BELOW, Olsson’s acting has earned her recognition and awards. She won Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Pozzo (written for a male) in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” presented by Alhecama Theatre, Santa Barbara Community College. In her native Sweden she won for Excellence on Live Stage presented by the Swedish Film Industry, Sandrew Stiftelsen.
BELOW LEFT, Olsson is giddy over the theater’s restored stage.
BELOW RIGHT, Olsson helps ready the stage at Theatre Molly Barbey, also the name of the troupe’s benefactress shown at left. Olsson’s husband Randy is on the ladder.
BOTTOM, Olsson’s studying days at an acting academy. She is the female in the front, and the production is Moliere’s “Tarfuffe.” Her resume lists the Swedish theater group, Svenska Riksteatern, which had over 400 actors.
Q: Now you are involved with Carpinteria’s new
entertainment venue, The Plaza Playhouse Theater. After I retired from Girls Inc. in 2010, Metropolitan Theaters called me and said they were looking for some- one to take over the movie theater’s lease. Mike Lazaro [who helps coordinate the Rods & Roses car show and the California Avocado Festival] and I decided to team up and manage the venue together.
Q: what are some of the high points of the theater’s fi rst year?
We got the keys to the building in December 2010 and merged the Seaside Theater into the new Plaza Playhouse. Our fi rst show was the Brewery Boyz and The Rincons on Dec. 10. We had a New Year’s Eve show and “Mark Twain,” which drew in a lot of people and for me it was the fi rst “theater” experience. We had Foggy Dew on St. Patrick’s Day, and a reading by a British author.
Q: who helped the Plaza morph into the past with a restored stage, curtains, and lights?
From the beginning Gregg Carty. He rebuilt the whole 36 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE
stage and he’s always full of ideas. Greg Mahlke has helped a lot as has Robert Miles and his son. So many more, too. Everyone sees the potential. The fi rst thing donated was the popcorn machine by Mac Brown.
Q: what’s on the priority list?
We need better theatrical lighting and trailer dressing rooms. The last company that rented the theater arrived in costume to perform. If we had a permanent movie screen and projector we could show fi lms to our city’s seniors in the mornings.
Q: what are the coming attractions? The fi rst two weekends of December we’ll put on Charles Dickens’ classic play, “A Christmas Carol.” It has a 58-character cast. The Rotary Talent Show is in Febru- ary. Two new stage plays edited by [Santa Barbara actor] Rod Lathim will be launched before Valentine’s Day ... We have to plug in some Seaside [Theater] work. We’ve also had interest from several big rock bands who want to play at the theater. ... we’re booked into May. Stay tuned! ¢
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