The Paly Theater Department will perform “Venture: a Musical,” an original production directed and written by choir director Michael Najar, in March.
Set in present-day Silicon Valley, the musical follows a female entrepreneur, played by sophomore Sofia Peterson, and addresses culture-specific issues faced by Bay Area residents.
“It’s a contemporary musical [with] contemporary issues, and one of the issues that is a hotbed topic right now is gender politics,” Najar said.
According to theater director Kathleen Woods, the musical has allowed the theater department to explore uncharted territory in regards to special effects.
“This is a much more major use of projections for scenery,” Woods said.
For Najar, “Venture” is not just the title of his new musical, but also a metaphor for the entire production.
“It’s a venture for me, it’s a venture for this character in the show, this female lead, and we’re all putting our belief into an idea that we hope works,” Najar said.
Paly Theater will perform “Venture” at 7:30 p.m. on March 9, 10, 16 and 17, 4 p.m. on March 15, and 2 p.m. on March 18. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults on www.palytheatre.com.