Featured Ojai Event
OJAI’S BESANT HILL SCHOOL PRESENTS “PIPPIN”
April 17-19, 2008
OJAI’S BESANT HILL SCHOOL PRESENTS “PIPPIN” (Broadway’s 27th longest running musical)
Playing at Ojai’s Zalk Theater April 17th and 18th at 8 p.m. and April 19th at 7 p.m.
contacts: Besant Hill School 646-4343
by Laignee Barron
laignee@verizon.net
In Ojai, CA, over 20 teenagers have devoted their evenings and weekends to learning to sing and dance. This is at Ojai’s Besant Hill School, formerly Happy Valley School, a high school known for its college preparatory and arts curriculum, and for its incredible list of founders and teachers, including Aldous Huxley, Krishnamurti, Annie Besant, Beatrice Wood and Franklin Lacey, co-author of “The Music Man”.
The Happy Valley Foundation recently received news that it was awarded the entire trust of Franklin and Gladys Lacey. Franklin Lacey was a long time teacher, director and trustee at Besant Hill, and firmly believed in the school’s mission to build a community of students who supported each other and were encouraged to express themselves and give back to the world through the arts. When Gladys Lacey passed away last year, an endowment was awarded to the Happy Valley Foundation, including 50% of the royalties earned from “The Music Man”. The foundation then in turn set up an endowment for the school’s performing arts program that will provide an annual sum of approximately $100,000 to be used for resources, guest artists, scholarships and equipment.
This year’s production “Pippin” has already benefited from the grant with new lights, sound, a professional band of local musicians performing the music as well guest art director Matt Jacobs. Jacobs, an Emmy winner best known for his work with T.V. series “Heroes”, said he’s happy to be joining the crew and making sets for “Pippin”.
It might seem ambitious for a school that’s never performed a musical before to take on “Pippin”, the 27th longest running Broadway musical penned by Stephen Schwartz, author of the new musical “Wicked” and the 2007 film “Enchanted. But the talented cast and crew of Besant Hill are up for the challenge.
Add catchy music, a dance routine and colorful costumes on top of this convoluted play on history and it’s evident why “Pippin” was such a success on Broadway. Head of
Besant Hill and director of “Pippin” Paul Amadio, a former professional actor, explained why “Pippin” was a great choice for high school students.
“Pippin” begins Thursday, April 17th at 8 p.m. at the Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 0jai-Santa Paula Road. The show continues Friday April 18th at 8 p.m. and Saturday April 19th at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors and $8 general admission available at the door or online at besanthill.org. For more information on “Pippin” or Besant Hill call 805-646-4343.
