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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SOUTH VALLEY CIVIC THEATER

Theater Scene

Written By Matthew Russell Hendrickson

South Valley Civic Theater

Behind the Scenes

Behind the stage of every theater company , community or professional , there is always some sort of production staff and / or board of directors who handle the actual workings of getting a play from the planning stage to being performed for an audience . The Morgan Hill Community Playhouse is the home of South Valley Civic Theater and they have a board of directors . Each year there is a changing of the guard on the board and this year ’ s new president of the board is Gilroy ’ s own Scott Lynch .

If you haven ’ t seen Scott on stage you are definitely missing out . He recently won the Best Male Actor in a Leading Role award at the SVCT Member ’ s Choice Awards held in October of last year for his performance as Vanya in “ Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike !” Scott has performed for audiences in Gilroy and Morgan Hill for ten years now . Scott started performing in grade school , but his first big leap was during his senior year at Gilroy High School when he auditioned for a part in “ Flowers For Algernon ” and was cast as Charlie . Scott recalls the story was an emotional roller coaster “ and I remember one scene in which I could hear people in the audience crying . As an actor , eliciting such an emotional response was an incredible experience .”
Thirty years later he decided to audition for SVCT ’ s 2008 production of “ It ’ s a Wonderful Life .” He landed the role of George Bailey who struggles with the significance of his own life . “ There were a lot of changes happening for me at that time and the whole question of how one person ’ s life can positively impact others resonated with me .” Scott has since performed in a total of seven plays for both SVCT and Limelight Actors Theater . He has also produced five plays for SVCT . It was during this time that he joined the board of directors for SVCT .
This coming 2018-2019 season marks the 50 th anniversary for SVCT since it original started as Gilroy Community Theater . The upcoming season includes encore productions of musicals from previous seasons which were chosen through audience suggestions of productions they would like to see again . The upcoming season starts in September and runs through July of next year . The list of productions is included in the calendar at the end of this section .
Scott ’ s memorable roles include Charlie in “ Flowers For Algernon ,” George Baily in “ It ’ s A Wonderful Life ,” Reverend Brown in “ Inherit The Wind ” and Vanya in “ Vanya And Sonya And Masha And Spike .” When asked which was his favorite he

Now Playing

“ Tendrely , The Rosemary Clooney Musical ”
April 27,28 , 29 May 4 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 12 , 18 , 19
Tenderly , the Rosemary Clooney Musical offers a fresh , remarkably personal , and poignant picture of the woman whose unparalleled talent and unbridled personality made her a legend . In Tenderly , Rosemary Clooney ’ s journey starts with her simple Maysville , Kentucky childhood and follows her rise to Hollywood stardom . With her signature songs woven in and out , we learn both the story of her successes on film , radio , and TV , as well as her struggles in her personal life – with a career fading during the advent of rock-and-roll and her battles with addiction and depression . Audiences stand and cheer as they rejoice at her triumphant comeback and even more successful career as a jazz singer .
Limelight Actors Theater 7341 Monterey Street • Gilroy limelightactorstheater . com
“ Annie , Jr .
April 20 , 21 , 27 , 28 , 29 May 4 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 12 Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical , with a beloved book and score by Tony Award-winners , Thomas Meehan , Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin , Annie JR . features everyone ’ s favorite little redhead in her very first adventure .
With equal measures of pluck and positivity , little orphan Annie charms everyone ’ s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City . Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan . Annie eventually foils Miss Hannigan ’ s evil machinations , finding a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks , his personal secretary , Grace Farrell , and a lovable mutt named Sandy .
SVCT • 17090 Monterey Road Morgan Hill • svct . org
replied “… a tough choice , but I would have to say George Bailey in It ’ s a Wonderful Life .”
“ It was happenstance that I auditioned for It ’ s “ A Wonderful Life .” An audition notice was sent to my daughter Abbey . To this day , I don ’ t know how she got on SVCT ’ s mailing list . The time was right , I guess , for me to get involved in something outside work and separate from all the school activities that were going on for my children . Being a part of a story that brings folks in touch with something that affects them in a deeper , meaningful way . It ’ s the emotional response that is most gratifying and affirming . Be it rapt silence , laughing , or crying … It ’ s all good .”
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN APRIL / MAY 2018 gmhtoday . com
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