Back in April, Cabrillo Musical Theatre wasn’t sure if it would see the opening of another show. But with the help from businesses and a little star power, the Thousand Oaks performing arts theater announced this month it will be able to afford to put on its 2014-2015 season with an estimated budget of $250,000. The arts have historically faced financial challenges, but this year has been the worst time in recent memory for Artistic Director Lewis Wilkenfeld, who has been with the theater since 2006. He attributed the struggles to rising production and rent costs, as well as fewer grants than were received in previous years. “Fundraising’s going to be a big part of our DNA moving forward,” Wilkenfeld said. Cabrillo Musical Theatre, based in the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, has been a fixture in the community – and has been a starting point for many performers who have gone on to New York and starred on Broadway. Among them are Lesli Margherita, who appeared in the original cast of “Matilda,” and Stephanie J. Block, known for “Wicked” and “9 to 5.” “As soon as we announced we were struggling, we had a lot of performers in New York say, ‘We wouldn’t be on Broadway if it weren’t for Cabrillo,’” Wilkenfeld said. So several alum held a Cabrillo Coast-to-Coast fundraiser in New York early this month to show support, and a Los Angeles group arranged a similar benefit. At last count, more than 800 donors were part of the effort to help Cabrillo reach 80 percent of its goal, with $211,000 raised by Aug. 1. Among the donors were The Sleep Shoppe, a local mattress chain with four Ventura County locations, and Union Bank, which is headquartered in New York but was founded in California and has a branch in Thousand Oaks. Wilkenfeld declined to disclose their donations but did note that a critical last-minute sponsor was Anthem Blue Cross, the health insurer based in Thousand Oaks. Anthem President Mark Morgan said the company wanted to play a part in keeping “one of our region’s cultural treasures open. “With thousands of employees in the region, the Cabrillo Music Theatre is a civic amenity that many of us take advantage of and we hope to continue to see quality performing arts there for years to come,” he said in an email. “Mary Poppins,” “Memphis,” “Oklahoma” and “Company” will play this season at Cabrillo. Out of This World The Northrop Grumman Foundation has funded Space Camp scholarships for more than 100 teachers and students in the U.S. and U.K., including three from the Antelope Valley. One teacher and one student from Joe Walker Middle School in Lancaster and a student from Palmdale Aerospace Academy were selected to attend the July 27-Aug. 1 camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. It costs about $1,000 for individual students to attend the four-day space camp, including room and board, according to the camp’s website. The foundation also paid airfare expenses. Palmdale Aerospace Academy, which is just more than two years old, had sent one other student in the past. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for the students when an industry supports a school,” said Assistant Headmaster Matthew Winheim. “It allows us to create a relationship with this industry too, and it shows kids that these kinds of things can happen.” Joe Walker Middle School Principal Steve Wood said the honor of sending representatives from his school is something the school strives for each year. “We look for students who would be interested and would want to participate in an activity like that,” he said. “The people who went this year just had an absolute blast.” Ninety-eight of the participants came from the U.S. and six came from the U.K. The foundation associated with Northrop Grumman Corp. supports science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, programs. It has given Space Camp scholarships for the past six years. Carleen Beste, director of corporate citizenship with the Falls Church, Va. defense contractor, which has significant operations in Palmdale, acknowledged there was some corporate self-interest in funding the scholarships. “Given our company and the highly technical product we develop, we need a highly skilled talent pool, so that’s where our interest in STEM careers comes from,” she said. “It’s our desire to fill those positions in the future.” But she also noted that the camp is a great experience for participants, who must complete different activities each day in preparation for a mission by the end of their stay. “The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is really just amazing with a very cool environment,” she said. “The kids who are there are ready to dive in and participate.” Staff Reporter Stephanie Forshee can be reached at (818) 316-3121 or [email protected].
