Val Richman
Volunteer of the Month -
March 2006

Why Volunteer of the Month?

Val has been a tireless volunteer at Cinnabar for years, and has worn many volunteer hats including that of former Parent Guild President. However, we honor her this month for her tremendous organization and enthusiasm as the Volunteer (and sometime Entertainment) Coordinator for the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off. This is an enormous job and Val has been remarkable in her ability to make it all work. This is her last year as a volunteer at the Cook-off, and the gaping hole left by her departure will be very difficult to fill. Thank you, Val, for everything!

About Val

Val Richman, aka DJ Val, was born in Chicago, Illinois. She was raised, however all around the world including Illinois, California, Colorado, Ontario and France. If you knew Val, you would see that the wide world is barely large enough to contain her energy!

She earned her B.A. in French from Northern Illinois University and the Institute for American Universities, Avignon, France. As if French weren’t enough, she also speak Italian and Spanish and belongs to three foreign language conversation groups.

Ms Richman is currently Director of Mentor Me Petaluma as well as an “in demand” dee jay and general “woman about town.” She runs a full house with her husband, Abram, two daughters (Phoebe and Sarah) and three cats.

When she isn’t running a non-profit or spinning and scratching, Val enjoys music, dancing, reading, travel, international relations, other cultures & languages and fun!

Val and Cinnabar

Val Richman’s first experience with Cinnabar was in 1995 when she brought her young daughters to see The Tailor of Gloucester. “It sounded fun and cute and we like the story.”

Shortly after seeing “Tailor” she saw a little announcement in the paper for auditions for The Snow Queen. “My daughters wanted to come. We came, they got in…the rest is history. They have taken class and been in productions every year since.” Val joined the Parent Guild (ultimately becoming its president), became a Cinnabar Board member, was hired as Cinnabar’s Marketing and Education Director and worked on all the Parent Guild fundraisers, including, of course, the Chili Cook-off. “My youngest daughter is in her very last Cinnabar production this spring. It’s the end of an era for the Richman family.”

“How has my family benefited from involvement with Cinnabar? How can I count the ways?? My daughters have learned so much more than ‘just’ how to sing and act and dance. They have built confidence, responsibility, teamwork, supporting the other cast members, cooperation and the opportunity to mingle and work with people of all ages in an atmosphere of creativity, mutual respect and fun. I can’t say enough about the positive influence Cinnabar has had on our family. It’s been fun for me, too, to see the inner workings of the theater – watch rehearsals, listen to discussions about what opera or play to put on next, how to put together a season or a summer music festival. I like people who are passionate about what they do, and Cinnabarbarians are passionate about what they do!”