Who We Are

The five founders of Sierra Repertory Theatre, David and Kathryn Kahn, Doug Brennan, and Sara and Dennis Jones, met at the Historic Fallon House Theatre while performing summer stock with the University of the Pacific drama program. As they worked on sets and costumes and sat talking late into the night, the idea of Sierra Rep was planted and nurtured. Their dream was to establish a professional performing arts center in this rural setting, one that would draw both professional artists and audiences by the level of art created here.

They first converted a tin warehouse into a rustic 99-seat theatre in East Sonora. More than three decades later, that shoestring venture has blossomed into a professional arts organization remarkable for a rural community. Sierra Rep consistently earns ovations from audiences and the press, along with top ratings for artistic and management excellence from the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Returning to its roots, Sierra Rep was selected as the resident theatre company at the Historic Fallon House Theatre in June of 1997. The company’s first production on the Fallon stage was Something’s Afoot, which opened in October of that year and began a long and celebrated partnership in Columbia State Historic Park.

Today, Sierra Rep presents plays, musicals, concerts, cabarets, and student workshop performances in two locations: the original East Sonora Theatre and the Historic Fallon House Theatre. We have a staff of 25, employ more than 100 artists annually, and operate under contract with Actors’ Equity Association. Our actors perform for approximately 30,000 patrons each year, and 60 percent travel an hour or more to attend our shows. We provide a year-round draw for visitors and help make our region a more vibrant place to live, consistently exceeding expectations for what professional theatre can achieve in a rural community.

In 2017, Scott Viets became Executive Producer, guiding the organization through a new era of stability and growth. In 2023, Jerry Lee was appointed Artistic Director, continuing Sierra Rep’s commitment to artistic integrity while introducing professional theatre to new audiences.

Like arts organizations across the country, Sierra Rep faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, the company turned its focus inward. With the extraordinary generosity of our community, the East Sonora Theatre underwent important renovations designed to create a more welcoming and hospitable space for both artists and audiences. When Sierra Rep reopened its doors to the public in 2021, it did so with renewed purpose and a revitalized home.

Since reopening, Sierra Rep has continued to produce contemporary classics, beloved musicals, and engaging new works while expanding efforts to introduce new audiences to professional theatre in the Sierra foothills.

Community support remains the foundation of our success. We are sustained by 1,500 season subscribers, more than 500 donors, 20 invaluable housing hosts and drivers, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers who support our professional artists and staff with housing, transportation, production, box office work, and special events. To keep theatre accessible to the entire community, we offer student and senior discounts, group rates, and low-cost tickets for school groups. We also provide free professional touring productions to schools throughout our region (at no costs to schools, students, or their families), as well as maintain a thriving youth education program.

Sierra Repertory Theatre remains what it has always been: a professional theatre company rooted in community, driven by artistic excellence, and proud to call the Sierra foothills home.