by members of the South Bay Musical Theatre Board of Directors

Not long ago, volunteer Yvonne Hirsch conducted interviews with the SBMT Board of Directors to get their thoughts on a variety of subjects related to the arts community we serve. We have serialized the interviews into two videos that we are sharing here this week and next. If you have the time, please view the actual recording by clicking below:

If you’re in a hurry, we have summarized the video in the transcript pasted below.

Steve Sammonds: The Board has become a lot more diverse in the last few years. We’re bringing in members of the community, not just insiders to SBMT, but people who just love theatre and love SBMT. And then we now have them on the Board.

Ann Lucena: My favorite memory is actually what got me involved with SBMT, which is performing in the 60th anniversary concert. And I was just inspired by the quality of the performers, their enthusiasm, the camaraderie that was built in a short amount of time.

Ray Smith: My family has been coming to SBMT now for 20 plus years. My husband has been a performer in the SBMT live orchestra.

Marcy Bates: By the end of that season, my husband and I were volunteering to help out with opening night.

Tipu Purkayastha: I think personally, I’m very different in, you know, I’m Indian origin. I don’t see too many people of that in the Board, which is one of my reasons for joining the Board. I get more audience members and more performers and more texts from the South Asian community. So that’s, personally, a big thing for me.

Dick Robbins: Young people and even older people spend all their time with their phones. When you go to a restaurant and the two people are sitting across from one another and they’re not talking to each other, they’re watching their phones, it makes you realize that something like live theatre could really make a difference.

Caroline Kondo Moore: I see SBMT as an organization that impacts the community by providing live theatre to the community, and it matters—especially in a time like this—where people need to gather together and have that shared experience.

Ann Lucena: I want to make sure that SBMT is around for another 60 years. It has a great legacy already here, and I just want to be a part of helping it continue.

Are you interested in joining the Board?

Some of our Board members are going to be moving out of the area or will be facing term limits and leaving their positions vacant. If you share our passion for the arts—especially if you have expertise in the legal or fundraising fields—we would love to hear from you as a potential future Board member. Contact Michael Paul Hirsch for more information.