PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER’S HOLIDAY GALA TO INCLUDE READINGS
OF THE GIFT OF THE MAGI, POEMS, AND FINE LIVE MUSIC
Auburn, CA, December 4, 2024 – Placer Community Theater (PCT) will hold a festive fundraising gala on Saturday, December 21, at the Gomez Arts Center in Auburn, featuring short stories, poems, a silent auction, as well as live music, by fine classically trained musicians, including a member of the Auburn Symphony. Finger foods, dessert, wine and beer will be served as a magnificent program is presented to the patrons of the 21-year-old volunteer-run theatre.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $65 per person and are available on Eventbrite and directly from PCT’s website placercommunitytheater.org.
Yolla Ryder, a PCT Board Member, is directing the performance. She says THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry is a beautiful, emotional, and sentimental tale about the value of love, generosity, inner beauty, and sacrifice. Della and Jim, a young married couple living in abject poverty, must sell their most treasured possessions to afford to buy each other Christmas presents. Through an unexpected twist, however, not everything goes to plan…
A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS
IN WALES, written by Dylan Thomas, is described by Ryder as a charming, anecdotal reminiscence of Christmas from the author’s viewpoint as a young boy. It is a lyrical and evocative portrayal, nostalgic of simpler times.
The last reading, A VISIT FROM SAINT NICHOLAS, is popularly known as ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ by Clement Clarke Moore. “It is a favorite American classic and undeniably one of the most beloved poems of the holiday season. It takes us on a journey as we prepare and highly anticipate a visit from our merry friend, jolly old Santa, and his fabled flying reindeer.”
Readers are actor John Watson, a San Francisco native with decades of community theater experience; Sandra Rockman, one of our region’s veteran community theater actors, and Scott Divine, a seasoned and admired actor. David Atkinson, a versatile performer with a stand-up comedy and improvisational theater background, will also perform and emcee the event alongside John Watson.
Musicians selected for the evening are the fine, classically trained Auburn Symphony Cellist George Weis, the internationally known soprano Rufina James,
and the English American Harpist Liz Baxmeyer. Sound, Lighting and set design are led by Michael Pierce and Andy Poston. Julie Rosch is the costume coordinator.
“Our theater can only survive with community support and ticket sales. Our 2025 Season will be exciting, we promise. As the proud recipient of this year’s Auburn Community Culture Award, PCT thanks the Auburn Chamber and the Auburn Arts Commission for their support. We also thank our wonderful volunteers
and sponsors. This is going to be a fun event, and I hope folks will join us and participate in the silent auction…. surprise gifts will be given to a few lucky audience members” stated Luisa Handem Piette, PCT’s Board President.
ABOUT PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER (PCT)
Placer Community Theater is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization powered entirely
by volunteers. We provide entertainment and cultural enrichment to Placer County and the surrounding communities. Donations are tax-deductible. To donate and to purchase tickets, visit us at placercommunitytheater.org.
Contact: PCT Media Relations Coordinator
info@placercommunitytheater.org
Ph: 530-450-8092
PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER TO THRILL AUDIENCES WITH “VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE” THIS MARCH
Auburn, CA, Jan. 10, 2024 – Placer Community Theater (PCT) says it will bring to stage the Tony Award winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a comedy written by Christopher Durang, for three consecutive weekends, March 8-23, at the General Gomez Arts center in Auburn. Friday night performances begin at 7:30 pm, Saturday performances are at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday performances begin at 2:00 pm.
“The play is about two siblings, Vanya and Sonia, who are having a mid-life crisis. In this comedy about unfulfilled destinies, their movie star sister, Masha, swoops in with her new boy toy, Spike, and old resentments flare” says Chris Harada who directs the play. “Also on the scene is the housekeeper, Cassandra, who predicts the future, and the younger, aspiring actress Nina, whose beauty threatens to dethrone Masha”. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play.
The fine cast includes Dennis Hungridge as Vanya, Lorraine Poston as Sonia, Alison Loeprich as Masha, Matt Fairall as Spike, Abril Tyler as Nina, and Donna-Lisa Otto as Cassandra. Harada has also directed “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Steel Magnolia’s” for PCT in the past.
The public can order tickets through Eventbrite or through www.placercommunitytheater.org
ABOUT PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER
Placer Community Theater is a 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality entertainment and cultural enrichment. Founded in 2003, Placer Community Theater has produced over forty plays, musicals, and other live shows.
For more Information: PCT Media Relations: 530-450-8092 info@placercommunitytheater.org
MEDIA ADVISORY
PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER (PCT) IS UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP
Auburn, CA June 9, 2023 – An exciting new vision promises to revive Placer Community Theater (PCT), after a Board President and a Vice President were elected by the outgoing board of trustees last April, 2023. Luisa Handem Piette and Matthew Piette were respectively elected President and Vice-President of the Board following weeks of uncertainty as to the future of the 20-year-old community theater.
“We are new to the area, but when we heard that PCT was to fold after so many past theatrical successes that have brought the community together, we quickly stepped in and said to ourselves, the show must go on! Bus Stop will be staged at the General Gomez Arts in Auburn in September, and a 20th anniversary gala fundraiser will also be held there July 22 this year”, announced Handem Piette.
She comes to her new role with PCT from a background in non-profit management, broadcast journalism, human rights law, and a strong track record as a corporate communications executive for Information Technology firms. Handem Piette is also known for her philanthropic work and love of the arts.
“Our vision is one of positive camaraderie, high quality performances, and partnership with the City of Auburn and Placer County at large. Our focus now is to listen to our partners, cast members, the community, and our area leaders. We are also appealing to all theater lovers to support our upcoming work by donating at our website placercommunitytheater.org and through volunteer work,” added Handem Piette.
Handem Piette briefly served as Director of UPI Next, United Press International’s former media development division, worked overseas as a Knight International Journalism Fellow with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), after a long international broadcasting career with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Radio France International (RFI) and Voice of America (VOA). She has early experience acting, and she enjoyed appearances in school performances while growing up in Portugal, as well as radio performances dramatizing Mia Couto’s books live on air through the Portuguese programs of the BBC World Service in London.
“We stand on the shoulders of previous volunteers, cast members, and board leaders, especially Diane Ott, Andy Poston, David Weller, Philip Jacques and Julie Rosch who have been gracious in bringing us on board, and are continuing to be supportive of the new leadership,” said Matthew Piette, the new Vice President.
Piette has a long history of supporting the arts and theater and acting in productions at the Loft Theater in Leamington Spa, England, and appearing in a variety of shows including the London premiere of “A Dog in A Manger” by Lope de Vega, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound.” Matthew has since accumulated over 20 years of global and high-tech experience in executive-level management for Fortune 500 companies and startups in the United States, as well as playing key roles in non-profit organizations, including CSIS, a Washington DC-based Think Tank. He is currently Head of Brand Marketing at Exact Sciences Corporation, working on multi-cancer early detection solutions.
Luisa holds a Master’s degree (LLM) in International Law, and a BA in French & Government from the University of Essex, U.K. Matthew holds a BA and a Master’s Degree in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, U.K.
Matthew and Luisa reside in Cool, CA. They are the proud parents of John and Natasha, and grandparents to toddler Cosima.
ABOUT PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER (PCT)
We are a nonprofit 501 (C) (3) organization founded in 2003. We are dedicated to providing entertainment and cultural enrichment while supporting the arts and education in our community. Visit us at placercommunitytheater.org and on Twitter @PlacerTheater
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