Gilroy's New Favorite Theater, offering quality shows downtown at the Center for the Arts
Backstage
Kevin Heath
Alan Obata
Limelight Actors Theater opened in January 2011 and is Gilroy's newest and only downtown theater. It is also the only theater in the Bay Area that offers "Bring Your Own" Dinner (and wine) Theater. It has been described as "the brainchild" of popular local actor Kevin Heath. The journey started around Thanksgiving 2010 when a local developer and restaurant owner approached Kevin and asked if he would bring a play to the restaurant's banquet room the next year. He was then asked to bring theater to the brand new Interim Center for the Arts. Before he knew it, he was planning three shows to perform in the first three months of 2011. Opening a theater wasn't in his "5 year plan" of life, but he could see fate was intervening to change that plan. Kevin convinced local Realtor/Broker Alan Obata to join in on the project and Limelight Actors Theater was born. In 2012, as they completed the first year in business, Limelight was voted Best Theater in South County by both the Out & About Magazine and Gilroy Patch.com's Reader Choice. In 2013, Limelight won again, after their second year in business. They are proud to be Gilroy's new favorite theater!
In June of 2011, Limelight was fortunate enough to add the talents of our Resident Technical Director, Matthew Russell Hendrickson. Matthew grew up in the original theater family in Gilroy (Russ and Nancy Hendrickson are his parents) and started as a very young child with Center Stage.
Their business model started with three simple bullet points:
- The theater must be downtown, at the Interim Center for the Arts, to help bring people out in the heart of the City, help support the Gilroy Arts Alliance and the revitalization of downtown.
- There has to be wine (Our area is known for wine and theater goers love a glass at a show. There weren't any theaters in south county that offered that, until we came along and we're happy we started the trend!)
- It must be "Theater with a Twist". The "twist" being quality and variety for local theatergoers, and challenging roles for actors to sink their teeth into.
Limelight had to mix it up and fill in the gaps. It had to offer a little comedy, a little drama, staged readings, cabaret performances, musical reviews, one act series, premiere plays never before presented in Gilroy and traditional two act shows. Something different to set them apart, and create a stylish theater experience audiences in the area were craving. This meant creating opportunities for local Directors and Actors to showcase their talents in a smaller, more intimate and upscale cabaret theater style.
In June of 2011, Limelight was fortunate enough to add the talents of our Resident Technical Director, Matthew Russell Hendrickson. Matthew grew up in the original theater family in Gilroy (Russ and Nancy Hendrickson are his parents) and started as a very young child with Center Stage.
When Limelight was created, Kevin's dear friend, Sylvia Myrvold, suggested that they revive an old tradition in Gilroy created by Center Stage in the 1970's and 1980's. The return of "Bring Your Own Dinner" Theater, originally created by Russ and Nancy Hendrickson (owners of Center Stage). That tradition had been gone for decades. On opening night of Limelight, January 21, 2011; the tradition was re-born with a sold out crowd and has been the new signature of Limelight. Thank you Russ and Nancy!
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Limelight Actors Theater is very proud to be a theater that actually supports the Arts and the community they live in. They make a financial donation to Gilroy Arts Alliance from each performance. This money directly benefits the operations of the Gilroy Center for the Arts. Limelight is a small theater that collaborates with artists and help them showcase their talents in Gilroy, a city brimming with a strong Arts Community. Outside of the donation, Kevin and Alan donate a significant amount of time volunteering at the Center.
