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The Valley Line: Music-in-the-Park

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Wow! What a dramatic change we had over the weekend. At the beginning of last week, when the thermometer was in the high triple-digits, we were gasping for a breath of fresh cool air. Then, by Sunday we were shivering when there was an over 30-degree drop in temperature.

There was a crispness to the air and it made me feel like autumn was certainly on its way — hooray.

This year’s Music-in-the-Park series was a wonderful one. The Valley Sun co-sponsors the concert series with the city, and has for several years. I attended most of the concerts this summer and loved every one of them. I love seeing the LCF families gathering with the kids and dogs in tow and the happy chatter when they meet their neighbors.

I truly hate to say adieu to this one event that personifies summer for me here in La Cañada Flintridge. I can hardly wait for next year’s menu of music.

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A Noise Within theater company is anticipating its new home. The acclaimed classical repertory group, which has been housed in Glendale for 19 years, recently broke ground on its new 300-seat permanent home in Pasadena.

It was a warm summer day, but nearly 250 theater enthusiasts, friends and financial supporters, gathered for the exciting event.

Terry Kay, a La Cañada resident and president of the board of directors, has been looking forward to this for a very long time. Joining him on the board are other foothill residents Betty Redmond, Ollie Blanning, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott.

This long-awaited groundbreaking day was a triumph for the company and its co-founders/co-artistic directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. To date more than $10 million of the targeted $13 million has been raised for the building.

An autumn 2011 completion date is set for the complex centered in the former Stuart Pharmaceutical building, a historic, mid-century modern masterpiece designed by celebrated architect Edward Durell Stone, known for landmark buildings around the country including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Stuart Pharmaceutical building, on Foothill Boulevard at Sierra Madre Avenue, was listed on the National Register in 1998.

A Noise Within’s new season opens in its current Glendale home on Sept. 25 with Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” The show closes on Sunday, Dec. 5. Previews begin Sept. 18.

JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada social scene. E-mail her at jnvalleysun@aol.com.

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