BRIEFLY IN EDUCATION

Playhouse announces youth play series

The Laguna Playhouse has announced its 2007-08 Youth Theater Season, a subscription series of two plays for young audiences.

The season begins in October with the hit show “Disney High School Musical On Stage,” and concludes in May 2008 with the family classic “The Sleeping Beauty.”

Youth Theatre subscription add-ons include the Theatre For a New Generation production of “Can’t Believe It!” in May, and Evenings of Improvisation in February.

Tickets for the two-play series are $40 for adults and $32 for children, with add-on plays ranging from $3 to $10 per person.

For tickets or subscription information, call the Laguna Playhouse at (949) 497-2787 or visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

Summer art grows at Boys & Girls Clubs

The Main Branch of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Laguna Beach will expand its summer art programs this summer.

Artist and Festival of Arts exhibitor Tom Swimm has mentored several students, and will give the club kids a personal tour and painting demonstration at the Festival this summer.

He will also help club art director Emily Murray start a fine arts program for the club’s teen members.

Other special events include field trips to galleries and studios, and to photograph local tide pools; chalk art; sand art sculptures; nature and landscape drawing; and mural painting.

For more information, call (949) 494-2535, ext. 105.

Library reading program begins

The Laguna Beach Library has released its summer reading program details.

Children ages 3-13 who register for the program will receive reading logs, a book bag and book mark. Children are asked to read at least 20 hours over the summer — barely two hours each week — and for every five hours of reading, children will earn a free prize book and raffle tickets for prizes donated by the community.

The program will be facilitated by children’s librarian Rebecca Porter. A teen young adult program will be facilitated by Jim McCarty, the adult services librarian.

The summer reading program will conclude with a Laguna Beach Firefighters’ Assn. barbecue, where co-sponsors the Friends of the Laguna Beach Library will reward young readers with a medal of achievement.

The Friends will also sponsor “Top Secret” Tuesdays with entertainment for the whole family, as well as “Fantastic Fridays” and summer book clubs.

The Sunshine Readers will read to children Wednesdays at 11 a.m., beginning June 27.

The summer reading program is a project of the California Library Assn., administered by the State Librarian.

Registration begins on June 26 and the program runs until August 10.

For more about special events, please contact the Laguna Beach Library at (949) 497-1733.

The schedule is as follows:

Top Secret TuesdaysJune 26: Comedy and Balloons

July 3: Ice Cream Social

July 10: Pacific Animals

July 17: Magic Night

July 24: Family Karaoke (6:30 p.m. start time)

July 31: -- Radical Science

August 7: Daughter of Liberty

Fantastic FridaysJuly 13: Mystery Party (ages 6 to 12)

Aug. 10: 43 Days Left of Summer Party (ages 6 to 12)

Summer Book Groups

3:45 p.m.; RSVP requested

June 21: Ages 11 to 13; “Old African”

July 12: Ages 8 to 10; “Crossing Bok Chito”

July 19: Ages 6 to 8; “Man who Crossed Between Towers”

July 26: Ages 11 to 13; “Dark Thirty”

Aug. 9: Ages 8 to 10; “Bull Run”

Aug. 16: Ages 6 to 8; “Dragons of Blueland”