in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
John Darling
•9 years ago
Wow. Maybe they can find a theater that is more in line with reality. I’ve always found that Civic Arts Plaza thinks too much of itself, thus their outrageous ticket prices.
Pat D
•9 years ago
I agree, the Civic Arts should do everything they can to support Cabrillo mucic theater group. Local talent has to be supported, rather than how much money the can charge. Some of us can only afford a moderate price and ate going to miss this theater group.
Susanne Hersh
•9 years ago
What a significant loss for our local theatre community. There are so few opportunities for talented actors and eliminating this vehicle is more than disappointing. I don’t think that the price point for tickets was the problem, as mentioned by another commenter. As a patron, I would personally like to have seen more current musical Broadway productions. I am hoping that something can be done so that our community can experience current, quality professional theatre locally.
Kevin Weiss
•9 years ago
This is not a matter of ticket prices being too high. People regularly pay $28 for a movie ticket, popcorn, and a drink to watch 2nd rate film productions every week. The cost of staging quality live theater productions requires much more (have you bought a ticket at the Pantages or any NYC theater lately?). Many of the actors in Cabrillo’s shows volunteer their time and energy to keep costs down, and Cabrillo’s administrators receive very little compensation for their enormous efforts. Cabrillo’s closing is really a sign of our emerging artistically bankrupt society that prefers to waste it’s time on trashy reality TV shows and mindless social media chatter. Public schools no longer offer theater/drama classes or courses in music, theater, and art appreciation. The musical instrument industry is in severe decline because youngsters would rather play video games than invest the time to learn how to play an instrument. If this is the direction of future generations we can expect little creative beauty for entertainment. We as individuals, and our governments, must do more to promote and support the live arts. Because life without art is just plain…dumb.
Nancy Portnoy
•9 years ago
My father, mother and myself were charter member Thespians of the original Cabrillo Music Theater when it started in Oxnard at the Oxnard Community Center Stage. This Theater gave me a head start towards my professional career in Musical Theater. My hope is that you find the perfect Theater soon and that the community and venue you find appreciate the wonderful dedication of the artists of your wonderful company. Believe and be strong and best of everything.
Becky Wilding-Olsen
•8 years ago
So very sorry to hear that your theatre company is closing! People don’t realize how important theatre can be in the lives of the actors and audience.
Becky Wlding-Olsen
Director
Cary Ginell
•8 years ago
It’s not closing! Cabrillo received a reprieve and will be presenting its 2016-17 season.