Category Archives: Drama

Three Shows Left for “Into the Woods”

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Don’t miss your chance to see the Chaminade Player’s performance of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods. There are just three shows left – Friday, March 15 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Into the Woods is a fractured fairy tale, based on James Lapine’s book, with music and lyrics by Sondheim. The story blends plots from several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and ties them together through a baker and his wife, who are cursed with childlessness by their neighbor, a witch. The baker and his wife embark on a quest to find special objects – Cinderella’s slipper, pure as gold; Little Red Ridinghood’s cape, red as blood; Rapunzel’s hair, yellow as corn; and Jack’s cow, white as milk.

Everyone’s wish is granted at the end of Act One, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later, with disastrous results. It takes a few lives before the survivors realize that they have to act altogether in order to succeed. Thus, what begins as a lively irreverent fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

You do not want to miss what is being called a “Broadway caliber” performance! Be sure to get your tickets before it’s too late. As audience members say, Into the Woods on the Tutor Center stage is “A fantastic evening of professional theater, unmatched by any high school, anywhere!” Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, and can be purchased at the box office.

Tenebrae Convenes Community at Chaminade

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Chaminade College Preparatory gathered the community together for an early Tenebrae on the Tuesday of Holy Week with a live stage production of Hugh McElyea’s Tenebrae: The Passion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Held in the Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts, the sold out performance featured students from Chaminade’s orchestra, Middle School and Upper School choirs, as well as alumni, parents, teachers, and friends of the School.

Audience members came from as far away from Santa Barbara to watch Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s compelling story.  As a German Lutheran pastor, Bonhoeffer courageously stood in opposition to Hitler, and sacrificed his life.  This important part of history as told through Tenebrae set a fitting tone for the final week of Lent.

Tenebrae began in the early church when monks gathered on the eve of Good Friday to remember the last days of Jesus.  Today, Tenebrae service is observed during the last three days of Holy Week.

Chaminade Set to Stage Dietrich Bonhoeffer Story

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For one night only, on April 3, 2012, Chaminade College Preparatory presents Hugh McElyea’s Tenebrae – The Passion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoffer, a German Lutheran pastor, made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, and was one of the few church leaders who opposed Hitler. The public is invited to Chaminade’s Tutor Family Center for the Performing Art to share in this inspiring and compelling story of a man who gave his life for his faith.

Chaminade’s High School and Middle School choirs, student chamber ensemble, student actors, along with Chaminade faculty, staff, parents, and friends, will perform this liturgical music-drama.

Tickets are available online, and are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

For more information call 818-360-0165.

Chaminade Players Alumni Return to West Hills

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The Chaminade Players have a long and storied history at Chaminade College Preparatory, and when the School built a new home for the performing arts, alumni wanted to ensure that five names—Juliet Rohde, Dorothy McDonnel, Fran Wilson, Paula LaBrot, and Brother LeRoy Viera, S.M.—would be known by future generations of students, teachers, and families. To do this, two groups of alumni raised funds for Lighting the Way, the Campaign for Chaminade and named spaces in honor of the five. In a matter of months, the Chaminade Players alumni groups met success, and with their goals accomplished, it was time to gather and share the exciting news with the honorees.

On Saturday, February 25, more than 100 alumni (from the classes of 1973 to 2007) and alumni parents returned to Chaminade’s West Hills campus for a special reception thanking them for their efforts, and honoring the contributions of Rohde, McDonnel, Wilson, LaBrot, and Viera. The evening included a program during which Chaminade President, Jim Adams, spoke about each honoree, and presented them with a gift of appreciation. A surprise presentation was made at the end of the program to thank longtime Chaminade friend, Dennis Haas, who has been at the School since the 1960s, and has always stayed connected, even when he pursued a career at IBM.

At the end of the evening, everyone was invited to go into the theater for the first time and see what their gifts helped to build. It was a thrill for the Chaminade Players to step into the 365-seat theater, see the professional-style stage, and tour the entire building. Yet, even while alumni are amazed by the state-of-the-art facilities today’s students work in, they have fond memories of the Bob Hope Student Center and will always affectionately recall Mrs. Rohde’s “Hello, dear,” or Mrs. McDonnel’s “Get off your rusty dusties,” and Paula’s “All for one and all for love.”