Many Groups Want a Part of Balboa Theatre’s Future

Balboa, Balboa, who’s got the Balboa?

If the City Council agrees to bring the downtown Balboa Theatre up to code (on Tuesday the council postponed its vote on the issue until April 28), a theater manager--either a presenter or producing company--may be named by the end of 1992, David Allsbrook, projects director for Centre City Development Corp., said Tuesday. Operating or managing agreements should be in place by the end of 1993, construction should begin in 1994, and the 1,500-seat theater, which has been dormant since 1986, should be operational in 1995.

The La Jolla Playhouse has expressed interest. So have Starlight Musical Theatre, the Visual Arts Foundation of San Diego and the San Diego Concourse, which already oversees the Civic Theatre, Golden Hall and Plaza Hall.

Allsbrook said that the Nederlander Organization also has expressed interest, as has the Pasadena Playhouse.

Yes, despite the agreement Pasadena signed last week to produce plays at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts for the next two years, it is still interested in operating the Balboa. “Very interested,” as Allsbrook puts it.

Allsbrook stressed that, unlike the city’s arrangement with the San Diego Repertory Theatre for the two downtown Lyceum Theater spaces, there will be no public subsidy for operations.

“We cannot get into a situation where we have to subsidize the public operation,” he said.

The Spreckels Theatre, which only booked 128 days in 1991, is looking for theater. Theatre East, which only booked 220 days last fiscal year--between July 1, 1990 and June 30, 1991--is looking for theater. The Poway Center for the Performing Arts, which booked 132 performances from July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1991, was looking for theater--and then it signed a two-year contract with the Pasadena Playhouse to bring Pasadena productions to Poway’s stage.

Although the 2,992-seat downtown San Diego Civic Theatre is booked 260 days from July 1, 1991 through June 30 this year, smaller presenting organizations such as the 1,450-seat downtown Spreckels and 1,2222-seat Theatre East in El Cajon would like to book more. Specifically more theater. Particularly the kind of programming that would bring in a subscription base and give them a sense of identity of the sort that the San Diego Opera season, the San Diego Playgoers season and the annual Starlight Musical Theatre offerings give the Civic.

Big-budget touring shows like “Les Miserables” and “Starlight Express” have to play large houses like the Civic to make enough money to cover costs.

David Chandler, managing director of the Spreckels, which vied with Poway for Pasadena, sees regional theaters as the answer to his programming problems. Regional theaters are accustomed to budgeting for smaller houses. He is actively courting regional theaters through the League of Resident Theatres. The Spreckels has a sales presentation, a brochure and a follow-up program to attract interested organizations.

Chandler’s goal is to increase the percentage of theater the Spreckels offers. He would also like to create a subscription base for the Spreckels and to increase overall use of the theater.

Theatre East has similar goals, but it is looking to local theaters for a long-term relationship. Most recently, last July, Lamb’s Players Theatre came in to try out a children’s show, “Puff the Magic Dragon.” If the show had drawn sufficiently, Lamb’s had talked of developing a whole season of children’s plays for Theatre East.

But the space was too big for Lamb’s. And the National City-based company didn’t draw well in East County. Instead Lamb’s continues to present shows at the downtown Lyceum theaters; this year it has expanded to three shows: John’s Gospel” April 17-19, “The Boys Next Door” May 8-31 and “The Nerd” July 3-19.

So Theatre East is still looking. Its manager, Dick Childs, recently talked with the locally based Christian Community Theatre about a possible season. Childs is hoping to find a company with name recognition and quality. He said he would have jumped at the chance to present the Pasadena season.

For Poway, the deal with Pasadena was “a dream come true,” said City Manager James Bowersox. The Pasadena Playhouse presence will raise Poway’s bookings to 248 days a year and increase its presentation of theater to 30% of the programming.

And not only will the no-risk, straight rental fees ($7,200 a week) lower Poway’s annual operating costs from $250,000 to $150,000, the Pasadena Playhouse will bring recognition to Poway through its advertisements and will provide community service in the process. As part of the agreement, Pasadena will also work with the Poway High School drama department, giving high school students a chance to apprentice with the company in its local productions.

PROGRAM NOTES: Bud Franks, executive director of Starlight Musical Theatre, was elected Saturday to a two-year term as president of the National Alliance of Musical Theatre Producers, a nonprofit organization of 70 professional companies in 34 states. Franks, who will continue with his duties at Starlight, will be the third president in the 6-year-old organization’s history.

The Plaids are coming back for one night only. The original Old Globe Plaid cast of Stan Chandler, David Engel, Larry Raben and Guy Stroman will be one of several acts in “Together Again . . . For the First Time,” a benefit performance organized by Creative Response for local AIDS organizations May 4 at 8 p.m. and the San Diego Civic Theatre. Also scheduled: Karen Morrow, who will be playing Mama Rose in Starlight Musical Theatre’s “Gypsy” and excerpts from the San Diego Opera’s “Carmen.” Tickets are $15-$35, with a $50 ticket that includes a post-event party with the performers. Call 236-6510 or 278-TIXS. . . .

The Big Kitchen Dessert Theatre will return with the San Diego premiere of a one-act 1989 David Mamet play, “Bobby Gould in Hell” under the direction of John Highkin May 8-24. Call 235-9756 for tickets. . . .

Scripteasers will showcase “Life Among the Trees,” a play about two young gay men, one black and one white searching for love and acceptance April 20 at the Hahn Cosmopolitan Theatre at 8 p.m. For tickets call 295-4040. . . .

The Flying Karamazovs will fly over UC San Diego’s Mandeville Auditorium tonight at 8 p.m. This will be the last local chance to check out their talents before they return to perform at the La Jolla Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Forum in their new original show, “Le Petomane,” June 14-July 12. Call 534-4090 for tickets.

CRITIC’S CHOICE

INTIMATE LOOK AT ‘LIFE IN THE THEATRE’

Jonathan McMurtry gives a deeply eloquent performance as an aging actor in “A Life in the Theatre.” His work, along with that of David Ellenstein as the young up-and-coming actor, is so intimate, funny and touching, it makes one feel like a peeping Tom lurking around backstage. Performances at 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays with Sunday matinees at 2, 234-9583.