Pat Colgate
Placer Theatre Ballet (PTB), founded in 1998, PTB presented its first production of The Nutcracker that winter. What began as a small production with just 35 dancers has grown over the years into a full-scale, pre-professional ballet company. Our productions now regularly feature more than 100 young dancers who train at studios throughout the region. Our annual presentation of The Nutcracker has been enjoyed by over 45,000 patrons and has become a cherished holiday tradition for many families. These productions also introduce audiences from South Placer and beyond to the beauty and charm of downtown Auburn, as well as the historic Placer High School Theater.
In 2001, PTB added a second ballet to its season, producing an annual spring ballet in addition to The Nutcracker. Our spring productions have included Alice in Wonderland, A Festival of Great Ballets, Cinderella, Coppélia, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. We have also produced benefit performances for other non-profit organizations, including Live Oak Waldorf School and the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, and we have performed for Stand Up Placer annually since 2006.
Eager to further engage with the community, we launched our school-only performances in 2008. This program allows schools across the region to send students to a ballet performance as a field trip, an introduction to the art form for many children. Students from Georgetown, Roseville, Grass Valley, and surrounding areas have attended our school performances.
Our founder, Pat Colgate, brought PTB’s first production to the stage almost single-handedly. As parents began volunteering, PTB formally took shape. For 13 years, Ms. Colgate served as Artistic Director, producing Alice in Wonderland, A Festival of Great Ballets, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, and Snow White. After building PTB into a regional pre-professional ballet company, she retired in 2011.
Since then, PTB has continued the tradition established by our founder, bringing the artistry of ballet to the community while providing performance opportunities and a sense of family to local dancers.