School Play Aims to Help Fund Trip

Dillon Kenyon may be an 18-year-old senior at Nordhoff High School, but her life is anything but that of a carefree teenager.

Besides keeping up with schoolwork, she is involved in just about every aspect of the school’s production of “42nd Street,” which will open tonight at Matilija Junior High.

The show is a fund-raiser for Nordhoff’s chorale, a cappella singers and the symphonic and jazz bands, which need $72,000 for a trip to New York City April 14-19.

Kenyon is working on advertising, coordinating programs and posters, tickets and concessions. She is also memorizing lines for her part as Maggie Jones.

“I’m extremely busy, but I like doing this a lot,” Kenyon said. “I direct a pageant at St. Andrews Episcopal Church and I’ve been a stage manager a lot, . . . and I have done lighting for theater groups.”

Based on a 1930s Busby Berkeley movie, “42nd Street” is the story of Peggy Sawyer (Shana Manion), who leaves her home in Allentown, Pa., to audition for a Broadway musical.

When lead Dorothy Brock (Adryon Gross) breaks her ankle, Peggy takes over, the show is a hit and a star is born.

The musical will be staged today, Friday, Saturday and April 8-11 at Matilija Junior High, 703 El Paseo Road. For more information, call 654-4189.