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Soaring rock solos, dynamic dance routines and many other captivating performances will be coming to downtown Pleasanton over the next months as part of the Firehouse Arts Center’s new 2024-25 season.
Julian Mireles, Pleasanton’s new recreation supervisor who was recently hired by the city government to oversee all the operations and programming at the Firehouse, told the Weekly he is excited for the new season and for the opportunity to use his new position to further strengthen the community through events like the ones coming up.
“Recreation, people, community has always been (important) to me,” Mireles said. “We all thrive when we’re around strong communities … The opportunity for me to be a recreation supervisor helps me further along the opportunity, I think there is, to build a strong community.”
Mireles started off as a recreation specialist in Gilroy before working for the city of Pleasanton. He was in Pleasanton part-time starting in 2014 and then went to the city of Redwood City during 2016 and 2017. He made his way back to Pleasanton’s recreation department in 2017 and has been there ever since, earning the promotion this summer.
He said he thinks the center does amazing work and has always admired how it continues to build community in Pleasanton.
As recreation supervisor, Mireles will oversee operations and lead the entire Firehouse team, manage the day-to-day operations and work closely on creating new series of performances — just like the new season that recently dropped.
One of his biggest aspirations for the Firehouse will be working with different ethnic groups to provide more cultural programming at the center and also listen to the community to figure out what else residents would like to see at the venue.
He said more diverse recreation programming will create stronger relationships between the city and its residents, which is something he wants to do.
“I do think both the municipality thrives on top of the community,” Mireles said.
Diverse is one way to describe the newly announced 2024-25 Firehouse Arts Center season.
From classic rock tributes and original singer-songwriters, to cabaret and emotional plays, this new season will be “an unforgettable lineup of performances,” Firehouse reps said.
“Whether you wish to be enchanted by soulful melodies, energized by high-octane performances or immersed in festive celebrations, the Firehouse Arts Center aims to have something for everyone,” according to the season-launch press release this month.
The season kicked off last week on Aug. 24 with The Golden Follies, an ensemble of senior performers who are renowned for their “high-energy dance routines, dazzling costumes and timeless musical repertoire,” which mimics what one might see in Las Vegas.
But don’t worry, if you happened to miss the first show, the energetic senior performers will be back on Dec. 14 for their holiday performance, “A Very Follies Holiday 2024”.
The next act folks can catch will be renowned Nashville-based country artist Buck Ford on Sept. 13. Ford will be bringing his rock ‘n’ roll and country flair to the Pleasanton stage for an “unforgettable experience for fans of genuine country music,” according to Firehouse reps.
Following Ford later in September will be Carnaval! — a Carlos Santana tribute band. The group, which is made up of “seasoned musicians with decades of dedication,” will be paying homage to Santana’s legendary sound on Sept. 28 by playing some of the famous guitarist’s most iconic hits with “soulful precision and unwavering passion,” Firehouse officials said.
As we head into October and spooky season, the Firehouse will be inviting the community to celebrate Halloween with the Tri-Valley Theater Company on Oct. 18 during the “Spooktacular Broadway” show. The one-night cabaret will transport the audience to a world of dancing ghosts and spine-tingling performances.
Next up will be the Firehouse’s own award-winning improvisation troupe, Creatures of Impulse, who will be performing their show “Doomsday Diaries” on Oct. 24. The show will be set in the apocalypse as the young teen performers improvise stories on the spot about survival, resilience and the human spirit.
Closing out the month on Oct. 25 will be Stella Heath and Bandjango Collectif. Health is a North Bay native and vocalist who will be leading Bandjango Collectif, a band of gypsies who will be bringing an “electrifying musical experience melding French Gypsy Jazz, New Orleans Jazz, global traditional music and folk,” according to Firehouse reps.
November will be a busy month for the Firehouse as it kicks off with a youth edition of “Anastasia the Musical”, which will be performed by the Pleasanton Youth Theater Company. The youth group will transport audiences to Russia and France in order to follow the life of a brave young woman seeking to uncover her mysterious past.
The next group to take the stage that month will be Chicago The Tribute, a tribute band paying homage to the legendary ’70s band, Chicago. The tribute band will be bringing a night of soulful ballads, upbeat rock anthems and all the other Chicago hits during its show on Nov. 16.
Then Creatures of Impulse will be returning to the stage from Nov. 13-23 for its “Mystic Tales” set. According to Firehouse officials, each performance will feature enchanting stories “filled with magical creatures, epic quests, and mystical adventures, all created on the spot.”
November will then end off with performances by Chorus Eclectic, a Dublin-based chorus, as part of their fall concert, “Surf and Turf”, where the choral will explore how songs have influenced journeys around the world and by the High School Music Collaborative, a group of high schoolers who will be performing their annual Holiday Youth Music Festival.
The collaborative will then return the following month on Dec. 6 for its “True Tales, A High School Cabaret” performance where they will feature songs from musicals based on true stories
“From heart lifting to heart-breaking, these performances strike a chord with the real stories of human experience,” according to the Firehouse press release.
On Dec. 13, fans of the popular rock band Journey will be able to relive the group’s magic once more with a performance by Evolution, a tribute band that aims to recreate the iconic sounds, powerful vocals and electrifying guitar solos of the original group.
“With their high-energy performances and spot-on renditions of classic hits, Evolution captures the essence of one of rock’s greatest bands,” according to the press release. “Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Journey’s music, Evolution promises a spectacular night of rock and nostalgia.”
Capping off the holiday season on Dec. 21 will be the Jeff Bordes & Friends: A New Orleans Christmas 2024 performance. Bordes, who grew up in Pleasanton, will be heading the annual extravaganza that infuses Christmas classics with the sounds of New Orleans, jazz, funk and blues.
The Pleasanton Youth Theater Company will return on Jan. 18 to kick off the first show of the new year with its production of “Finding Nemo KIDS”. The 30-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 movie will feature young actors who will bring the underwater world to life.
Then the season will begin to slow down as February will only see one performance, by The CoolTones Big Band, a Tri-Valley-based band made up of 19 musicians who cover a wide range of genres including swing, jazz, blues, R&B and rock.
Another fellow Tri-Valley band, Moving Parts, will be filling up the Firehouse with the ultimate fusion of jazz, R&B, and New Orleans second-line grooves the following month on March 8.
“With John R. Burr’s mesmerizing piano melodies, Noel Catura’s soulful saxophone tunes, and Kelly Fasman’s rhythmic percussion beats, Moving Parts delivers a symphony of unparalleled talent,” according to the press release.
Pleasanton native and Amador Valley High School alumnus Lauryn Marie will end off this year’s Firehouse season as the frequent musician will once again grace the stage with her “thoughtful lyrics and evocative melodies” on March 29. “The Nashville-based singer, songwriter and producer combines folk, indie-rock, and bedroom pop to create sincere and relatable songs that aim to reach all types of people,” according to the press release.
To see the full schedule, purchase tickets and learn more, visit firehousearts.org.
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