In brief: Oakland Tech’s high school musical ‘Chicago’ starts April 18
OAKLAND
The Oakland Technichal High School Drama Department invites you to their spring musical, “Chicago,” opening April 18!
Join the cast and crew in a trip back 100 years ago to the Roaring ’20s with Bob Fosse’s classic musical extravaganza. Let them razzle-dazzle you with two casts and six nights of costumes and sets that need to be seen to be believed! Performances will run at 7 p.m. April 18-20, 24-25 and 27.
General admission is $12, $5 for students and educators. Tickets can be bought at the door on online in advance at oaktechdrama.my.canva.site, where more details are also available. The school’s auditorium is at 4351 Broadway in Oakland, and the entrance is at the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street. They hope to see you there!
— Oakland Tech Drama Department
East Bay SPCA to aid low-income pet owners with $50K grant
The East Bay SPCA (EBSPCA) is proud to unveil an innovative collaboration with the California for All Animals program, made possible by a generous $50,000 grant. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the group’s ongoing mission to redefine animal welfare practices statewide.
The EBSPCA works to keep animals with their families by breaking down financial barriers for low-income residents who otherwise would be faced with surrendering their pets. Through waived fees and essential supplies, the organization will support families by providing the care their pets need.
From personnel salaries to programmatic expenses, all of the $50,000 grant is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of people and pets. For more details online about the EBSPCA and its latest happenings, visit eastbayspca.org/about/news.
— EBSPCA
PIEDMONT
Monday adult school class on drawing birds starts April 15
Piedmont Adult School is excited to offer a new spring session class, “Learn to Draw Songbirds with Colored Pencil.” The class will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays, April 15 through May 20.
In this introductory course, students will learn a wide variety of techniques and tips — such as layering, blending and adding texture — to help bring their birds to life.
Instructor Jennifer Linderman, a self-taught mixed-media artist with more than 13 years of teaching experience, will demonstrate how to simplify each bird using shapes, light and shadow, capturing their form and proportions.
Students will be provided with a printed reference photo of the week’s bird and other relevant handouts to guide their learning. A list of materials to purchase will be provided in advance of the class.
This class offers a unique opportunity for students to explore their creativity and learn new artistic skills in a supportive and inspiring environment. For more information or to register, visit piedmontadultschool.org online or call 510-594-2655.
— Piedmont Adult School
Lantern Projects in Ecuador, Mongolia, The Gambia, Gaza
Recent contributions to Lantern Projects in January and February 2024 provided the following to those in need in the developing world: school supplies; hospital construction supplies; mobile bakery baking supplies and tires; electric heaters; animal neutering supplies; wells; hospital supplies; fire extinguishers; food; and firewood.
Current Lantern Projects include ancestral fruit tree nursery supplies in Ecuador (project #490); boarding school supplies in Mongolia (#491); toilets for girls in The Gambia (#492); and medical supplies in Gaza (#493). All of any funds received go to the various projects.
Tax-deductible donations in any amount can be sent by check, identifying the project number, payable to Lantern Projects, at 51 Glen Alpine Road, Piedmont, CA 94611-3522. Include a name and email address. To donate by credit card or read more about each project, visit lanternprojects.org online.
— Lantern Projects
Meet eco-artist Smith, see work this weekend at arts center
Locally-based eco-artist Leslie Plato Smith has mounted a show of watercolors and oil paintings, each one representing a person uniquely aware of the imminent danger to a particular group of animal denizens of our world and thus to the health and welfare of that world as a whole.
She strives to communicate the urgency of a constructive response from all of us to the havoc we are wreaking on our planet.
Come to meet this much-awarded artist at the Piedmont Center for the Arts (PCA) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for an interesting and exciting conversation about art, life and living. Light refreshments will be served.
— PCA
To submit an item for our “In brief” section, please email it, at least three days before print publication, to njackson@bayareanewsgroup.com. Each item should be 90 to 180 words and include a short headline along with the name of the group or individual to credit for it.