Theater Scene
Written By Matthew Russell Hendrickson
Now Playing
“Guys and Dolls”
June 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 July 1, 6, 7
Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls
is an oddball romantic comedy. Gambler, Nathan Detroit, tries
to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while
the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend
and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they’ve been
engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler,
Sky Masterson, for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing the
straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown, as a result. Guys and
Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes
of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York
City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.
Meet
Chris Sousa
C
hris Sousa has been performing for audiences all
over South County for many years. Like most actors
involved with community theater he started in high
school, but he also was a member of his church
choir. He started singing in the choir at the age of 16 and
still sings in a church choir to this day. His first performance
on stage was in a production of “Guys and Dolls” in 1973 at
Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill. Many of his friends
were interested and involved in the drama club at Live Oak
so he took the leap and got involved as well.
After high school, Chris attended Gavilan College in Gilroy
where he started to focus more on singing. He took classes
in the music department and performed on campus. But it
wasn't until 1985 when he was urged by his friend, Carol
Harris, to audition for South Valley Civic Theater’s production
of “South Pacific” that he got really involved with community
theater. This was back in the days when SVCT did not have
a permanent home; using local theater spaces throughout
Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy instead.
He said his motivation to continue performing in
community theater was that “I got noticed when I was in
shows! And I liked it!” And although his secret hope of some-
day making it to Hollywood never occurred, he has also been
involved in a few film productions done by local filmmakers.
But, performing for an audience either on stage or with the
choir is something he truly enjoys.
Chris estimates that he has performed in about 51 shows
in the South County Area. He has performed on stage for
SVCT, Center Stage, Limelight Actors Theater, Saratoga Drama
Group, City Lights, Sunnyvale Players and West Valley Light
Opera. Also, he recently started performing with the Silicon
Valley Gay Men’s Chorus when it does not conflict with his
performing schedule.
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
SVCT • 17090 Monterey Road
Morgan Hill • svct.org
“The Last Five Years”
By Jason Robert Brown
June 29, 30 July 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21
An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two
New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the
course of five years, the show’s unconventional structure consists
of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie,
the man, tells his story chronologically; the two characters only
meet once, at their wedding in the middle of the show.
Limelight Actors Theater
7341 Monterey Street • Gilroy
limelightactorstheater.com
Among his favorite characters he has portrayed on
stage, he notes Mortimer in “The Fantastiks” (SVCT),
Christopher Belling in “Curtains” (SVCT), Roger DeBris in
“The Producers” (SVCT), and Bobby Hamilton in “Run For
Your Wife” (Limelight). But he is also especially proud of
his performance as Grandpa Jo in “Willy Wonka” (SVCT),
for which he received the award of Best Male Actor in a
Supporting Role for the 2016-2017 Member’s Choice Awards.
When asked why he enjoys performing on stage in front
of an audience he says that it is “the attention, and that I
can do something that others enjoy watching. The feeling of
confidence of doing something important and enjoyable.”
I myself have been involved with many community and
semi-professional theater companies over the years and
have had several occasions to work on productions with
Chris. My favorite was when I was the assistant director for
“The Producers” at SVCT in 2015.
You can see Chris perform in June in SVCT’s upcoming
production of “Guys and Dolls” portraying the role of Nicely-
Nicely Johnson.
JUNE/JULY 2018
gmhtoday.com