The Happy Hour Theatre Company is pleased to receive the $500 microgrant. Photo courtesy of SARTA

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - For the first time in its 40-year history, SARTA has awarded a $500 microgrant to a local theatre group – The Happy Hour Theatre Company. SARTA created this microgrant award to encourage small local and regional theatres and individuals to produce new works. The microgrant process includes an application form and detailed budget which then goes to a four-person committee for review. The committee recommends the award amount to the SARTA board for final review and approval. Information and application forms can be found at www.sarta.com/get-involved. SARTA is a 501© 3 nonprofit theatre arts service organization.

The Happy Hour Theatre Group is the brainchild of Christi van Eyken and Shana Kehoe. The company was created to help theatre artists grow, explore, and take on new challenges. With hour-long collections of short plays (“Happy Hours”) they create cohesive and impactful productions that balance humor, emotion, and a bit (or a lot) of weirdness. These short pieces give actors the chance to push their boundaries in small but challenging roles and offer valuable opportunities to brand new or up-and-coming directors, designers, and stage managers. For more information on the theatre, please visit the website at www.happyhourtheatre.org.

The Happy Hour Theatre, based out of Sacramento, just completed a run of Poodle with Guitar and Dark Glasses by Liz Duffy Adams in April 2024 at the Black Box Theatre in West Sacramento. This was the third production from this theatre which began just before the pandemic. The Happy Hour Theatre will be offering an in-depth Shakespeare workshop this summer and is also creating Playwrights Village. For more information about The Happy Hour Theatre Company please visit www.happyhourtheatre.org.