by Mick Rhodes | editor@claremont-courier.com

California Senator Anthony Portantino and actor Jason Alexander will be among the guests at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 27 as Beatrice Casagran, of Upland-based theater company Ophelia’s Jump, MCs a rally to support funding for SB1116, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund at The Antaeus Theater, 110 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205.

The intent of SB1116, which was passed September 29, 2022, is “to recognize the special circumstances and charitable nature of small nonprofit performing arts organizations while promoting job creation in the sector,” according to its text.

“Now we need to get some money allocated for small nonprofit performing arts companies to be able to pay production workers and comply with California labor laws that the vast majority of production workers be hired as employees,” wrote Casagran in an email. “Dozens of theaters have closed their doors just in the city of Los Angeles alone. Small nonprofit organizations are at risk all across the state. We need to get this bill funded to improve the chances for arts organizations and support job creation in the performing arts.”

To RSVP for this event go to eventbrite.com and search “SB1116.”

More information is at equitablepayrollfund.org.