J*Company 2007-2008 Season Highlights

  • The award winning J*Company Youth Theatre showcased over 400 children and teens who developed self-confidence and self esteem as they pursued their dreams of performing on stage.
  • Over 4,000 school children attended a J*Company production during the 15th Anniversary Season. Thanks to funding from the Samuel I. & John Henry Fox Foundation and Union Bank of California we were able to invite 600 lesser-advantaged students from outlying schools to attend performances at no cost to them.
  • J*Company supplemented performance preparation with the following education and outreach elements:
    • Disney’s High School Musical – The young artist received dance training from Broadway veteran Peter G. Kalivas, Broadway’s Mr. Mistoffoles in CATS.
    • Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS - The young artists learned Hindi for the performance of the show set in the jungles of India.
    • Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA - Partnered with the San Diego Natural History Museum.  In a very important political year the young artists’ voices were heard when they wrote letter in support of the arts, garnering attention from Governor Schwarzenegger, First Lady Maria Shriver and Mayor Jerry Sanders, as well as prompting visits from Mayoral Candidate Steve Francis and City Council District 1 Candidate Sherri Lightner.
    • Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS - Partnered with the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA.  The young artists performed a rehearsal for the general public in front of the Humane Society and toured the building, learning about animal rights, abuse and neglect.  There was a mobile adoption day for the Mother’s Day performance and 2 puppies and 2 kittens found homes as a result.  Also the children had a visit from a local veterinarian who gave a presentation on care for animals.
  • J*Company’s production of Disney’s High School Musical was featured on the cover of the national publication, Stage Directions Magazine.
  • J*Company welcomed Broadway star, Susan Egan, the original Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, to perform and hold a workshop for the young artists of J*Company in honor of the Disney themed season.  This event was made possible with underwriting from Garden Communities!
  • J*Company broke attendance records for the second year in a row with the productions of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS and Disney’s High School Musical, even losing performance days to the San Diego wildfires.
  • J*Company artists and parents rallied together and collected donations for the Jewish Family Services Fire Relief Fund.
  • J*Company made history by casting a record number of young artists in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS, one-hundred-and-one to be exact. The most to ever grace the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre stage at one time.
  • J*Company produced its second Project CenterStage – A Teen Musical Theatre Competition, sponsored by Scripps Investments & Loans, Inc., to a sell out crowd, offering educational scholarships to the event winners.