Looking back on B Street

Sacramento’s B Street Theatre closed a chapter on December 24 with their final performance in a metal shed (converted into a theatrical venue, with limited technical capabilities) next to a city park with a busy athletic field, on the northernmost edge of Midtown Sacramento. It was a rather obscure and slightly scruffy location—not much “street visibility,” no upscale eateries next door. But the venture caught the fancy of theatregoers and quickly became popular. Performances were subject to the rumble of passing freight trains on the adjacent tracks … initially distracting, but we’ll soon recall the interruptions with nostalgia. SN&R’s theater critics volunteered these memories of B Street’s first home:

Jim Carnes—I was around in 1991 when Timothy Busfield and his brother Buck created B Street Theatre. I saw the first play presented at B Street—Mass Appeal, with Timothy Busfield and Ed Claudio. The second play was Hidden in This Picture, co-starring Busfield, Claudio and some guy named Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the play (and later, The West Wing.) The Busfields were savvy, launching their theater with two big-name hits most startups couldn’t imagine. What amazes about B Street, though, is that for 25 years, it has consistently produced shows—the new (Humana Festival discoveries) and the old (the recent Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)—that challenge, sometimes confound, but always entertain audiences.

Jeff Hudson—I arrived in 1995, and my first review at B Street was Beast on the Moon, a drama about Armenians in exile after the catastrophic 1915 massacre. Elisabeth Nunziato was the female lead; she was terrific. There were many edgy new plays at the B Street then; the focus later shifted more toward romantic comedies and romping (occasionally campy) revues … But B Street continued to stage some hot recent scripts and developed original works, including a rewarding relationship with comedian/playwright Jack Gallagher, who appeared in a series of solid (and popular) shows.

Patti Roberts—B Street Theatre and I came to Sacramento around the same time—facing slim pickings in a local theatre world mostly comprised of Sacramento Theatre Company (STC), Garbeau’s Dinner Theatre and Show Below (only STC remains today). B Street quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with, bringing in talent and thought-provoking plays, such as Frankie and Johnny with out-of-town actors Edie McClug and Chris Mulkey. Soon, Buck Busfield began adopting talent that stayed around to form a forever family—many who’ve been with the company for 20 years; and expanding into three series: Mainstage, B Street Family, and B-3. Now, we raise a toast to The Sofia—their new, state-of-the-art-complex on Capitol Avenue—a few blocks and years from their humble beginnings on B Street.

Bev Sykes—I came late to B Street but have loved the discovery. I was particularly impressed with the variety of productions in the smaller theater, everything from the first children’s production I reviewed, Dave Pierini’s Anansi the Spider, on Samantha Reno’s gorgeous set, with actors of the caliber of Ed Claudio; to the powerful one-woman show, Grounded, a gripping tour de force for Alicia Hunt (to date, my favorite). Bars and Measures showed how a new musical play based on true events could become extraordinary in the hands of exceptional actors. And the chance to see Jack Gallagher is always a special treat. There is a reason why B Street has such slavishly loyal followers.

B Street will begin staging shows at their new venue—The Sofia, 2700 Capitol Avenue in Sacramento—with previews planned during the closing days of January, followed by a formal dedication of the new space. Get tickets (prices vary, depending on the event) at www.bstreettheatre.org or call (916) 443-5300.