Farewell, Silver Lake!
Farewell, Silver Lake!
Farewell Silverlake!
For the past 18 years, Son of Semele has operated our very own black box performance space on Beverly Boulevard. It has been my personal delight to have developed the space in 2002 along with the Semele founders and our earliest company members. For nearly two decades we have managed the space and filled a role in the Los Angeles theatre community that I felt was deeply lacking… community resource.
Pictured above: Company members transform a tailor’s shop into the Beverly Boulevard black box.
It has been my personal delight to have developed the space in 2002 along with the Semele founders and our earliest company members. For nearly two decades we have managed the space and filled a role in the Los Angeles theatre community that I felt was deeply lacking… community resource. We have always been a place for theatrical experimentation and brave new work. Managing a space of our own allowed us to go places in our work that would not have been possible otherwise. Never in a million years did I imagine that we would still be programming our venue 18 years later and that our space would become the home of local premieres by Caryl Churchill, Wallace Shawn, Martin Crimp, Sheila Callaghan, Mac Wellman, Suzan-Lori Parks and Richard Foreman, to name a few.
As you may be aware, prior to the pandemic our venue had become a thriving arts hub. In any year, we would host 20-30 theatrical pieces ranging from devised movement pieces, to solo storytelling, to scripted plays, musicals and beyond. Through our Creation Festival series, which I believe is a shining star of our legacy on Beverly Boulevard, the space has been a home to more than 100 different theatrical works.
Perhaps most notably, however, is the work of our ensemble company (now in our 21st year) which presented 18 full seasons of vibrant and bold productions in the venue. It has been a dream come true. We could not have done it without you, our patrons, fans, friends and family.
I am currently evaluating how this change can move the company forward in a positive direction… and I’m open to hearing ideas and thoughts from anyone who has them. I am excited about the new chapter that awaits us, whatever it is!
It has been an immense privilege to program the space and offer it as a community resource to help so many artists develop and produce their work. I cannot be more thankful for the support, patronage and encouragement we have received from you over the years. While I do not know what our next chapter may be, I am excited that there are so many possibilities and I look forward to seeing where the road leads.
Again… thank you from the bottom of my heart for the last 18 years! We are all coming out of the pandemic stronger and I cannot wait to get back to work!
– Matthew McCray
Artistic Director
