PAC Milestone

MILESTONES

10 Years in the PAC

Ten years ago, the Performing Arts Center, now known as the Rothrock Performance Hall, opened to the delight of the entire Priory community. The cool features like the giant screen that seemed to drop down from the sky, or the actual green room with makeup stations and the immense SPACE brought out “ooooohs” and “aaaaahs” from the crowd on opening day. A lot has happened in the PAC over the last 10 years. We thought it would be fun to have outgoing choral instructor, Tina Paulson and drama instructor, John Sugden share some of their favorite moments of what they call “moments of beauty, humor, and real artistic connection.”

• All the musicals were awesome–but particularly “Urinetown,” “Drowsy Chaperone,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and of course, “Jesus Christ, Superstar.” • The Mechanicals (bottom and crew) in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” making them laugh so hard that they fell out of their seat. • All the Faculty Talent Shows–but particularly the one where Molly Buccola did “interpretive dance” while Amanda McFadden and Tina did a piano/recorder rendition of “My Heart Will Go On,” or the one when John and Tina did the “One Man Les Mis”–they did ALL of “Les Mis” in about 10 minutes, and John played every character, with costumes and props. • Several stand-out Pops Concert performances... Concert Choir with the “High School Musical Medley” two years ago, or the entire choral program’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” from about six years ago. • Chris Gregory’s ‘12 unflinching dedication to outdoing himself with lights every subsequent year of his time here... and how he asked for a key to the PAC when he was a 6th grader... • “The Laramie Project” was heartbreaking and so beautiful, as was “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992”–our students’ capacity for depth and truth in tackling really hard issues. • Any time John and Tina performed for events/ galas–“Wonderful Town,” “Priory (Comedy) Tonight,” “This is the Priory (Cabaret)”–and all of the parodying the Performing Arts has done over the years...

The Drowsy Chaperone

Chris Gregory

John and Tina

Beauty and the Beast

Midsummer Nights Dream

Pops Concert -HS Musical

Pops Concert - MS Choir

Urinetown

The opening of the PAC in 2008

GALA

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The Beat Goes On... Priory’s 36th Gala CLUB 60!

Priory’s first disco nightclub, Club 60, opened for the parent community on March 17 at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club with enormous thanks to Jennifer Youstra, Christy Occhipinti and Cynthia Mahood Levin, chairs of the school’s largest social event of the year.

Groovy guests responded to the theme with enthusiasm arriving in bell bottoms, tie-dye, mini skirts, white patent leather boots and peasant blouses ready to get down and get funky! Wandering through the silent auction, decorated by Clayre Fathers and Wendy Dyckerhoff, guests enjoyed signature cocktails and appetizers, while at the same time monitoring the NorCal championship game of our girls’ basketball team.

In full Saturday Night fever form, Mr. Molak oversaw the Live Auction imaginatively curated by Kristi Patterson, Carolyn

Putney and Jennifer Youstra. Julie Dickerson and Linda Thomas’ creative composition of cakes received a rousing response, including a never-before-offered 60th Anniversary cake! Live auction highlights included a Dream Race Weekend with

Mario Andretti, an ultimate luxury experience in the Big Apple with tickets to see Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, a culinary tour of Paris including cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu, an extreme V.I.P. weekend with Coach Moseley to see the LA

Lakers and an action packed day at Universal Studios and … of course, Father Martin’s handcrafted, heirloom quality

Tall Clock–number 34 in a limited edition series.

With the final paddle counted, guests made a mad dash to the disco dance floor to claim their spot and rock the night away! Jam packed and roaring until the very last beat of the very last song, Club 60 will be the measure for galas to come.

1. Scott and Pamela Weiss were dressed head to toe in 60’s fashion. 2. Gala chairs Cynthia Mahood Levin, Jennifer Youstra, and Christy Occhipinti with Tim Molak. 3. Father Maurus proudly displayed the Monks Cake. 4. Father Martin got into the spirit while serving a hot Irish coffee that accompanied the Monks Cake! 5. Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club was filled to capacity with happy bidders. 6. Parents enjoyed themselves at the silent auction portion of the evening.

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Fund-a-Future

Halfway through the live auction, Fund-a-Future Chair, Carolyn Putney, took the stage to ask for support of Priory’s fi nancial aid program, “Let us not deny any qualifi ed student the chance to benefi t from our timeless values and superior education, based on their bank accounts. Let us make a commitment to improve tomorrow by making a gift of the Priory, to others today.”

She then presented Priory alumna, Keyra Galavan ‘11, who shared her experience as a participant in Priory’s fi nancial aid program and how that experience set the course for her life. A graduate of Santa Clara University and a Fulbright Scholar, Galvan currently works as a fi nancial analyst for Adobe Systems in San Jose. In her touching remarks she said, “I’m proud to be the fi rst in my family and extended family to go to college. I am completely humbled and blessed to have had the Priory community as well as many others to thank for my journey.“

With special thanks to co-chair Millie Gong who worked behind the scenes, Putney and Galvan’s Fund-a-Future presentation generated over half a million dollars in support of fi nancial aid at Priory. Galvan expressed her gratitude beautifully, “To everyone in this room, especially those who have been with me on my journey through the years, I couldn’t be more grateful to you. “

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1. Keyra Galvan ‘11 spoke during the Fund-a-Future portion of the evening. 2. A fl urry of bid paddles went up during the Fund-a-Future. 3. Stuart and Carolyn Putney happily won the 60th Anniversary Cake presented by Al Zappelli. 4. The gala committee enjoyed the evening in their festive 60’s attire. 5. Father Martin with his clock #34!

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