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Fairy Tales in the Park, presented by Children’s Dental Group, will begin their 18th season of free performances with Gypsies in a Trunk in May. The 2012 season features:

May – Peter Pan, directed by Gabriel Vega

June – Cinderella 2 – Bippity, Boppity…Oops!, directed by Chris Carnicelli

July – Beauty and the Beast, directed by Veronica Morrow

August – The Three Billy Goats Gruff, directed by Ken Jones

September – Chicken Little, directed by Chris Carnicelli

Gypsies in a Trunk is proud to welcome back Children’s Dental Group, with Spaceship Offices in Oxnard, Camarillo, Simi and Thousand Oaks as the 2012 Presenting Sponsor. Children’s Dental Group are specialists in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics serving Ventura County’s children since 1977. Visit them online at spaceshipdentist.com. Their partnership allows us to tell more families about our free entertainment.

The all-volunteer troupe of Gypsies in a Trunk is pleased to hold their performances in relaxed outdoor settings at five locations to allow children and their families to enjoy live theatre at its best. Performances are free to the public, but in the age-old gypsy tradition, actors pass the hat at intermission; any donation to help cover the costs of costumes and props is greatly appreciated. So gather up the kids, pack a picnic or snacks and enjoy free family entertainment.

Performances are held May through September, the first Saturday of the month in Westlake Village at 11:30 am at Foxfield Park and Simi Valley at 4:00 pm at the Rancho Simi Amphitheater in Rancho Simi Community Park at the corner of Erringer and Royal; the first Sunday of the month at Harbor View Park in Channel Islands Harbor at 2 pm; the second Saturday of the month in Camarillo at 11:30 am at Valle Lindo Park – 889 Aileen St and in Ventura at 4:00 pm at Barranca Vista Park, 7050 Ralston. Ample seating is available on the ground at all locations, you may bring blankets, lunch or snacks.

We love Fido too, but pets have a tendency to upstage the actors so please leave Fido at home if possible. Visit www.fairytalesinthepark.com for directions and maps or call (661) 718-3968 for information.

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The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura is collecting new and used books for an upcoming Book Sale to raise funds for its free programs of support and education for people with cancer and their families in the community.

New and gently used books can be dropped off at The Oaks Shopping Center in the vacant store on the first floor between Banana Republic and Marciano, near the Johnny Rockets mall entrance. Drop off times are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., beginning January 24. Donors will receive receipts for tax deduction. To arrange for donation of a large load of books, please call (805) 379-4777 to schedule a time.

The Book Sale will be held at the same location beginning Friday, February 10th and continuing through Sunday, February 19th. To learn about volunteer opportunities please contact Jessica Tutsock at (805) 379-4777 or Jessica.tutsock@wellnesscommunityhope.org.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011, The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura is an independently governed and funded affiliate of the Cancer Support Community, serving more than 3,000 local residents affected by cancer each year with programs throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and in the San Fernando Valley. Programs are offered in English and Spanish and are all provided free of charge. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, please visit www.TwcVv.org or call 805-379-4777. Text COMMUNITY to 90999 to donate $10 to cancer support programs. Standard text messaging rates apply. For full terms visit mgive.com/a.

Founded in 1982, the Cancer Support Community, formerly named The Wellness Community, is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people with cancer and their loved ones. In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community, one of the largest providers of cancer support worldwide. The combined organization is comprised of nearly 50 local affiliates, 12 affiliates in development and more than 100 satellite locations. By offering professionally led support groups, educational workshops, nutrition and exercise programs, and stress-reduction classes, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club continue to provide support, education and hope to all people affected by cancer.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang will be the guest of honor at the 10th Annual New Music Concert on Sunday, Feb. 19, at California Lutheran University. Lang, one of America’s most performed composers, will participate in a question-and-answer session at 2 p.m. in Samuelson Chapel. CLU faculty, students and guest performers will then present Lang’s choral and instrumental music. For the first time, the concert will also feature Areté Vocal Ensemble, the innovative professional ensemble of vocal artists in residence at the university.

The composer received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for music for “the little match girl passion,” which was commissioned by Carnegie Hall. Pulitzer juror and Washington Post columnist Tim Page said, “I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a new, and largely unheralded, composition.”

Lang is deeply versed in the classical tradition but committed to music informed by modernism, minimalism and rock. “There is no name yet for this kind of music,” wrote Los Angeles Times music critic Mark Swed.

The New York Philharmonic, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet and a range of other groups have performed his music in venues including Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and the Barbican Centre. His compositions have been featured in theater productions and as accompaniment to the choreography of Twyla Tharp, The Netherlands Dance Theater and the Paris Opera Ballet.

Lang is also the co-founder and co-artistic director of New York’s legendary music collective Bang on a Can.

The concert will include “lend/lease,” “the anvil chorus” and “memory pieces.” The CLU Choir will sing “again,” Areté will perform “oh graveyard,” and the women of Areté will perform “I lie,” “i live in pain” and “this condition.” Wyant Morton will conduct.

Donations given in memory of Suzanne Freeman, a longtime CLU staff member who died in August, helped fund the concert. Donations will be accepted at the door.

The chapel is located off of Campus Drive south of Olsen Road on the Thousand Oaks campus. For more information, call the Music Depart­ment at 805-493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu. For more information about Lang, visit http://davidlangmusic.com.

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The Oak Park Unified School District is accepting requests for Senior Exemptions for the Measure C Parcel Tax. Senior citizens 65 years old or older may go to the District’s Support Services Office at 5801 E. Conifer Street, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to get an exemption form. You may call to request a form be mailed to you by calling 818-735-3206.

Seniors must bring to the Oak Park Unified School District Support Services Office the completed and signed form along with your 2011-2012 tax assessment bill with parcel number and address shown and proof of your age.

Accepted forms of proof of age are drivers license/State I.D. card, passport or birth certificate. This must be your primary residence, rental properties are not eligible for exemption. All exemptions must be submitted and verified by June 8, 2012. It must be renewed annually in order to maintain eligibility.

For more information contact: Dr. Anthony Knight, Superintendent OPUSD at (818) 735-3206.

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Auditions for a classic fairytale “Sleeping Handsome” by D.M. Larson will begin this Saturday at Center Stage Agoura at 3pm. Actors from ages 7 to 17 may audition. The Storyline: The Kingdom’s handsome and impossibly arrogant Prince falls under an evil witch’s sleeping spell, and can only be awakened by a Princess. This program is free to all actors. Tickets to the performances will be $10. Rehearsals will be on Saturday from 1-4 for 12 weeks, with additional rehearsals as scheduled. This show will have two casts and several performance dates which will be announced when we are fully cast. Come on down and audition! For more information visit www.centerstageagoura.com. The theater is at 28311 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills.

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Oak Park High School presents two versions of the hilarious Neil Simon classic, “The Odd Couple,” this weekend. The male version opens tonight, Thurs., Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. and repeats at 7 p.m. Sat., Feb. 4.

The female version, with the two male lead characters written as women, will run at 7 p.m. Fri, Feb. 3 and 2 p.m. Saturday.

All shows are in the school Pavilion, 899 N. Kanan Road. The public is invited.

“The Odd Couple” opened on Broadway in 1965 with Walter Matthau as the messy Oscar Madison and Jack Lemmon as the prissy Felix Ungar. The two reprised their roles in the 1968 movie.

A TV version with Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman as Oscar ran from 1970 to 1975, followed by a less successful series in 1982-83 with Ron Glass (Felix) and Demond Wilson (Oscar).

When several actresses asked Simon to write a comedy for them, he revamped the play for women. The female version opened on Broadway in 1985 with Rita Moreno as Olive Madison and Sally Struthers as Florence Ungar.

While the two plays have the same story line—Felix/Florence moves in with the divorced Oscar/ Olive when the neatnik’s spouse files for divorce—the two variations have their differences, such as the women playing Trivial Pursuit in place of the guys’ poker night.

The female version has more profanity, which the audience will hear because the school is contractually bound not to change the dialogue.

Senior Megan Donahue plays Olive in the female version and sophomore Kyra Stevens portrays Florence. Both have acted in several previous OPHS shows, but “Odd Couple” is the first time they’ve worked closely with each other on stage.

Actors in the male version are Michael Weisman, Drew Gregory, Matt Tallman, Kevin Pondt, Eliron Hershko, Chris Steiner, Bridgette Garb and Rachel Berman.

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The 16th season of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival will feature performances of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Much Ado About Nothing” at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

“Much Ado About Nothing” will be performed June 29 through July 1, July 6 through 8, and July 13 through 15. “Romeo and Juliet” will be staged July 20 through 22, July 27 through July 29, and Aug. 3 through 5. All shows begin at 8 p.m. in scenic Kingsmen Park.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company has not performed “Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s famous tragedy of young love, since 2000. “Much Ado About Nothing,” one of the Bard’s best-loved comedies, was last presented in 2002. The previous shows were among the most popular in the history of the festival.

Company veterans Kevin P. Kern, artistic director of the Pensacola Shakespeare Festival, and Brett Elliott, associate artistic director of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, will return to direct “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Romeo and Juliet,” respectively. Both men have been involved in the festival since its beginning and have directed productions in recent seasons.

The festival is one of the area’s most popular outdoor theatrical events. Visitors are immersed in the Shakespeare experience as the festival grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for pre-show picnicking and entertainment.

Kingsmen Shakespeare Company is the professional theater company of California Lutheran University. The nonprofit organization also coordinates apprentice programs for professional and aspiring Shakespearean actors, an educational tour program in local schools, and summer theater camps for youth.

General admission is $20 for adults and free for those under 18. For more information, visit http://kingsmenshakespeare.org or call 805-493-3014.

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Freedom Park, rain or shine, will be the launching pad for an unprecedented grassroots

campaign for Congress. Volunteers from throughout Ventura County and the region will

be gathering to join in a campaign that candidate Linda Parks says is “not about her.”

Parks, a past mayor of the city of Thousand Oaks and current member of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, will officially kick off her campaign for the new 26th Congressional District this Saturday, January 21, at noon.

“My campaign is about families, neighbors, Americans, coming together to send a message

to the nation that we don’t want extreme partisanship, and we don’t want politicians who

are bought and paid for,” Parks said.

Parks will not being taking any contributions from PACs, corporations, unions,

or political parties, just from individuals.

The 2012 Congressional race in Ventura County will be a national battleground with the political parties and Political Action Committees (PACs) making it one of the most expensive campaigns in California’s history. Parks says that at the kickoff she’ll be offering a challenge.

The public is invited to the launch, which will be followed immediately with what Parks calls an “envelope stuffing party” as part of the grassroots campaign. Freedom Park, and the meeting hall where the kickoff and stuffing party will be taking place, is located on Eubanks Street next to the Camarillo Airport.

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A Kansas City organist and teacher is presenting a free concert and master class at California Lutheran University.

John Ditto, music director and organist at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City for almost 30 years, will lead the organ master class at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11.

Ditto will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, in the third and final concert in the Orvil and Gloria Franzen 2011-2012 Organ Program Series celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Borg Petersen Memorial Organ in CLU’s Samuelson Chapel.

The organist is an associate professor emeritus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, where he spent 29 years. Previously, he was an associate professor of music at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo.

Ditto earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Drake University, a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in musical arts from the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. He has served as organist and choirmaster for churches in Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri and New York.

The Ventura County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is sponsoring the master class. Organists interested in playing for Ditto may contact CLU’s University Organist Kyle Johnson, who studied with Ditto at the conservatory, at 805-493-3332 or kejohns@callutheran.edu.

Both events will be held in Samuelson Chapel, located south of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Donations will be accepted. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu.

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California Lutheran University will honor Martin Luther King and others who promote peace and social justice with chapel and Peace Pole services on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

The chapel service will begin at 10:10 a.m. in Samuelson Chapel. It will feature gospel and inspirational music highlighting the idea of starting within oneself to make a change in the world. Students and members of the staff and community will recite the “I Have a Dream” speech given by the late civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

Following the service, the university will affirm its commitment to peace and challenge attendees to do the same at the CLU Peace Pole in the chapel rose garden.

The chapel is located south of Olsen Road near Campus Drive in Thousand Oaks.

The Office of Campus Ministry, Black Student Union and Multicultural Programs are sponsoring the free event. Call 493-3489 for more information.