Pasadena’s Parsons Nose Theater sold out every performance of its first show. Its Producing Artistic Director on momentum, marketing and a new play about the early life of Frederick Douglass.
Nightlife Report · The Hot Seat · Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas
There is a theater in Pasadena that lives inside an old mortuary chapel. Gary B. Lamb (@gbl007) made sure it didn’t go dark. When the founders, Lance and Mary, semi-retired to be near their grandchild in New York, someone had to step up. He did.
His first show as Producing Artistic Director, “A Complete History of the American Musical (in 90 Minutes or Less),” sold out all 7 performances. He answered our Founders & Creatives questionnaire and agreed we may publish his answers as written, with credit. Here they are, in full.
The Hot Seat
What was the moment you stopped playing small, and what did you do the very next day?
“Fun question: We jumped into our first show by upgrading our lighting system and adding a better projection system. The next day we cried… haha, just dealing with the new learning curve!”
What game is the rest of your industry playing that you refuse to play?
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“We don’t care about others right now, all we care about is improving everything about our image in the community and the value of our product.”
What’s the boldest bet you’ve made, and how did you justify it when others played it safe?
“We are just trying to embolden ourselves so that we can start to embolden our audience.”
If you restarted tomorrow, what would you do bigger and sooner?
“If I rested I would lose my momentum. Every step we take, we are trying to be bigger and better!”
What are you putting into the world in the next 90 days that proves you’re moving?
“A new Shakespeare Compilation: “Shakespeare On Love” that interweaves couples therapy scenes with Shakespeare’s to see just how much life has changed and stayed the same over centuries. A revised, revitalized Christmas Carol bolder than in the past. And come February we are putting up a new play based on the early life of Frederick Douglass.”
Picture ten times the audience you have today. What has to change?
“Marketing, marketing and marketing. Longer runs of our shows and more staff!!!”
What almost killed a launch, and who refused to let it die?
“Well, working out the kinks in the new lighting and projection system lead to me losing it. I almost had another heart attack, but we calmed down and we made some changes in our hierarchy.”
If you got one cover frame, which would it be?
“Our first show, “A Complete History of the American Musical (in 90 Minutes or Less)” brought more diversity to our company and the beautiful lighting and projections helped us sell out all 7 performances. It’s the look we’re going for… which is why we will be bringing it back for 6 performances after New Years.”
What’s the one detail only your team notices that changes everything?
“commitment to quality!”
When you’re not in the room, what one sentence do you want people saying?
“professional yet felt like family.”
His own question: Why now, at your age?
“I’m not done yet and in order to keep this magical theater that lives inside an old mortuary chapel, someone had to step up and keep it going when the Lance and Mary semi-retired to be near their grandchild in NY.”
His note to the editor
“We’re really trying to come out of the pandemic mindset that slowed theater down.”
The debate
Is live theater dying, or are we just not showing up? Tell us on Instagram. Then go see a show at parsonsnose.com.
Team: Marisa Chandler, Associate Producing Artistic Director. Barry Gordon, Consulting Artistic Director.
Quotes are from Gary B. Lamb’s written answers to Nightlife Report, Oct. 28, 2026, published as written with his release.
Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas
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