Upcoming Productions

It Happened in the Hood! (Grades 3-9 as of the 2011/2012 school year)
Mr. Fine, the kindly landlord who hasn't raised the rent in fifty years, is in money trouble and doesn't know what to do. His old neighborhood is about to be torn down and turned into a parking lot! What will happen to all his friends who live there-- the junk shop owner who's convinced he's the long-lost son of the great magician Houdini, the ditzy acting teacher who longs for her days of glory on the stage, the vegetable and fruit vendor who will throw you out the door if you insult her broccoli, the kindly coffee shop owner, the grouchy old lady, the slew of hip-hopping kids! Become a part of this brand new musical by the Park Dale Players and find out "what happened in the Hood!"

There will be two sessions of this program: one running from June 29th through July 14th, and the second running from July 16th through July 28th. For more information, to download the registration form, or to sign up via PayPal, please click here.

Musical Theater Workshop (Grades 3-6)
We're now in this year's fourth session of our after-school Musical Theater Workshop. This workshop utilizes theater games, improvs, and vocal and movement exercises as a fun and energetic way to help students interested in musical theater to develop their acting, singing and dancing skills. There are two locations for this workshop which began the week of March 19th and runs through the end of the school year-- Mondays at Flora Vista and Thursdays at El Camino Creek. Students in grades 3-6 from all EUSD schools can sign up for either one. For more information, please email joanna@theparkdaleplayers.com.

Tell-A-Tale Theater (Grades K-2)
We are in the midst of the second session of our new after-school program for the younger student. This class focuses not only on teaching children the basics of drama and dance, but also on developing their natural imaginative skills. Each class centers around a grade appropriate story which students will bring to life through theater games, improvisations, movement exercises, and role-playing. A final presentation to parents is included. We meet on Wednesday afternoons at Flora Vista beginning on March 21st. Like our program for older students, children in all EUSD schools can sign up. For more information, please email joanna@theparkdaleplayers.com.

A Special Event
Armando and the Blue Tarp School:

Click to view Armando slideshow: Previous Auto/Stop Next

The Park Dale Players' production of Armando and the Blue Tarp School took place in March of 2010. Based on the California Young Readers Award finalist children's book by Encinitas authors Edith Fine and Judith Josephson, this musical by playwright and lyricist Pat Lydersen and composer Wendy Woolf brings to life the work of teacher and humanitarian David Lynch who 30 years ago placed a blue tarp on the garbage dump in Tijuana and began to educate the children who lived and worked there.

Our production of Armando not only received standing ovations to sold-out houses throughout its run, but also played to over 1500 school children who came on field trips to see the show. The Park Dale Players donated all the proceeds (over $8000!) from this production to David Lynch's wonderful organization, Responsibility, which continues to build schools and give hope to the forgotten children living near the dumps throughout Mexico and Central America.

One of our most successful and exciting productions to date, here is just a sampling of the emails we received after the show:

"Best money we've ever spent!"
"Amazing dance moves and stage presence!"
"I could see this on Broadway!"
"The fire scene was incredible!"
"We're so glad we went!"
"Bravo, bravo, bravo to all involved!"
"The play and music were able to tickle our funny bones while weaving the bitter-sweet true story of the families living in sad and difficult conditions."
"The entire production was touching from the moving story line, the darling actors, the imaginative costumes, to the really hip music."
"The whole musical was an ice cream sundae, with bittersweet sauce, sprinkles and a cherry on top! Delicious! (I want seconds!)."

David Lynch himself, who spoke to the audiences after every show, said Armando and the Blue Tarp School should head to Broadway and that it was "the best musical I ever saw!" (a ringing endorsement if we ever heard one!) For more information about Responsibility or the book our play is based on, go to www.responsibilityonline.org and www.bluetarpschool.com.

Past Productions (Youth Program):
Except where otherwise noted, all of the following works are: Script and Lyrics by Pat Lydersen, Music by Wendy Woolf.

Pumpkin Giant
- One little boy defeats the mighty Pumpkin Giant and creates the first jack'o'lanterns.
Saving Knobby Knoll
- Rabbit, Turtle, and Frog team up with a squeaky little Cog and a Nerdy Cat to face the
powerful Authorities and save their home in Knobby Knoll
King Artie and the Knights of the Rad Table
- Artie and Gwen travel back in time with Merlin to meet a rather unusual mix of knights,
dragons, and damsels-in-distress
There's a Monster in this Box!
- This poor monster would rather pick flowers and chase butterflies than go to the School
of Scare to learn how to become a "proper" monster.
Video Victim (Script & Lyrics by Pat Lydersen, Music by Sally Dean)
- Danny and his dog get sucked into his video game computer to meet Big Mama Chip,
the boss of it all.
Animal Tails
- Rabbit, Bear and Groundhog have no tails. Possum's tail is bare and ugly. They all
want a nice new tail but there's only one in the store! Who gets it?
Perseus, the Movie
- The director fired his actors, got a new script, a new star, and bravely went where no man had gone before-- into the wacky world of Greek mythology.
Bratty Brother in Outer Space
- Have you ever wanted your bratty little brother to just disappear? Alice thought she did-
until he was beamed into outer space to become part of a young alien's science project.
The Halloween Extravaganza
- A wacky mix of spooky tales, screams, and wails-- brought to you by the one and only
WAIL-TV!
The Comic Book Artist
-Hapless little Stanley Leonardo Sappovitz, armed with only a pen in his hand, faces the
evil Dr. Shock Clock and his sly henchmen, the Minutos.
Mickey Malone and the Medallion of Maldu
- Mickey and his friend Isabelle team up with a bumbling wizard, an elf, and a very tall
dwarf to battle the evil Zoron and win the Medallion of Maldu.
The Fearsome Pirate Frank
- Fearsome Frank shanghais an acting troupe and takes them on the high seas, where they meet a zombie captain, a sad old albatross, and some mermaids who really know how to pick the right lip gloss.
Dancing, What's That All About (Script by Pat Lydersen)
- An absent-minded professor gives a lecture on the origins of rock and roll (among other
things!).
Wildcat Willy in the Wild, Wild West
- A mild mannered accountant follows his dream and hops a train to the wild, wild west-- where he encounters ruthless train robbers, daring desperados, and even a few hungry old buzzards!
Team Zombie
- An irate young zombie, revolting against the wild popularity vampires have received lately, tries to get a little respect and love for "Team Zombie".
Monsters in the Closet
- A group of lovable monsters are cast by a pompous director to represent the worries and fears all kids face while growing up!