Chevron Family Theatre Festival July 18 In Walnut Creek

The Chevron Family Theatre Festival will return this summer to the Lesher Center for the Arts for the ninth annual event with exciting new performers and popular favorites. Presented by Chevron and produced by the Diablo Regional Arts Association, the Festival offers families a low-cost day of non-stop theater, dance, and music performances along with visual arts activities both inside and outside the Lesher Center for the Arts (LCA).

This year the Festival welcomes back Popovich Comedy Pet Theater featuring Gregory Popovich and 30 trained animals including dogs, cats, geese, birds and mice in a comedy/circus act. Remarkably, each animal in the show was rescued and trained by Popovich, a fourth generation circus performer. As a juggler, clown, and pet trainer, the show combines physical comedy, balancing, and acrobatics. He and his animals perform to sold-out crowds at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. He has toured 25 countries and has been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the David Letterman Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and Animal Planet, and was a finalist on America’s Got Talent

Alex Ramon Magic returns this year bringing his unique brand of magic. Born and raised in Richmond, CA, Alex saw magic performed by one of his father’s colleagues and went on a quest to learn magic tricks. While still a teenager he was performing 250 shows per year. He was chosen by Disney to perform with the Disney Live! presents “Mickey’s Magic Show,” traveling to over 15 countries. His next job was with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as the second youngest ringmaster in their history. Audiences will be entertained and impressed with his card tricks, illusions and modern day magic.

Additional favorite returning acts this year include Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, who will perform their interactive version of The Crimson Pirate. The Emmy Award-nominated Pushcart Players will perform the classic Alice in Wonderland.

Tickets are $5 each for shows and go on sale June 18.

There is also plenty of free entertainment and activities for families. The Festival kicks off at 10 am with the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and then boys and girls can join in the Prince and Princess Parade as it winds around the outside of the Lesher Center for the Arts. Other free offerings include:

*Puppets are given to children free of charge courtesy of Chevron. Kids can choose from a dog or cat puppet. (Outside) They can then use the puppet theater to create their own show with their new puppet. (Inside, Second Floor Rotunda)
*Na Mamo No’eau Polynesian dancers. Kids will love the music and costumes featured in the authentic ethnic dances (Outside)
*San Jose Taiko Drummers strive to connect people beyond cultural boundaries and teach kids about Japanese culture (Outside)
*Puppet-Making gives kids the opportunity to get creative with scissors and glue to make their own puppet character (Inside, Bedford Gallery)
*Costumed Characters such as Cinderella, Snow White, and their handsome Princes will visit with kids and families (Outside)
*Face Painting will give kids the opportunity to get into character (Outside)
*Mother Goose storytelling is the perfect haven for youngsters to wind down (Inside, Third Floor Rotunda)

Parking is available at the North Locust Street Garage next to the Lesher Center for the Arts (entrance is accessible only from California Blvd.) for easy all-day parking. (A flat rate of $3 will cover parking for the entire day.) Complete schedule and ticket info available at www.LesherArtsCenter.org