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Curtain call: Sylvia Center to close its doors

Familial drama ends an era of entertainment

Cast members Cindy Whiston, Kharma Stambaugh and Dawn Hunter perform in “Eleemosynary."
Cast members Cindy Whiston, Kharma Stambaugh and Dawn Hunter perform in “Eleemosynary" at the Sylvia Center for the Arts on Sept. 3. Sylvia Center’s final show is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
By Amy Kepferle Staff Reporter

Ashley Albertson has directed a number of successful shows at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, but she said helming Lee Blessing’s “Eleemosynary” was a bittersweet experience. That’s because the familial drama focusing on three generations of women will be the last production under the umbrella of the Sylvia Center, which opened in 2016 and will shut its doors Saturday, Sept. 10 — closing night of “Eleemosynary.”

The news was announced June 22, when the Sylvia Center for the Arts (SCFTA) board cited significant financial concerns, the recent departure of Artistic Director Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao — who is also the founder of iDiOM Theater — and difficulties renewing its lease at 207 Prospect St., as reasons the nonprofit was no longer able to continue on its creative pathway.

Albertson said when she first heard the news, she spent a lot of time wondering if “Eleemosynary” was the right show to do in light of the upcoming closure of the space, which was custom built to include two theaters, a large lobby, a green room and more.

“I wanted to ensure that the final performance was one that honored the community of the Sylvia Center and their experience, and I feel that ‘Eleemosynary’ does that,”
Albertson said. “The text tackles themes of love, loss and making the choice to stick with your people despite your circumstances and the hurdles life puts in your way.”

The Sylvia Center for the Arts at night.
The Sylvia Center for the Arts after a Saturday night show on Sept. 3. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)

Although she’s grateful for one more opportunity to work in a place that has been an artistic home for more than five years, Albertson said she’s actively grieving its loss.

She’s not the only one feeling the sting of the looming final curtain call. Rosalind Reynolds, who was iDiOM Theater’s playwright-in-residence for two years and a volunteer at the Sylvia Center for almost four years, recently started her own theater company, Those Brazen Wenches, with an aim to feature local works with strong female leads. 

Its first production, Reynolds’ “Thrice to Wind the Charm,” was staged at SCFTA in late June. And although they’re currently investigating possible future venues to see what will work for them, Reynolds said she’ll miss the place that championed her work.

“The iDiOM Theater/Sylvia Center had a knack for attracting talented, dedicated, creative risk-takers, who are also delightful human beings,” Reynolds said. “Working with them has been a joy and a privilege. Also, artistic director Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao did a lot of work behind the scenes to support the productions, so that we artists could focus on what we do best.”

When asked why she thinks it’s important for cities like Bellingham to have a variety of multiuse performance venues, Reynolds pointed out the performing arts can have a huge impact not only on audiences but also on performers. She also noted community theater is not a money-making venture, and most companies are lucky to recoup their production costs.


“If we as a community expect performing arts groups to pay market rate for performance venues, we’ll be leaving out a lot of companies, particularly those that take risks, try new things, push the creative envelope,”
Reynolds said. “We will also leave out a lot of potential audience members who may not be able to afford market-rate ticket prices. If, on the other hand, we want our community to have access to art that challenges, stimulates, takes risks and inspires, at affordable prices, we need to invest in publicly supported arts venues.”

Ky Weeks, a longtime performer at the Sylvia Center and the founder of the Unsubdued Theatre Collective — which has existed since April, and is comprised of playwrights and creators who have years of experience with SCFTA and iDiOM Theater — also thinks performance fosters community, and that “the art of theatre is about bringing a diverse group of people into a space to have a shared experience together.”

Audience members hug performers after the play “Eleemosynary."
Audience members hug performers after the play “Eleemosynary” at the Sylvia Center for the Arts on Sept. 3. The play was directed by Ashley Albertson, a longtime creative contributor to the Sylvia Center. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)

Weeks thinks the Sylvia Center has aptly demonstrated that there is real enthusiasm in Bellingham for original plays, as well as many local writers, actors and other artists who are eager to share their creations. He said big things are in store for the collective, and is eager to share when and where they’ll happen.

“A variety of spaces are necessary for the arts to be open and accessible, both to new voices and new audiences,” Weeks said.

Catherine Witt, an SCFTA board member, said she’s been talking to other board members, patrons and creators about some of their favorite memories at the center. Among the answers: Breaking Bread (a regular storytelling open show), the 48 Hour Theater Festival (which has resulted in hundreds of original plays), the Wabi Sabi Theatre Festival (which celebrated imperfection), and Hergenhahn-Zhao’s one-man show, “An Iliad,” a play co-written by New York director Lisa Peterson and Broadway and film actor Denis O’Hare. 

“Glenn’s tender take on a poet reliving every war in Western civilization left audiences with an experience that was as emotional as it was educational,” Witt said.

Witt was also asked why she believes it’s vital for the city to have multiuse performing arts venues. Her answer was that the performing arts keep people deeply connected, and the threads of stories, music and movement hold them together by allowing them to know each other on a much deeper level.

“All contributions, no matter how small, spread across the most members of our community add up and make a venue thrive: ticket sales, donations, attending events and talking to your friends about shows,” Witt said. “These are the small things that we can all do to support the arts. Another key element is finding talent: strong fundraisers, grant writers and administrators with the skillset to keep an arts venue afloat.”

Albertson, who will soon see the lights dim on the final show at the Sylvia Center, said it’s heartbreaking to see such a valuable resource close down. She also believes the show will go on, citing the plans groups such as the Unsubdued Theatre Collective, Those Brazen Wenches, and the Kitchen Sink Theatre Company have up their collective sleeves (the Upfront Theatre, the Sylvia’s resident improv company, will continue shows at the space starting in October).

“These new companies are all on Facebook and Instagram — give them a follow to see what they are up to,” Albertson said. “What we are learning from this experience is that theater and community aren’t tied to a building or a space, it is all about the people who are part of it.”

“Eleemosynary” shows at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8–10 at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, 207 Prospect St. Tickets are $10–$15. Info: sylviacenterforthearts.org

A previous version of this story misstated that Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao wrote “An Iliad.” The play was co-written by New York director Lisa Peterson and Broadway and film actor Denis O’Hare. The story was updated on Sept. 11 at 1:57 p.m. Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.

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