The Main was not just a community theater, but a place that supported the growth of the arts in Santa Clarita.
And, although the physical theater was destroyed by the Main Street fire on Monday morning, the arts community is focusing on rebuilding and coming together — for the love of theater.
Shawnee Badger, founder of Dig Deep Theatre and a Santa Clarita native who performed for the first time at The Main in 2019, discussed the impact the fire has had on the theater company amidst their nine-show run.
“I started Dig Deep Theatre as a Zoom play reading as a way for people to hear different plays being read while we were all separated and at home. Then when everything opened up, we produced our first in-person play at The Main. People would get one to two weekends, and there were no upfront costs,” Badger said. “The Main was a 60/40 ticket sales split, and it was special because it allowed people to pay a lower upfront cost.”
Badger said there are a multitude of costs that could go into a production, from costuming, to the rights of the play, to the venue costs. The Main, operated by the city of Santa Clarita, alleviated some of that pressure.
“The Main was feasible and way more affordable. The way they curated the season was to give room for as many people as possible to get as many shows as possible. I remember the first time I applied in 2022 — I got one weekend, and I was so excited and thrilled to be able to do a show I’ve always wanted to perform in,” Badger said. “We just had our Sunday matinee show. It was at 2 p.m., and it was a really amazing show. It was a successful opening weekend.”
Having performed four times at The Main with Dig Deep Theatre, and with five more shows that had been scheduled for this coming weekend, Badger can only describe the experience as a “grieving process.”
“I know that the cast and I, our team, would love to re-mount our production. I think our theater community as a whole is very resilient and is going to find a way to continue to make the year possible here. Right now, our big focus is our actors and designers had left some personal items in the theater that were lost to this fire, and so we are looking into a fundraising effort,” Badger said. “The arts are so important. Theater is so important. It’s a place where we can learn and grow. The arts community in Santa Clarita needs a lot of love right now.”
Badger and the rest of the team are seeking to raise $48,000 to cover the costs of the equipment, costumes and other components in the production that were burned in the fire.
Leaders gather on next steps
As arts community members gathered at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Tuesday evening, some with tears in their eyes, the future of the arts in the city was unknown but they were certain of one thing: the community support.
With the discussion facilitated by Mission Opera President Robert Dunlap, and Treasurer Stephen Nieman, community arts leaders, as well as local representatives from College of the Canyons, California Institute of the Arts and the city of Santa Clarita, gathered to figure out the next short-term steps to ensure the longevity of the theater.
“I reached out to local representatives, as well as anyone that could try to rehome the shows that can’t happen at The Main now. Losing The Main was our real community space. We want to keep the theater in Santa Clarita as much as we can,” Dunlap said. “The goal of this is to find a unified voice so that we can go in front of the (city) Arts Commission with a game plan.”
Once Dunlap heard the news Monday morning, he immediately called Nieman to figure out what the next steps were. Nieman suggested Tuesday’s meeting.
“I reached out to the people at St. Stephen’s, and the pastor here is offering rehearsal space through the church for everyone who’s been affected, as well. This church, in particular, is big on community,” Dunlap said. “We want to keep supporting the arts because the arts are a community that, if we lose it, it’s felt throughout the entire city. The arts are the heart of this city, and if we lose that, we lose something very near and dear to us. So support the arts where and when you can.”
Nieman, who used to work at The Main from 2019 to 2021, discussed how the theater cultivated a lasting family.
“We are a family. We come together, and if we don’t come together now, in the darkest of times, then our theater community will feel smaller. The goal for tonight is to feel the community, appreciate who we have, appreciate who’s here, and how we can build towards the future. Long term we need the city to step up, and that can only happen if we have a unified, artistic voice for that to happen,” Nieman said. “I think a lot of people have felt quite troubled by everything that has happened, and I hope we can find a wonderful bridge and make ourselves OK.”
The Main issued the following statement on the organization’s social media accounts late Monday afternoon:
“Our hearts are broken following the devastating fire and loss of businesses in Old Town Newhall this morning, including The Main. For more than 30 years, The Main, formerly the Repertory East Playhouse, has been a beloved gathering place on Main Street, a home for live theater, comedy, art exhibitions, community events and countless creative experiences,” the post read. “The Main was always more than a performing arts space. It was a home for artists, storytellers and audiences, a place where creativity was encouraged, connections were made and art came to life. While the building is no longer standing, the memories and connections created there will remain an important part of Old Town Newhall and our arts community. Our thoughts are also with our neighboring businesses and everyone impacted by this morning’s fire.”
To donate to Dig Deep Theatre’s GoFundMe, visit tinyurl.com/yc5wa8ca.
