Point Reyes Light- December 10, 1998

Two Shakespeare festivals in Stinson Beach?

After losing their founding artistic director in mid-October, directors of Stinson's Shakespeare at the Beach hope their once-Tempestuous theater group will "suffer a sea-change into something rich and strange."

After eight years of producing plays and helping to establish a permanent amphitheater for the group in downtown Stinson Beach, Jeffrey Trotter resigned voluntarily several weeks ago because of "differences" with the nonprofit theater's board of directors.

So said board member Joe Anderson of Bolinas, who told The Light on Tuesday that Shakespeare at the Beach Inc. is now involved in a dispute with Trotter over who is entitled to use the theater along Highway 1.

Since his resignation, Trotter has apparently created his own nonprofit group - reportedly called Shakespeare at Stinson - with the possible intention of producing future plays in the coastal town, Anderson said.

Battling bards in Stinson? "The board greatly appreciates all the work that Jeffrey did for us, and we wish him success in the future," Anderson said. "But it is our belief that the community here supports this nonprofit, Shakespeare at the Beach Inc., and expects us to continue our service."

Hoping, perhaps, to rally local support for his nonprofit troupe, Anderson attended Saturday's meeting of the Stinson Beach Village Association. "We told the Village Association Board that we hope to be in closer contact with the community and are dedicated to reducing any noise or traffic problems surrounding the theater."

The announcement was greeted with applause. A number of townspeople have repeatedly complained about the theater's noise, nighttime lighting, and parking during both performances and rehearsals.

Anderson said that his fellow board members have high hopes for the continuation of their theater group, which operated at a loss until this past season.

"We've had growing pains as a nonprofit over the past few years. But this year, under the financial leadership of our board president who was assisted by our executive director, Ann Brebner - and thanks to Jeffrey's artistic direction, we're in the black for the first time in history. We expect to improve that in the future."

Brebner, who has directed plays for Shakespeare at the Beach in the past, was brought in as the group's interim executive director last summer, board member Anderson said.

"I can't emphasize enough how helpful she has been to us," said board president Gerri Eszterhas, who has a home in Stinson. "She's brought in new rules and procedures."

Among other drama-related projects, Brebner is currently helping to revive the old Rafael Theater in downtown San Rafael, which is affiliated with the Mill Valley Film Festival, Anderson said.

Meantime, he added, the board has hired an attorney from San Francisco to help them resolve their dispute with their former artistic director Trotter. The board will choose a new artistic director sometime in January, he said.

Trotter was out of the country and could not be reached for a comment.

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