Moorpark College

MOORPARK COLLEGE THEATRE ARTS runs local tour featuring 21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda and This is a Test by Stephen Gregg

admin April 18, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: James Schuelke
Phone: 805-378-1499
Fax: 805-378-4013

MOORPARK COLLEGE THEATRE ARTS runs local tour featuring 21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda and This is a Test by Stephen Gregg

Moorpark, CA – The Moorpark College Theatre Arts Department is proud to announce its upcoming tour featuring productions of21 Chump Street and This is a Test. These performances are part of the college’s Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) program, a public course that brings thought-provoking theatre to high school and community audiences for free. This year’s tour will take place through May 3rd. Opportunities for booking the tour at additional venues for no charge remain available as well.

This year’s productions are certain to stimulate important dialogue for teenagers and their families. 21 Chump Street, written by Broadway’s Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame, shares the story of a student who gives into peer pressure by purchasing marijuana for a new classmate only to learn that she is an undercover police officer. This 14-minute musical is based on a true story and was recently reported on by the celebrated podcast, This American Life.

TYA’s second production, This is a Test, follows yet another high school student who grapples with intense anxiety and strange daydreams as he takes an important exam. “These one-act plays wrestle with challenges familiar to many teenagers,” shares student and assistant director, Elisabeth Melcher. “They explore relatable themes including peer pressure, drug use, and stress that should motivate young people and provoke important dialogue for all audiences.”

This tour builds on the Theatre Arts Department’s mission of bringing provocative and thoughtful theatre to community audiences. Previous tours have included free performances at Overland Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, the Sunrise at Wood Ranch senior living center in Simi Valley, and Flory Academy of Science and Technology in Moorpark, among others. This year’s tour has already been booked by Providence, Simi Valley, and Santa Susana high schools, among others. Additional dates are available for booking as well.

Free performances will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays through May 3rd; please see a full list of dates below for further details. To book a production at an additional venue or to receive further information regarding the Moorpark College Theatre Arts Department, please contact Suzanne Fagan at (805) 553-4847 or sfagan@vcccd.edu. Moorpark College is located at 7075 Campus Road Moorpark, California.

  • Tuesday, April 10th, 2:00 p.m., Moorpark College Multicultural Day (7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, California)
  • Thursday, April 12th, 1:30 p.m., Providence High School (4333 East Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, California)
  • Tuesday, April 17th, 2:00 p.m., AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING
  • Thursday, April 19th, 2:00 p.m., AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING
  • Tuesday, April 24th, 2:00 p.m., Simi Valley High School (5400 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, California)
  • Thursday, April 26th, 2:00 p.m., AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING
  • Tuesday, May 1st, 2:00 p.m., Santa Susana High School (3570 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, California)
  • Thursday, May 3rd: 1:30 p.m., Moorpark College Student One Acts (7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, California)

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MOORPARK COLLEGE, one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District, was founded in 1967. It is set on 150 beautiful acres, nestled in the foothills on the southeastern flank of Ventura County, about 40 miles from UCLA, and approximately 75 miles from UC Santa Barbara. It is also a short drive from CSU Northridge, CSU Channel Islands, and California Lutheran University. Moorpark College was recognized in the Huffington Post in March of 2015 as the fourth-best community college in the nation. It has an excellent reputation for university transfer preparation, and its signature career/technical programs include nursing, radiation technology, biotechnology, and exotic animal training, which incorporates the world-renowned America’s Teaching Zoo. The college also offers a dynamic range of classes and programs in the visual and performing arts, and its pristine athletic fields and mild climate provide an excellent home for student athletes.