The Sutter Theater Center for the Arts in Yuba City is home to the ARTrium lobby, theater gallery, and the Clark Family Black Box.
But behind its primary infrastructure lies a hidden gem which has remained relatively untouched for the past 70 years. This 299-seat time capsule is the remnants of what was once the front half of the original Sutter Movie Theater located off Plumas Street. Inside stands the raised stage and proscenium arch just as they were when “Singin’ in the Rain,” “The Quiet Man,” “Rear Window,” and “Star Wars” first screened there.
Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture (YSAC) currently has plans to restore this space and convert it into the Main Stage Theater, another live performing arts venue. Eventually, a new projection system will be added so that the space can once again be used to screen films. The idea of a 299-seat multi-purpose theater in the heart of downtown Yuba City is an exciting prospect for organizers with YSAC who believe this endeavor will also benefit local businesses of the central district. But in order to complete the required renovations, the arts council will need more funding.
This is where the upcoming event Bandits and Bandanas comes into play. To kickstart the beginning of YSAC’s 2023 season, the group has organized a fundraiser that will feature prominent local favorites and familiar faces.
Bandits and Bandanas, directed by Alex Cesena, is a Western-themed cabaret-style show starring Kelly Cunningham, Alex Mazzerole, Gay Galvin, Matt DeMeritt, and Tom Galvin with special guest performances from John Cassidy, Virgil Atkinson, and Maggie Capitano and her HellCat Maggie band. The set list will include country fan favorites such as “Jolene,” “Wagon Wheel,” “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Don’t Come Home A-drinkin,” “Crazy,” “Neon Moon.” and many more.
Midtown Stomp, one of the West Coast’s largest swing dance and Lindy Hop companies, will also be on hand for country swing dance lessons and a performance meant to encourage group participation.
Bandits and Bandanas rolls into town on Jan. 21, starting with libations at 5:30 p.m. in the “Giddy-Up Saloon.” This “speakeasy” experience will require patrons to utilize the building’s rear entrance to access the main stage. Once inside, guests will be able to snag some drinks and soak in the vintage atmosphere before any renovations take place.
Following the saloon, a “Chuckwagon Supper” will be served at 6:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater before the “Saddle-Up Songsters” begin their performance at 7:30 p.m. All of this will take place at the Sutter Theater Center located at 754 Plumas St. in Yuba City.
Individual tickets cost $75 each or $700 for a table of eight. In addition to ticket purchases and table sponsorships, there will be a Gold Rush Silent Auction and a creative take on the old 50/50 raffle called “Bandana Bucks.”
