The theatre festival in Fullerton, California is an event that is truly one of a kind. Every year, it brings together 180 students from various high schools and 18 judges to create an unforgettable experience. It all began in 1980 when graduate student Dale Wahlberg set out to improve the festival's programs, procedures, and objectives. Today, the festival is made possible by the participation of over 100 volunteers, including 45-50 professionals with experience in acting, theatre teaching, and local production.
During the event, 150 judges evaluate 30 competition rooms every hour and 200 university workers contribute to making it one of the best-organized theatre festivals in the country. Organized by the Tarbutv'Torah Innovation Institute (TVT) in Irvine, this festival is a great way to bring together many film programs from high schools in the area. It also invites the public to participate in glamorous parties and intimate events with filmmakers, from opening night to culinary cinema and panel discussions with filmmakers. The success of recent festivals is largely due to the hard work of university student leadership teams who recruit and organize a workforce of up to 200 theater students.
In the early 1990s, Professor Robert Smart became the festival's mentor and Barbara Aimz Brown was appointed as the festival coordinator. Roberto Pomo then asked Scott Adams, a local actor and theater producer who was an alumnus of Sac State and Lenaea, to direct the festival. By embracing their traditions and seeking opportunities for improvement, Lenaea Festival continues to provide participants with a lifelong memory of teamwork, camaraderie, networking, and an overall theatrical spirit that can rarely be experienced in such a short period of time. Screenings take place at San Francisco's historic Castro Theater and at venues across the Bay Area.
