{"id":160916,"date":"2026-02-02T22:37:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:37:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/160916\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T22:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:37:07","slug":"all-the-worlds-a-stage-for-los-rios-community-college-theater-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/160916\/","title":{"rendered":"All the world\u2019s a stage for Los Rios Community College theater programs"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Patti Roberts, Solving Sacramento<\/a><\/p>\n

Toward the end of each semester at the four Los Rios Community College campuses, all the world\u2019s a stage for theater students. The plays staged at each campus theater showcase the skills students have learned over the semester.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The results are impressive productions that draw crowds and cement Los Rios\u2019 reputation as having some of the strongest theater programs in the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The four colleges in the Los Rios district are Folsom Lake College (FLC), Cosumnes River College (CRC), Sacramento City College (SCC) and American River College (ARC). The fall 2025 semester saw productions at each campus: \u201cMr. Burns \u2013 A Post-Electric Play\u201d at Folsom\u2019s Falcon\u2019s Eye Theatre<\/a>; \u201cRent\u201d at Cosumnes\u2019 Black Box Theatre<\/a>; \u201cThe Nutcracker: A Panto\u201d at Sacramento City\u2019s City Theatre<\/a>, and \u201cShe Kills Monsters\u201d at American River\u2019s ARC College Theatre<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For some students, this may be the first time on stage in front of an audience. For others, it\u2019s an opportunity to fine-tune the acting skills they learned in high school or other theater endeavors. And then there are the students who embrace the production skills \u2013 set design, lighting and sound, tech, costuming and props.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The professors and instructors bring years of their own theater backgrounds in acting, playwrighting, stagecraft and tech design that help them guide students through the process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Students may choose the community college path rather than a four-year university for various reasons \u2014 finances, grades, age, returning to school, smaller classes and larger skill-based opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our students are first-generation college students. Sometimes they have a struggle of convincing their parents that there may be a future in theater instead of engineering,\u201d Cosumnes Theatre and Dance Arts Department Chair Martin Flynn said. \u201cAnd some students didn\u2019t do well in high school and are hesitant in college. We have a wide range of diversity. We strive to meet them where they\u2019re at and encourage them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"From left: Folsom Lake College Theatre and Cinema Arts Department Chair Ian Wallace and Professor David Harris on the set of \u201cMr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play\u201d on Thursday, Nov. 30.(Photo by Cristian Gonzalez)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Potential drama students have a lot of options when choosing a school, and for many Los Rios colleges are the perfect fit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think students have more opportunities than they would necessarily have in a much larger university setting, especially in those first two years,\u201d said Ian Wallace, Folsom\u2019s theatre and cinema arts department chair. \u201cIt\u2019s also so much less expensive. Two years here, you get a great foundation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many students who have participated in the Los Rios district\u2018s drama programs have found professional jobs in the local theater community, including B Street Theatre, Music Circus, Capital Stage and Celebration Arts. For example, Wade McKenzie-Bahr, now a lighting supervisor at B Street Theatre, began his theater journey as a student at Folsom Lake College.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a student, I was relieved to find that the classes all had practical skills for the students, rather than just theory or lectures,\u201d said McKenzie-Bahr. \u201cHaving the classes tied so closely to the Falcon’s Eye performances meant that students could learn a skill and practically apply it within the same semester on a real production. I feel very fortunate that the skills I learned in class are the same ones that got me my career.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Folsom Lake College\u2019s Theatre and Cinema Arts Program<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Folsom Lake College\u2019s theater program began in 2001 under David Harris, professor of theatre and cinema arts, who slowly expanded the department leading to a collaborative partnership at FLC between Harris and Department Chair Wallace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harris began teaching theater 26 years ago, first at Sacramento City College and Cosumnes River College before landing at Folsom Lake College. Wallace is a bit newer, coming on board 13 years ago, but they have worked together at Folsom to build the theater department\u2019s reputation and see the expansion of the Harris Center for the Arts in 2011, which houses three stages \u2014 one being the FLC\u2019s Falcon\u2019s Eye Theater.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harris is also a local actor, so he brings his directing and acting skills to pass on to the students, while Wallace focuses on design and technical theater classes. They\u2019ve welcomed a third full-time faculty member this year \u2014 theater and film actor Jennifer Provenza-Wallace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Community college students gain hands-on experience and access to resources like career education grants, Wallace said, noting key classes such as Stagecraft and Scenic Design, as well as collaborative partnerships among faculty, students, audiences and local theater companies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wallace also said that many of his theater students start out feeling isolated but eventually find a tribe of their own in the drama department.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching a student embrace theater and grow is so heart-warming,\u201d said Wallace. \u201cThey find a group of people who are accepting of everything, of genders, of sexual orientations, of races, of religion or just feeling a little lost. The first day of class is always very quiet. Everyone’s shy. But by the last day of class, they\u2019re friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A Folsom Lake College student takes measurements during a scenic design class on Thursday, Nov. 30.(Photo by Cristian Gonzalez)<\/p>\n

Former student Maddie Hardiman agrees. She said her time at the FLC theater department was truly foundational.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the start of everything for me,\u201d said Hardiman, who now works as a professional stage manager in the local theater community, including at Capital Stage and her alma mater, Folsom Lake College.
\u201cWhile attending Folsom, I was able to explore and learn from many different sides of live theater. Hands-on experiences with industry professionals gave me the confidence to pursue stage management as a career. Now, as a stage manager working professionally in the community, I see how much that foundation prepared me to be successful in my career goals.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cosumnes Theatre and Dance Arts Program<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 1995, under the direction of Professor Frank Condon, Cosumnes River College opened a new visual and performing arts complex that includes the Black Box Theatre.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After the pandemic, the theater department was rebuilt under Flynn\u2019s leadership, reviving its original name, River Stage at Cosumnes River, expanding its drama offerings, emphasizing a \u201cproduction-oriented program\u201d and diversifying its faculty.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The college puts on seven shows a year during the fall, spring and summer sessions. Classes include introduction to theater, acting, history of theater, stagecraft, stage lighting, intro to scenic design, improv and costume construction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"\"Technical theatre arts major Eden Pearson worked as the stage manager for \u201cMr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play\u201d by Falcon\u2019s Eye Theatre.(Photo by Cristian Gonzalez)<\/p>\n

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Flynn has experience as a community college student, having spent two years at one in New York. He acknowledges that there is a wide range of ages, economic backgrounds and cultures at community colleges, and that different expectations exist.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of our students have many opportunities to appear on stage or work backstage,\u201d Flynn said. \u201cOur goal is to produce graduates who can either adeptly transfer into a four-year program or go straight to work in the theater industry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flynn reaches out to the local theaters in town for opportunities for their students. According to Flynn, many of their students begin working for local theater companies before they graduate, including Music Circus, Capital Stage, Celebration Arts and Teatro Nagual.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Natasha Larson-Swenson is thankful for her classes at Cosumnes River College, which eventually led to her current job as props artisan for Broadway at Music Circus.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI signed up for a stagecraft class,\u201d said Larson-Swenson, remembering her Cosumnes beginnings. \u201cI didn’t know what it was about, but by the description, it sounded interesting because I enjoy working with my hands and building things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eventually, Flynn suggested Larson-Swenson apply for a props internship at Music Circus, which ultimately led to her current job there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this job, I’m able to learn more about making props and working with new materials to build them,\u201d she said. \u201cI am grateful that the guidance and assistance Martin has given me led me to a career doing something I truly enjoy and excel at.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sacramento City College\u2019s Theatre Arts Program<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sacramento City College is the oldest college in the Los Rios Community College District \u2014 founded in 1916 by Belle Cooledge, a female educator and later the first woman mayor of Sacramento.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The college\u2019s Performing Arts Center \u2014 now City Theatre \u2014 was established in 1937, and is known not only for its in-house theater productions but also for its annual summer Sacramento Shakespeare Festival<\/a>, which began 40 years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rose Ross uses glue and foam core board during a scenic design class at Folsom Lake College on Thursday, Nov. 30.(Photo by Cristian Gonzalez)<\/p>\n

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The Shakespeare Festival was a mainstay summer outing held for years at Land Park\u2019s outdoor amphitheater. But a couple of summers ago, it was moved inside because of the heat and repairs, according to Luther Hanson, chair of Theatre Arts at Sacramento City College.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to the summer festival, the department also stages one-act play festivals featuring scripts from Hanson\u2019s playwriting classes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur playwriting students get an opportunity to see their work performed on our main stage,\u201d Hanson said. Hanson has taught at SCC for 30 years and is active in theater \u2014 acting, directing and playwriting at various West Coast theaters. Other classes offered at SCC include acting, production, stagecraft, makeup, lighting design, scenic design and theater history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a large range of students who take our classes,\u201d said Hanson. \u201cSome are straight out of high school, some who have been in college for a couple of years, and actors in the community. One of my favorite actors is Tim Sapunor, who\u2019s been acting for 60 years and [is] in lots of our plays.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hanson noted one of the main benefits of community college over a university is that tuition is more reasonable at $146 a semester. He\u2019s also proud of the opportunities SCC provides students to be part of each semester\u2019s productions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sacramento City College puts on six productions a year, including two Shakespeare Festival plays, its annual Panto play, two additional performances and a children\u2019s theater play.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mia Matista has performed in most of the annual Panto plays at SCC. This year, she portrayed Clara in \u201cThe Nutcracker: A Panto<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matista started in the drama program at SCC in 2016 and now works for the college\u2019s Humanities and Fine Arts Department. She remembers her classes included theatre and acting techniques, taught by Hanson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a hard time figuring out what I wanted in college and when I started taking theater classes, I found a thriving community,\u201d Matista said.
American River College\u2019s Theatre Arts Program<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The American River College theater department was established in the 1950s, according to Kathy Burleson, chair of the Theatre Arts Department.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Burleson, Sacramento has always been her theater home. She first earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in theatre from Sacramento State, and an MFA in theatre design from the University of California, Davis. Bringing her theater background with her, Burleson has been teaching technical theater at ARC for the past 40 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each school year, the theater department puts on four mainstage productions at its ARC theater, one children\u2019s touring play and one showcase, all featuring student involvement. This gives a wide range of opportunities for beginning actors who have taken an acting class, and for advanced students to get larger roles, participate in stage management and be assistant directors, said Burleson.<\/p>\n

The production elements come from ARC technical classes, including stagecraft, lighting, sound, costuming, vintage costuming and makeup.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents in our daytime technical classes build and paint scenery for all shows, build props, hang and focus lights, do sound cues and build costumes,\u201d Burleson said. \u201cThen they have the opportunity to crew the shows: stage crew, props crew, dressers, lights and sound crews and front of the house crew.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Burleson, ARC has a strong musical theater program with training in acting, dance and singing, along with involvement in complex technical theater setups.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some of the ARC shows that Burleson notes include \u201cThe Wiz,\u201d \u201cPuffs,\u201d \u201cWest Side Story,\u201d \u201cLend Me a Tenor\u201d and \u201cLittle Shop of Horrors,\u201d where the theater department partners with other ARC departments such as dance, fashion, art\/new media, electronic engineering, music and computer-aided design.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

ARC also offers internships with Music Circus and Capital Stage. \u201cMany of our students have been through the ARC internship program at Music Circus and have been able to move on into professional positions,\u201d Burleson said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

This story is part of the Solving Sacramento <\/a>journalism collaborative. This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento<\/a>. Following our journalism code of ethics, the city had no editorial influence over this story. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Hmong Daily News, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review and Sacramento Observer. Sign up for our \u201cSac Art Pulse\u201d newsletter here<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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