Problems with Sobrato’s theater delays event
n By Marilyn Dubil Staff Writer
Anyone holding tickets for the South Valley Ballet’s performance of the “Nutcracker” this weekend will need to make plans to go next weekend instead or get a refund, as the performances were pushed back because of a problem preparing the Sobrato Performing Arts Center.
“We will honor all tickets sold for the new dates which are now Friday, Dec. 16 at 7pm and Saturday, Dec. 17 at 12:30pm,” said Lorinda Mosca. “And we will refund any ticket where they cannot make it to the new performance dates.”
Sobrato Principal Rich Knapp said the school is waiting for a computer that controls the lights to arrive.
“Everything is ready except for the lighting,” Knapp said Thursday. “We have been waiting for three weeks for the parts to come in, and they haven’t arrived yet. It’s frustrating, because everyone would like to be finished with this, Turner (Construction) would like to get everything turned over to us.”
Al Solis, director of construction and modernization for the district, said Thursday that what is missing is the “brain” of the lighting system – the processor that controls everything from the dimming of the house lights to the stage lighting.
“Once they have the processor, they (the subcontractor) have promised us they will be able to get things running in about 24 hours,” Solis said Thursday. “They may have it this afternoon, but I have to double check.”
Mosca is worried that some people will still show up for the performance tonight, or last night, because they sold many tickets and could not contact everyone who bought one.
“The problem is that many, many people have purchased tickets for these performances and we have no way to inform them of this change,” she said. “We are posting flyers and posters where we can but we are afraid that this is not enough.”
The postponement, while problematic, has had it’s good points, said company member Juliet Smith.
“It’s been great to see how everyone has really pulled together,” she said. “It’s like one of those Christmas lessons about the goodness of people. Mr. Knapp has been absolutely wonderful. He has bent over backwards to make things work out. I’m sure he has 500 other things to worry about, but when you talk to him, you are his only concern.”
The ballet company is a non-profit organization, Mosca said, that was formed to bring classical ballet to the South Valley.
The company includes, Mosca said, many dancers from Morgan Hill and Gilroy and a few from San Jose and Hollister.
Anyone with questions about the company or the upcoming performances or needing a refund is asked to call the company at 776-1661.
