Let It Show: A new holiday tradition begins at SBMT

Let It Show: A new holiday tradition begins at SBMT

By Walter M. Mayes, Artistic Director South Bay Musical Theatre is thrilled to unwrap something truly special this season: Let It Show: A Broadway Holiday Celebration. As Artistic Director, I have long imagined bringing a warm, inviting December tradition to the Saratoga Civic Theater that celebrates community, showcases remarkable local talent, and ushers in the magic of the holidays without feeling like a children’s pageant. This year, that dream becomes reality. I am delighted to have created this new concert with one of my favorite collaborators, pianist and Music Director Bob Sunshine. Bob and I spent months digging through the [...]

By |2025-12-03T12:03:58-08:00December 3rd, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Blog-erviews!, Opinion|

SBMT lands early rights to perform Come From Away

by Doug Hughes, Director of Marketing After a string of successful, uplifting productions and sold out performances, South Bay Musical Theatre is announcing it has secured the rights to produce Come From Away—one of Broadway’s most acclaimed modern musicals—set to take the stage in January–February 2027 as part of our upcoming 64th season. It will be directed by Chris Reber and choreographed by Lee Ann Payne.  This heartwarming true story, which won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical and Best Original Score, celebrates the extraordinary kindness of ordinary people. When nearly 7,000 airline passengers were stranded in the small [...]

By |2025-11-19T13:38:20-08:00November 19th, 2025|2026-2027 Season, Announcements|

Songs to be performed during “Let It Show”

Here's a list of the songs (in no particular order) that will be performed during Let It Show: A Broadway Holiday Celebration. Medley from White Christmas including "Sisters," "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," "Snow," "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing," "Blue Skies," and, of course, "White Christmas." "Christmas Time Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from Frozen "Christmas Song" from Elf "You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch" from How the Grinch Stole Christmas "We Need a Little Christmas" from Mame "Twelve Days to Christmas" from She Loves Me "Who Would [...]

By |2025-11-14T10:27:03-08:00November 14th, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Announcements, Behind The Scenes|

Announcing New Board Member: Catherine Thermond

by Tipu Purkayshatha and Ann Lucena, SBMT Board Chair and Vice Chair South Bay Musical Theatre thrives on the passion, generosity, and creative spirit of those who believe in the power of the performing arts to bring people together. Today, we are thrilled to announce the addition of an exceptional individual to our Board of Directors, Cathie Thermond, who embodies those qualities. She will bring a wealth of experience, leadership, and love for the arts to our organization. Cathie Thermond A lifelong champion of community service and the performing arts, Catherine (Cathie) Thermond has served in leadership and board positions [...]

By |2025-11-13T16:45:10-08:00November 13th, 2025|Announcements, Blog-erviews!, Board Election, Opinion|

Announcing the cast of Let It Show

SBMT Artistic Director, Walter M. Mayes, is delighted to announce the singers who will be performing in our holiday concert in December. They include: Kyle Arrouzet Lauren D'Ambrosio Cami DeMarco Derek DeMarco Matthew Hall Kayvon Kordestani Mary Melnick David Mister Lucy Nino Aishy Panwar Barbara Reynolds Alison Starr and featuring Michael Johnson as Santa Claus!! The Band: Bob Sunshine—Piano and Music Director Tommy Calamia—Bass Dori Shimer—Drums Sound Designer: Sheraj Ragoobeer Director: Walter M. Mayes Tickets for this unique event are on sale now and going fast, especially for the matinee. Click here for details.

By |2025-11-12T11:41:08-08:00November 11th, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Announcements, Meet The Cast|

The Cost of Live Theatre

by Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director I occasionally like to post answers to questions asked from the community. You can always ask your question using this convenient anonymous form. This question came in the other week: “I think it would open a lot of eyes and maybe inspire a few more donations to have a blog outlining all the costs associated with putting on a show and what percentage of ticket sales cover those costs. I don't think many of our patrons know we pay our musicians, creative staff, the cost of show royalties, etc.” I am frequently asked about [...]

Cheers, Tears, and Standing Ovations

by Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director Walking into a full theatre charged with the voltage of raw human energy anticipating a musical adventure is titillating, intoxicating, and just so much fun! Nothing compares to it. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of watching well over 3,000 of you go through that very experience with our production of The Sound of Music. Almost every performance was sold out, and every performance was astounding. Here are a few takeaways that have me feeling hopeful and inspired for the future: Live theatre is as impactful as ever. Tears, cheers, [...]

By |2025-10-27T09:14:23-07:00October 27th, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Blog-erviews!, Opinion|

The Show Must Go On!

SBMT Understudy, Standby, and Swing Policy by Walter M. Mayes, Artistic Director At South Bay Musical Theatre, we honor the long-standing tradition that the show must go on. At the same time, our top priority is the health and safety of our performers, crew, staff, and audiences. Illnesses and unforeseen emergencies are an unavoidable part of live theatre, and canceled performances can bring both artistic disappointment and economic hardship. To address this, SBMT has created a policy that establishes clear guidelines for the use of understudies, standbys, and swings. Our goal is to ensure that performances can continue safely, responsibly, [...]

Cast announced for Little Women: The Broadway Musical

Artistic Director Walter M. Mayes is happy to announce the cast for Little Women, which begins rehearsals next month and will run from January 24 through Valentine's Day at the Saratoga Civic Theater. Brenna Silva as Jo March Aishy Panwar as Meg March Katie Worrell as Beth March Leah Kennedy as Amy March Sadat Hossain as Theodore "Laurie" Laurence Mary Melnick as Marmee Robin Melnick as Mr. Laurence Jackson Velez as Professor Bhaer Barbara Heninger as Aunt March Jai Kaushik as John Brooke Covers: Lauren Berling (Meg/Jo), Jacob Janssen (Laurie), Kimberly Kay (Marmee/Aunt March), Leah Kennedy (Beth),and Kaitlyn Scadina (Amy) [...]

By |2025-10-10T13:04:29-07:00October 10th, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Announcements, Auditions, Meet The Cast|

If You Liked These SBMT Favorites, You’ll Love What’s Coming Next

By Doug Hughes, SBMT Director of Marketing South Bay Musical Theatre’s 2025–2026 season of Noteworthy Entertainment brings you a whole new spin on stories you know and love. Whether it’s through a new adaptation, a rare revival, or a creative concert experience, each show invites you to see something beloved in a new light. To give you a better sense of what’s in store, I’ve matched each upcoming production with SBMT favorites from past seasons going back a decade and a half — because if you liked those, we think you’ll really love these. Mainstage Musicals (11 performances each) If [...]

By |2025-10-07T13:51:59-07:00October 7th, 2025|2025-2026 Season, Blog-erviews!, Opinion|
Go to Top