“From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be an actor,” PCPA alumnus Mark Herrier said, recalling his reaction to a production of The Music Man he saw when was 10 years old, at the historic Lompoc Theatre.
Herrier’s fond nostalgia for the long-dormant venue wasn’t the only thing that inspired him to join the Lompoc Theatre Project (LTP)—a nonprofit that aims to restore the theater—about seven years ago. More than anything, Herrier wants to see the theater open again to nurture new generations of aspiring actors and other artists.
“I want the kids in Lompoc right now to have the same opportunity to be as inspired and elevated as I was,” said Herrier, who currently serves as the LTP’s executive director.
On Friday, March 26, Herrier will co-host a virtual fundraiser and telethon—The Show Must Go On—to benefit the LTP in its mission to reopen and revitalize the Lompoc Theatre as a much-needed community hub for arts, culture, and entertainment in the city. The event will stream live from the LTP’s Facebook page starting at 6 p.m. and will include a variety of content from local artists and special guests.
“I am particularly looking forward to Tom Bergeron coming on live to help me with the emcee duties,” said Herrier, referring to the former America’s Funniest Home Videos (2001-2015) and Dancing with the Stars (2005-2019) host.
Bergeron is one of several celebrity guests set to appear during the livestream—alongside television notables Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep), Richard Karn (Home Improvement, Family Feud), Jeffrey Combs (Star Trek, Batman: The Animated Series), Jeff McCarthy (The Good Wife, Madam Secretary), and world-renowned burlesque and cabaret performer Alotta Boutté.
“I am humbled by their participation, and I think the audience will enjoy their contributions immensely,” Herrier said of the group. “All of them have had their own hometown theaters that inspired them in their lives, and jumped at the chance to help us raise money for the Lompoc Theatre.”
Many local musical acts also jumped at said chance to contribute their talents, including the Simmons Sisters, Jacob Cole and Friends, Angie and the Nightmares, and solo artist Kaitlyn Chui.
“I figured it would be a perfect way to highlight so many of the local musicians who haven’t really been able to perform for the past year,” co-organizer Michelle Ball said, discussing the event’s formation as a virtual showcase.
Ball and her husband, Jeremy, are probably best known locally for creating, producing, and co-hosting Good Morning Lompoc. For The Show Must Go On, the duo is working behind the scenes with other LTP board members, filming individual segments of the show’s participating artists performing inside the Lompoc Theatre and editing them together the night of the livestream.
“It’s been complicated with lots of moving parts, but I think it’s going to be fantastic,” Ball said. “It’s been a big group effort.”
Aside from musical acts, The Show Must Go On will feature segments that highlight local artists in other concentrations as well, including Lompoc dancer Alena Velasco, who won the highly coveted Spirit of Fiesta 2020 during Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara last year.
“The local talent we will feature is Exhibit A as to why this theater needs to be restored,” added Herrier, who also pointed out the glaring disparity between Lompoc’s performing arts sector and that of other cities in the county.
“Santa Barbara County is one of the wealthiest counties in the state. Historically, millions and millions of dollars have been given in grants and donations for the arts here. But when you do the math, you find that the North County, and Lompoc specifically, has received very little of it,” Herrier said.
Other parts of the region have well-known venues—including the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys with the Marian Theatre and Solvang Festival Theater, respectively—yet Lompoc lacks an operating performing arts center to call its own.
“We are working to change that,” Herrier said.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood’s world is a stage. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 25 – Apr 1, 2021.