Plaza Players Need Fresh Leadership

* Plaza Players’ founder Michael Maynez is right (“Dean of County Theater Gives It Body and Soul,” April 1). Theater can change people’s lives. It certainly changed mine. Maynez turned me off community theater for the rest of my life.

Maynez may have his loyal little puppies spreading the good word, but the emperor has no clothes. Once upon a time Maynez was a good director, but he was never a smart director. Why did he lose his theater and be forced to work in a senior citizen center? Because he would rather do things his way rather than the smart way.

My last job as marketing manager was to sell his lineup of plays for the new season. I did a marketing survey that proved Ventura audiences wouldn’t support the lineup. I suggested mixing marketable, high-brow productions with some of his challenging, low-brow productions. His response? Tough! He was going to do things his way, come hell or high water. The season failed. He lost his theater.

Plaza Players was once a marketable commodity. They had money in the bank. They had unlimited talent. They had respect and community support. Times have changed, and so has Maynez. Before I left, plans were in the works to pass the mantle to someone who could pump new life into Plaza Players. The theater troupe still needs a transfusion.

JOHN LARSEN

Port Hueneme