Wandering into the spotlight of the Theatre Community - by N.L. Belardes

This evening I walked down Eye Street, past the cobblestones of Wall Street, past the tattoo parlor and The Syndicate coffeehouse. I turned west on 19th Street carrying a black bag filled with papers, a cheap camera, odd pieces of this and that that a novelist might carry in a bag of such sorts; a pen for scribbling poems of Southern Valley shenanigans and for drawing sketches of machinery while at work. I wondered if this old building now housing the Spotlight Theatre was going to be of much interest. There was talk of The War Days movie premiere while bands whose music fills the artistic Vietnam era film would also perform; there have been thoughts of a book release party for the most controversial novel ever to come out of the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Would the Spotlight do? Up walked Ben from Broken Record Gospel. He came from behind a café counter. His normally flowing hair was in a ponytail. His dancing bass playing and keyboard artistry a figment of strange barroom thoughts. I asked him how the theatre was doing. He said the café is what has really taken off. “The Cambrian Salad is what customers really like with its balsamic vinaigrette and candied pecans. The Spotlight café has been doing really well. Downtown business folk and regulars come during the day and evening for their favorite dish. At night, a lot of theatre folk hang out. So-and-so from the Mint and the Silver Fox; bouncers and bar workers wanting a good sandwich.”

Nick/Tyler from Liars and Thieves talked on a phone. He soon came out too. I called today and Tyler was going to put me on the phone with Emily at the Spotlight. But he came back with that well-trained line that young receptionists are supposed to use on old timers like me after being briefly placed on hold, “Oh, Emily, she just went into a meeting.” That’s Ok, I can understand that people get busy… In the meantime Ben showed me the theatre itself. Up a flight of stairs and to the right I soon saw a ceiling with imprinted tin tiles that instantly grabbed my attention. Along the walls on either side of the theatre, columns and a walkway lined the top of the 99-seat theatre. This was a self-made tour assisted by a couple of musicians, symbolic that the music community has welcomed me with open arms to help promote them, while the theatre community… well, I am still figuring that one out. In the end I left, still hoping that I would meet with the Spotlight Theatre folks.

You know, I think I will have one of their sandwiches…

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Tuesday, April 19, 2005. You can leave your response.