Arcadia FYI

How A High School Theater Became The City’s Cultural Heart

• Christine Zito • Season 1 • Episode 12

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0:00 | 30:35

A city can spend decades wishing for a stage—or it can build one that becomes the neighborhood’s favorite seat. I sit down with Christine Lee, president and CEO of the Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation, to share how Arcadia transformed cafeteria concerts and borrowed auditoriums into a state-of-the-art venue that students and families can claim as their own. From the first blueprints to opening night, this is the story of a community that funded a dream and now fills it with music, theater, and memory.

Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/

Welcome, Sponsors, And Holiday Vibes

Christine Zito

Hi, and welcome back to Arcadia FYI. I'm Christine Zito, and I am so glad you're a part of this show. Reading the emails that I get and reading the Facebook messages that I get, reading the comments is wonderful. And even those that are like, well, you know, I'm glad that you sometimes catch my misspellings. Thank you for that, because I can go back and fix that. So thank you for being a part of this show as we dive into what is going on in the community here at Arcadia and even outside of Arcadia. Okay, because we're all one big happy family here in the San Gabriel Valley. But of course, this is Arcadia FYI, and I do focus on our city. I would like to thank our sponsors that make this all happen. Longo, Toyota, Lexus, and El Monte. I know you're gonna hear me say it. You gotta go by and check it out. They do more than just sell cars. It's on a huge lot, and who knows? You might find your dream car, especially here at Christmas time. Star 7 Financial with Francine Chu, the Santa Anita Park. Have you seen Enchant? Have you gone to Enchant? Have you? Oh my gosh, I was there a couple of weeks ago, and I can't even I was thinking before the show what words I can use to describe the beauty and the lights of Enchant. It is something that you need to experience, and it's going on right now until uh I think December 28th. And also the Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia and Pasadena. Alright. Are you still eating turkey? Yeah, me neither. You know what? No more turkey until next year. I know. I'm on a diet too. I want to eat a little bit more for Christmas time. Are you ready for Christmas? Yeah, me neither. Hey, but you know what? While you're getting ready for Christmas, if you like entertainment, kickback, sit back, you know, sit back, listen to a band or a play. Well you can do that because Christmas season is upon us. There's a lot of things

Meet Christine Lee And Her Arcadia Roots

Christine Zito

happening in studio. I have a special guest, Christine Lee. She is with the Arcadia Performing Arts Center here in Arcadia, and Christmas has arrived at the Performing Arts Center. Welcome, Christine.

Christine Lee

Hi, Christine.

Christine Zito

I love your name. I know it's a great name, isn't it? I I love it. I love it. Totally. You know what? What I like to do first is to get to know who Christine Lee is. So, um, are you an Arcadian? Were you born here in California, United States, anywhere on the planet?

Christine Lee

Well, yeah, my name is Christine Lee. I have been living in Arcadia since 1991, so over 35 years of residence. And I used to live on the Camino Rio, and then I moved to uh north of the foothill on in 1998. I had two children. Um my daughter and my son, they both went through the Arcadia School District, started from the elementary school, middle school, and then finally graduated from Arcadia High School. Both of them play violin. Oh wow. So I have been involved in the music program as a volunteer parent uh since they were young. Okay. So uh, of course, uh in high school I was volunteer parents for the Arcadia Music Club, uh, shop round the trips and uh camp.

Christine Zito

The trips like they're going on competition.

Christine Lee

Yeah, competition. They also went out to Florida. And I've been shop around, and I think I was able to connect with so many great parents.

Christine Zito

I'm pouring coffee if you hear something pouring, just so you know.

Christine Lee

From Arcadia. And we have a lot of great parents that had children already graduated from high school, but they still devoted in all these events, including the festival band. My kids were in the orchestra, but you know, the music club, it's a big family.

Christine Zito

Are they still doing music now?

Christine Lee

They they're not. But they they've been enjoying the music. They started playing and learned the violin piano when they were like in the elementary school.

Christine Zito

So did you know I played the I played the violin? Wow. Starting in elementary, that's my primary instrument, and then I learned the piano, but I learned the piano by ear. I never learned it by looking at the notes and stuff like that. But the violin, I love the violin. I played it for a while. Yeah I can't play it much. I I would have to take a lesson or two.

Christine Lee

I grew up uh also with a parent that kind of um feel the music is very important. So I started playing piano when I was three years old, but then I kind of like stopped for a while after.

Christine Zito

You know, I was isn't music emotional and it's powerful. Yes, it really is. I mean, when you think of music, I can play I could I can listen, I hear a song and all of a sudden it'll just take me back to that time.

Christine Lee

Yes.

Christine Zito

Because music can do that to the emotions. It's pretty amazing.

Christine Lee

Yeah, it it is amazing. And uh um that's also one of my passion, you know, uh music, performing arts, and that's

From Parent Volunteer To Foundation President

Christine Lee

why you know I was invited to be the board members, you know, for Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation.

Christine Zito

Right. Are you a member you're a board member?

Christine Lee

Are you the president or are you I uh I started in 2016 as a board member and currently I'm the president and CEO for Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation. Wow, we have a celebrity in studio.

Christine Zito

Woohoo.

Christine Lee

But anyway, I was uh involved with the Performing Arts Foundation since 2016, and uh I enjoyed that kind of um volunteers and also uh passionate.

Christine Zito

Yeah, putting it into all those shows. I have to I just have to tell you something, Christine. Growing up, I always wanted to be an actress. I always wanted to win an Oscar. I did a lot of stage plays. I did um Shakespeare. Now I didn't like Shakespeare in the beginning because he's hard to understand. Uh-huh. But once you get to know his stories, I loved um I loved doing the plays, and I did Taming of the Shrew, and the director compiled these uh monologues and submitted it and asked me to compete on the Southern Californian level and compete with this monologue, and I won first place.

Christine Lee

Oh wow, Shakespeare! Amazing! I know! Have you ever come to Arcadia stage? Uh their fall plays and also their spring musical. You know, Arcadia High School has a very amazing theater program.

Christine Zito

I have to confess, as I confess here on Arcadia FYI, and I've been I've I've been back in Arcadia since uh 2015, and I have not been. I am so sorry, I confess. Here's a here's someone that's a total theater, passionate theater person. And I think it's just because you know you bec when you become a business owner, you just get so consumed with your business. That's that's not an excuse, but it I need to go.

Christine Lee

Yeah, they just have a very amazing uh Christmas Carol play, the fall play, uh completed in November, the mid November. And they have their musical coming up in March. And this year they're gonna have Miss Saigon.

Christine Zito

So you gotta reserve your time. I am gonna, you know what? I I wanna go. I wanna s I just love it. Gosh, now it's like now I d let's just go. Can we just go to the performing arts center right now?

Christine Lee

Oh and just email for that.

Christine Zito

Now a performing arts center, when you think of a of a performing arts center, it's its own entity, you know. But this performing arts center is actually on the campus of Arcadia High School.

Why The Performing Arts Center Is On Campus

Christine Zito

Okay, as much as I love the whole idea of education because I was a high school teacher for six years, but why did they put the the a performing arts center on the campus of a high school?

Christine Lee

Well, this is uh Arcadians uh a history, okay, of the Arcadian. Okay, the Arcadian people were actually long for to have a performing arts center since 1940, 50, 60 for a long, long time. There were a couple organizations had tried to raise the fund, build the center, because we do have the need in our community, and uh but did not go through.

Christine Zito

Oh god, that's a long time.

Christine Lee

Yeah, so uh not very few people know that Arcadian people love to have a performing art center since you know 90s, 50s, you know. Right.

Christine Zito

I mean well look at Arcadia and the historic uh landmark that it is. You have the Santa Anita Park, you have the Arboretum, you have such nostalgicness. Oh the the the Derby. Yes, you have to have a performing arts center.

Christine Lee

Yes, yes, that's why it was it's a dream. It's uh a dream come true for Arcadian. Um so in 2020 2006, I'm sorry, 2006, so the uh the school district is gonna run in for a major I fundraising. And they they at the time they considered to kind of build the center inside the campus so that we had wonderful performing arts program for the high school, the whole youth district, that the student can you know have the opportunity to have this beautiful performing arts center.

Christine Zito

Right.

Christine Lee

You know, my kids graduate back in 2008 and nine, back in those years, Acadia High School did not have a performing arts center. So our orchestra program had to travel to Pasadena High School, auditorium, to have their full concert. Or they they might perform at like a North Gym or South Gym, not a real performing art center. And the theater program had a small theater where it sits about 100 people, very small stage. So in 2006, and I'm so glad that the district and then also Arcadian people really support the idea to kind of help and improve the whole district in many, all the school district schools, including building a new performing art center. And that was approved and passed, of course, and so that was in a major I it's a bong of in our property tax. And then since then they built the center that the center completed in 2012. Oh wow, that's then they opened on 2013.

Christine Zito

Wow. So that took a while for it to be built, but man. That you know what that I like the idea, what a dream come true after all these years. And um how many okay there's so many questions I want to throw you at one time now. How ma now with the the new performing arts center, which is beautiful, because you know, I'll drive by there and I'll be just like, wow, I mean I mean to have students you know be prideful and say, hey, we have a performing arts center on our campus. How many people does it sit now?

Christine Lee

It seats about eleven hundred to twelve hundred. Really?

Building The Center: Funding And Opening

Christine Lee

Yeah, it's a it's a very state-of-art facility and it's a great facility. If you've never been there, you definitely, definitely, you know. Go. I'll I'll definitely personally invite you to go sometime when you're available.

Christine Zito

Oh yeah, I'm gonna I'm on the website right now and I'm looking at the seating. And this is really this is really nice orchestrate orchestrate of, if I can say seating, because you have people facing the stage and then there's like um seating on the side.

Christine Lee

Right there. Like a balcony. We have the balcony on the side, but then the center seat is uh um kind of goes up. It's very I think it's a very nice auditorium each time when I'm in there um enjoying all this performance and concert theater program. You have the best, you know, um feeling sitting in there, like you're part of that. Right. And it has screens and then the stage is very good.

Christine Zito

Yeah, you can see the screens, and then you got the perspective, the piano on stage with the pers perspective looking out into the audience. Beautiful.

Christine Lee

Yeah.

Christine Zito

It is just beautiful.

Christine Lee

Yes, it is a very beautiful performing art center. As an Arcadian, you know, resident homeowner for over 35 years. I'm so proud that Arcadia has a beautiful performing arts center that had built and completed in 2012. Now it's over twenty years. So it we tried, the the foundation tried to help the performing arts center on any kind of you know major upgrades. Of course, it's owned by the school district. The school district helped them kind of do the perform, I mean the the regular maintenance. The the centers used by the student, the whole district student, you know, over 80% of the time, of course. Yeah. But there are still available um weekends or days that can be rend rended to the outside um organization using.

Christine Zito

Just do some monologues. Hey, I could do my Shakespeare monologue.

Christine Lee

Oh yeah, you could do some like a talk show. I remember you.

Christine Zito

You know, okay, so okay. The Performing Arts Center. When are are plays that are performed on the stage, is it just for the high school? Do you guys ever do auditions for the public to come and audition?

Christine Lee

We haven't done that much, but you know, that's a good idea. I think our foundation is gonna do more uh to reach out to the community.

Christine Zito

I would come and audition. I don't know if I'll get the part, but you know. No singing. I don't sing. I mean that would really that would clear the auditorium if I started singing. Yeah, we can do some uh speaker series or even well, just like plays, like other like other performing arts centers, you know, uh like the wicked. Okay, I don't sing. But you know, they they allow the public to come and audition.

Christine Lee

Yes. Yeah. With along with the students, you know. Yeah, we we can consider that in the future, of course, that you know, fulfilling our part part of our commission, I mean mission is to kind of support the performing arts education uh in Arcadia throughout the district and also our region, and then bringing in the professional uh performers, uh including Paul Anka, is our uh inaccurate uh artist back in 2013 when

Inside The Venue: Seating And Design

Christine Lee

we first opened that. And the the group that we had invited, you know, and performed in our center, including Air Supply, Heard Albert and Nanny, and Food Tops, Tempe Temptation, and Taylor, uh Steve Taylor, and Danny Sapir, and then Big Babu's daddy.

Christine Zito

They're great, they're great in concert.

Christine Lee

Yeah, and then last year we have Teller Dan as our Gala artist, and she was wonderful, and she has a very famous song that everybody loves it.

Christine Zito

Right.

Christine Lee

Tell it to my love. Go ahead, sing it, Christine. Go ahead, go ahead. Christine Lee, not Christine Z. Well, and then this year in September, we have all for one. Um that was a group that I'm sure you know them.

Christine Zito

Oh, yeah, they grew. Okay, so okay, people that don't know, I used to live in the Antelope Valley.

Christine Lee

Uh-huh.

Christine Zito

And all for one lived out there.

Christine Lee

Yes, yes.

Christine Zito

And so we we always met up with each other. I I was on, I was a DJ out there in the Antelope Valley for a while. So they would come in the studio and and sing and stuff, so because they lived there.

Christine Lee

Yeah, check out our website. We have posted some of the video when they were performing in September. Yeah, they they mentioned about because uh they were also joining our uh they joined our VIP session. We have a gala dinner before the concert. So they mentioned about their experience in the high school, uh, play in the band and compete in the and then have visit Arcadians before. So it was a very, very wonderful uh experience for them. That's why they they kind of grew up and then joined the band and then joined the the group and their harmonies.

Christine Zito

Oh, so my gosh, they they are just fantastic with you know, thinking of drama and and plays, you know, that that is a real you know icon when it comes to a performing arts. And that's why like you know, inviting this is just me, inviting the outside public and working with the students is is great. Students can learn from those that are more seasoned in acting, and even the seasoned actors can learn from those that are just starting out.

Christine Lee

Yeah, you know, it could be definitely. We we've been try to, you know, also to arrange the student to incorporate the the art performance with the artists, including um Daniel Hull, you know, back in uh 2015 or 16. Yeah, we have including the students, and there were a couple, you know, program performance that we had include the student performance, including their dance group, orchestra, or the choir group. The theater part we haven't had chance, but you know, we we definitely love to include in this in the future that. But you know, they also have a very, very uh amazing backstage uh stage crap program. I don't know if you know. If you go to their performance, they have all these backstage crap, you know, props, everything built.

Christine Zito

So they build their own sets there. Okay, see, I think that's great. Yeah. So can people fly? Do their things? Do you have flying?

Christine Lee

No, not yet. Yeah, I know yet. But recently they have upgraded their reading control system. Just like you know, you know. They had the system. Oh, I want to play Peter Pan. I want to be able to fly across the stage.

Community Use, Rentals, And Student Programs

Christine Lee

But they're gonna do something special for the uh Miss Saigon in the eighth uh March. See, you gotta you gotta do more plays. Oh, yeah, you gotta come and I mean the plays are gonna be that's a secret.

Christine Zito

I can't, but you gotta what we can talk about that is not secret. What's coming up uh in the in this month? Uh something very special is happening December 14th.

Christine Lee

Yeah, so the Letterman.

Christine Zito

The Letterman, they're back. They were here.

Christine Lee

They were back, yeah. They're they were here in April. Okay. Um, their performance was you know just fantastic. Their voice is beautiful, three guys, uh beautiful homies. They have many, many a famous song. Um they've been in the industry over over 30 or 40 years, I'm sure. Yeah. I know a lot of people know them. Um and their famous song is including, you know, going out of my hat, putting your hand on my shoulder, the way you look tonight. And for Christmas, because they are so great, you know, for the April coaster, and they reach out and then say, Oh, we have a very nice Christmas show. Would you like, you know, us to come back? So, oh yeah, great, great, you know, yeah, yeah.

Christine Zito

You can hear some of their music in the background if you gotta, I mean, because it is good music.

Christine Lee

Yeah, and then they they're gonna have their special arrangement for hallelujah and the 12th day of a Christmas too. So yeah, so you're gonna enjoy their regular, you know, popular hit, also some Christmas song.

Christine Zito

Okay, so that's December 14th. Okay, that's on a Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale right now, and where can they get their tickets? They can go to the um the to the website?

Christine Lee

Yeah, our website, arcadia arcadiaf.org.org.

Christine Zito

Yeah, arcadia P A F. Just remember that. Arcadia P-A-F.org. And it will all be on Arcadia FYI also. Um and you can uh buy tickets there. So I think that's great.

Christine Lee

And we also have a holiday special with the 15% off, and you can type in the code when you purchase the ticket. Make sure you type in the code holiday holiday.

Christine Zito

Holiday, let me write that down. Holiday 15th. And I will make sure that that code is on Arcadia FYI also.

Christine Lee

Yes, yes, yes.

Christine Zito

So there's so many things. Okay, so you're gonna have to come back, Christine, because there's so many things I want to talk about, the Performing Arts Center, and maybe we can actually do a podcast on stage. Oh gosh, that would be so great.

Christine Lee

Yeah, yeah. Oh, by the way, good news is that um, you know the road uh Tournament of Roses. Uh-huh. The Rose Queen's actually from Arcadia High School. I know. Serena Cole. Serena, I know.

Christine Zito

She's gonna be, she's also gonna be at the Christmas holiday. Yeah, the holiday fair, um helping out, giving away raffle tickets and stuff. Yeah, I think she's a she's a beautiful.

Christine Lee

And then we also have a princess too. So princess? Yeah. So from Arcadia High School. We're so proud. We have two this year in the royal court.

Christine Zito

I know, I think that it I you know what Arcadia has so much to be proud of. Even though there's so much going on, there's so much good going on. Oh, yeah. And that's what I like to focus on is things that are positive, you know, and that's what I like to focus on. That's why we're called Arcadia FYI.

Christine Lee

Yeah, and then also think about during the holiday, if you go anywhere, try to go visit anywhere, you're gonna run into the traffic everywhere. If you go concert anywhere, this is the just our in our backyard

Big-Name Acts And Student Integration

Christine Lee

without traffic, free parking. So definitely free parking. Did you hear that? Free parking. Yes, yes, yes. You go definitely, you gotta enjoy this in our own backyard, performing art center. You don't have to go go far.

Christine Zito

You have to go well, okay. So when when the kids had to perform in Pasadena, they had to pay for that parking.

Christine Lee

Well, yeah, we have a school bus shuffled them to Pasadena High School. And I, you know, we as a parent, we have to go shop run. But but now we have our own Prefier Center. So our students were so lucky that they were able to enjoy the center they utilize it more than you know, hundred percent percent. And so definitely, you know, I'm sure, you know, Arcadia has the great school district. Definitely.

Christine Zito

It has a I mean they win what top 10 in education. So okay, looking at the I'm on their website, okay. Again, that is arcadiapaf.org. And looking at the calendar, I see on December 20th, you have uh Encore dance, the Nutcracker, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Christine Lee

Okay, so that is a performing arts center. I think you're looking at the performing arts center's uh uh website now. And that is um because the the center is owned by the school district. So that is I believe that's a rental. And I see it's not produced by center, it's not produced by the set, you know, the foundation. It's one of the rental, and I I do know they they have that coming. So, you know, if you check on their their website, they do you will see some of the program that is outside the school district program. Oh, right. But you will see all the school district programs, including the data.

Christine Zito

And then you have well I just thought it was kind of cool to see the different things that are going on. Yeah.

Christine Lee

On their website, you cannot you you don't purchase the ticket from it has to be from the foundation website, from our foundation website, and it will connect you to Purple Pass, where it's the ticketing system, and then you purchase online, and then you'll get your e ticket emailed to you, or you can do well call too. Okay, if you can't print it I like will call.

Christine Zito

Yeah, just go up there and say, Hey, my name's Christine, I'm going in.

Christine Lee

Yeah, and you did you can select your own seats. So we have different price tiers. You know, the price is started with 39 to 69. That's and with the discount, I think it and that's already including the fees. Okay, just thought you know. Oh my gosh, yeah, that's the price already including the fee because sometimes people think, oh, the pain the buying it online, you know, it has that fees that's very expensive. If you go on Ticketmaster, yeah, they charge like a $30 to $50 minimum, I think. I believe. So definitely our price is already including a fee. Very clear and you know, no confusion. So when you check out, you just make sure you input that code, discount code, and then you get your discount code, holiday 15.

Christine Zito

Yes. So but yeah, I and here's the the March, Miss Saigon. And you have, I mean, if you go on the if you go on the website and click on calendar, you'll see uh what events and things that are going on at the Arts Center, which I think is is really cool that you guys keep it busy, keep it going, very, you know, performish, uh theater-ish. I do love theater. And um and so you know what, um, our time is coming to an end. And but I you have to come back. We I mean, I just I want to do more in talking about the Performing Arts Center. Yeah, yeah, I think I think it's I think it's it just sounds like a lot of fun. And don't forget the letterment Encore, they're back. Here it is, right here.

Holiday Headliner: The Lettermen Return

Christine Zito

Uh Sunday, December uh 14th at 2 p.m. Get your tickets, go straight to Arcadia P A F Performing Arts. What's F stand for?

Christine Lee

Uh Foundation.

Christine Zito

Foundation. Okay, there you go. Arcadia PAF Performing Arts Foundation.org. And also too, if you go to Arcadia FYI, I will make sure I have this on here. And check out this cool bag. Isn't that cool? The performing arts bag.

Christine Lee

Yeah, that's beautiful. I love the picture. I know we're a picture of the performing center.

Christine Zito

Oh, you know what? And here's the stage and everything. Oh wow, this is a this is cool. And and so, and we're and is this bag on for sale or is this something you guys give away ever so often?

Christine Lee

We did that uh in the September VIP Gala session, but we still have some left. We will be selling that at this concert.

Christine Zito

Okay, so when you go to the concert, oh my gosh, you gotta it's a and it it zips. Yes, does it also have a little uh zipper here? Of course, this is brand new. So, and then it's great. I like it.

Christine Lee

I'm gonna take it. It's a very, very nice holdback.

Christine Zito

Yes, I love it, love it. So Christine, thank you so much for being here. I I I mean, there's so much to talk about, and uh you will definitely we're we're we're gonna do something next year.

Christine Lee

Yeah, we we we you know I love to come back, and of course, a lot thing very, very important. We're giving away some free tickets and also for for dinner at the the concert. So if you come to the concert, you will have a chance to win the two dinners uh gift card and then also possible the new season ticket.

Christine Zito

Alright, so dinner on the on the Arcadia Performing Arts Center, and maybe season tickets for for next year. Now that's a that's great. I mean, uh I'm so glad you guys are here. I mean, I can practically walk to the performing arts center. Shame on me that I haven't been.

Christine Lee

Yeah, yeah, you gotta come sometime. And then um definitely I love to come back. Of course.

Christine Zito

Oh, yeah, you're gonna come. You're gonna come back. All right. I'd like to thank our sponsors, Longo Toyota and Lexus in El Monte. Go check it out. Find Brooke, find Mike, say hello, tell them thank you for Arcadia FYI. You never know, you might find the card of your dreams. I happen to love Alexis, that's my dream car. Um, Star 7 Financial with Francine Chu, beautiful woman, knows finances inside out, she'll help you. The Santa Anita Park. Visit the on uh Enchant. Enchant with the the great lights and in the mazes, there's an ice skating rink, a slide, a fair. I mean, there's I mean you can take pictures with Santa.

Tickets, Discounts, And How To Buy

Christine Zito

It's just a really, really fun time. You gotta check it out. And the Le Méridien hotel in Arcadia and Pasadena. All right, until next time on Arcadia FYI. Be blessed and make it a great day.