November 13, 2008

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Leland students to perform ‘The Mousetrap’

Leland High School’s drama department will perform Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” Nov. 19, 20, 21 & 22 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Nov. 22.

“The Mousetrap” was initially performed as a radio play in 1952 and broadcast by the BBC with the title “Three Blind Mice.” Britain’s Queen Mary, a Christie fan, commissioned the radio play in 1947. It was based on a short story Christie had been working on; however, audience reaction was so positive that Christie went back to work on the script, elaborated on it and with its first performance on Oct. 6, 1952, “The Mousetrap” became a stage play.

After a seven-week tour, the play opened in London at The Ambassadors Theatre on Nov. 25, 1952. The play later transferred to St. Martin’s Theatre in London on March 23, 1974 and has been running there ever since. “The Mousetrap” has broken several records for its continuous theatrical run since its opening, and it is estimated that more than four million people had seen the play by its 25th anniversary, which was celebrated in 1977.

After another 20 years of performances it is safe to speculate that an additional three to four million people have probably sat in the dark and tried to puzzle out the identity of the murderer. Performances of “The Mousetrap” continue to benefit from tourists who seek out the play both for its artistic merits and for the joy of being part of a theatrical tradition. Christie signed over the royalties from the play to her grandson at its opening in 1952. It is thought that he has become a multimillionaire from the royalties of this one property alone.

“It has been a real pleasure directing these young people in this amazing play,” said Director Steve Dini. “Doing an Agatha Christie mystery is challenging for any actor of any age and these Leland students have come through brilliantly. Also, having three casts means rehearsal times are shorter and there has to be much more individual work to be ready. Enjoy this engaging mystery and remember there really is NO mystery as to why this show is so good: it’s because these students wanted to work hard and make sure it was a hit. Thanks for being here to support them and, the continuing success of Leland Performing Arts!”

Tickets will be on sale at the door, $10 for adults and $5 for students. Assorted refreshments will be available for sale as well.

Sustainable bike tour will stop at Almaden Country School

Striving to promote public awareness of sustainable living and to inspire youth to be stewards in their school and home communities, a team of 18 volunteer educators from the Catalina Island AOTE (Ambassadors of the Environment) program will embark on a three-week bike tour on Nov. 17 along 700 miles of the California coast.

The bike tour begins in San Francisco and heads south to San Diego stopping at schools—including Almaden Country Day School on Nov. 18, as well as universities, businesses, community events and farms along the way. Cycling educators will giving presentations and leading workshops at about 18 schools on topics like composting and organic gardening, alternative transportation, protecting our coast, and “greening” our schools. Presentations are tailored to the needs of each stop and include prominent local businesses.

“I think it’s fantastic that the riders are volunteering their time for this important initiative, it really demonstrates their commitment to the natural environment, sustainable communities, and alternative transportation,” said Tour Coordinator Courtney Howard.

“We’re not a group of professional riders and we hope that by riding over 750 miles, we can show people how setting what might be seen as a hard goal can eventually be achieved. We strongly believe in this as a metaphor for sustainable living; a challenge for the current generation of average people, yet one that can be achieved.

“We are all really excited about spending time in schools and teaching kids just how important it is to care for such an important asset, the environment. We’ll even get to help some of them build gardens and compost bins, which is great.

“This ride wouldn’t have been possible without generous donations by Brett Hammond, Voler, Timbuk2, and E-mergenc, and we are incredibly grateful for their important contributions.”

The Catalina Island AOTE program was the first of several Ambassadors of the Environment programs around the world, started by Jean Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society (OFS). Through educational excursions into the surrounding ecosystems, AOTE aims to inspire students to live more gently on the planet and to become active members of their home communities. For more information, visit www.aote.org.

The AOTE Sustainable Living Bike Tour team will be keeping a blog during their trip, which can be found on www.sustainablelivingbiketour.blogspot.com.

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