Capital Stage in Sacramento’s Midtown is ready to welcome audiences to its latest show opening on Wednesday. The play titled “I And You” is the latest in the nonprofit professional theater’s long history of bringing thought-provoking, timely, community-driven theater to the city. “You’ll never see the same play twice. It’s a gestalt of the people in the audience, the actors, the days they’ve had, and this extraordinary kind of commitment to believing,” said Michael Stevenson, artistic director at Capital Stage. “In our theater, you’re never more than four rows away from the actors. And so, the acting can be extraordinarily subtle.”Capital Stage began in 2005 aboard the Delta King.“There is a theater in the Delta King that is 99 seats. Some of them face directly into metal columns that are part of the ship,” Stevenson said. “Everyone was like, ‘This is crazy. You’ll never work here.’ And yet it did, and it kind of exploded.”Stevenson explained that the theater’s founders believed theatergoers should have access to professional theater locally, without having to travel to cities like San Francisco for a show. In time, the company grew and eventually needed to relocate to a larger space, which it did in 2011 when it took over its current theater on J Street.“The choice-making artistically that happens in the nonprofit theater really can and should be a reflection of the world around you,” said Liz Gray, managing director of Capital Stage. “I personally really appreciate the fact that we’re able to bring this kind of live theater to Sacramento, especially at this time that is particularly challenging for the theater sector and just the nonprofit world in general.”The theater relies heavily on community support, Gray said, with about 60% of its funding coming from donations, grants, and gift giving, while the remaining 40% is generated from ticket sales. Both Gray and Stevenson noted there are still challenges that exist as Capital Stage and other arts organizations continue their efforts to bounce back from the pandemic.“It caused a change in the way that everybody does business and the way they get their entertainment,” Stevenson said. “They have to have an amazing experience. The best way to understand theater is to experience it. You can’t really talk about it. You can’t describe it. You just have to be it.”As the theater continues to recover, Stevenson highlighted the importance of theater as a communal experience. “We’re losing the ritual of community, of being together,” he said. “Theater is one of the last public rituals that says this is what’s happening to us, what do we think about it? And that, if produced in a compelling way, is a powerful alchemy.”Capital Stage is committed to enhancing its programming, particularly for youth, in the coming months and years, ensuring that the theater remains a vital part of Sacramento’s cultural landscape.”I And You,” directed by Imani Mitchell, runs Dec. 3–28.Follow this link for more information about Capital Stage and tickets.70 Years of Service | Organizations making a difference in Northern CaliforniaSee more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Capital Stage in Sacramento’s Midtown is ready to welcome audiences to its latest show opening on Wednesday.
The play titled “I And You” is the latest in the nonprofit professional theater’s long history of bringing thought-provoking, timely, community-driven theater to the city.
“You’ll never see the same play twice. It’s a gestalt of the people in the audience, the actors, the days they’ve had, and this extraordinary kind of commitment to believing,” said Michael Stevenson, artistic director at Capital Stage. “In our theater, you’re never more than four rows away from the actors. And so, the acting can be extraordinarily subtle.”
Capital Stage began in 2005 aboard the Delta King.
“There is a theater in the Delta King that is 99 seats. Some of them face directly into metal columns that are part of the ship,” Stevenson said. “Everyone was like, ‘This is crazy. You’ll never work here.’ And yet it did, and it kind of exploded.”
Stevenson explained that the theater’s founders believed theatergoers should have access to professional theater locally, without having to travel to cities like San Francisco for a show.
In time, the company grew and eventually needed to relocate to a larger space, which it did in 2011 when it took over its current theater on J Street.
“The choice-making artistically that happens in the nonprofit theater really can and should be a reflection of the world around you,” said Liz Gray, managing director of Capital Stage. “I personally really appreciate the fact that we’re able to bring this kind of live theater to Sacramento, especially at this time that is particularly challenging for the theater sector and just the nonprofit world in general.”
The theater relies heavily on community support, Gray said, with about 60% of its funding coming from donations, grants, and gift giving, while the remaining 40% is generated from ticket sales. Both Gray and Stevenson noted there are still challenges that exist as Capital Stage and other arts organizations continue their efforts to bounce back from the pandemic.
“It caused a change in the way that everybody does business and the way they get their entertainment,” Stevenson said. “They have to have an amazing experience. The best way to understand theater is to experience it. You can’t really talk about it. You can’t describe it. You just have to be it.”
As the theater continues to recover, Stevenson highlighted the importance of theater as a communal experience.
“We’re losing the ritual of community, of being together,” he said. “Theater is one of the last public rituals that says this is what’s happening to us, what do we think about it? And that, if produced in a compelling way, is a powerful alchemy.”
Capital Stage is committed to enhancing its programming, particularly for youth, in the coming months and years, ensuring that the theater remains a vital part of Sacramento’s cultural landscape.
“I And You,” directed by Imani Mitchell, runs Dec. 3–28.
Follow this link for more information about Capital Stage and tickets.
70 Years of Service | Organizations making a difference in Northern California
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel