Tri-Valley Arts and Culture Guide
Tri-Valley Arts and Culture Guide
The Tri-Valley region is home to a number of wonderful arts and cultural venues. From art galleries to theaters, there are a host of ways to experience the arts in high-quality settings. The region’s vibrant performing arts scene makes it easy to enjoy music, drama, dance, opera, and comedy on a regular basis. Fans of the visual arts have opportunities to enjoy paintings, photography, and more, while opportunities for individuals to learn and create new things are also abundant.
Popular Arts and Cultural Venues
The Tri-Valley enjoys a wide variety of offerings. The selected venues below have a proud history of providing the community a variety of arts and cultural delights.
- Pleasanton's Firehouse Arts Center
4444 Railroad Avenue, (925) 931-4850, www.firehousearts.org
The Firehouse Arts Center in the heart of Downtown Pleasanton began life in 1929 as Pleasanton's main fire station, which was built of locally manufactured bricks. In 2010, the new Firehouse Arts Center was opened to the public after two years of construction. The 20,000-square-foot building features a 220-seat theater, a fine arts gallery, classroom space, and an hourglass-shaped grand lobby that links Downtown Pleasanton to the facility's 3,000-square-feetParkside patio and adjacent Lions Wayside Park.
The 2023-2024 performance season began in September and runs through March. Performances include theater, music, stand-up comedy, film, and more, including an ABBA tribute band called ABBAFAB. The Firehouse, which is operated by the City of Pleasanton, is also home to a host of youth and adult programs from traditional art classes and events to music and theatrical camps. On the arts education side, the two Firehouse classrooms provide for a variety of activities art appreciation and painting classes for a variety of ages throughout the fall and winter season.
- Livermore Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center
2400 First Street and 2466 8th Street, Livermore, (925) 373-6100, livermorearts.org
The nonprofit Livermore Valley Arts operates the Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center. Together, they provide a wealth of opportunities to explore, experience, and enjoy the arts. More than 250 performances and events are offered throughout the year, including music of all genres, dance, theater, comedy, and other performing arts ranging from world-renowned artists and rising stars to resident companies and young student performers.
Livemore Arts fosters the creative vision of local artists by showcasing their work at exhibits and events and offering affordable classroom, studio, and rehearsal space. Cultural traditions are honored throughout the year with celebrations that include music, dance, food, displays, and arts and crafts for Native American Day, Cheza Nami - Taste of Africa, Filipino Barrio Fiesta, Diwali, Lunar New Year, and more. The joy of art is shared with students of all ages through ticket discounts, hands-on art classes, master classes and workshops, as well as major community events such as ArtWalk.
- Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center and Front Road Theater
10550 Albion Road and 17011 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, (925) 973-3343, www.sanramon.ca.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=10826130&pageId=17699626
The Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center is the primary venue for the City of San Ramon's cultural arts program, San Ramon Performing Arts. The 600-seat theater has a variety of performances scheduled for its 2023-2024 season, including music, comedy, kids shows, and more. The 90-seat Front Road Theater offers a more intimate location for performances and lectures. San Ramon Performing Arts is also home to community groups such as the San Ramon Symphonic Band, San Ramon Community Chorus, Bay Area Children's Theatre, and many other community-based organizations.
- Wente Vineyards
5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore, (925) 456-2450, wentevineyards.com/events/music-at-wente-vineyards
Many celebrate Wente Vineyards as the longest continuously family owned and operated winery in the United States. Now celebrating 140 years in operation, Wente offers more than excellent wine for visitors. For more than 30 years, the winery has showcased world-renowned entertainers in the winery's picturesque natural amphitheater. Past seasons of live music on the Cabernet Lawn have featured many amazing acts, including Seal, Randy Houser, The Tenors and Postmodern Jukebox, Styx, The Temptations and The Four Tops, Daughtry, Brett Eldredge, REO Speedwagon, Boz Scaggs and Aaron Neville, Josh Groban, and The Doobie Brothers. Check its website for upcoming acts this season.
Additional Arts and Cultural Groups
The Tri-Valley region is also rich in choral groups, art organizations, and performers of all sorts. Many of them offer classes and programs in addition to performances.
- Blackhawk Chorus
(925) 236-0825, www.blackhawkchorus.com
The Blackhawk Chorus in Danville grew from 12 women to a mixed choir of more than 120 members who perform autumn and spring concerts locally each year. The Blackhawk Chorus has represented the Tri-Valley at New York's Lincoln Center, throughout Europe, and at the Vatican in Italy.
- Cantabella Children's Chorus
(925) 292-2663, www.cantabella.org
"Beautiful singing nurturing beautiful children," is the slogan of the Cantabella Children's Chorus, a nonprofit that offers music education in Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin for children from kindergarten through high school. Cantabella performs in annual holiday and spring concerts, at local corporate and civic functions, and in collaboration with other musical organizations.
- Chorus Eclectic
Based in the San Ramon-Dublin area, Chorus Eclectic began in 2010. Today, the group performs "a wide range of music from past and present; and from classical, folk, and modern styles," according to officials. Unlike many other choirs, no audition is required to join Chorus Eclectic. New members who cannot read music can learn as part of the group.
- Del Valle Fine Arts
Del Valle Fine Arts presents five regular season concerts each year bringing world-class chamber music to the Bankhead Theater in Livermore. A volunteer organization, Del Valle is supported by ticket sales and the generous contributions of its patrons.
- Danville Girls Chorus
Danville Girls Chorus is a community-based, nonprofit choral program for girls. It offers a complete program of choral music education through a variety of learning experiences and performance opportunities. Singers are taught the basics of vocal production and learn the fundamentals of musicianship and note-reading. The chorus will perform at the annual Danville tree lighting event on Friday, November 24.
- Harmony Fusion Chorus
(925) 784-2950, www.harmonyfusion.org
A chapter of Sweet Adelines International, Harmony Fusion Chorus is a women's chorus performing four-part a cappella in the barbershop style. It is advised to contact the group first to confirm in person rehearsals during this fluid time of gathering restrictions. Visitors are welcome to listen or join in the singing.
- Las Positas College Performing Arts
www.laspositascollege.edu/performingarts/events.php
Through its performing arts programs, Las Positas College offers performances including music, theater, speech, and dance on its main stage and black box theaters, all designed to provide knowledge, training, and practical experience to its participants. Previous theatrical productions include Chicago on the main stage and Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter, The Importance of Being Earnest, and A Raisin in the Sun in the black box theater. Performances are held in the Barbara F. Mertes Center for the Arts on campus in Livermore.
- Livermore-Amador Symphony
www.livermoreamadorsymphony.org
The mission of the Livermore-Amador Symphony is to present musical programs of cultural and educational value for the benefit of the community and to encourage, stimulate, and support community interest in the musical arts. The community orchestra was founded in 1963. Most of its performances take place at Livermore's Bankhead Theater. The Symphony celebrates its 60th anniversary this year on September 30 with an al fresco Pops concert.
- Livermore Art Association
2155 3rd Street, Livermore, (925) 449-9927, livermoreartassociation.org
The Livermore Art Association was founded in 1957 to promote public interest and appreciation of art and to encourage the artistic development of its membership. The group supports the Livermore Art Association Gallery, a cooperative enterprise that allows qualified member artists to display their work for sale or rental, and sponsors rotating exhibits of members' art at a variety of local merchants. Members help judge local school artwork, teach art in the schools, and demonstrate arts and crafts to organizations and at community functions. Popular events include Art on the Green and ArtWalk, both held in downtown Livermore.
- Livermore Valley Opera
Livermore Valley Opera was founded in 1992, with community-produced operas performed at the Livermore High School. It moved to the Bankhead Theater after it opened in 2007 with a remarkable production of La Boheme. The world-class professional opera company relies on the talents of professional musicians, stage directors, principal singers, and designers to craft its stunning work. Volunteers also make its work possible by filling critical roles as board members, chorus, stage crew, and set builders. This season, Tri-Valley opera lovers can look forward to a production of Of Mice and Men in October and The Magic Flute in March 2024.
- Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Pacific Chamber Orchestra is a premier professional ensemble based in Livermore.Throughout the year, this regional ensemble of eight to 42 experienced, professional musicians enriches local communities with inspiring performances of a versatile repertoire ranging from Baroque to classical symphonies to more contemporary works, along with engaging educational programs.
- Pleasanton Art League
Founded in 1969, the nonprofit Pleasanton Art League consists of local artists and art patrons dedicated to making the visual arts an integral part of the fabric of life in the Tri-Valley and encouraging the progress and development of the creative talents of its members. Members include artists of all skill levels, from the beginner to the hobbyist to the professional. PAL also sponsors a variety of classes and workshops at both the Firehouse and the Bothwell.
- Pleasanton Chamber Players
(925) 455-5333, www.dominiquepiana.com/pleasanton-chamber-players.html
The Pleasanton Chamber Players, founded in 2003, are a loosely-knit group of professional musicians who perform and teach in the Bay Area. Under the leadership of classical harpist Dominique Piana, who is also available for solo performances, the group has become an ensemble-in-residence at Pleasanton's Firehouse Arts Center.
- Pleasanton Community Concert Band
(925) 846-5897, pleasantonband.org
The nonprofit Pleasanton Community Concert Band, founded in 1975, provides an opportunity for local residents to develop their talents and participate in musical performances. The band sponsors three free concerts each year and performs at a variety of other events.
- Pleasanton Youth Theater Company
www.firehousearts.org/programs/pytc
Pleasanton Youth Theatre Company is an in-house theater program for youth run by the City of Pleasanton and based at the Firehouse Arts Center. The group's 2023-2024 Season for the main stage is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr. in the fall and the Spongebob Musical, Youth Edition for the spring. The program includes a variety of offerings for adults and youth as well as teens.
- San Ramon Valley Chorale
The San Ramon Valley Chorale is an adult choir that "strives to create memorable experiences for its members and audience through quality, determination, and most importantly, passion," according to its founders. In addition to community singers, the group includes a number of semi-professional and professional musicians from the Tri-Valley.
- Shakespeare & Performing Arts Regional Company
For nearly 20 years, Shakespeare & Performing Arts Regional Company (SPARC) has built community in the region through the production of high quality theatrical experiences in vineyards, public establishments, performing arts venues, schools, colleges and universities. SPARC's flagship program, Shakespeare in the Vineyard, brings over 5,500 attendees to Livermore Wine Country each summer for live productions.
- Sunol Repertory Theatre
The Sunol Repertory Theatre was founded in 1982 by Tom and Vicki Harland to provide quality entertainment, establish a community tradition, and create an opportunity to raise funds to benefit the educational experience of the students at Sunol Glen School through an annual theatrical performance. Over its 40-year history, the group has donated more than $200,000 to the school.
- Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre
www.facebook.com/trivalleyrep or www.firehousearts.org/tri-valley-repertory-theater
The Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to providing affordable, quality theater, theatrical training, a showcase for talent, and a cultural experience for the Tri-Valley and East Bay communities. More than 12,000 people annually attend productions, which have included such classic musicals as Mamma Mia!, In the Heights, Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Shrek the Musical, and Guys and Dolls.
- Valley Concert Chorale
(925) 866-4003, www.valleyconcertchorale.org
Valley Concert Chorale has been presenting fine choral music since 1963. The group is dedicated to excellence in singing choral music of all genres, nurturing the next generation of singers, and supporting musical endeavors in the Tri Valley community. The Chorale's educational outreach program, Music in the Schools, presents original musical performances at Tri-Valley primary school assemblies to celebrate the joy of music and singing with area students.
- Valley Dance Theatre
2247 Second Street, Suite B, Livermore, 925.243.0925, www.valleydancetheatre.com
The Valley Dance Theatre is the Tri-Valley's premier Ballet Company, serving Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin with professionally staged dance performances featuring talented local dancers since 1980. The company will bring its annual full-length production of The Nutcracker to the Bankhead stage for a series of performances in December. The company also presents a mid-year showcase of local talent and choreography and runs an affiliated school offering classical dance training in studio classes for ages 2.5 to adult. It is the resident ballet company of Livermore's Bankhead Theater.
