The Home of Stephen and Sonya Blake

Stephen and Sonya Blake’s home, at which we are holding our first performance of our 23rd season, is in a neighborhood that is a vestige of the days when movie stars like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry had huge ranches in the San Fernando Valley. An early subdivision of such properties, when walnut and citrus groves were made into very large lots for homes, the houses stand out as different from those in the surrounding blocks. The Blakes’ block preserves the feel of the orchards, with many walnut, lemon, kumquat, orange, and guava trees, and it has long been a refuge for creative types, classical and jazz musicians, and TV and movie directors among them.

The open design of the interior of the Blakes’ house-and their large front and back yards-have made it attractive as a location for filming of movies, TV shows, and commercials. Among many transformations of their home, they have seen their back yard converted into an Asian botanical garden and then returned to its normal state. The Blakes have deliberately furnished their house to reflect their own sensibilities: “You can get to know us by taking a tour of our house,” Steve said.

Steve himself has been a filmmaker all of his life, as director of photography on feature films, commercials, TV, and as a director of music videos. His current passion is in writing screenplays for family-oriented films. He also describes himself as a dilettante composer and is a fanatic about all kinds of music, especially jazz and classical music.

Sonya, a Yale graduate, has worked as a fundraiser for the LA County Museum of art and for Santa Monica College, as the Director of Strategic Development for The Master’s College, and as Executive Director and CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter. Gray Davis also selected her as the first Small Business Advocate, an advisory position to the legislative process in Sacramento. Currently, her passions are being a homemaker, developing her artistic sensibilities, and assisting in the placement of foster children.