Hollywood veteran and Sacramento native Erinn Anova takes reins as Celebration Arts’ executive director

By Williamena Kwapo 

Erinn Anova’s journey reads like a captivating script, blending the glamor of Hollywood with the grassroots passion of community theater. Her life in the arts began in her hometown of Sacramento, where she discovered her passion for performance at age 12.

Over the years, she has graced audiences with her performances in notable TV shows such as “FBI,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “The Blacklist.” Despite her success in these high-profile projects, Anova always felt a strong connection to her roots.

Her early days at Sacramento Children’s Theater laid the foundation for a lifelong career that has taken her from local stages to the sets of popular television shows. Today, she serves as the new executive director of Celebration Arts, the venerated Black theater company she credits for much of her artistic knowledge and success.

“I was given the opportunity to grow up there,” says Anova as she thinks back to her early days with Celebration Arts. “I had mentors in James Wheatley, Linda Goodrich, Bob Devon Jones, and the late, great Myrtle Stephens.”

Celebration Arts has long been a community pillar, providing a nurturing environment for artists of all ages and backgrounds. Founded by James Wheatley, the organization is dedicated to offering high-quality artistic experiences and fostering an appreciation for the arts within the community. Since its founding, it has served as a cultural hub, offering educational programs, performances, and workshops that enrich the lives of Sacramento’s residents. For many, it is a place of growth, expression, and inspiration.

After leaving to attend college at Howard University, majoring in theater, Anova came back to Sacramento and made her directorial debut at Celebration Arts directing August Wilson’s “Fences.” She recalls feeling excited, eager, and a bit timid as she directed Wheatley, her mentor. Her move into directing was a testament to her growth as an artist and her deep commitment to the community that nurtured her talents, earning her an Elly Award nomination for Best Direction.

Of the roles she has performed, Anova says she enjoys theater the most because “theater is collaborative. On TV, everyone has a specific job but in theater, everyone helps each other out and picks up the pieces when needed.”

She adds: “When I finish this interview, I’m about to go and help James Ellison, the artistic director, paint a set.” She did indeed help paint the set of their upcoming production of Lynn Nottage’s “Mud, River, Stone.”

Anova plans to continue this collaborative spirit as executive director, helping the organization to meet its goals of providing arts to the Sacramento community. Working alongside Artistic Director James Ellison, Anova will oversee Celebration Arts’ strategic direction and daily operations. She is committed to expanding the organization’s outreach, enhancing its educational programs, and increasing its operational capacity through sustained funding and strategic partnerships.

“She comes with much experience and a history of Celebration Arts,” Ellison says. “I’m excited to get to work and take some big steps with her as executive director.”

Other Celebration Arts leaders share Ellison’s enthusiasm about how Anova will use her talent to grow the organization.

“I’m excited to have her because she has so much experience. She has so much to add to what’s already established,” said Carla Fleming, who has been with Celebration Arts for over seven years, working alongside Anova in various capacities. “I feel like she’s gonna bring all of that experience, knowledge and expertise home, and to give it to a community that is her own. And a community that could totally use it.”

Under Anova’s leadership, Celebration Arts plans to host classes and already has applied for a grant that would allow it to bring schoolkids to view plays and produce a contextualized study guide around each play. The initiative seeks to attract more students to the arts, particularly students who may not even have heard of a place like Celebration Arts, where they can be the actors on stage.

“That’s actually one of the reasons why I’m so excited to be back here,” Anova says. “A big part of Celebration Arts is to bring training and opportunities to our underserved communities.“Being an artist and a professional artist doesn’t have to be your path, but you will be enriched by being in the arts. Doctors, attorneys, architects all want entertainment when they come off of their job.”

Anova’s dedication to the arts is not just professional, but deeply personal. She recalls a pivotal moment in her career when she was performing as Lady in Blue in “For Colored Girls” at Celebration Arts. During a time of doubt and contemplation about her future in the arts, she received a handmade blue bracelet from a Sacramento State student. The student had been profoundly moved by Anova’s performance. The gesture reminded Anova of the powerful impact art can have on individuals, reaffirming her commitment to her craft and to the community.

“Art is important,” she says. “So what I’m looking forward to most is helping provide the space to artists to receive what I was given.”

Celebrations Arts is currently in the middle of their “Black Girl Magic” season, featuring plays written, directed, or starring Black women. The organization will put on Lynn Nottage’s  “Mud, River, Stone” starting August 9. Tickets are being sold through their website, www.celebrationarts.net. 

This story is part of the Solving Sacramento journalism collaborative. Solving Sacramento is supported by funding from the James Irvine Foundation and James B. McClatchy Foundation. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19.