The city of Milpitas unexpectedly decided not to renew the contract of a local performing arts theater after decades of support, according to the theater.
Center Stage Performing Arts (CSPA), formerly known as the Rainbow Theater, is located across from City Hall in Milpitas. Dozens of young students had been planning a fall production, which is now canceled. The cast and their families attended a City Council meeting Tuesday evening to voice their concerns after the director of the theater company was told by the city that their contract was not renewed.
Logan Hernandez-Baker, 15, who has been an actress most of her life and was a student at the company was impacted by the city’s decision. “I just couldn’t believe how sudden it was, and I was really sad because this is all I really do,” she said.
Milpitas gives about $76,000 a year to the theater group. The City Council has called for a cost analysis in the budget to study if the entertainment at the community center is what residents want.
“It’s absolutely devastating to the kids,” said Gina Harris, the associate director of CSPA. “We obviously have a lot of kids in the program we service to, and CSPA has become a family.”
The CSPA and the city will meet Wednesday to discuss whether shows can proceed while the study continues.
