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Alumni to participate in annual fundraiser
 PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune Rachel Liuzzi, 15, put together her costume before performing Tuesday in the musical "Grease." San Diego Junior Theatre will celebrate its 60th anniversary tomorrow. |
This isn't just any kids' theater. Alumni include Raquel Welch, Dennis Hopper, Tony Award-winning actor Brian Stokes Mitchell and Lou Romano, the voice of Linguini in Pixar's current hit “Ratatouille.”
Tomorrow night, the theater will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a potpourri of performances at Casa del Prado. The show will spotlight some of the theater's alumni, a first for the organization.
Founded in 1948 as a program of the Old Globe Theatre, the company has operated out of Balboa Park's Casa del Prado since 1971 and calls itself the country's oldest continuing children's theater.
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“This city is producing a plethora of students that go on to perform,” said Kittleson, who regularly reunites with cast members who starred alongside him six decades ago. “So many students have had the opportunity to do bigger, better things.”
Aside from staging 13 productions annually, the nonprofit also offers classes and camps in Balboa Park, La Jolla and Chula Vista. The company gets 70 percent of its income from productions and programs.
The heart of the theater's operations remains in Balboa Park.
On Monday morning, about 20 junior actors chosen to perform in an upcoming production of “The Jungle Book” fidgeted as they sat in the Roosevelt Middle School auditorium. The school, within walking distance of Casa del Prado, donates space to the organization each year.
Will Neblett, the theater's executive director, led each preteen through a musical number as the others struggled to stay seated.
 PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune Phillip Bowen (center) sang "Greased Lightnin' " during a recent performance of "Grease." "This city is producing a plethora of students that go on to perform," veteran local actor Ole Kittleson said. |
“Theater is collaborative,” said Desha Crownover, the general manager, who began teaching classes at the theater 11 years ago. She now hires staff, selects shows and oversees operations.
She also is the director of “Grease,” which has performances through Sunday.
“With a production like 'Grease,' you have 75 kids all working toward a common goal. They each have a specific job but they are not doing it by themselves. They have to contribute to this bigger community.”
Most junior theater participants never pursue acting careers, Crownover said. But the lessons they learned through their experiences with the company often extend far beyond stage direction or line memorization.
Then there are those like Butterfield's 18-year-old daughter, Jill.
“She aspires to be on Broadway,” said Butterfield, who had a button with a photo of Jill's face pinned to his jacket lapel. “She wants to win a Tony Award.”
