After 17 years of producing musical masterpieces for the Truckee/Tahoe community, Truckee Alliance (TAMA) or the Musical Arts decided to ‘hang its spurs.’ The final curtain will fall Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 with the ‘Last Waltz’ production. TAMA has called upon a few of the founding members to celebrate this last round of fun and spirited performances.
Bob French, guitar player, singer, part-director, said TAMA members are not viewing this final month as a sad time but rather a celebration of a successful 17-year run bringing great music to and accomplishing great deeds for the Truckee community.
Previous TAMA shows had specific themes such as the ‘British Invasion,’ ‘Radio Legends,’ or ‘One-Hit Wonders,’ but TAMA’s finale will be a collaboration of old material performed by some familiar faces, plus some new tunes to create a ‘three-hour long extravaganza,’ said TAMA ‘old-timer’ Ed Miller. ‘This show promises to be a real treat.’
In 1989 there were not that many venues in the area for large-scale musical productions. To address this dearth, members of the Truckee Actors Guild got together and decided to form an outgrowth, known now as TAMA. Building a venue was an unfeasible task, but getting a group of musicians together to accomplish a number of good deeds was easy. The inaugural production ‘Night at the Fillmore’ was a groundbreaking moment for TAMA and according to French, the show was a novel idea in connecting the community with music and each other. Onstage, the performers were not just random musicians, but rather members of the community from doctors to schoolteachers. From here, TAMA began to create new friendships and produce memorable shows geared toward establishing a performing arts outlet for the community.
The biggest single obstacle facing TAMA over its history – and what French attests will be a continuing hindrance for future performing arts organizations in the Truckee/Tahoe community – is the lack of a good venue. Bouncing around from one venue to the next can be exhausting and frustrating. However, in the end every performance was always fun and fulfilling, French said. One of the most memorable shows TAMA performed according to French, was the Woodstock show at the base of Northstar. The combination of a setting sun and being outdoors performing on a professional stage with professional lighting and professional assistance made Woodstock a magical performance, he said.
Among some of the most rewarding and exciting shows, French says, were the country shows where members who played unusual instruments more apt to country music, like a mandolin, or a banjo, were able to use their skills on stage. ‘The country shows allowed us to use to better advantage the people better skilled at those instruments,’ French said. TAMA’s ‘One-Hit-Wonder’ production was also an exhilarating performance for the members and the community because VHI’s One Hit Wonders program aired around the same time which made the show that much more fun and fanatical.
Some of the major highlights French recalls are when TAMA had the opportunity to open for performances by big time acts like Nicollette Larsen and the John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. What French and the majority of TAMA members say they are going to miss most are the profound friendships established over the last decade plus. ‘I know for myself and many others, TAMA friendships are some of the most important in our lives,’ French said.
According to Miller, they are ending productions because it has become too difficult to produce despite the immense amount of fun had. ‘As with many organizations, a small group does most of the work.’
French added that with the changing of all the members’ lives, the administrative duties are becoming more difficult to fulfill, but for a performing arts organization, 17 years of doing good is something to be proud of. According to tamamusic.org, ‘all proceeds from TAMA shows are used to fund scholarships for graduating seniors from Tahoe Truckee Unified School District who plan to continue studying in college.’
Though the shows are coming to an end, TAMA will continue to raise money to support local high school students who desire to further their musical education through college, Miller said. Through ‘Last Waltz’ sales, TAMA ‘is going to start an endowment with the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation, so the scholarships will keep going,’ Miller said. He emphasized that even after the last curtain falls, the community can still donate to the fund through TTCF.
According to French, the ‘Last Waltz’ will be full of surprises and some old faces who are coming back to perform one last time to celebrate the history of the organization. On top of great music and fun, each night of the show there will be a raffle for a brand new electric guitar, just another way in which TAMA will continue the celebration of music in the Truckee/Tahoe community.
For information on TAMA and to find out how to get tickets for the ‘Last Waltz’ visit www.tamamusic.org.
