Arty Party of the Week
Santa Barbara Stage Hosts Free Salon
Tonight, October 1, is the first Thursday of the month, and we all know what that means: Downtown art galleries will be keeping their doors open well into the evening for some cultured schmoozing. This month, fans of the performing arts will also get a behind-the-scenes peek at what’s to come in the 2009-10 season.
The free salon takes place at the Granada Theatre (1214 State St.) and is sponsored by the nonprofit performing arts consortium Santa Barbara Stage (SBS), formerly the S.B. Performing Arts League. The organization’s mission is to encourage cooperation across artistic disciplines and to encourage and build appreciation of the arts in town. The evening will feature live music; a panel discussion with representatives of opera, theater, music, dance, and arts programming organizations; and a couple of mini-performances to whet your appetite for upcoming shows.
According to panel discussion moderator Rod Lathim-longtime theater artist and advocate and president of the board of the Marjorie Luke Theatre-the salon will be a chance to hear about new developments and exciting directions for the arts this year. He’ll be guiding the discussion between leaders from Arts & Lectures, the Granada, and the Luke; Genesis West, Ensemble, and Lit Moon theatre companies; State Street Ballet and the Santa Barbara Revels; and the S.B. Symphony, Opera, and Choral Society. Whether you’re a season ticket holder or a relative newcomer to the performing arts in Santa Barbara, you’ll want to be there to learn more about the curatorial process behind each group’s season, special highlights, new programs, and much, much more.
Doors open at 5 p.m., when performing arts organizations will distribute promotional material, answer questions, and sell tickets. Flutist Stephanie Miller of the Santa Barbara Symphony will also perform for the crowd. The salon itself, including the panel discussion and mini-performances from Lit Moon and the Revels, runs from 6-7:30 p.m. To learn more about Santa Barbara Stage, call 563-8068 or visit sbstage.org.
