by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Started in 1919, Theatre Jacksonville, which has called San Marco home since 1938, is one of the country’s longest running, continuously producing community theaters.
“There is a great love of this place from the community, many of our volunteers have been here for decades,” said Sarah Boone, who has been executive director of the theater for about two years. She replaced Robert White, who moved across the river to take over the Cultural Council.
Since her arrival, the building’s facade has been renovated and they are now in the planning stages for interior renovations. The project is expected to take three years. The theater’s grid, the ancient apparatus from which the curtains and lighting are hung, was recently replaced thanks to a City grant. Boone’s wish list includes a catwalk above the 30-by-30 space to facilitate light adjustments.
But improvements require capital, which is one of Boone’s biggest challenges.
“We’re fighting the battle of subscription audiences aging and how to bring in a younger crowd,” she said. “We are constantly trying to appeal to those between 20 and 40 instead of 50 to 70. We don’t have a problem attracting seniors to the theater. If you talk to anybody in performing arts, it’s the same thing.”
To attract patrons, Boone has initiated a marketing strategy.
“For the past couple of years, there was no marketing position,” said Boone. “This is the first time a marketing package plan has been in effect.”
Thanks to a grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, radio and print advertising campaigns are underway.
“We don’t do television ads,” said Boone. “It’s not cost effective because we’re a non-profit.”
To help with the effort, Antonio Allegretti was hired to coordinate the advertising.
A committee of volunteers representing the community meets every quarter to read plays, brainstorm ideas and make suggestions on which events to stage. Currently, they are planning the upcoming season.
“A theme arises out of each season,” said Boone. “This season, three out of five plays are based out of New York. We pick plays that offer opportunities for the widest range of people to be involved. We try to use blind casting techniques so that any ethnic group can fit.”
Spotlighting local talent, auditions are open to all area artists regardless of background. Tryouts for the March show, “You Can’t Take It With You,” begin in two weeks. Roles are open for 12 men and seven women.
“If you’re an actor in this town, you can find one play in a season that you can audition for and hopefully get the part,” she said.
Reliance on the input of locals goes to the heart of the theater’s function. Carpenters, artisans, seamstresses and volunteers from every segment of the community supply costumes, sets, props and manual labor for each production.
“We provide opportunities for community involvement in theater arts,” she said.
Outreach programs target adults and children to create an interest in acting. After school thespian and voice classes enhance the self-esteem and social skills of youngsters in addition to an appreciation for the arts. Jan Wikstrom and Mandy Proctor, both drama instructors at local schools, lead the training center. Matt Hemphill, the theater’s educational outreach director, and Kelly Atkins, a performer at Alhambra Dinner Theater, also participate.
Classes start this month, costing $150 per 12-week session.
“With the adult classes the hope is that as it grows, people can hone their talents and generate a larger pool of artists to draw from,” said Boone.
More comprehensive in its curriculum, Camp Theatre offers four weeks of all-day instruction each summer in all facets of the arts, not just theater.
Growing up in Jacksonville, Boone was once a performer herself. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from Florida State University and a master’s degree in arts management from American University in Washington, D.C.
She has performed on television, radio and off-Broadway in New York and coordinated cabaret productions both here and in the Big Apple. After her contract with Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles expired, Boone came home to visit relatives.
“I wanted more control over my business situation,” explained Boone. “You go from job to job as a performer and I wanted stability.”