Originally published on 16 January 2018 at the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
The Hypocrites’ “Pirates of Penzance” at Arizona Repertory Theatre | Courtesy photo / The Hypocrites
When have you ever been to the Pasadena Playhouse to enjoy a romp on the beach? In the venerable theatre’s 100 years of existence its stage has never been converted into a seashore … until now.
From January 23 to February 18, ‘Pirates of Penzance’ by The Hypocrites, fresh from its successful New York run, will be playing at the Playhouse. The production is adapted and directed by Hypocrites Artistic Director Sean Graney; co-adapted by Kevin O’Donnell and with music direction by Andra Velis Simon.
Ten actors will perform the Gilbert and Sullivan classic with a zany twist while staying true to its original spirit. The Playhouse will be venue for the wackiest beach party imaginable, complete with flying beach balls, rubber duckies, ukuleles, banjos, plastic swimming pools, and a tiki bar.
In a re-envisioned Playhouse, all the orchestra seats will be removed and in its place a deck will be built. The entire theatre will turn into a playing area with actors and audience sharing the space to create a fun, magical evening of theatre.
Graney says , “I remember listening to ‘Pirates of Penzance’ the first time and thinking how brilliant it was. It is joyful, playful and welcoming, which was a perfect place to start to remove the walls between actors and audience and get rid of the pretense of theatre. It has proven very successful for us. We first performed it in 2010 and we’re still doing it eight years later.”
Founded 20 years ago by Graney, The Hypocrites is currently run by Graney and Executive Director Kelli Strickland. One of Chicago’s premier off-Loop theater companies, it specializes in bold productions that challenge preconceptions and redefining the role of the audience. Its reputation in Chicago is that of a company that creates exciting, surprising, and deeply engaging theatre as it re-interprets classics and tackles ambitious new works.
“I went to college in Boston, Massachusetts to study acting,” Graney relates. “I was fortunate enough to have a professor who told me I was a bad actor so I searched for other venues within theatre and I ended up writing and directing. After graduation I moved to Chicago with two college friends and together we decided to form a theatre company. There are so many of them in Chicago and if you have a name that stood out, it would give you a certain advantage. Everyone had an adjective or noun theatre company so I thought we should just come up with a band’s name.
‘Hypocrites’ is a theatrical word derived from the Greek ‘hupokrites’ which means ‘actor’ or ‘pretender.’ But also, our events are an amalgamation of a lot of different aesthetic styles which cannot necessarily be pinned down because they’re contradictory at times – like mixing tragedy and comedy in the same show. It’s the general feeling that there are opposing aspects in human nature and, in essence, we’re all hypocrites.
And so in 1997 we put on our first show from a whopping $250 funding we were able to raise. The gentlemen I started The Hypocrites with left and moved on to other things after a while. I stayed on and found other like-minded artists and friends to continue what I had started.”
In the period since, the company has seen several changes. Says Graney, “We started small in the beginning with two shows and as we grew we added more productions to our season. There were years when we were able to do as many as 11 shows and then at times we did only two. This season we’ll have five shows from September to July.
The Hypocrites’ “Pirates of Penzance” at Arizona Repertory Theatre. – Courtesy photo / The Hypocrites
When we began mounting Gilbert and Sullivan productions we were touring as well as maintaining in-town programming and the institution grew fairly large. Then last year we hit a financial roadblock and so we re-evaluated the financial side of the organization and how we would go about producing. Demand is also a factor in the number of shows we do per season.”
Graney reveals the rationale behind their shows, “We wanted to find musicals which were in the public domain so we could develop a relationship with them instead of being held to copyright laws. ‘Pirates’ came about for a specific need – we could adapt it to fit our group and audiences.”
The adaptation process doesn’t take too long according to Graney, “I do a version of the libretto in a couple of days and then I give it to my musical director who will break the orchestration down to mostly chord charts for the guitars. We keep the melodies and vocals the same but we’ll figure out how to support the vocals with stringed instruments. We’ll pick which part would have the flute and where we could put the clarinet. Once we have that together, we get it to performers’ hands. We do a couple of workshops and make adjustments from there. Even now we tweak it each time we rehearse – we make changes to the script to make the jokes more clear, or make the sound better. We’re still improving on it.
We have produced other Gilbert and Sullivan shows, including ‘Mikado’ and ‘HMS Pinafore’ but it was ‘Pirates of Penzance’ we’ve done the most because it aptly suits The Hypocrites make-up. A group of 20 actors plays the various roles in ‘Pirates’ and each time we go on tour we figure out which is the best combination of performers. It’s an hour and 20 minutes, written to be done by ten actors who can play their own instruments so there’s no orchestra.
‘Pirates’ was adapted to be mostly string instruments like the guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin, ukulele, accordion. The audience gets to roam around the stage with the actors and there’s an open bar. It’s a fun event where performers and audience occupy the same space in a joyous occasion.
We premiered ‘Pirates of Penzance’ in Chicago in 2010 in the middle of winter in a basement theatre. It was exciting for the audience to be able to leave the blizzard and snow to have a good time for an hour or two. Several theatres have shown interest in it since and we’ve toured it in Boston, Louisville, New York, and now Pasadena.
From here, ‘Pirates’ will tour Berkeley and then in the summer we’ll be in Maryland, between DC and Baltimore, in The Olney Theatre. No matter what city we played in, we’ve been lucky to have audiences enjoy the show and I hope Pasadenans will react to it with the same enjoyment and pleasure.”
The Hypocrites’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’ is nothing like what we have ever seen at the Playhouse. But there is no better venue where Graney and his band of ‘pretenders’ can infuse their brand of theatre nor will they find a more appreciative audience than in Pasadena. We will happily mingle with pirates, sip mai tais, and frolic on the beach any day.
Filled with dance, humor, and soaring songs by Stephen Schwartz (‘Corner of the Sky’, ‘Magic Do’, and ‘Glory’), ‘Pippin’ tells the story of a young person’s journey to find his place in the world. This original production is set with a unique and imaginative steampunk aesthetic, offering a relevant edge and visceral quality that will leave the audience questioning what it truly means to be extraordinary.
Erik Altemus, an OCSA (CSArts-SGV’s sister school) alumnus who was an original cast member of the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of ‘Pippin’, came on campus during a master class and rehearsals leading up to the show.
It was a significant occasion for all the conservatory students who had the opportunity to hear Altemus speak about his experience auditioning for parts and how he finally realized his passion for the performance arts.
One student for whom Altemus’s words hit home was Christian Dorey, a ninth grader from Covina, who has the role of the leading player. He says, “Back in August when the show was announced during a CSArts-SGV growth retreat, I felt a spark within me. I was quite excited and decided that I wanted to be part of this show. To set myself apart from the other talented people who were also trying out for the same part as I, I practiced my audition song for quite a while – I made sure I was conveying the spirit of the song and staying in the right key.
It was a lucky coincidence that I sang ‘Corner of the Sky’ for a musical revue in middle school. I already knew the story of ‘Pippin’ and its characters, so I felt I already knew the essence of the characters. I also did my research and for my audition I chose the song from a another show choreographed by Bob Fosse.”
“Students went through a separate dancing and singing audition for an amazing casting panel. I chose to do the movement/dance audition first and it was to the opening number of the show, ‘Magic to do’. When I went to the song audition, I sang 16 bars of ‘Willkommen’ from ‘Cabaret’. I got a callback for the role of leading player and all potential candidates sang 16 bars of ‘Simple Joys’. The next day, the cast list was posted and I got an email that I had been chosen for the role I had been hoping for,” states an ecstatic Dorey.
Sierra Madre resident and ninth grader, Jessie Ellico Franks, is playing a starring role in this musical. She echoes what Dorey says, “It was a very well executed process that began with a vocal and dance audition which then moved onto callbacks. They had us read sides for certain characters and, if needed, sing a song from the show. It was nerve-wracking of a good kind and an easy process at the same time.
To prepare for the audition, I searched through repertoire books to see if there was a song that fit a character from the show I was interested in and one that was suitable and showed my voice range and acting abilities. For the dance call, I made sure I was warmed up and calm. And I made sure I had a water bottle with me!”
The choice of ‘Pippin’ came about intentionally. Explains Jay Wallace, CSArts-SGV’s Chair of Theatre, “Selecting the inaugural musical for our school was quite the deliberation. There were many considerations. We certainly wanted to mount a production that would set us apart from many traditional high schools. But, we needed to make sure that the show would be accessible to our student body, as well as accommodating to our current talent pool.
I wanted something with a bit of flare and energy. And something with an undercurrent of substance and carries a level of relevance. ‘Pippin’ provides so many creative opportunities. To a certain extent, it is a blank canvas. This show allows us to craft our own unique impression and perspective of the universal story of the search for one’s voice and purpose in life.
‘Pippin’ also allowed us the chance to provide multiple performance opportunities for singers, dancers, and actors. It is truly an ensemble production and that was an important priority. I was not looking for a star vehicle for our first production.”
CSArts-SGV students in formation during “Pippin” rehearsal | Courtesy Photo
This reasoning is a reflection of the school’s mission. Wallace states, “As Chair of Theatre, I lead the Acting and Musical Theatre Conservatories. Collectively, we are an ensemble of creative, empathetic, and collaborative storytellers growing together as artists and individuals. Empowered through musical expression and dynamic storytelling, our collaborative and goal-oriented performers will excel as professionals on stage and screen and impact society as innovative, passionate leaders. Culture is the highest priority and provides a challenging but nurturing environment for students to find their creative voice, build self-confidence, and develop into exceptional performers.”
Accomplishing its lofty objective requires a daily regimen for its students to adhere to – a full day of academic courses followed by two Conservatory courses. Acting and Musical Theatre students take four courses in their field of study per semester. They are also enrolled in year-round Acting Technique classes. Musical Theatre students attend a year-round Musical Theatre Repertoire and Technique course.
Additionally, there are classes that provide diverse opportunities for students to explore and develop specific skill sets. They get the chance to work with high echelon Master Artists who visit CSArts-SGV conservatories to inspire the next generation of artists. Students involved in a main-stage performance rehearse each evening until 8:30. A typical rehearsal production process lasts six to eight weeks that culminates in a presentation of their work for audiences.
This combination of a disciplined artistic program and rigorous academic schedule necessitates a balancing act for students. As Franks explains, “Quite a few people who aren’t aware of how conservatory-type schools work have asked me how I do it. And my answer is ‘motivation.’ If I don’t do well academically, I will not be able to take part in events that involve my art within my school. I am for my art, so I want to be a part of it as much as I possibly can.
I would like to attend a college in the future and high grades will help in that goal. So that motivates me to get my work done on time, to make sure it is executed in a way that shows my knowledge of the subject, and the end-product is something I am proud of.”
“My hope is that this school betters me both as a performer and a human being. The classes I am taking have already taught me so much about my craft – some information might have been things I had already learned but some are completely new – and I want to keep learning more!
So far this school is a dream come true for me. And while there are a few things which could be better, one has to make allowances for the fact that it is a brand-new school and it needs time to hit its stride. I hope good things are yet to come. But as long as I leave senior year proud of the work I produced and the performer I have become, I’ll be as happy as a dog with a bone!,” Franks concludes.
Dorey offers another aspect to the CSArts-SGV experience, “The teachers are extremely understanding of our busy schedules. They recognize the extent of my involvement not only in my conservatory classes but also in the musical production and in the performing group, FUSION. They have given me extended times to turn in and finish assignments.
I am very happy with what I have accomplished, so far. I have the most amazing teachers who are focused on what we are doing and who see our passion. They realize that this is what we want to do. But I’m still awestruck at the amount of time into what they’re doing with us. They truly want to not only make us into the best performers but the best people we can be.”
“There is a big emphasis on acceptance at CSArts-SGV,” Dorey says further. “The thing I love is that they don’t pick favorites here. All of us are treated equally as people and as performers. It is an environment that allows us to find ourselves.”
Christian Dorey, leading player, during rehearsal | Courtesy Photo
Lily Annino, an 11th grader from Arcadia, is a Musical Theatre student and assistant to the creative team. She has learned how to navigate this world, “I utilize office hours – 30 minutes between academic and conservatory hours – a lot. Sometimes I use my lunch time to finish work. I make sure to get all homework done the evening it’s assigned so I don’t have to worry about it on a day with different blocks.”
“I like what I’ve seen and done at CSArts-SGV,” appraises Annino. “There are so many very hard-working, professional students who are determined to make their experiences at this school matter. I expect that I will leave school fully prepared to audition for professional theatre companies and productions. And in the long run, help me grow into a well-rounded and professional individual.”
It certainly looks like Annino has already made a positive impact. Wallace describes her as “offering ideas, dictating notes, and generally bringing a wonderful spirit to the room.”
That is quite a validation coming from Wallace, who has spent the past 12 years working alongside the directors of the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) Acting and Musical Theatre Conservatories. Widely recognized as a leading school for the arts, whose alumni have gone on to achieve great fame on Broadway, television and in films, OCSA opened a sister school in the San Gabriel Valley to give the same opportunities to students in the region who are passionate in the arts.
“OCSA provides an excellent foundational model to align our programs after,” Wallace declares. “We share similarities in relation to curricular offerings. Each Conservatory proffers a comprehensive and progressive program designed to provide training in the specific areas of focus related to either Musical Theatre of Acting. We are looking to produce versatile, balanced, and informed young artists in these two fields of interest.
However, we are also striving to create our own CSArts-SGV Musical Theatre and Acting Conservatory identities. This will be crafted through our cultural approach as well as our production selections.
Through our production of ‘Pippin,’ we are establishing our own specific aesthetic by looking at the story stylistically through the lens of Steampunk. Our inaugural Acting Conservatory show was ‘The Yellow Boat,’ a powerful, dramatic piece based on a true story that carries a message with significant social impact.
It’s important to me that we create a healthy balance between entertainment and content that is socially aware. Likewise, it’s imperative that students are exposed to a wide variety of styles, genres, playwrights, and composers.”
The school location also provides a different atmosphere. States Wallace, “OCSA’s campus is in a much more urban environment. There is also a bit more sophistication due to longevity. CSArts-SGV’s locale tends to be a bit edgier and energetic while having a more traditional campus setting. Both campuses thrive off passion for the arts and a desire to achieve excellence. As our conservatories evolve, the sophistication will take hold.”
Wallace asserts, “We expect our Musical Theatre and Acting Conservatory students to be their best each day. We are an ensemble growing together as artists and individuals. We must always be prepared, be willing to take risks in our work, support one another, and value each opportunity. This is just the beginning of the journey. But, I look forward to seeing every one of these young artists to achieve their true potential.”
Those confident words are a source of inspiration for Annino, Dorsey, and Franks. They are an assurance that through their individual hard work and concerted efforts they will one day realize their dreams. Aspiring to greatness is, after all, what compels everyone to do their best.
Originally published on 26 December 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
The 2018 Rose Queen and Royal Court (left to right): Princess Georgia Cervenka; Princess Julianne Lauenstein; Princess Sydney Pickering; Queen Isabella Marie Marez; Princess Alexandra Artura; Princess Savannah Bradley; and Princess Lauren Buehner | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
When Isabella Marie Marez was crowned the Tournament of Roses’ (TofR) 2018 Rose Queen, she joined a select group of young women chosen to ascend to the throne for the annual Rose Parade. But that she happens to be the 100th marks a significant milestone.
Marez, who has been interviewed countless times, and most probably asked the same questions, nevertheless answers with a nary a trace of tedium when queried about this distinction. Her face lights up when she replies, “It’s a big honor and one that I never expected to have in my life. It’s a magical experience – I’m meeting people I never would expect to meet, doing things I have never been able to do.
Being on the Royal Court is really being part of a sisterhood. I’ve become friends with everyone because we all go to the same functions – we’ve done about 90 events, going to as many as three or four in one day. We are all bound in this same experience and we have a very close relationship.”
“From this experience I learned that being on a team isn’t always that easy,” confides Marez. “When we were assigned to the Court we were seven different young women who are equally strong and passionate about what we believe in. Now we are one unit working towards a common goal.
We have to find ways to really bond outside of the Court – to just hang out like normal teenagers. I know that we’re going to be best friends but being as close outside of our duties is what’s going to make us really successful. There was so much we didn’t know about each other. But having been together for a while, we were surprised at what we could accomplish because we’re closer.”
To future Rose Queens who will follow in her footsteps, Marez offers some tips. “Stay true to yourself and communicate with your Court. Be honest with each other and work together. You’re not alone but part of one team – all seven of you.”
Isabella Marie Marez is chosen 100th Rose Queen | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Marez is likewise surrounded by a loving and supportive family. She says, “It was my mom who inspired me to try out for the Royal Court. She makes us all watch the Rose Parade on TV every New Year’s Day; she marvels at the B2 Stealth Bomber Flyover that kicks off the parade.
My mom is so proud of me and beyond excited to see me at the parade and to be at the football game. She can’t wait; she invited our entire family. My mom is from New Mexico so all my relatives from there are coming to Pasadena to cheer for me.
I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t wait for New Year’s Day to be here – to wake up at 1:30 in the morning, get ready, and ride in the float. I just want to experience the joy of having all of Pasadena being together on that one special day.”
The duties of the Rose Queen are already part of Marez’s ethos. She explains, “I’m on the Service Commission in my school, something I’m very proud of. Our high school wants to underscore the difference that education makes in someone’s life. That’s also what I want to emphasize as a person and as Rose Queen.”
A senior at La Salle High School in Pasadena, Marez has played softball for the past eight to ten years. From it she learned time management, an asset that is crucial as Rose Queen. She states, “I know how to organize my days to include academics, sports, and my duties. Being on a softball team most of my life has prepared me for this. This requires the same dedication and time management as a sport.”
One thing Marez doesn’t have to worry about is college admissions. She applied through early action and has been accepted to Manhattan College in New York. She enthuses, “I’m very excited! It’s my first choice because it’s a private La Sallian university which shares the same code of ethics as my current school. Social justice is a big part of our curriculum – being inclusive, showing respect for people, giving back to the community, helping those who are less fortunate.
To that end, I want to study pre-Med to learn about human anatomy and social justice. Someday I want to be a physician’s assistant and work in refugee camps in Latin American countries … maybe join Doctors Without Borders, the Peace Corps, also do some missionary work.”
Informing others about Catholicism is also important to Marez. She states, “Catholicism today is different from what it was when I was growing up. It has gone through an evolution and Pope Francis has done so much to make it relevant to people in today’s world. This Pope is in touch with our present-day reality; not how things should be, but how things are. My parents raised me with the moral that you may not always get what you want and you need to adjust to what’s been handed to you. I believe that there are only two things you can control – your attitude and your effort.”
Queen Isabella is escorted by her Dad, Jesse Marez | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
With her hectic schedule, Marez doesn’t get a lot of downtime. She says wistfully, “Whenever I get the chance, I do homework. And I try to sleep. I love watching movies with my family – my mom and sisters are film fanatics. Watching movies and playing softball are a big part of my life.”
Friends are also a huge part of her life. Informs Marez, “I went to high school with my two best pals; and I have two or three best friends out of school. It’s a very tight relationship, we’ve known each other since middle school. They’re very happy for me and I do miss them a lot. I haven’t been able to see them as much but they’re very excited for me and each time I see them they tell me to enjoy it because this is a once in a lifetime experience.”
During Marez’s coronation, Lance Tibbet, 2018 Tournament of Roses President, expressed a sentiment along the same vein when he said, “Queen Isabella’s life changed the moment I announced her name.”
Lance Tibbet crowns Isabella 2018 Rose Queen | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Tibbet and Marez share a common appreciation for the Tournament. He echoes Marez’s words, “I have experienced things I never would have, had it not been for Tournament of Roses. One thing the Tournament’s great about is that it doesn’t assign you based on how old you are or what jobs you’ve had.”
“I can tell you several stories,” Tibbet relates. “I was on the intersection of Colorado Blvd. and the end of the 710 freeway at 6:00 in the morning on parade day when a group of band buses had come up and was supposed to stop to drop off the band members. And I had to make that happen – you can imagine the crush of people, cars, and equestrians. Nothing in my work background prepared me for that kind of situation and it is what continues to hold my interest.
I’ve had the chance to meet the Army Golden Knights who were doing a parachute jump at the start of the parade. We went up with them to do a practice run. I wasn’t going to jump out of a plane, mind you. But to go up with them, be with them, see what happens, and learn about that is a remarkable experience. It was not something a nursery man in Pasadena would have had the occasion to do.”
Continues Tibbet, “It’s been amazing to interact with people from all walks of life over the years. One of my best friends, who will be president next year, is a retired law enforcement officer and someone I would never have met. It would have been very unlikely anyway, because that would have been a bad thing.
What I’m saying is, the Tournament has given me the opportunity to do things and meet people. And, at the end of the day, this is about people and the Tournament is a family whose members I value.”
Having been with the TofR for over three decades, Tibbet has served in various capacities, including being chair of Budget and Finance, Governance and Personnel, Equestrian, Kick-Off Events/Hall of Fame, Parade Operations, Post Parade, and Queen and Court.
“I was part of the committee that selected the 80th Queen; I was the chairman when we selected the 90th Queen, and now I’m president for the 100th Queen,” Tibbet recalls. “There hasn’t been any significant change in the selection but what has changed is the make-up of the participants, or the young women who have tried out. Over the years I saw a shift in their attitude, which I found quite interesting.
The first time I was on the committee, in 1996, when we asked the young women trying out to tell us in 15 seconds why they want to be on the Court, the answer we usually got was ‘I want to be a part of something bigger;’ ‘I want to give back to the community;’ etc. When I was chairman of the committee in 2007, the answers we got were, ‘I want to be famous;’ ‘I want to be a star;’ ‘I want to be a celebrity and I think this is the best way to get that opportunity.’ Today, as president, what I’ve heard was them wanting to give back to the community. It’s great and I’m glad to hear it because that’s what this is about.”
The 2008 Royal Court float. Photo courtesy of Tournament of Roses
Tibbet says further,“In all the time I’ve been with the Tournament, our core events, namely the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game, have remained mostly unaltered. Certainly the floats are bigger and grander, the reliability and engineering have improved. And our other events, like the coronation or the tailgate, have changed to be more relevant.
But one of the things about the Tournament that has really transformed that people don’t know is the way we’re involved in the community – from our foundation, to the community support. We give over $165,000 a year just to local events; the foundation gives over $265,000 a year to non-profits in the community; we’re giving scholarships; we’re being strategic with our partners like Disney, L.A. Dodgers.
MiracleGro assisted us with the Muir Ranch, Pasadena High School’s garden. We’re helping renovate the John Muir High School baseball field. The Parade and Game provide about $300M in the region. And that’s the significant thing – we’re more engaged in our own backyard, in a very targeted way.”
“There is no special event being planned to celebrate the 100th Rose Queen,” discloses Tibbet. “We partnered with the Pasadena Museum of History (PMH) on a fantastic exhibit called ‘The Royals of Pasadena’ to recognize that landmark. We’re excited that we were able to show people the history of the Rose Queen and Court. We want to be sensitive to the fact that there are, and have been, other women on the Court. Unless we’re also going to do something for them, we’re not going to make too big of a deal on the 100th.”
“This year’s Rose Queen and Court events and commitments are mostly the same as in the past several years,” Tibbet says, “They make a hundred appearances on behalf of the Tournament. For young women who are in the midst of college application and all their activities, it’s such an honor that they can commit to that. They do a fabulous job – I don’t know how they can handle that kind of schedule. And they do it all so gracefully – they take it on with a gusto. They don’t complain, they’re incredible!
I am continuously surprised, because when I was their age all I had ever done was have a paper route. And as far as a significant accomplishment, I played baseball. Whoopee! These women are actively involved in so many clubs and organizations, things in high school that really impact their fellow students’ lives in positive ways. I think that’s phenomenal and I give them a lot of credit because I wouldn’t have found the hours to do it all.”
“These amazing young women demonstrate that there’s so much more to the Tournament than the Parade and the Game. We are proud, as an association, to provide opportunities for kids to leave home for the first time to participate. The band kids, in particular, aspire to become better for the chance to be selected by their music directors to travel to Pasadena.
We celebrate in our New Year’s Day Parade the artistry of the kids, the beauty of the floats, and the outstanding talents of athletes who play in the Game. By doing so we bring people together – we all know there are people out there who want to divide and separate us – and it is a remarkable thing that we get to do,” Tibbet says with pride.
The pageantry displayed every New Year’s Day in Pasadena is broadcast all over the world. It is seen by over 50 million viewers watching on television at home and close to a million people on the five-mile parade route on Colorado Blvd.
If, on that singular occasion, we are all united in friendship and harmony, then the Tournament of Roses, the Rose Queen and her Court can add one more accomplishment – extending goodwill to humankind. We should be so lucky to have 100 more Rose Queens.
Originally published on 13 December 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Kelli Berglund as Belle | Photo by F. Scott Schafer | Art direction by Melchior Lamy.
There’s dancing, singing, magic, and comedy, with audience interaction mixed in. It’s ‘Beauty and the Beast – a Christmas Rose’ and it’s happening at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP), in association with the Pasadena Playhouse, presents the world premiere of an updated version of this classic fairy tale in the style of the time-honored British family Panto from December 13 to 24, 2017.
‘Beauty and the Beast – A Christmas Rose’ stars Kelli Berglund (Disney XD’s ‘Lab Rats’) as Belle; Jonah Platt (Broadway’s ‘Wicked’) as the Beast; James Snyder (Broadway’s ‘If/Then’) as Gus; Gedde Watanabe (Broadway’s ‘Pacific Overtures’ and John Hughes’s ‘Sixteen Candles’) as Marcel; Harrison White (Broadway’s ‘The Lion King’) as Dame Chanel; John Tartaglia (Broadway’s ‘Shrek, The Musical’) as Louis Vuitton; and Jared Gertner (Broadway’s ‘The Book of Mormon’) as Pierre.
James Snyder and Kelli Berglund | Photo by Philicia Endelman / Lythgoe Family Panto
This production is directed by Sheldon Epps and choreographed by Mandy Moore (La La Land), with book by Kris Lythgoe and music direction and arrangements by Michael Orland (American Idol).
With the casting of Kelli Berglund, the Lythgoes continue their tradition of featuring breakout young talent. Their past Panto performances at the Playhouse featured notables including Ariana Grande and Jordan Fisher, who recently starred in ‘Hamilton’ on Broadway.
Berglund, understandably, is immensely delighted. She states, “Belle has always been a favorite of mine. What I love about fairy tale princesses is that they all have a reputation for showing strength and will to overcome the greatest of odds. I think Belle’s story is unique, and perhaps one of the best examples of how defiance and authenticity from the heart can work together.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to find true love,” explains Berglund. “It’s one of her dreams. And wouldn’t we all desire that? However, her relationship with the Beast is one that no other princess encounters. He’s not the knight in shining armor nor the man with the greased hair and a perfect smile.
There’s a storyline, connection, and even tension that’s more than skin deep … which shows that Belle truly looks at others from the inside out. Maybe it’s her fantastic grasp on the feelings that come from both her head and her heart. It’s real.
Playing this character who is familiar and beloved not only by children, but adults as well, was intimidating and challenging as it was fun. She is, after all, a big character to live up to! With the pressure to portray her in the best way possible, there has to come a lightheartedness throughout the entire process. In the end, it’s still a fairytale and still a show to put a smile on people’s faces. And, hopefully, a smile on mine, too.”
While Berglund’s background is mostly television, she is not entirely on strange territory. She discloses, “I did a bit of stage musicals when I was younger. To be totally honest, though, it’s been a while. But what’s interesting is that all the elements that go into something like this – acting, dancing, singing – I’m extremely familiar with and have a love for.”
Berglund wonders out loud, “I’ve asked myself why I haven’t done more stage work, and I think it’s because film and television are where my path has taken me, thus far. I did choir all throughout my school years and have worked with several voice coaches on various projects that involved a bit of singing.
Working with the musical director on this production, Michael Orland, has helped me gain confidence and skill when it comes to singing. Plus, I’ve had the opportunity to work with vocal coach Eric Vetro, one of the best in the biz! It’s quite the honor to be part of this. And stepping outside my comfort zone is unexplainably overwhelming in the best way.”
Jonah Platt and Kelli Berglund | Photo by Philicia Endelman / Lythgoe Family Panto
“This show also has a lot of dancing integrated into it,” Berglund adds. “One of my greatest, if not my greatest, strengths is dance. We’re working with the amazing choreographer, Mandy Moore, who has really made every movement in this production special. She has a creative eye for the small details that make the bigger picture look absolutely perfect. Knowing that I have dance background, she’s integrated it all throughout each song.”
“The hugest difference from my previous work is the pace at which things operate. Television, and especially film, are both a game of ‘hurry up and wait’. What I’ve learned is that in theater, it’s simply ‘hurry up!’. It’s definitely a nice change. Still getting used to dialogue being said five times faster and five times as dramatic than usual, but I’m catching on!”, Berglund laughs.
A Panto presentation involves more physicality than other productions and Berglund is up to the challenge. She reveals, “Luckily, I’ve seen a Panto performance so I knew what I was getting myself into! I saw my friend, Olivia Holt, play Sleeping Beauty a few years back, and if I could have summed up that performance in one word, I’d say FUN! And experiencing it myself now, everything has led up to that word completely.”
“This is my first Panto performance and with the fun comes a lot of required energy. It takes stamina and adrenaline to keep you going. Dancing and singing at the same time is NOT easy … I don’t know how all the pop stars do it. Props to them!” Berglund states in awe.
Berglund says of Epps, “Sheldon is wonderful to work with. He knows exactly what he’s talking about since he has quite the experience in theater. At the same time, though, he’s very open to how we all see our characters. One of the first things he said to me was that it was very obvious how determined and strong I was making Belle from the very start. We’ve discussed how great it is that these qualities are present … at the same time there are moments of vulnerability and fear, something we don’t ever see from Belle.”
‘Beauty and The Beast – A Christmas Rose’ does not follow the traditional story in exact detail,” concludes Berglund. “To people who know and love the story, there will still be an element of surprise with the characters and the direction in which the story goes. I will say the set and costumes are absolutely BEAUTIFUL. These are definitely components the audience will find both appealing and interesting. Plus, it’s interactive so the show is great for the kids. There are some hilarious modern-day jokes, and everyone in the audience can sing along to contemporary songs they’ve heard on the radio.”
For Berglund, playing Belle is a wonderful Christmas present – a dream come true. For its audience, ‘Beauty and the Beast – a Christmas Rose’ takes us back one more time to our childhood when this season meant miracles do happen and fervent wishes are granted.
Originally published on 13 December 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Cast of “Miracle on 34th Street” | Photo by Nick Agro / Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theatre of California, presents a limited engagement of 14 performances of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ from December 14 to 23, 2017. Originally a radio play, it is celebrating its 70th anniversary on stage, fittingly, at the Playhouse which is marking its centennial year.
Directed by Cameron Watson, who helmed the recent revival of Tennessee Williams’s ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’, it stars Peri Gilpin (Roz Doyle on NBC’s ‘Frasier’), Beth Grant (Beverly Janoszewski on Hulu’s ‘The Mindy Project’), and award-winning film, television, and stage actor Alfred Molina (‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’) as Kris Kringle.
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is a staple on TV during the holidays. Most of us know the story of Kris Kringle, who substitutes as a department store Santa Claus and claims to be the real thing. He goes all the way to the Supreme Court to prove his sanity and his assertion.
“What is much less known is that this story was very popular as a radio play, when all of America used their ears and their imaginations to completely realize the story,” discloses Danny Feldman, Pasadena Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director. “And now in 2017, seventy years later, the eyes of our audience get to watch what went into producing the performance live, which its original listeners never got to see.”
“I’m happy to report that the story in the radio play and movie are very similar,” informs Grant. “What’s going to be fun for us is that we will be presenting it as though we are actually doing a radio play with sponsors, commercials, a foley artist, and a narrator. I can’t wait! I’ve always thought it must have been such an imaginative process for people who were only listening to it.”
Grant plays the role of the mother of the little boy whom Santa sends to Gimbel’s to get the fire engine which Macy’s doesn’t have. She enthuses, “I’m very thrilled and honored to play the role that Thelma Ritter made famous in what was her first feature film. That has always been my favorite sequence and Thelma Ritter is one of my heroes.”
Besides that part, Grant will be playing others. She pronounces, “When Cameron told me I would be playing several different roles I got so excited! I love doing character work and disappear in my character, and to do so many in one night would be a fun challenge.”
Beth Grant | Photo by Nick Agro / Pasadena Playhouse
“This isn’t the first time that Watson is directing Grant and she is quite ecstatic to be reunited with the director. “I said ‘yes’ as soon as Cameron asked – I will always work for him anytime, as long as I’m available. He is the most collaborative director I know. He is gentle, kind, and loving but at the same time he’s tough. He’ll keep after you if he sees something that needs to come out,” Grant states.
“Cameron is crafting a ‘framing’ for the radio play, adding his artistic genius to create the reality of being in a live performance,” adds Grant. “He is also using unexpected casting in the various roles – we have some great surprises!”
On learning who her costars were going to be, Grant declares, “I am so thrilled to be working with Peri; she and I have been friends for years, through Cameron. I saw them act together at The Pasadena Playhouse in ‘As Bees in Honey Drown’ by Douglas Carter Beane. She is such a lovely person, with a terrific sense of humor. All that, and beautiful too! And Alfred Molina as Santa? Say no more!”
It’s refreshing to hear that admiration for fellow performers coming from an actor as seasoned as Grant. She has been in several celebrated and honored films in the last few years that you’d think she has a knack for picking the right project to attach herself to.
Known as Hollywood’s lucky charm, Grant has co-starred in three Academy Award-winning Best Pictures: ‘The Artist’, ‘No Country for Old Men’, and ‘Rain Man’. She has twice received the Screen Actors Guild Ensemble Award for ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ and ‘No Country for Old Men’. She also voiced the Academy Award-winning Best Animated Feature, ‘Rango’.
Grant says of her previous successes, “I have been very lucky to have been in so many great films but I have not picked them so much as they have picked me. I try to say ‘yes’ to any great role, no matter the size or even the character, as long as I understand the character’s role in the story and I believe that the story needs to be told. I love to be challenged, to find the goodness in a ‘bad guy’. I love a story with a heart, to make a statement as long as it’s entertaining in the process.”
“From reading the scripts and knowing the filmmakers, I can tell which ones would do well with audiences and academy members. I did believe that Barry Levinson’s ‘Rain Man’ and the Coen Brothers’ ‘No Country for Old Men’ would go all the way,” continues Grant.
“I was pleasantly surprised that ‘The Artist’ was so commercially well-received. I loved it so much but because it was a black-and-white, silent film with subtitles, French stars, and French director, I thought it would just play the art houses. I was so proud and thrilled that it was appreciated on such a grand scale.
Peri Gilpin, Alfred Molina, Cecilia Witt, and Beth Grant | Photo by Nick Agro / Pasadena Playhouse
I’ve been right a few times, wrong a few times; liked movies that didn’t do well. But, always, I go back to the work and have that optimistic anticipation for what’s next,” Grant says further.
This seasonal production is a first for Grant, “I have never done a Christmas show and I’m thrilled because I love Christmas more than any other time of the year. I’ve always felt renewed during the holidays and I promise you that every single year something magical happens in my life! I am still a child at heart, especially during the holidays. I love everything about the season!”
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is showing at the Pasadena Playhouse, another first for Grant. She declares, “I’ve been to see quite a few shows at the beautiful Playhouse but have never worked here before and I’m very honored! And did you know it’s also their 100th anniversary!
I love TV and movies, but there is nothing like this experience. When you are on the stage, creating a character, telling a story to a live audience, something truly spiritual happens. We are all one on this journey together. I feel so close to the audience; and each one has his own personality!”
Grant concludes, “I hope everyone who sees ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ has a swell time, feel happy, and encouraged about life after they get back home.”
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ makes even the most skeptical among us believe that wishes can come true. That is the true magic of Christmas. One can only imagine Grant contentedly sipping hot cocoa, joyful with the knowledge that she somehow helped bring the spirit and warmth of the season to one and all.
Originally published on 6 December 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Geoff Elliott is Ebenezer Scrooge and Deborah Strang plays the Ghost of Christmas Past | Photo by Craig Schwartz/ A Noise Within
A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed repertory theatre company in Pasadena, presents Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ for the sixth year. Onstage from December 1st to the 23rd, it remains, to this day, the embodiment of the true spirit of this season.
Adapted directly from the original novella by Geoff Elliott, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is directed by ANW’s Co-Producing Artistic Directors, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott.
‘A Christmas Carol’ features mostly the same cast members as in previous years, including: Geoff Elliott as Scrooge; Rafael Goldstein as his nephew, Fred; Deborah Strang as the Ghost of Christmas Past; and Frederick Stuart as the narrator. Seven-year-old newcomer, Ryan Dizon plays the youngest of the Cratchit children, Tiny Tim.
“I’ve watched the movie and I saw ‘A Christmas Carol’ here two years ago and I enjoyed it a lot. I can’t remember much about Tiny Tim but I’m really excited to be playing him,” Dizon says with a big smile.
Dizon is not a stranger to acting. According to his mom, Corinne Chooey, he started modeling for commercials as a baby and expanded to print work. Lately, he appeared in the film ‘Dr. Strange’ and just finished work on the television show ‘Jane, the Virgin’.
This artistic interest runs in the Dizon-Chooey family. Both his parents and two older brothers, Ethan and Zachary, are in the entertainment business. He and his siblings all attended ANW’s ‘Summer with Shakespeare Workshop’ as well as the Saturday acting class.
“In the Summer with Shakespeare workshop I learned four different types of plays – comedy, romance, history, and tragedy,” Dizon informs proudly. “Comedy always has a good ending. In tragedy everybody gets a bad ending. Romance play is where the good guys have a good ending and bad guys get a bad ending. And history play is about England.”
Ryan Dizon is this year’s Tiny Tim | Courtesy Photo
“This is my first stage play,” continues Dizon. “Rehearsals began on November 14 and the show opened on December 1st. I didn’t really have a lot of lines to memorize so it’s easy. Everyone is nice – they all treat me like a child. Because Tiny Tim can’t walk, I am being carried a lot on the show. The entire experience is so much fun that I would like to be on other ANW productions.”
“Besides acting, there’s some singing on this show – I start the first lines of the Tiny Tim song, and I sing in another number; I’m also part of the ensemble,” Dizon states, grinning. “My favorite portion is the end where Scrooge turns into a kind man and where we all sing ‘Glorious’.”
“Christmas is my favorite holiday because it is when we spend time with our family. Last year all my cousins came over to my house and we had a grand time,” Dizon volunteers without prodding, which touches his mom immensely.
“We have a large family on both sides; Ryan has a lot of cousins. It’s a big occasion in our house – we have a Christmas tree, we gather as a clan, we open presents. Since we have two different cultures, Filipino and Chinese, we blend the two together. It’s an especially big holiday for my husband because he’s Filipino; I think Filipinos start celebrating it in September. On Christmas eve our table is filled with food – mostly desserts,” Chooey laughingly discloses.
Acting is embedded in Dizon’s genes. Chooey reveals, “My grandparents were movie stars from Hong Kong and my aunts are dancers. My cousins are also actors, dancers, musicians, and producers. So, for me, getting my children involved in it was simply a natural consequence.
However, my husband and I don’t make them do it; we let them pursue it only if they want to. Ryan’s older brother, Ethan, who is 15 years old, revels being on screen. He was in the summer movie ‘Spiderman: Homecoming’ and also appears on some TV shows. Zachary is nine years old and was in the TV series ‘Henry Danger’ in 2014. He chose to quit acting and we were fine with his decision. But after a year he asked, ‘When’s my next audition’. And Ryan, here, seems to like it enormously.”
For his audition as Tiny Tim, Dizon met with Elliott. He recounts, “I walked into the rehearsal room and he asked me to pretend there was a window and there were a lot of toys to play with. Then he asked me to walk with a limp. And the last thing was for me to sing; I sang ‘Happy Birthday’ because that’s the only one I know the words to.”
Dizon adds, “To prepare for this role my mom downloaded some vocal warm-ups and the songs in ‘A Christmas Carol’ on my Kindle. That helped me memorize the songs and prepare me to become Tiny Tim. I can’t wait for my whole family to come and watch the show.”
“Christmas is a big, happy occasion for the Chooey and Dizon clan. We’re very excited that Ryan is part of this cherished family play. I hope everyone who comes to see it leaves the theatre with the spirit of kindness and bigheartedness the show inspires,” Chooey says.
That sentiment is echoed by Rodriguez-Elliott, “Ebenezer Scrooge’s rebirth from miserly curmudgeon to the essence of love and generosity affirms our faith in the potent goodness of humanity during this beloved time of year.”
Elliott adds, “‘A Christmas Carol’ is the epitome of Christmas entertainment which encompasses warm moments, beautiful score, memorable scenes, and great performances. Half a generation of children have grown up on it and families continue to make it our most popular production of the year. Students studying Dickens come to see his story leap off the page onto our stage.”
For all these reasons, being Tiny Tim in ‘A Christmas Carol’ this year is of deep significance to this second-grader. Indeed, it is one Christmas carol Ryan Dizon shall remember the words to and sing in years to come.
Scrooge with the Cratchits | Photo by Craig Schwartz/ A Noise Within
Originally published on 28 November 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Pre-K students (left to right) explore buoyancy to prepare for their STEM Regatta project | Courtesy Photo
One evening this past October, little students were all gathered impatiently around a rain gutter filled with water, eager to sail their “boats” down the river. This was going to be so much fun!
That they’re three-, four-, and five-year-old pre-school and kindergarten students at Clairbourn School, an independent junior pre-K to eighth grade school in San Gabriel, learning STEM was why this regatta was such a big deal.
What was totally out of character, though, was how even the parents couldn’t take their hands off the boats. They were just as enthusiastic to test the product they built with their children.
This was the culmination of a ten-day, three-part STEM Regatta project that began with the teacher reading ‘The Raft’, by Jim La Marche, a story about a little boy who spends the summer with his grandma in her cabin. The classes also read ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, about a family of goats that wants to avoid the troll and cross a river.
After listening to the stories, students were challenged to design and build a miniature boat, or raft, capable of carrying three billy goats (represented by three small, but heavy metal washers) to avoid a dangerous troll. Their boat/raft should not exceed five inches wide, and had to be able to float.
The first part – raft/boat component – took five days to complete. Day one was reading the story. The second day was spent researching with Nearpod presentation and time for questions. On day three students tested their materials and charted their findings. Using their selected materials, they planned and designed their raft on the fourth day. Day five was spent building their designs. On day six they tested their designs, made improvements and retested.
The second part – the sail component – was done in three days. The class read books about the wind on the seventh day. They spent the eighth day listening to a Nearpod presentation to learn about sails. On day nine students investigated sail materials, sizes, and shapes with demonstrations and charted their results.
The third part – the finale event – was the STEM regatta. On Thursday, October 5, 2017, all three grades, made up of two pre-kindergarten classes and one kindergarten class, and their parents came to Clairbourn for the crucial finish.
The evening’s activity consisted of extensive display boards and a Nearpod presentation from kindergarten teacher, Kris Shoemake, to show parents their children’s learning process over the previous nine days.
And then it was time for families to build the sails, followed immediately by wind-powered boat/raft races by grade level.
Karen Paciorek, Lower School Director, says the STEM regatta was the collaborative brainchild of the pre-school, kindergarten teachers and herself. She relates, “We’ve been wanting to do a cross-grade activity that highlights the things they do all the time in their classrooms with ‘Project Work’. They brainstormed, agreed on an idea and decided on a title. It was a collaborative effort for the teachers, which is a model for what we want students to emulate.
The idea for the regatta came organically. Kris Shoemake came across an article about students testing boats. Since we know that kids love playing with water, we thought that would be a fun way for kids to learn the concepts of floating and sinking. Instead of us showing pictures, we’d take it a step further by having a hands-on activity integrating what they do in the upper grade engineering design challenge.
We wanted for them to show their learning by picking what materials would work for them. We also wanted this project to demonstrate to parents the progression of ability through the grades – expectations at JPK (junior pre-kindergarten), PK (pre-kindergarten), and at K (kindergarten) – so they have a true picture of what we look at as developmentally appropriate.
Teachers use the academic language with the kids so even the youngest students know this is a science project. We’re not expecting them to master the concepts or terms, but to be familiar with them. They will be hearing the words as they go through the grades.”
Parents helped their children during the STEM Regatta finale. Pictured (left to right) are Kaitlyn Nava, Mackenzie Bates,, Stephanie Furukawa, Zoe Nava, and Jason Nava |Courtesy Photo
Adds Dr. Amy Patzlaff, Assistant head of School, “It wasn’t merely a reinforcement of the concept of buoyancy. Teachers talked about the scientific methods: collecting, charting, and interpreting data. As the students worked and tested a variety of materials, they had a chart that showed which boat sank and which floated so they could refer to the data later. And it was simple – it was pre-school level – but they could see on the chart which material worked and didn’t.
They then repeated it when they were talking about sails – which materials held against the wind? Did the shape matter? The students tested the sails using a zip line and a fan; they sat and watched as they tried different things. They had access to that data as well when they had to replicate the activity on the night of the regatta. They built their sails with their parents and tested their final product. They employed scientific methods – how to use the data; how to problem-solve; how to use previous history to scaffold what’s going to happen next; how to use the product for the next round.
Each grade level had a different take on building the boat, which was all done in the classroom, with the teacher assisting. During the night of the regatta, the parents helped in the culmination of the activity which was building the sail and testing it.
To make it age appropriate, it wasn’t a win-lose situation; they just wanted to see if it worked or if it didn’t, and why. We used water-filled rain gutter rivers with a fan at the end. They set their boat in the rain gutter and if the boat got stuck, they righted it. Watching the parents test their product was highly entertaining! But it was all a friendly event, everyone cheered for one another, happy to see each other succeed.”
According to Paciorek, even during the ten-day period that the kids were working on it, they would practice what they learned at school. Her granddaughter, who is four-years-old and is in the pre-K class, tested some toys for buoyancy in their bathtub.
“This is fairly representative,” explains Dr. Patzlaff. “When I was having breakfast with some of the parents later that week many parents commented on their kids wanting a fan to test the zip line of some of the sail types, in addition to the ones provided in class. Another child wanted to get more materials to test in their bathtub at home; one was going to do a race in their pool. So they wanted to continue the exploration and testing on their own. It continued to engage them which is a great testament to the fun embedded in the project.”
Paciorek says the regatta was a major collaborative event and they plan to do one every year. In the meantime, each grade has its own classroom STEM projects. In kindergarten they have about four or five smaller STEM-related work. One is an apple-picking activity where kids help a farmer get his apples from the trees to the barn. Students have to design the transportation to get this accomplished using the same scientific methods.
In first grade they do a pumpkin drop and students have to brainstorm ideas in groups and design a container that protects the pumpkin. They test which materials kept the pumpkin from breaking. They also have one activity where they build a nest to hold the eggs.
“We started a heavy emphasis on STEM once the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), the nationally adopted science standards, came into play around 2012,” states Dr. Patzlaff. “There has been so much conversation about 21st century skills and about not knowing what jobs are going to look like. And because we don’t know what jobs are going to look like the most important pieces we can give students are how to problem-solve, how to think, how to communicate clearly, how to have resilience and grit, how to persevere when something doesn’t go right, collaborating – all the soft skills – in addition to being able to write.
One thing that STEM projects give is real-world possibilities for how to apply those skills in a nice, tight package. When they design the sail for the boat, for instance, they have to problem solve, they have to work together, they have to communicate with their partner, they have to be able to document their results. For little kids documentation is different – we take a picture of it and we put them on the wall. For older kids, they would be written documentation of some sort, depending on the age. It gives them opportunities to apply the skills in ways that are highly engaging and meaningful to them so they’ll want to persist in it.
Having STEM in our curriculum not only improved math skills and scores among our students, it has also helped primarily in the understanding of concepts. We want kids to not rely on memorization of formula because if they memorize it incorrectly they will never get the right answer. If all they know is the formula, they’re only plugging in numbers; they aren’t checking it to see if that makes sense because they don’t have a way to do that.”
Paciorek adds, “Through this program they’re learning to explain what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. That gives them that foundational understanding to gain higher performance in math, even at the kindergarten level.”
“I think parents now are looking for things that are measurable,” Dr. Patzlaff posits. “It’s hard to test for creativity and that’s one of my biggest challenges. Frankly, the things that are easily measured like the Kumon math worksheets – my kids could do 100 additional problems in 45 seconds – don’t really mean much. What are you going to do with that? Being able to blend the measurable outcomes with the applicable results is an interesting thing for me. The things that I value are the problem-solving, the communication, the ability to work together with others, the ethics – most of those things are hard to measure.
The components that are within STEM – the problem-solving, the engineering, the applicability of all the new skills – they’re all important competencies to add on but how do you apply them? I like the elements of STEM that help give context to student learning. It gives more meaning to the concept so it sticks and makes them want to explore further.”
Kindergarten teacher, Kris Shoemake, and Lower School Director, Karen Paciorek, help students race their sailboats during the STEM Regatta finale | Courtesy Photo
Concurs Paciorek, “They don’t really see it as learning, it’s just something fun and interesting for them. Another thing that’s vital that we discuss with parents is that high schools and colleges are looking for balanced students. When we have standardized testing appointments with individual parents we’re educating them, one family at a time, on the importance of being well-rounded. We explain that these tests only measure Language arts and math; they don’t measure sense of humor, leadership skills, musical ability – all those things that are key in making well-rounded people.
The high schools love our students, they add so much to the schools they go to and this is where they get that foundation. We want families to understand that. It’s not just about math or science; it’s learning how to apply the academics, how to think, how to be creative.”
According to headmaster, Dr. Robert Nafie, Clairbourn’s overall teaching philosophy mirrored that of other English-based schools, which focused on a classical liberal arts education. However, as times changed the school shifted its emphasis to keep up with prevailing conditions.
“The world has gotten smaller and the population is much more diverse,” begins Dr. Nafie. “Our students are global citizens, they come from different backgrounds and culture. As such, the language becomes a little less precise, less critical even. Today’s universal language is mathematics and the hard sciences are the currency to become successful.
The big question for schools now is ‘Do we prepare our students for their future or for our past?’ We’re more comfortable preparing them for our past because we were educated that way, we know it. But the truth is we have to look into that murky, cloudy, and foggy future.
That said, from Clairbourn’s standpoint, we have always done a good deal of STEM. We’ve had a lower school science lab for at least 25 years where teachers have all workbook activities, and experiment materials, and tools organized for them in the cupboards.”
“We are in an educational and biotech corridor,” Dr. Nafie points out. “This particular area of Los Angeles is very rich in science and technology. Starting on the west side, with UCLA, USC, Pepperdine; in Pasadena we have Caltech and JPL. We have all these hospitals – Huntington Memorial, Arcadia Methodist, City of Hope. These institutions are, really, right along the mountains going all the way east to the Claremont Colleges.
Our feeling is that there should be an ongoing conversation between Clairbourn and the community. Several years ago we started something called Project STAR (Science, Technology Activities, and Research) and invited our Caltech dads for input on how we can focus on engineering and science. As a result of that, we held science fairs with Caltech and JPL engineers as judges, and we had a guest speaker. In recent years, we have embraced STEM as a philosophy. We established an Entrepreneurial Fair where there are Makers’ Spaces for students to create something creative using STEM.
For Clairbourn, the reality is that we are in the midst of a very large Asian population. Our families are from Arcadia, Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, and Temple City. And what they’re looking for is a school that has a strong emphasis on STEM. At the end of the day we are a corporation masquerading as a school. If we don’t provide what people want, we’ll be out of business.
We have to ensure that children in the youngest grades have this kind of educational experiences. We teach STEM early and we use the spiral curriculum – we introduce a subject and come around to it again. For instance, we teach fractions in second grade, hit it hard in fourth, reinforce it in sixth, etc. For STEM we introduce it through activities like the regatta but that won’t be the last they will hear about it.”
Ultimately, what matters is what children make of their education. As Dr. Patzlaff says, “More than anything, I want to send out into the world students who could think and problem-solve. That’s what’s needed right now because there are so many vexing problems and the solutions aren’t that obvious. Because if they were, we would’ve already solved them.”
These three-year-olds are our best hope for a brighter future. That’s why Clairbourn is teaching and training its youngest students to identify challenges and resolve them using the lessons they learned in class. And if they have to get their hands in the water in order to do that, then it would be worth the trouble. Or the fun.
Originally published on 27 November 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
A scene from 2017’s “Government Inspector” with cast members (left to right) Aiden Rees, James Calvert, and Paul Perri | Photo by Lance Davis / Parson’s Nose Theater
Mary Chalon Davis and Lance Davis, who founded Parson’s Nose Theater (PNT) in 2000, are feeling quite content these days. After 17 years as a gypsy theater company they have finally found a permanent home in Pasadena.
Their 2017-2018 season debuted last month at the beautiful ivy-covered Parson’s Nose Abbey on 95 North Marengo Avenue with Lance’s adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s ‘The Government Inspector’.
For two weekends in December – 9 and 10; 16 and 17 – PNT will present a Readers’ Theater Series of Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Actors, dressed in the attire of the era will read this beloved annual production as it was meant to be staged.
Lance explains their rationale for establishing PNT, “People say live theater is dead. Why would they want to see a play when they have television at home? But the idea of returning to the live art form where the actors and audience are both present and no one is looking at screens is what theater is about. You’re interacting with the literary art form for the most part so you have to listen to the words and the ideas.
During World War II, in London, in spite of all the bombings going on, theaters were full because people wanted to go out and be with others. That sense of socialization and community is what we’re trying to bring back. While our plays are only 90 minutes long we take a break so people can get up to talk with each other, have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and chat.”
PNT’s productions are designed to be introductions to the classics. Students are a big audience so they deliberately addressed the most common complaint students voiced.
“We eliminated all the things that students said they don’t like about theater, one of which is that Shakespeare plays are too long,” Lance says. “So I distilled them to 90 minutes. The idea is to keep them short but complete – the language, the characters, the plot, and the spirit of the play are intact.
One of the students who watched our production of ‘Twelfth Night’ told us she went to see it at a theater Festival. About an hour and 30 minutes into it, she just said, ‘Excuse me, I saw this before and I know it can be done more quickly’”.
“But there was a reason why these classics are too long,” Mary interjects. “At the time they were written people didn’t have much to do for entertainment. We re-introduced these for the modern audience so they can enjoy the very same plays that adults, before our time, knew.”
That students actually enjoy these classic plays was revealed recently. Lance recounts, “We had a group of eighth graders from Pasadena High School and during the intermission they were all conversing with each other while their parents were checking their cell phones.”
Lance Davis starred in “A Middle Class Nobleman”, a PNT 2013 production | Photo by Peter Zuehlke / Parson’s Nose Theater
PNT’s productions are comedy classics because Lance is particularly gifted in the art form. Expounds Mary, “Lance came from the Guthrie Theater Minneapolis which informed his choices; it’s his orientation. But also because comedy makes people laugh; it lifts their spirits in a way.”
Lance adds, “Besides that, we want to recognize that these classics, like the plays Moliere wrote in the 1660s, were the basis for some of modern plays. For instance, Moliere wrote about this miser who thought of nothing else but money. This character engendered Scrooge. Then came Jack Benny and his obsession with money; and then much later on there was Burnseneezer Scrooge in the animated show ‘The Simpsons’. All these modern day comic characters came from the works of early playwrights.
Our most recent play ‘The Government Inspector’ is about a clerk who comes into town whom people thought is the expected inspector who’s to expose all the evil deeds that the mayor is doing. o all these local officials are going around bribing him and he eagerly accepts them so he’s just as corrupt as they are. All this time the town officials thought they’re safe because they’ve bought off the inspector, until one day the real inspector arrives.”
“My Character in the play is the mayor’s wife and she see meets this man whom she thinks is the government inspector,” Mary relates. “She plays matchmaker between him and her daughter, and he proposes marriage. So Mary thinks this is going to change their life – they’ll leave this crummy place and move to St. Petersburg; all their dreams have come true. She snubs the townspeople then she finds out he’s not the real inspector so all her hopes come crashing down.”
“This is something we still see today,” expounds Mary. “So people who watch this show realize we have a link with these characters. Classics have universal themes and audiences connect with them. And because they’re funny they become more accessible and disarming.”
Lance interjects, “We laugh at them and then we realize, ‘Oh, that’s me!’ Through these plays, we see human nature. There are ideas that seem so foreign to us like, in one of Moliere’s plays, how the dowry is very important. We think it’s funny and say no one does it anymore but we still do, only in a different way. Today when one’s daughter is dating someone, parents think ‘who is he?’; ‘what are his parents like?’; ‘what are his prospects?’”
How they came up with their theater company’s name is a story in itself as Lance laughingly relates. “First of all Parson’s Nose was the only name my wife and I agreed on. It’s a quote from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ where Mercutio talks about Queen Mab’s speech that dreams reflect one’s passion and desires – she tickles a sleeping parson’s nose with a tithe-pigs tail and he dreams of a large donation. And we’re always dreaming about grants. It’s very far-fetched.
On the other hand, when I was growing up, in Philadelphia, a parson’s nose was the tail-end of the chicken. So if you look at our logo it’s either a sleeping parson or the tail-end of a chicken. In that sense that’s a metaphor for us – while we do the classics, we don’t take ourselves seriously.”
“This company has been around for 30 years,” Mary stresses. The individuals we work with – the actors, the designers, including us – are trained people who went to Julliard, Yale, and other drama schools with 30 years of experience and have worked all over the country. Many of us are from New York and ended up moving to California in our mid-adulthood and raised families.
We bring a lot of skills to the work; we’re not amateurs. People who come to our show are watching something that’s well done. We don’t spend a lot of money on our sets but we focus on the art of acting and storytelling. That’s key for us. It’s like ‘theatre unplugged’. These actors, several of whom are from Pasadena, are here because they love acting.”
We started PNT 17 years ago and our first production was ‘Twelfth Night’ then ‘The Miser’ which we did at Interact. The Geffen Playhouse came over and loved what we did and asked us to do their Saturday shows which toured for schools. While we didn’t envision ourselves doing that, we thought it was a nice opportunity. We produced all the hour-long shows and we were able to hire a company of actors to do the tours for six years.
From there we came up to the Pasadena Playhouse where we produced family-oriented performances that brought families to the Playhouse. All these shows that we were producing for the Geffen and the Playhouse were all under their name but we were thankful because they gave us a foundation. This went on for about nine years until the Playhouse scrapped this component of their programming when they downsized.
PNT’s 2016 show, “The School for Wives”, featured (left to right) James Calvert, Marisa Chandler, John Harnagel, Lance Davis, Aiden Rees, and Matt Franta | Courtesy Photo
In 2008 we realized we had been working all these years but no one knew who we were. So we decided that this was the time to reinvent ourselves – we had to get the name Parson’s Nose out there.
The first production we did under our own name was at Pacific Asia Museum. We were then at Lineage Center for the Performing Arts where we stayed for seven years. It’s a dance company on Fair Oaks, south of Green Street, and they rented out their space. We were their tenant for five years. We were briefly in South Pasadena where we did the ‘Under the Tent’ series. Then the recession hit big time. So we stopped making full productions and we did readings instead.
We were in New York for a while and readings of new plays are common there. It’s not as common here where readings are usually table readings for movie scripts. We started to do readings and people were fascinated – actors make the characters on the page come to life. So we began doing that; of course it’s also a less costly production.
When the economy improved over time, we started putting full productions back in. We were doing this at Lineage but as we were renting only the performance space, we had to find other places for our requirements – costumes were stored in one location; props were at a different space; rehearsing was done at yet a different site. We became experts at being a gypsy theatre company – arriving in a van, setting up props, and stuff.”
Lance adds, “We began to look for a space in earnest which took longer than we thought. We looked at all kinds of spaces. We now know Pasadena inside out – if you say Discount Tires, we know where that is. When, after three years of searching, our realtor discovered this place, he declared, ‘this is Parson’s Nose’.
And, to us, finding the Abbey is such a gift. It’s a place where we can hang lights and have a set that can stay up all the time. For the first time we can argue with each other and just storm out the door. We don’t have to pick up and fold our chairs before leaving.
The city was very happy to have us occupy this space; they’ve been very supportive. And we are ecstatic to be here. Now our challenge is to tell people where we are, how to get here, and how to make it a destination for people.
This year we were part of ArtNight Pasadena and a lot of people came in to see us. We did 20-minute readings of radio plays people grew up with, like Flash Gordon.”
Following the 2017 fall full production of ‘The Government Inspector’ and Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’, PNT will present a full production of Moliere’s ‘Too Learned Ladies’, then a Readers’ Theater Series of ‘An Irish Celebration’ with select Irish poems, stories, and songs in the winter. The 2017-2018 season will close in May with a full production of William Shakespeare’s ‘Clearly Classic: Twelfth Night’.
Plans for more productions for schools and an outreach for seniors are underway, as well as plays multi-generational families can enjoy.
Parsons Nose Theater is a hidden gem in Pasadena, as one of its board directors noted. However, with its founders’ achievements in staging timeless classics for students and families and plans to extend its reach to an even wider audience, it is on track towards getting recognized. This hidden gem will be found at last.
Originally published on 13 November 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Jim Abele as King Charles III | Photo by Jenny Graham / Pasadena Playhouse
If we were to determine how we feel about our neighbors across The Pond by the popularity of shows on PBS and the BBC, we could confidently conclude that Americans are enamored with all things British.
Their class structure for one, which is vastly different from ours, is a source of endless curiosity. Our fascination with the English aristocracy made a phenomenal success of ‘Downton Abbey’ set at the turn of the 20th century depicting the intersecting lives of the Crawleys and those who served them. Never mind that breaching the class system at that time wasn’t slightly plausible; we wanted to believe the Crawleys had an innate goodness.
More recently, the lives of English monarchs, past and present, are being serialized in ‘Victoria’ and ‘The Crown’. These programs will chronicle two widely admired queens’ reign through the decades, for our extended viewing pleasure. We just couldn’t get enough of the Royals.
And now the British monarchy or, more accurately, ascension to the throne is the focus of a future history play that’s on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse from November 8 to December 3, 2017. Written by Mike Bartlett, ‘King Charles III’ was the winner of the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New play and is the second production in the Playhouse’s 2017-2018 season. It also marks the play’s Southern California premiere.
‘King Charles III’ is directed by Michael Michetti, who is also helming two other Pasadena productions – ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ at A Noise Within, and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ in February at The Theatre @ Boston Court, where he is Co-Artistic Director.
According to Michetti he saw the Broadway performance, which was essentially a remount of the British production with the original cast, two years ago and absolutely loved it. When the Pasadena Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director, Danny Feldman, selected the play and asked Michetti to direct, he jumped at the chance.
Says Michetti, “While this staging is not going to be the same as what was done in London’s West End nor the one I saw on Broadway in New York, we are not intentionally trying to change it. I thought it was a wonderful production and it was beautifully done. But any time you mount a show you take into consideration all the conditions, including where it’s being produced, what the space is like, who the actors are, and what adjustments need to be made.
Because this is being produced in Southern California, at the Pasadena Playhouse, there were some concerns to address in pre-production. Among them is that the needs of the Playhouse space are very different from that of the Broadway’s.
The Pasadena Playhouse is such a beautiful and historic theater but the challenge was that the stage was too high. Very early on, we brought in a scenic designer to work on the creative space. He fashioned an area that steps down from the stage level to bring the action closer to the audience. This means members of the audience are in the midst of the action, giving the production a real immediacy that’s supported by the style of the play.”
“It’s written in the style of Shakespeare,” Michetti expounds. “And like in a Shakespearean play, there are times when actors break the fourth wall in a soliloquy and speak to the audience. We made sure this connection was maintained. This takes advantage of the stage we have created, allowing for an intimate relationship with the audience. What adds to its intimacy is that the play involves the Royal family whom we know so well.
Jim Abele and Nike Doukas, as the family ghost | Photo by Jenny Graham / Pasadena Playhouse
The English royals are people we only see and hear on television interviews. They’re very protective of their image; they don’t let us into their thoughts so we’re not privy to what they’re thinking. Bartlett very cleverly allows us behind closed doors to listen in on conversations that might be happening. That’s extremely powerful.”
According to Michetti contemporary plays in the fashion of Shakespeare are pretty novel. While Bartlett uses a number of Shakespearean styles and inventions like blank verse, ‘King Charles III’ is told with modern characters and in present-day English as well. This makes it easier for the audience to understand.
As befits a play about the royal family, ‘King Charles III’ revolves around people American audiences are very familiar with – Camilla, William, Catherine, Harry – and a few fictional characters Bartlett conjured, including a new love interest for Harry, and a family ghost.
Over the past few years, with the marriage of William to Catherine, who is a commoner, there has been a resurgence in our enthrallment with the Windsors. This young couple has certainly made the royals feel more accessible. That ‘King Charles III’ is arriving on the Southern California stage on the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death has only increased our excitement.
“Our most common recollection of Prince Charles was during the Diana years, when he didn’t quite cut a sympathetic figure,” posits Michetti. “There was a great deal of negative backlash after Charles’s and Diana’s fairy tale marriage crumbled. But Charles and Camilla have since successfully built a healthy relationship with the British public. Many Americans may not be aware of it, but he has regained a good image. While Diana is still beloved in England, the prince, of late, has become more respected.
These days we see a great deal of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, who are very popular with the media and they know how to use the press to better advantage. It is a power they have over the monarchy and the play touches on that.
Because ‘King Charles III’ is about real people my mandate is for actors in the role of Charles, Camilla, William, Catherine, and Harry to avoid playing them as they have been represented in the media. We made a very deliberate effort to make sure they are not delivering impersonations but emulating qualities of them.”
Dylan Saunders as Harry and Sarah Hollis as Harry’s love interest| Photo by Jenny Graham / Pasadena Playhouse
“The play is structured like a political thriller and it gives nothing away,” Michetti discloses. “It begins at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Charles has become king and he faces challenges which have personal and political impacts as he deals with the transition to the monarchy. The play is surprisingly funny in its portrayal of the characters and the wit with which they tackle their problems. It’s exceptionally smartly written.
When I saw it on Broadway two years ago I was dazzled at how well-crafted it was but it didn’t feel relevant to American audiences. But a lot has happened since. Concerns including the dangers of limiting freedom of the press, the difficulty of political transitions, conflicts between branches of government, and the potential for constitutional crisis are all issues on our headline news every day. I hope that while the circumstances and characters are different audiences will be able to see ourselves, and the current situations in America, reflected in this play.”
‘King Charles III’ has all the elements of ‘must-see TV’ except it’s performed live in front of us. It is replete with captivating personalities we merely glimpse in magazines at the supermarket checkout – a king facing a political emergency as soon as he begins his reign, a prince dating a young woman who has an embarrassing past, a lady coming back as a ghost to haunt the palace.
This production is one that Anglophiles will most assuredly relish. Eager as we are to see how the royals resolve this predicament in the end so are we reluctant to end our enjoyment in watching them keep their wry humor through it all. That they speak in iambic pentameter with their posh accent only adds to our delectation. ‘King Charles III’ is decadently brilliant!
Originally published on 6 November 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Duarte High School students took the pledge to stand up against bullying. Courtesy Photo
Bullying is a common occurrence in schools and the numbers prove it; one study revealed that as many as 49 percent of children in grades 4-12 have been bullied at least once during the past month.
School administrators and teachers have been looking for ways to solve this prevalent problem. For years several different methods to stop bullying have been utilized, including zero tolerance and expulsion which have since been deemed ineffective.
Several schools in the San Gabriel Valley are grabbing this bull by the horns, so to speak, through active and ongoing conversations with students and parents about bullying. One independent school in Arcadia went a step further by including a social curriculum to create acceptable standards of behavior on campus.
States Mucerino, “PBIS has been quite popular in Orange County where I came from before it made its way to Los Angeles in the last five to six years. I brought it to my last district when I came to Los Angeles prior to landing in Duarte, and it has grown by leaps and bounds. It’s a school-wide behavior management system with social emotional learning embedded into the program. The key is to teach behavior expectations and balance corrective actions with positive supports and interventions designed to restore a positive relationship.
However, because we utilize restorative practice doesn’t mean we tolerate bad behavior. In fact, it’s the opposite. Students are held more accountable; they are made to realize that bad behavior changes the relationships with teachers and fellow students. The old punishment of suspending them seems almost like a reward because they’re getting a day off. In PBIS we address that destructive behavior – we call in the students involved and the teachers then we discuss ways to restore the fractured relationship. When necessary we resolve the issue by using more sophisticated exercises including bringing in facilitators and families to rebuild relationships.”
“This is consistent with our transformation to K-8 because students stay here for the duration of their studies before transitioning to high school,” Mucerino discloses. “In the research literature, K-8s have a lower incidence of bullying. And the reason is obvious – kids coming into a middle school from a variety of elementary schools at adolescence are more vulnerable. It’s in middle school that kids act out; they feel liberated from all the restrictions in the elementary school.
Our transition to K-8 is an educational design model to create a safer learning environment, to build in conditions for kids to become successful based on student-adult relationships. This is where PBIS comes in; it is a program that the entire school owns – from kindergarten all the way to high school.”
Students at Northview 8th Grade Village implemented creative ways to build a school culture founded on inclusion, acceptance, and kindness. Courtesy Photo
PBIS is ubiquitous on all DUSD campuses: all classrooms have some motto or sign that emphasizes good behavior. Teachers are now a presence during passing period when most bullying – from slight comments to bumping into someone – occurs. There’s active supervision; an adult is present every 20 feet to give students fewer opportunities for bullying.
As Mucerino says, “The point is prevention; we don’t want to catch kids. To balance corrective measures with positive action, DUSD uses a token economy to acknowledge good conduct. Each time a student demonstrates good behavior – like a random act of kindness – he or she gets rewarded with a token. They accumulate these tokens until they have enough to purchase something at the student store, which is very popular; even high-schoolers love this idea.”
Every school at DUSD has a PBIS coordinator who reports to the principal and they work together with the Director of Student Services to address discipline issues as they arise. Schools have to come up with creative ways to address chronically bad behavior, according to Mucerino. While suspension and expulsion are still used for the most egregious behaviors, they are last-resort options, when mediation and less drastic solutions have been exhausted.
Mucerino expounds that there is a direct relation between behavior and academics. “Students who are not successful tend to be the ones who are also having behavior issues because school isn’t a happy place for them. My expectation is that because of improving behavior and deepening relationships, the academics will follow. Student-teacher relationships have the highest effect on student growth.”
“What I expect is the culture of our school district to shift from a zero-tolerance punitive approach to one that considers the whole child and recognizes the responsibility for social and emotional learning,” pronounces Mucerino. “Bad behavior is disruptive to learning and we don’t want to put everything on parents; we accept our role in teaching proper behavior and helping children succeed. I see DUSD on the forefront of providing a nurturing culture and a model for all schools. We want our schools to provide a safe haven for kids, like family.”
At DUSD an entire community of administrators, teachers, parents, and students come together to help each child succeed. It is a culture and environment where everyone is seen and heard – where bullying can never take hold. It is where students can only flourish and thrive.
A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer 