Help Azcarate Family (of Altadena Music Theatre) Recover

Hello all - beautiful Altadena has suffered so much over the last couple of days. And one of the hundreds of homes burned to the ground was that of our beloved Azcarate family.

They evacuated from Wapello Street incredibly quickly in the wee hours of January 8th without grabbing much at all. They lost their home, nearly all their possessions, and their lovingly cultivated backyard farm with chickens and towering fruit trees. What's left of their house is pictured below. Thankfully, they are safe and staying with family a few hours south. But the days and weeks ahead will certainly present them with countless challenges.

Besides being just the sweetest, most generous, most vibrant young family (Sarah & Oliver have two boys: Leo & Julius, both under the age of 6)...in 2021, the Azcarates threw themselves to the creation of a new local gem: Altadena Music Theatre.

With no official rehearsal space, no investors or board of directors and only their own savings, Sarah and Oliver built their dream of musical theatre in the foothills of Altadena by hand. Each production was a labor of love and true community effort. Rehearsals were often held on their magical plot of land where they fed cast and crew from their own kitchen and assembled set pieces in the driveway. Below is a photo from Hair rehearsal in their backyard "farm." So many of us have memories at the Wapello house...now just ashes.

Since it's founding in 2021, AMT has mounted productions of Hair, Cabaret, a reprisal of Hair (back by popular demand) and, this past October, Guys & Dolls: their most elaborate show yet. All with live bands, sumptuous costumes, original choreography, meticulous sound design and Broadway-level performances. These shows dazzled Altadena and the surrounding communities, making headlines all over LA county and filling seats against the odds. LA Theatre Bites heralded Cabaret as "downright exceptional," Stage Raw called AMT's Guys & Dolls "an ambitious musical that is fully realized" and the late, great Broadway producer Michael Butler said the Azcarates' production of Hair "captured the spirit" of the original show he produced in 1967.

All of the Altadena Music Theatre productions were staged at the Farnsworth Park Amphitheatre - another structure horribly damaged by the Eaton Fire (before & after pics below.) This was part of Sarah's initial vision for AMT...she was so inspired by this gorgeous venue and its summer concert series. "Why aren't there musicals here??"

But performing at Farnsworth was incredibly expensive. Rental fees for the venue itself were compounded by the cost of renting, loading in and hiring overnight security for sound and lighting equipment. This meant that every show came within pennies of breaking even and recouping for the last.

This Herculean effort has not been self-serving...AMT is *highly* invested in creating opportunities for local artists, especially young people. In addition to their professional productions, the AMT Kids Camps have positively flourished over the last couple of years, creating a joyful community of theatre-loving kids.

The Azcarates have sacrificed SO much for the realization of AMT. And now, just as they were finding that elusive work/life balance, they've lost both their personal and artistic homes. Sarah is an Altadena real estate agent and Oliver is in the film industry. Their long term displacement will undoubtedly mean a major loss of income. They lost 99% of what they owned in this fire. In addition, the theatre company needs 10k minimum to take care of outstanding financial obligations that they can no longer plan to pay back since any possible 2025 shows must now be scrapped.

Thank you so much for donating and sharing,

Scarlet Sheppard

Arcadia, CA resident (formerly of Altadena)

Actor & Producer at AMT

Ruby Lewis

Los Angeles resident/performer

Long-time friend of Azcarates