Santa Cruz Shakespeare is going bigger than ever in 2027, with eight productions stretching from spring through winter, including a record four-show summer season. But at a warm gathering in the Audrey Stanley Grove on Monday night, the company also looked back, surprising former artistic director Mike Ryan by naming the Grove stage in his honor.
Jana Marcus
A native Santa Cruzan, Jana Marcus has deep roots in the local theatre and arts scene. Daughter of renowned theatre director Wilma Marcus Chandler and famed poet and film critic Morton Marcus, Jana has carved her own creative path as a multi award-winning photographer. She was the premiere South Bay area theatre photographer for over 20 years as well as an award-winning documentary and portrait photographer. Jana has also had a stellar career as an arts marketer, creating acclaimed campaigns and content for Cabrillo College, Cabrillo Stage, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Tandy Beal and Company, Actors’ Theatre, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and more. Jana is the author of three books and the host of the true crime podcast, Line of Blood.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Plugged in, yet all alone: All About Theatre connects with ‘Dear Evan Hansen’
All About Theatre takes on the emotionally complicated “Dear Evan Hansen” with strong vocals and a spectacular technical design that brings its story of loneliness, belonging and our digitally connected lives vividly to the stage.
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Existential crisis has never been this funny: SH Theatrical takes on Stoppard
New Santa Cruz company SH Theatrical makes an impressive debut with Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” a smart, well-acted and laugh-out-loud production led by Zed Warner, Chris Salem and Ward Willats.
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The applause isn’t over yet: Your fall/winter theater guide
Summer theater might be winding down, but the curtain isn’t closing anytime soon. Santa Cruz County’s stages are packed with comedies, dramas, musicals, opera, holiday favorites and a few surprises, giving audiences more reasons than ever to head to the theater.
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Santa Cruz Holocaust survivor, 94, sees her life story become award-winning documentary
The new documentary film “My Name is Gitta” follows Santa Cruz Holocaust survivor Gitta Ryle as she returns to Europe in search of answers, discovering that forgiveness is not a destination, but a lifelong journey.
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The stories we inherit: SC Shakespeare builds a remarkable ‘Fences’
August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece “Fences” receives a powerfully acted and deeply moving production from Santa Cruz Shakespeare, led by a remarkable Derrick Lee Weeden and an outstanding ensemble.
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Pure joy: Renegade’s ‘Rocky Horror’ is one hell of a party
Renegade Theater Company throws one unforgettable party with “The Rocky Horror Show,” Jana Marcus writes, delivering a wildly entertaining production filled with fearless performances, a terrific live band and the kind of audience participation that reminds us why live theater is unlike anything else.
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The price of power: Santa Cruz Shakespeare delivers a spellbinding ‘Macbeth’
Paul Mullins masterfully directs Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy, pairing exceptional performances with vivid stagecraft and making Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” a must-see centerpiece of the summer season.
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‘Much Ado About Everything Right’: SC Shakespeare’s perfect summer comedy
Filled with infectious comedy, colorful design, inspired music and superb performances, Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is a joyful season opener, Jana Marcus writes, that proves Shakespeare can still leave audiences laughing four centuries later.
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Cabrillo Stage’s ‘Sister Act’ strives to finds its soul
A talented cast gives its all, but uneven direction, sluggish pacing and a surprisingly forgettable score keep Cabrillo Stage’s “Sister Act” from reaching the joyous heights the musical promises, Jana Marcus writes in her latest theater review.
