Awards announced as community theatre set to open 20th Anniversay Season this week
FOLSOM — Recognition from audiences across the region has placed Sutter Street Theatre firmly in the spotlight after the Historic Folsom venue earned multiple honors in the 2025 Broadway World Sacramento Awards. Determined entirely by public voting, the annual Broadway World awards recognize excellence across community and regional theatre, and this year’s results marked one of the most successful showings in the theatre’s history.
Sutter Street Theatre was named Favorite Local Theatre, an honor that reflects sustained audience support across an entire season. The production Little Women the Musical was recognized with Best Musical, while Eileen Beaver earned Best Costume Design of a Play or Musical for her work on the show. Kenny Gagni received Best Direction of a Musical for Little Women the Musical, and Connie Mockenhaupt and Rikki Pratt were awarded Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance, highlighting the collaborative depth behind the production.
Additional Broadway World honors recognized excellence across multiple disciplines and productions. Our Townreceived Best Play, with Allen Schmeltz also earning Best Direction of a Play. Young Frankenstein was awarded Best Ensemble, and Allen Schmeltz and Sam Kay were recognized with Best Sound Design of a Play or Musical for their work on the production. Guys & Dolls earned Best Dance Production, reflecting the strength of choreography and movement showcased on the Sutter Street stage.
Collectively, the awards span Best Musical, Best Play, Best Ensemble, Best Dance Production, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Direction of a Play, Best Costume Design of a Play or Musical, Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance, Best Sound Design of a Play or Musical and Favorite Local Theatre. The range of honors underscores the theatre’s ability to deliver excellence not only on stage but across direction, music, design and technical execution.
The Broadway World Awards are among the largest fan-driven theatre recognition programs in the world, with winners selected solely through online audience voting. The 2025 Regional Awards honored productions that had their first performance between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025, with participation from cities across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. For Sutter Street Theatre, the recognition represents both local pride and broader validation from Broadway World voters across the Sacramento region.
As the accolades arrive, the theatre is also reflecting on the roots that led to this moment. Sutter Street Theatre marks two decades of live entertainment in Historic Folsom, having been founded in 2006 as Stage 9 Theatre by Mike Jimena and Connie Mockenhaupt. The building itself dates back to 1897, when it served as a telephone hub before being transformed into a performance venue. Over the past 20 years, the theatre has grown into a cornerstone of Folsom’s arts scene, known for balancing classic storytelling, ambitious productions and deep community involvement.
What’s ahead for Sutter Street Theatre in 2026
The momentum from Broadway World recognition now carries into a full 2026 season designed to celebrate both the theatre’s history and its future. The season begins later in January with I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, running Jan. 24 through Feb. 15. Featuring music by Jimmy Roberts and book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, the musical revue explores modern relationships through short scenes and songs that trace the journey from dating to long-term partnership.
Running concurrently is Alice in Wonderland, on stage Jan. 24 through Feb. 22, welcoming family audiences into Lewis Carroll’s imaginative world. From late February into March, Murder on the Orient Express runs Feb. 27 through March 29, bringing Agatha Christie’s classic mystery aboard a snowbound train where every passenger becomes a suspect. That same stretch includes Dorothy Meets Alice or The Wizard of Wonderland, on stage March 7 through March 29.
April brings A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum from April 10 through May 10, followed by Hadestown: Teen Edition from April 18 through May 17. Late spring continues with Escanaba in da Moonlight from May 22 through June 21, alongside Cinderella from May 30 through June 21.
Summer programming includes Grease: School Version from June 27 through July 26 and A Chorus Line from July 10 through Aug. 9. August remains full with Aristocats Kids from Aug. 1 through Aug. 16 and Noises Off from Aug. 14 through Sept. 13, followed by Les Misérables: School Edition from Aug. 29 through Sept. 27.
October features Evil Dead: The Musical from Oct. 2 through Nov. 8 and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow from Oct. 10 through Nov. 8. November continues with Arsenic & Old Lace from Nov. 13 through Nov. 29. The year concludes with Holiday in the Hills from Dec. 4 through Dec. 23 and A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail from Dec. 12 through Dec. 29.
Beyond the stage, Sutter Street Theatre continues to expand its educational mission through the Sutter Street Theatre Academy and ongoing classes held at the Sutter Street Theatre Annex in Historic Folsom. Youth and teen workshops, improv instruction, musical theatre dance classes, visual arts programs and children’s theatre classes remain central to the theatre’s commitment to nurturing creativity across generations.
Located at 717 Sutter Street in Historic Folsom, Sutter Street Theatre enters its anniversary season buoyed by Broadway World recognition and strong community support, carrying award-winning momentum into one of the most expansive seasons in its two-decade history.
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