OUR HISTORY

ORGANIZATION HISTORY

Located in the serene redwoods of northern California, Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory strives to create quality theatrical experiences for audiences and artists throughout the Bay Area Peninsula. PVTC was founded by Artistic Director Cheryl Goodman-Morris, who also served as pastor of Worship and Arts at Valley Presbyterian Church. It was Cheryl’s desire, along with PVTC Board Chair, Tom Kelley, and the members of Valley Pres to create a quality theatre arts program that would open VPC’s doors wide to the community.

PVTC staged its first intergenerational production, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1993 and was incorporated as a 501c3 in 1997. PVTC's programs range from after school classes for students of all ages to outreach in schools, MainStage productions, devised works, hands-on internships, and a high school-led Youth Council. It has been thrilling to see that in our 30+ years of existence, hundreds of students and thousands of audience members have become part of PVTC’s special arts community!

Valley Presbyterian Church

PVTC is very fortunate to make a home at Valley Presbyterian Church. The church generously shares space with us for classes, camps, MainStage shows, and workshops. They also provide us with storage room and allow us to keep technical instruments on campus. Members of the church have participated in many of our productions and serve as wonderful audience members, costume designers, stage managers, and volunteers. We could not exist without their support. For more information on Valley Presbyterian Church and its mission, visit www.valleypreschurch.org.

OUR timeline

1992-1995
1996-1999
2000-2005
2006-2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2015-2016
2017
2018
2019-2020
2021-2022
2023-2024

30 Years in Review

OUR MILESTONES

1994

PVTC is born and quickly becomes a hub of learning and artistic excellence in Portola Valley.
1995

PVTC stages its first Youth Conservatory production, Free to Be You and Me.
1997

PVTC becomes a 501c3 NonProfit.
2006

PVTC begins the annual tradition of producing at least one summer camp show.
2020

The Covid-19 pandemic upends life at PVTC, but we come out stronger on the other end!
2024 and beyond

PVTC continues to grow and thrive.

SPOTLIGHT 2023

A BRAVE SPACE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL STORIES

Dear friends,

What a joy this year has been! When I rejoined the PVTC team last January, one of my first tasks was to speak with staff, board members, and participants about their experiences with the organization. My goal through those listening conversations was to compile a vision of who PVTC has been, is now, and continues to become.

SPOTLIGHT 2022

SWING BY ANYTIME

Welcome Home! As promised, PVTC reopened the doors to Lane Hall this summer with plays, musicals, and workshops. It feels so good to be back! 2022 was especially meaningful to me because after having run summer camps for twelve years, my daughter Athena (age 5) had her first opportunity to participate as camper in Frozen Jr.! I love experiencing our programming not just as a member of the artistic staff, but also as a mom.

SPOTLIGHT 2021

WELCOME!

Welcome to the first ever edition of The Spotlight! Through this publication, we hope to share with you—our community—the rich, meaningful, and creative work that has emerged in PVTC spaces over the past year. Whether outdoors, on a Zoom call, or in our beloved Lane Family Hall, PVTC is in pursuit of joy, discovery and transformation.