Cast of Horton Hatches the Egg at Fulton Elementary School
Bill Becker
The Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation was established to enhance the quality of life for the older population in the East Valley, including Sun Lakes residents, in the areas of health, education, and culture. Each year, the foundation accepts grant applications from local organizations to assist them in furthering their community service projects. This month, the foundation has awarded a $3,000 grant for 2020 to Sun Lakes Children’s Theater (SLCT), a division of Sun Lakes Community Theatre. The grant money will be used to purchase four additional face mikes and other electronic equipment, plus replacement of older, worn-down costumes and new scripts for a third Horton show in the near future. The equipment will be used during the 2020-21 winter season of children’s shows throughout the Chandler Unified School District.
Each year between January and March, our troupe of SLCT senior actors, fully costumed as animal and human characters, presents 25 live shows featuring Dr. Seuss’ Horton characters in two different Horton plays: Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg, to about 3,000 kindergarteners and first graders in our local Chandler elementary schools. For most of the children, it is the first time in their lives that they have experienced “live” theater, and many react spontaneously and vocally to the characters performing in front of them. Their heartfelt appreciation is demonstrated through their upturned faces and applause and by the hundreds of colorful “thank you” notes of appreciation collected through the last 10 years and sent to SLCT by the school administrators and teachers. SLCT sincerely thanks the Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation (GSLCF) for this grant that will help move our program forward in order to delight many more young children with the fun and surprise of “live theater for children.”