Raising the Curtain Foundation seeks board members

Raising the Curtain Foundation, which supports the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts at Newhall Elementary School, is looking for business leaders and community members to apply for available seats on its board of directors.

The foundation has created outreach programming and coproduced several family-friendly performances that serve the neighborhood and surrounding areas, as well as the students who attend the school. They also sponsor educational programs, events, and conduct fundraising for the historic venue, which is also supported by the Newhall School District and the city of Santa Clarita.

“As a patron of the arts, I am very proud to be a part of Raising the Curtain Foundation,” board President Kim Pearlman said in a prepared statement. “It is a privilege to work with this group that is passionate about supporting the Newhall Family Theatre and helping to use it to its fullest by creating quality arts programming for the community. We have some exciting projects coming up and would like to invite community members to bring their own talents and ideas to our board. Together we can enhance access to the performing arts here in Santa Clarita Valley.”

Experience with nonprofit organizations, small business, public education and/or the entertainment industry is desired from board candidates and they must be willing to commit at least two years to board service. Questionnaires for all applicants are available from theater manager Tom Lund at tlund@newhallsd.com and must be completed and turned in by April 1 to be considered for board appointments.

The Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts recently underwent an extensive renovation. The historic 529-seat theater now features vastly improved acoustics and audio-visual capabilities, plus an expanded stage, renovated lobby and a new outdoor patio area.

The art deco-style theater was built in 1941 to replace the original Newhall Elementary School Auditorium, which had burned down in 1939. It served as the school’s auditorium and a community resource until the 1970s, when it was converted to storage space to satisfy the state’s space usage requirements for schools. It served as a warehouse for approximately 40 years.

After years of effort by community advocates who sought to restore the auditorium to its former glory as a performance and gathering space for elementary school students and the community, the Newhall School District broke ground in March 2016 on the $4.8 million renovation. The newly transformed auditorium, renamed the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts, made its debut with a VIP reception in October 2017.

For more information on Raising the Curtain Foundation, visit www.raisingthecurtainfoundation.org.