The Foster City-based Hillbarn Theatre and Conservatory is bringing their new play “Wait Until Dark” to the big stage, with many more performances to follow this season.
“Wait Until Dark”, a thriller about a woman who is the target of a group of criminals, will have its opening night on Oct. 17. In total there are five more adult-cast shows set for the 2024 to 2025 season. Prior to “Wait Until Dark”, Hillbarn finished the first adult-cast musical of the season, “Always… Patsy Cline”.
“People are excited about the programs. Hillbarn is one of the top theaters in the Bay Area, and it’s a very exciting place,” said Susan Dunn, a current reviewer for the Critics Circle, a group consisting of members who watch and review local Bay Area shows.
Hillbarn has been open since 1941, fostering a deep sense of community among its performers and attendees.
“We’ve been going to the Hillbarn for a long time. They’re having a tremendous surge of terrific shows,” said Dunn.
Dunn has worked with both Hillbarn and the Critics Circle. Most notably, she was a part of the Hillbarn Board of Directors from 1995 to 1998.
This year, Dunn and her colleagues nominated Hillbarn for The Paine Knickerbocker Award by the Critics Circle. It will contend with other nominations for the award early next year. The award is given to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to Bay Area theater.
“The surge in great theater productions since Covid-19 makes the Hillbarn a great contender for special recognition,” said Dunn.
In addition to adult performances, student productions take place at Hillbarn as well. Teen Company shows are set to take the stage during the fall and spring semesters. Hillbarn also offers a variety of workshops and summer camps for participants of all ages to grow their skills.
Tracy Martin
“I think that having kids join the conservatory and bonding with other students who are interested in theater is a very cool and unique thing that we can offer,” said Conservatory Director Kimberly Braun.
Students can learn and practice more than just acting through the conservatory. Students have the opportunity to work on technical aspects of theatre like creating sets, costumes, props, sounds, and lighting.
“There are some teens who have worked on the main stage crew for the professional shows that we do. Having a chance to see how all of those pieces come together and having a chance to bond and kind of create a family with other students who love theater is really special,” said Braun.
Joanne Engelhardt, a former Hillbarn actress and current reviewer for the Critics Circle estimates that she has written 30-40 reviews of Hillbarn shows.
“If you live on the Peninsula, I certainly recommend you make an effort to see a Hillbarn production,” Engelhardt said.
