California Youth Theatre

The Ivar Theatre in Hollywood is about to be reborn, adding yet another name to the expanding list of active mid-size theaters in Los Angeles. The new owner of the Ivar is the 37-year-old California Youth Theatre, which eventually plans to use the 250-seat facility for its own youth-oriented productions but in the meantime hopes to obtain as much rental revenue as possible from other producers.

Jack Nakano, an educator who launched the nonprofit Youth Theatre Productions in Santa Barbara in the early 1960s and later founded and was artistic director of the Hollywood-based California Youth Theatre and YouTHeatre-America!, has died. He was 75. Nakano, whose long career as a youth-oriented theater arts guru spanned five decades and touched the lives of performers such as Jack Black and America Ferrera, died of heart failure Jan.

Paula Prentiss, Richard Benjamin and Kevin Spacey will present certificates of congratulations on behalf of California Youth Theatre to the first-place-winning actors of the Drama Teachers' Assn. of Southern California's fall drama competition, at Paramount Theatre on the Paramount Studios lot, today at 7 p.m. The association's competitions, held twice annually, involve hundreds of high school and junior high school drama students from Southland schools. Tonight's winners will perform.

The Ivar Theatre in Hollywood is about to be reborn, adding yet another name to the expanding list of active mid-size theaters in Los Angeles. The new owner of the Ivar is the 37-year-old California Youth Theatre, which eventually plans to use the 250-seat facility for its own youth-oriented productions but in the meantime hopes to obtain as much rental revenue as possible from other producers.

The California Youth Theatre, a nonprofit theater arts training program for teens and young adults and a community outreach program for at-risk youth, is being given the use of a sound stage and other facilities at Paramount Pictures. Paramount announced Thursday that it has "designated Stage 23 on its lot as the group's 'home.' " The youth theater will use the sound stage for rehearsals, subject to the studio's shooting schedule.

Jack Nakano, an educator who launched the nonprofit Youth Theatre Productions in Santa Barbara in the early 1960s and later founded and was artistic director of the Hollywood-based California Youth Theatre and YouTHeatre-America!, has died. He was 75. Nakano, whose long career as a youth-oriented theater arts guru spanned five decades and touched the lives of performers such as Jack Black and America Ferrera, died of heart failure Jan.

The 16-year-old folded the paper along its well-worn creases and began, in a voice perhaps more innocent than it should have been: "I remember the first time I got locked up in the halls . . . ." He froze, fumbled for his footing and admitted: "I know it, but I can't remember where it starts." Leaning toward his pupil, actor Roger Kern was reassuring, telling the boy to take it easy and start over. "I remember when I first got locked up in the halls," the boy began anew, in flat, even tones.

Spectators at the 1992 Los Angeles Marathon waiting to applaud all those sweaty folks in running shorts are in for "A Mile of Smiles" with Taiko drummers, tap dancers and improv artists. The California Youth Theatre, an official charity of the marathon, is turning the race's fourth mile into "a milelong, family-oriented block party to promote and display the positive achievements of young people," according to Jack Nakano, the company's artistic director.

Last week, the California Youth Theatre presented its first show at the John Anson Ford Theatre, Rodgers and Hart's "Babes in Arms," a winning musical about kids, done pleasantly by kids. It was an ambitious project, the result of a summer training program in the creative arts process for young people ages 12 to 21. Its second show, which opened Thursday at the Ford, is more ambitious still, taking on Shakespeare's "As You Like It," a comic tale of treachery and love conquering all.

"Our future hinges on this summer. If we fail, we'll go down in a blaze. We're the most public we've ever been." Jack Nakano, founder/director of the California Youth Theatre, a nonprofit theater arts training program for young people, is not talking of financial ruin. His dark intensity stems from his conviction that the company's credibility is on the line with the high-profile move from its Santa Barbara base to the John Anson Ford Theatre.

Paula Prentiss, Richard Benjamin and Kevin Spacey will present certificates of congratulations on behalf of California Youth Theatre to the first-place-winning actors of the Drama Teachers' Assn. of Southern California's fall drama competition, at Paramount Theatre on the Paramount Studios lot, today at 7 p.m. The association's competitions, held twice annually, involve hundreds of high school and junior high school drama students from Southland schools. Tonight's winners will perform.

They're off and running for the Ovations, L.A.'s first peer-judged competitive theater awards. As of Wednesday, 11 shows that were already open or about to open had signed up as the first contenders. Though the year-long eligibility period began Sept. 1, shows that opened earlier could sign up with Theatre LA, the sponsoring organization, as long as they continued playing at least into September. Though the race has barely begun, the first sign of Ovations controversy has already cropped up.

The California Youth Theatre, a nonprofit theater arts training program for teens and young adults and a community outreach program for at-risk youth, is being given the use of a sound stage and other facilities at Paramount Pictures. Paramount announced Thursday that it has "designated Stage 23 on its lot as the group's 'home.' " The youth theater will use the sound stage for rehearsals, subject to the studio's shooting schedule.

Spectators at the 1992 Los Angeles Marathon waiting to applaud all those sweaty folks in running shorts are in for "A Mile of Smiles" with Taiko drummers, tap dancers and improv artists. The California Youth Theatre, an official charity of the marathon, is turning the race's fourth mile into "a milelong, family-oriented block party to promote and display the positive achievements of young people," according to Jack Nakano, the company's artistic director.

The 16-year-old folded the paper along its well-worn creases and began, in a voice perhaps more innocent than it should have been: "I remember the first time I got locked up in the halls . . . ." He froze, fumbled for his footing and admitted: "I know it, but I can't remember where it starts." Leaning toward his pupil, actor Roger Kern was reassuring, telling the boy to take it easy and start over. "I remember when I first got locked up in the halls," the boy began anew, in flat, even tones.

Last week, the California Youth Theatre presented its first show at the John Anson Ford Theatre, Rodgers and Hart's "Babes in Arms," a winning musical about kids, done pleasantly by kids. It was an ambitious project, the result of a summer training program in the creative arts process for young people ages 12 to 21. Its second show, which opened Thursday at the Ford, is more ambitious still, taking on Shakespeare's "As You Like It," a comic tale of treachery and love conquering all.

They're off and running for the Ovations, L.A.'s first peer-judged competitive theater awards. As of Wednesday, 11 shows that were already open or about to open had signed up as the first contenders. Though the year-long eligibility period began Sept. 1, shows that opened earlier could sign up with Theatre LA, the sponsoring organization, as long as they continued playing at least into September. Though the race has barely begun, the first sign of Ovations controversy has already cropped up.

In the "20th Annual Salute to the Winners," junior and senior high school students who placed first in the Drama Teachers' Assn. of Southern California's 1997 fall festivals will present their winning performances for celebrities and entertainment professionals at California Youth Theatre on the Paramount Studios lot Monday at 6 p.m. Limited seating is available for the general public; information is available from California Youth Theatre at (310) 657-3270. Tickets are $5.

"Our future hinges on this summer. If we fail, we'll go down in a blaze. We're the most public we've ever been." Jack Nakano, founder/director of the California Youth Theatre, a nonprofit theater arts training program for young people, is not talking of financial ruin. His dark intensity stems from his conviction that the company's credibility is on the line with the high-profile move from its Santa Barbara base to the John Anson Ford Theatre.