About The Company

For over 20 years, Shakespeare’s Associates, Inc, dba 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. In 2020, SPARC was named Best in the East Bay’s “Best Live Theater” for a third consecutive year by the readers of the East Bay Times.

Beginning in 2002, our artists and volunteers produced Shakespeare in the Vineyard and other events locally. Under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director, Lisa A. Tromovitch, SPARC’s growth and success led to a restructuring in 2006, to incorporate as a nonprofit organization, forming a new board of active community leaders, an advisory board, an artistic council of Bay Area professional artists, and a solid foundation of donors.

SPARC’s flagship program, Shakespeare in the Vineyard, (formerly known as Livermore Shakespeare Festival) brings over 5,500 attendees to Livermore Wine Country each summer for live productions. Since 2015, our teaching artists have led an in-school literacy program using Shakespeare’s plays, called So Wise So Young, in every 2nd grade classroom in the Livermore school district.  SPARC produces a two-week summer camp for students in grades 3-8, provides programs at local high schools and colleges, and adult education classes at libraries. 

Three years ago, longtime leaders Lisa Tromovitch and Katie Marcel (former Managing Director), successfully initiated a city-wide movement to create a new theater in the heart of downtown Livermore, and were granted a Development Agreement with the City of Livermore. This new venue will fulfill our goal to produce year-round programming, extend our respected education programs, and establish a permanent indoor home. Partnering with a dozen other groups, we have established a Cultural Core of organizations to program events in the new building. 

The company has four year-round staff positions. Our programs attract top professional talent, as well American Conservatory Theatre’s Masters of Fine Arts candidates as fellows, college apprentices from seven Western states, and local high school interns for job-based learning programs.

Our Mission

Inspired by William Shakespeare, who through the rhetoric and poetry of the English language gave voice to the deepest experience of being human, we are committed to creating community through the production of high-quality professional theater experiences. We produce and support theatrical events that celebrate the human experience. We are creating a company that is accessible and fully integrated with the Tri-Valley community and invite the participation of our Central Valley and Greater Bay Area neighbors.

Performance History

SPARC, under the leadership of artistic director Lisa A. Tromovitch, has produced a variety of plays by a range of playwrights with focus (of course) on Shakespeare. The first production was at Concannon Vineyard, in what was then a parking lot adjacent to the tasting room. The next four years were sponsored by Retzlaff Estate Winery. In summer 2008, the Festival moved to a new and larger venue at Concannon Vineyard and expanded programming to two outdoor shows with a majestic Victorian as the backdrop. The summer of 2015 brought SPARC to the spa-like setting of Wente Vineyards Estate Winery & Tasting Room for a five-year experiment producing both mainstage productions in the round. The next incarnation of the Shakespeare in the Vineyard program will be on the beautiful grounds of Darcie Kent Vineyards.

In 2013, SPARC started producing holiday readings at Swirl on the Square, with professional actors reading Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales and in 2014 Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory. The Swirl Holiday Readings are now an annual event. In 2019, a new Valentine’s Day tradition was begun at Swirl, with a three-actor, semi-staged reading of a shortened version of Romeo and Juliet. Another annual event is the long-standing presentation of a Livermore Reads Together program with the Livermore Public Library, prepared by SPARC volunteers for over fifteen years. On April 22, 2018, in a new twist on the readings and educational opportunities, SPARC co-produced a Play on! event with Oregon Shakespeare Festival at Murrieta’s Well. We look forward to more co-productions like these.

New compilations and unusual works are part of our programming. In February of 2015, SPARC produced Sonnet Café, an original collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets, songs, and other poetry at the Dublin Barn, as part of a Tri-Valley wide Valentine’s month of programming. In the spring of 2016, SPARC created Drunken Shakespeare, a celebration of the Bard’s famous tipsy characters, in honor of the 400-year legacy celebration of William Shakespeare. The 2014 – 2016 festivals were a triptych of Jane Austen adaptations specially paired with Shakespeare plays. In the summer of 2017, LSF produced the world premiere of a new adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, prepared by Tromovitch opposite Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Recent pairings at Wente Vineyards include Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest in 2018, and The Tragedie of Othello paired with The Compleat Works of Wm. Shakespeare (abridged) in 2019. Most recently, Education Director Lindsey Schmeltzer and Producing Artistic Director Lisa Tromovitch, created Life is a Cabernet, an interactive, cabaret-style show with scenes, songs and bingo which was produced outdoors at Darcie Kent Vineyards in August 2021.

The Performances
2024

Shakespeare in the Vineyard  July (Darcie Kent Vineyards) & August 2024 (Village Theatre & Art Gallery)

Twelfth Night, by Wm. Shakespeare adapted by Jennifer Le Blanc , directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch. July 5 – August 25.

Science @ Play March 2024

Marjorie Prime, by Jordan Harrison, directed by Cynthia Lagodzinski. March 15-17.

Running the Light, by Prince Gomolvilas, commissioned by SPARC, directed by Michael Wayne Rice. March 29-30.

Romance & Juliet (Part of ‘Get Out the House’ Reading Series) February 2024

Romeo and Juliet, adapted by SPARC from Wm. Shakespeare, directed by Molly Noble. February 14 & 17.

2023

Holiday Story Soiree (Part of ‘Get Out the House’ Reading Series) December 2023

My Pink Pet, by Mrs.Mary Louisa Molesworth & Mr. Huffam, by Sir Hugh Walpole directed by Lisa A Tromovitch. December 15-17.

Shakespeare in the Vineyard  June – August 2023 (Darcie Kent Vineyards)

Silent Sky, by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Jennifer LeBlanc. June 23-July 9.

Much Ado About Nothing, by Wm. Shakespeare adapted by Mary Ann Rodgers, directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch. July 15-August 9.

2022

Shakespeare in the Vineyard  June – August 2022 (Darcie Kent Vineyards)

The 39 Steps, directed by Cassidy Brown. June 24-July 10

Life is a Cabernet, directed by Jennifer LeBlanc, created by Lisa A. Tromovitch and Lindsey Schmeltzer. June 25-July 31.

The Comedy of Errors, directed by Domenique Lozano. July 15-August 7.

Science @ Play November 2022

Two Degrees, by Tira Palmquist, directed by Leslie Martinson. November 4-6.

Basilosaurus, by Marisela Treviño Orta, commissioned by SPARC, directed by Mary Ann Rodgers. November 18-20.

2021

March adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library) in partnership with African American Body of Laboratory Employees (ABLE)

Virtual Shakespeare Trivia Nights 

LifeSPARC; The Victory of Spirit; a series of Livestream presentations

Lisa Wolpe’s Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender

Debra Ann Byrd’s Becoming Othello; A Black Girl’s Journey

Devon Glover’s The Sonnet Man, Shakespeare Hip-Hop Fusion

Kindertransport by Diane Samuels, directed by Jennifer Le Blanc, Live event and LiveStream (SPARC Studio, Downtown Livermore)

SPARC on the Park Live Concert Series at Stockmen’s Park

Life is a Cabernet, created & directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch and Lindsey Schmeltzer (Darcie Kent Vineyards)

2020

Sourdough adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

#PopUpRomance (Romeo & Juliet reading)  directed by Mary Ann Rodgers (Swirl on the Square)

June 19th, 2020 Polar Bears, Black Boys and Prairie Fringed Orchids by Vincent Terrell Durham. A Bay Area wide co-production recorded for Juneteenth 2020.

Virtual Holiday Reading of The Chimes by Charles Dickens  directed by Michael Wayne Rice (Swirl on the Square)

Virtual Shakespeare Trivia Nights 

2019

Spare Parts adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

#PopUpRomance directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch (Swirl on the Square)

“Becoming Othello” An Evening with Debra Ann Byrd (Purple Orchid)

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)[revised] by Adam Long, Daniel Singer & Jess Winfield directed by Mary Ann Rodgers (Wente Vineyards)

Othello by Wm. Shakespeare directed by Michael Wayne Rice (Wente Vineyards)

“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas directed by Michael Wayne Rice (Swirl on the Square)

2018

The Winter’s Tale by Wm. Shakespeare directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch (Wente Vineyards)

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde directed by Domenique Lozano (Wente Vineyards)

A Long Way Home adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

“An Evening with Play on!” directed by Lue Morgan Douthit‎ (Murrieta’s Well)

“A Holiday Memory by Truman Capote and others” directed by Michael Wayne Rice (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

2017

Cyrano de Bergerac adapted and directed by Lisa A. Tromovitch (Wente Vineyards)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Wm. Shakespeare (Wente Vineyards)

FlyGirl adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

Twas the Night Before Christmas” and more (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

2016

The Tempest by Wm. Shakespeare (Wente Vineyards)

Persuasion adapted by Jennifer Le Blanc from Jane Austen (Wente Vineyards)

Drunken ShakesBeer compiled by Lisa Tromovitch (Eight Bridges Brewery)

I Robot adapted by Donna Blevins as reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” and other short stories (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

2015-2011

2015

As You Like It by Wm. Shakespeare (Wente Vineyards)

Sense & Sensibility adapted by Jon Jory from the novel by Jane Austen (Wente Vineyards)

Sonnet Café compiled by Lisa Tromovitch from Shakespeare & various other sources (Koby Barn, Dublin)

Dickens’ Holiday Short Stories by Charles Dickens (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

A Good Year by Peter Mayle adapted by Donna Blevins as a reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

 

2014

Much Ado About Nothing by Wm. Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

Pride & Prejudice adapted from Jane Austen by Christina Calvit (Concannon Vineyard)

A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

 

2013

The Liar by David Ives (Concannon Vineyard)

The Taming of the Shrew by Wm. Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

Packing for Mars by Mary Roach adapted by Donna Blevins as a reading for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (Readings at Swirl on the Square)

 

2012

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

Open Mic Shakespeare for Shakespeare’s Birthday, & scenes (Swirl on the Square)

A Bell for Adano by John Hersey: readings for Livermore Reads Together (Civic Library)

  

2011

Lend Me a Tenor by Ken Ludwig (Concannon Vineyard)Macbeth by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

1906: The Novel by James Dalessandro: readings for Livermore Reads Together (Livermore Civic Library)

 

2010-2002

2010

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard (Concannon Vineyard)

Travels With Charley: readings from Steinbeck’s book for Livermore Reads Together(Livermore Civic Library)


2009

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

The Seagull by Anton Chekhov (Concannon Vineyard)

Copenhagen by Michael Frayn (Bothwell Arts Center)

 

2008

The Seagull by Anton Chekhov (The Bankhead Theater)

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

The Complete Works of Wm. Shakespeare (abridged) (revised) (Concannon Vineyard)

Proof by David Auburn (Bothwell Arts Center)

 

2007

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare (Retzlaff Estate Winery)

art’ by Yasmina Reza (Bothwell Arts Center)

Zorro: readings from the Isabel Allende novel (Livermore Civic Library)

  

2006

All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare (Retzlaff Estate Winery)

The Wharton One-Acts by Dennis Krausnick (Pleasanton)

 

2005

The Gifts of the Magi by Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts (Dublin)

As You Like It by William Shakespeare (Retzlaff Estate Winery)

The Belle of Amherst by William Luce (Trinity Lutheran Church)

 

2004

Cymbeline by William Shakespeare (Retzlaff Estate Winery)

 

2002

Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare (Concannon Vineyard)

Comedy of Errors — 2007 Retzlaff Vineyards
The Seagull2008 The Bankhead Theater
The Merry Wives of Windsor — 2012
Concannon Vineyard
Sense and Sensibility — 2015
Photo by Gregg Le Blanc, CumulusLight.com
Wente Vineyards
A Midsummer Night’s Dream — 2017
Photo by Gregg Le Blanc, CumulusLight.com
Wente Vineyards
The 39 Steps — 2022
Photo by Gregg Le Blanc, CumulusLight.com
Darcie Kent Vineyards