Tobinworld students make spirits bright at annual holiday show
Children enrolled in the Tobinworld school in Glendale brought good tidings, great joy and some seasonal tunes at the nonprofit’s annual holiday show and open house on Friday.
About 300 people — mostly students’ families — filled up the school’s cafeteria, which served as the auditorium for the show, to see their kids perform Christmas carols and show tunes.
“It’s awesome,” said Burbank resident Jean Frias, adding that her 20-year-old son initially had issues with transitions and loud noises. But that didn’t stop him from taking the stage.
“He doesn’t sing, but at least he gets up there,” she said.
The curtains opened to a backdrop of pointy, snowy mountains and a lit-up “Happy Holidays” sign before the middle school and high school choir marched up to the stage to sing “76 Trombones.”
The choir members, sporting glittering gold top hats, followed with renditions of “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Blue Christmas,” complete with an Elvis impersonator.
Several school groups performed, including the Brill School of Autism choir, a staff ensemble, student band “The Creatives” and an elementary choir.
Members of the Elementary School Choir sing “Hello, Dolly” during the annual Tobinworld Holiday Show & Open House at the school in Glendale on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015.
Twelfth-grader Jose Ramos said his favorite song to sing was Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.”
Jose dressed to impress on stage, sporting a black suit, red shirt and a tie featuring a cartoon Santa Claus.
“My mom picked the tie,” he said.
His mother, Ivonne Rosado of Bell Gardens, said Jose has been in the show for five years.
“[When] December starts, he starts practicing and that’s all he can think about and talk about is the Christmas show,” she said. “He’s very into it.”
The audience was invited to get into it as well, with sing-alongs of the Beatles’ “Let it Be” and Disney’s “It’s a Small World.”
For Judy Weber, executive director of Tobinworld, this year’s show came with an added bonus — it fell on her 81st birthday.
Tobinworld Executive Director Judy Weber directs the Staff Ensemble during the annual the school’s Holiday Show & OpenHouse at the school in Glendale on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015.
“It was the best way to celebrate a birthday ever,” she said.
Tobinworld, which provides specialized education to children and young adults with autism or with emotional or developmental disabilities, was founded in 1977 and has held a holiday show every year since.
Weber directed the show and said that, while this year’s dress rehearsal didn’t go as well as hoped, the students gave a “wonderful” performance.
“They come through the day of the show,” Weber said. “It’s just such a happy occasion for me.”
Los Angeles resident Maziel Sierra’s 10-year-old son, Angel, was too shy to join his fellow students on stage last year, but this year he was “out and having fun,” his dad said.
“When it comes to him, every little thing is special for us,” Sierra said. “Just to see him smiling and happy ... is very special.”
Principal Chris Lougheed played guitar during the program and was glad his school offers a chance for students that they wouldn’t necessarily get at another school.
“We include everybody,” Lougheed said. “It just gives them that opportunity to get on stage and show off.”
The show closed with students singing “Feliz Navidad,” after which family members got the opportunity to check out classrooms, have some refreshments and pose for a photo with Santa.
Tobinworld serves roughly 500 students — 300 in Glendale and about 200 at its five schools in the Bay Area, according to Weber.
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Ryan Fonseca, ryan.fonseca@latimes.com
Twitter: @RyFons
