ENCINO : Children Sing for Endangered Animals’ Plight

Aspiring diva Liza Baron wishes she had a dinosaur to pal around with.

But Liza, 9, soon to be a fifth-grader at Lanai Road School in Encino, wasn’t prompted to sing about dinosaurs by the bright purple children’s idol Barney, but rather by animals which today are on the brink of extinction.

Liza joined 15 others from across Los Angeles County Thursday in performing “The Shambala Revue” at the ARCO Junior Achievement Auditorium in Burbank.

Produced by a nonprofit organization, See Above Productions Inc., the play is a musical commentary on the plight of endangered species told through seven songs written by young people ranging in age from 8 to 23.

Actors dressed in sweat suits decorated with paint to represent lions, tigers, a panther and a snow leopard, sung about Shambala--an Acton ranch owned by actress Tippi Hedren, which provides a refuge for exotic animals who are abandoned or mistreated by their owners.

“Save me, save me, there’s only one, just like me,” sang Jeremy Shapiro, a 10-year-old who wrote the lyrics to a song performed by his character Dorge, an endangered snow leopard.

Jeremy’s commentary on Dorge’s dire future, interspersed with slides featuring leaping snow leopards, brought tears to the eyes of some in the audience.

Troupe veteran Mindy McEnnan--who plays a rich woman who collects furs because she “can afford it”--said the production is meant to raise people’s awareness about the fragile world around them.

“The animals that live on this planet have as much of a right to be here as we do,” McEnnan said.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1988, See Above Productions Inc.’s actors perform regularly, and recently finished touring with the musical “Writing on the Wall.”

Actors took lyrics for this production from letters written by teen-agers in jail to other teen-agers.

The nonprofit group provides an outlet for 30 children a year from various socioeconomic backgrounds to express their views about social issues through singing, acting and dancing, said spokeswoman Kelly Hayes-Raitt.

Liza, who has never taken singing lessons in her young life, but can belt out a tune better than many who have, said the group has helped her use her talents effectively.

“I can get a message out. I want to tell people kids can help too--it’s not only something that’s up to grown-ups,” she said.