Artistic Differences

In the last decade, small community and school-based theater organizations have proliferated in Sacramento. These groups are responding to a variety of needs, not least of which is finding genuine artistic expression in an age when large media organizations threaten to pre-empt and co-opt all such expression.

In the six months since DMTC opened the Hoblit Performing Arts Center, several groups have either sprung into existence to take advantage of the new facility's availability (Dreamcoat Productions; Teen Cabaret, Helen Spangler's Children's Workshop) or have used the facility to further their own mission (Flying Monkees).

Now, a new organization is taking shape: Artistic Differences. Erik Daniells is one of the people behind the new venture: there are a number of others as well.

Like Flying Monkees, Artistic Differences isn't necessarily wedded to one physical facility, but rather, is in service to a concept. Flying Monkees is in service to young musical theater enthusiasts. Artistic Differences is in service to a more nebulous, but nevertheless noble, goal - artistic excellence:

We are committed to planning and executing each of our staged productions to achieve the highest artistic quality to which we are capable. We will not be afraid to take calculated artistic risks and will strive for growth based on a continual critical evaluation of our strengths and weaknesses.

Artistic excellence is hard to achieve in musical theater, because the effort is necessarily a collaborative effort, and can be hamstrung by the weakest part of the effort. It seems to me that there two ways to have the best shot at artistic excellence:

• use the best available performers; and,
• allow ample time for rehearsals.

Hopefully, the new group will do both.

The first public performance of Artistic Differences will be with the show "Falsettos," with a preview scheduled for Sunday, July 2nd at 8:00 PM at DMTC's Hoblit Performing Arts Center, 607 Peña Drive, Davis, and with shows scheduled July 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and continuing on August 4th, 5th, 6th. A number of good performers are already lined up:

Michael RJ Campbell, Ken Figeroid, Marcy Goodnow, Joey Harris, Margaret Hollinbeck, Craig Howard, Jerry Lee, Kristen Wagner and more to be announced.

The best of good fortune with this new venture!