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Dallas Children’s Theater’s “How I Became A Pirate” enhances education through arts experience at CCPA

Staff Report

The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) presented two performances of Dallas Children’s Theater’s “How I Became A Pirate” on Thursday, February 15 as part of its arts education program for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The shows were made possible and funded by the City of Cerritos and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

More than 2,600 students and educators participated from school districts such as ABC Unified School District, Bellflower Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District and Paramount Unified School District.

Both performances were presented for kindergarteners through fifth graders. Students were treated to a swashbuckling musical adventure as young Jeremy Jacobs joined Captain Braid Beard’s band of comical pirates and searched for the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Based on the popular book by Melinda Long, the production included songs like “A Good One to Boot,” “Green Teeth” and “Talk Like a Pirate.”

The mission of Dallas Children’s Theater is to inspire young people to lead creative and productive lives through the art of theater. The group was founded in 1984 by Robyn Flatt and Dennis Vincent in response to the growing need for professional family theater. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Dallas Children’s Theater is a forum for artistic collaboration and a vital educational resource for metropolitan schools.

“This performance was a joyful family musical that left the young students singing and dancing in the aisles,” remarked Cerritos Mayor Grace Hu. “The City of Cerritos is grateful for the partnership with Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, which allowed us to present this educational and entertaining show to students from various communities.”