After programming radio stations in Worcester, MA, Rochester, NY, and San Francisco, CA, transitioned into radio research in 1995, joining Creative Audience Research in Sonoma. He eventually purchased the company in 2001 and over the next 17 years continued to provide perceptual research to many of the most important companies in broadcasting. In 2018 he accepted a position with full-service firm Cooper-Roberts Research. He caught the theatre bug a few years after moving to Sonoma, with his first role as Juror #11 in 12 Angry Men, part of the Sonoma Community Center’s short-lived Theatre @ The Center Program.
About Us
Our History
Our roots on the Rotary Stage in Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center go back to 2009 and a theater cooperative called Sonoma Theatre Alliance. The idea had blossomed after long discussions between actor and theater-maker Jaime Love with local playwright Todd Evans; both agreed Sonoma Valley had lots of nomadic companies with no dedicated theater home.
Local companies Silver Moon Theatre, M&G Productions, Narrow Way Stage Company, Avalon Players, ETC!, CAPS, and Sonoma Stage Works came together to form the Sonoma Theater Alliance. Our TAKE YOUR SEATS campaign raised $35,000 to purchase 80 seats and risers, and we staged our first four-show season in 2010. We then received the support of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley, when they made Andrews Hall renovations their 2013 community project. Shepherded by then-President Vicki Whiting, Rotarians committed to a $100,000 challenge grant for capital improvements to our aging theater. Sonoma Community Center Executive Director Kathy Swett joined the effort and, along with redevelopment funds from the City of Sonoma, our newly renovated theater opened in Spring 2013.
By late 2015 it became apparent to our Board that to establish our identity, we would need to unify into a single theater company, and Sonoma Arts Live was born. We are a non-profit, award-winning theater company with Jaime Love serving as our Artistic Director. SAL owes a debt of gratitude to Todd Evans and the original Sonoma Theatre Alliance Board, as well as James and Jennifer Wood, who were instrumental in helping us transition from a theater cooperative into a fully functioning theater company. We also owe our heartfelt thanks to those who helped us go from folding chairs to theater seats, and from posters on a crumbling concrete slab to a state-of-the-art marquee. We look forward to our future while acknowledging our past, and we greatly appreciate the generosity of the Sonoma Valley community for its ongoing support.
Company Founders
Jaime Love
Artistic Director
Jaime Love has been involved in theatre and radio for over 35 years as an actor, producer, singer, director, writer and voice-over artist in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco. She is a founding member of the Sonoma Theatre Alliance and Sonoma Arts Live, and former Co-Artistic Director and Producer of The Nicholson Ranch Players’ musical revues and Christmas shows at Nicholson Winery for 6 years. She is the founder of SAL’s Teens ’N Training program.
Board of Directors
Sue Martin
President of the Board
Sue Martin has been involved in theatre for over 50 years. Sue was a founding member of the Sonoma Theater Alliance and Sonoma Arts Live. She has served as President for ten years and has been a realtor in Sonoma since 1998. Sue has appeared in numerous SAL productions, including It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Nunsense: The Mega Musical, Calendar Girls, Helen of Egypt, A Christmas Story: The Musical and Guys & Dolls.. She is honored to be serving with such dedicated individuals currently on the Sonoma Arts Live Board of Directors.
Libby Oberlin
Vice-President
Libby Oberlin is a well-known actor who has trained and performed with Shakespeare & Co., The Upright Citizens Brigade, HB Studios, The University of London and We Players. In September of 2018, SAL and The Theater School, Libby’s educational theatere company, formed a partnership, bringing her educational programs to the Rotary Stage.
Charles Wixson
Secretary/Treasurer
Charles Wixson has over 40 years of experience as a business, tax, and estate planning attorney. He has served on and represented boards of directors of many non-profit organizations, including a symphony orchestra and a museum in San Francisco. He splits his time between San Francisco and Sonoma, having built a home in the Sonoma sunshine nearly 20 years ago. He has performed in recitals and orchestra concerts, and with The Lamplighters Music Theater. He is now retired from those activities and, other than playing piano, he limits his enjoyment of the arts to performances by others.
Susan Drake
Board Member
Susan Drake moved to Sonoma in 1976 and has always been enthusiastically involved with this vibrant community. Her training as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist allowed her to connect with the children and families of Sonoma through her counseling practice. She has served on several Boards, and especially impressive was her eight years with the Board of the Sonoma Valley Health Center. During that time, the Board secured funding and managed the construction of a facility that now serves Sonoma Valley as a Federally Qualified
Health Center (FQHC). As a longtime avid supporter of Sonoma Arts Live, Susan is looking forward to serving on its Board.
Nicole Whitaker
Board Member
Nicole brings over 20 years of Hospitality Sales and Marketing experience along with a passion for the performing arts to the SAL board. She recently relocated to Wine country two years ago from Miami where she presided over an "Open Mic Night" at the National Hotel Miami Beach for 3 years and hosted an annual caroling event on the world-renowned Lincoln Road. She served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Vail Valley Theatre Company for 6 years in Vail Colorado where she also performed in several shows. A few of her favorite roles: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Marta in Company and Cell Block Tango in Chicago.
Lindsay John
Board Member
Lindsay John graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2016 and, upon moving back home, she immediately put her degree to use, stage managing and acting around Marin County. She was part of a volunteer group with Sheri Lee Miller and several other BIPOC members of the theater community. SAL’s Jaime and Rick Love were on a large group call with Artistic Directors of the area who were seeking to promote more inclusive casting and diverse productions to feature the BIPOC community. At that point, Lindsay had already worked at SAL in 2017, and with several other theaters in the Bay Area, bringing in a fresh perspective. Working on Ain't Misbehavin’ as Stage Manager solidified her interest in doing more with SAL.
Kevin Allen
Board Member
Kevin Allen (Morris) is an actor, writer and director that got his start in theater and performative media in the Bay Area. He attended Chapman University for Screenwriting and Sound Design and years later has fought to protect public school performing arts as the director of San Rafael High School’s drama program — his alma mater. Within the last year he has performed in NTC's Spamalot (Herbert, Not-Dead-Fred) and Present Laughter (Morris), Sonoma Arts Live's Lend Me A Tenor (Bellhop) and Young Frankenstein (Hermit), and Avalon Player's Twelfth Night (Duke). Always burning bright with passion, Kevin brings his all to any project in which he is involved.
Jaime Love
Artistic Director
Jaime Love has been involved in theatre and radio for over 35 years as an actor, producer, singer, director, writer and voice-over artist in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco. She is a founding member of the Sonoma Theatre Alliance and Sonoma Arts Live, and former Co-Artistic Director and Producer of The Nicholson Ranch Players’ musical revues and Christmas shows at Nicholson Winery for 6 years. She is the founder of SAL’s Teens ’N Training program.
Sonoma Arts Live, a non profit 501 (C)(3), believes that theater is a universal language, and we are committed to the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We are interested in casting actors of all backgrounds, inclusive of race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity and age. We believe in presenting theater that enriches the lives of our community, sheds light in times of darkness, and revives our spirits.