Soul SiStories
Soul SiStories was born out of a mutual desire to bring forward hope and healing through sharing our lived experiences. Hope is embracing life despite adversity. Hope is our reason.
Soul SiStories
The Larson Legacy: 40 Years of Transforming Lives Through Community Theater
Paul and Karen Larson never planned to revolutionize their community. When their athletic young son wanted acting classes in 1984, they signed him up with their local city program. The disappointing result – children simply lip-syncing to Sound of Music songs – sparked something unexpected. "I could do better than that," Paul said. Karen's response? "Well, why don't you?"
This simple exchange launched what would become a 40-year journey of community building through theater. As elementary school educators, the Larsons approached their fledgling theater program with teaching hearts – not to showcase themselves, but to create spaces where others could discover their gifts and potential. What began as a children's production workshop quickly expanded to include adult community theater, drawing in people hungry for connection and creative expression.
The magic of their approach lies in what community members affectionately call getting "Larson'd" – expressing interest in something only to find yourself suddenly empowered with responsibility and leadership. This philosophy has transformed countless lives as shy volunteers became confident directors, parents building sets discovered hidden talents, and children finding their voices both on and off stage. More than 400 productions later, their theaters have become a family where introverts find their place, struggling kids channel their energy constructively, and people of all backgrounds belong.
Even during the pandemic, when their physical theater closed, the Larsons pivoted to Zoom workshops, parking lot performances, and outdoor classes – proving that true community transcends physical space. Their philosophy of "looking for the good and praising it" has created ripples far beyond theater walls, touching education, parenting, and civic engagement throughout their region.
Ready to experience this special community yourself? Visit chinocommunitytheater.org to learn about upcoming productions and discover how theater can build hope through genuine human connection. Who knows – you might just get "Larson'd" yourself!
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Welcome to Soul Sisteries.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Soul, Sisteries, where we just had an amazing conversation with Paul and Karen Larson of the Chino Community Theater and Children's Theater.
Speaker 1:It's so so thrilling to talk with them, longtime friends and mentors, and I truly love these people, but we were just talking about how they've changed so many lives, and so humbly, oh my goodness. They're so humble about all that they've done and they keep going on about this sense of community, which is real, which is true, but, my goodness, this community exists and developed because of the light and the love at the heart of it, which is the two of them and all that they brought about. Amazing people. Here we are with the wonderful Paul and Karen Larson, who are longtime friends but really, I got to say, they are huge inspirations for me.
Speaker 1:They have set up a gorgeous model, where I live, of community, particularly through the theater that they have started in our community, a community theater, as it goes right. It's the Chino Community Theater and the Chino Community Children's Theater that they began 40 years ago and they're going to tell you that whole story. But they originated with, they were both educators, they were both in education and then, out of this and out of that sense of teaching and building community and working together, this wonderful theater was born. So here we are with Paul and Karen Larson Welcome.
Speaker 2:Thank you, good to have you both here. It's great to be here, wonderful, and I know Donna just did a little introduction so everybody can know a little bit about you. I guess I know that part about you, but I don't know as much as Donna does, so I would love for you to just share with us all, if you can, kind of what got you here 40 years later? How did you start the theater? Why did you start the theater? What did that look like?
Speaker 3:Well, would you like me to start, karen? Did that look like? Well, would you like me to start, karen? It actually started in the classroom. Karen and I were both elementary school teachers for many years and I was active with my partners doing theater on our campus. We were doing shows and, as a matter of fact, in 1984, I had just finished up doing a show called the 1890 Music Hall Review with kids from second grade to sixth grade on our campus and our son, who was quite an athlete at the time, had said you know, I'd really like to take an acting class. So we sign him up for an acting class with the city of Chino and at the end of eight weeks we went to see the performance. Karen, you want to talk a little bit about that performance.
Speaker 4:Yeah, the performance was not anything about acting really. It was lip syncing to the sound of music song as a group. Oh dear and we were after. You know we were so disappointed.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And Paul said I could do better than that. And I said, well, why don't you? And that sort of got the ball rolling. So really we, our inspiration was our son and his need to express himself. He was singing, he loved to dance, he had good movement, he was not a bit shy. So we thought, you know, he needs this kind of an outlet. Besides just doing sports, he wanted to add something else to his plate. He was still very young and I think he was only five or six years old when we, when we first did that class.
Speaker 4:So it was that was the impetus to get us going. And since Paul had been doing sports also with the city and he had just done the show, he kind of had some connections. He had some connections with Pat McArdle in the city. And so he went down and said, pat, you know, our son just took this drama class and it was not good. And he said I know, I know it's not good, and are you guys interested in you know doing something for us? You know that's really acting. And we said, sure, so why don't you pick it up from there, paul?
Speaker 3:From that point we worked with Pat. They got us a location. We ended up putting together a production workshop would be what we call it now of You're a Good man, charlie Brown. All the kids that wanted to be in the workshop were involved. We ended up with 10 that were available the whole time. We had two that had scheduling conflicts and we worked on the songs. We knew the dialogue. I had done the show I don't know 12 years earlier when I was in college and remembered quite a bit of it, had our friend do all the piano work for us. We went over to our house with our big old wall and sack reel to reel and put it all on tape and painted the set in our front yard and put it on stage at the community building on 10th and B Street.
Speaker 4:And lo and behold, people showed up and I want to say, I want to stress, even then, you know we're talking about community. Even then we had parents supporting what we were doing and not only just supporting it by coming, but they helped us with the costumes, they helped us with the set, they helped their kids, you know, learn their parts and they were an integral part of getting it off the ground. Yeah, the city support, which is community right there, and the parent support, yeah, those are the two keys right there.
Speaker 2:I just love that you saw this need. You know with your own child that, okay, here's something that he wants to do, and so you just did it, instead of waiting and looking city to city for somebody else to do it. You're like, okay, let's go and we're going to make it happen, which is amazing that is true?
Speaker 4:I think probably probably, because Paul had had that connection already with sports and we were both living in Chino and we were both teaching in Chino. So Chino was our, our home base, you know. So we just it just made sense for us to go that route you know, go ahead.
Speaker 1:I was going to say so. Here's the thing, though. You say that, and I understand that the circumstances were all there, but I've been a part of this theater and I've known you for a very long time and I know there's special sauce in this. There is. So we are talking about community hope through community today, and this is a great example. But the special sauce really, we have to say, is you too, and the way that you approach this. Really, you guys have the hearts and souls of teachers. That's who you are, and you have the teacher mindset, and that teacher mindset is we're going to support and uplift others for the greater good. I've seen it again and again and again, and that is the undercurrent, that is the support of this institution now that has been around for 40 years and thriving. It would not be this were it not without that little magic that you two put in there.
Speaker 3:That just has to be said just has to be said Well, that is very kind. I wanted to follow up on that because in February of 84, just before we started the Children's Theater I had done a community theater production in Claremont and the theater that we were involved with that was the last show they were going to do. They weren't going to do anymore and the year before another theater had closed down so two theater groups in the area had gone defunct and there were adults that were looking for homes. So we finished up the children's theater show. I told the cast about it that I had worked with and they said, well, do you think Chino might want a community theater too? And I said, oh, let's go see. Yeah, they said sure, and we got $500 seed money from the Community Center Corporation, which was a place that was trying to get a facility built at the time. Which was a place that was trying to get a facility built at the time.
Speaker 3:But the concept of community that is so important here is that we did not have to rely on it being the Paul and Karen show. It never, ever was the Paul and Karen show, not day one. Aaron show, not day one, we think with the children's theater in particular, jim and Julianne Gallegos got involved right from the start and their daughter was in a couple of shows at the start with the children's theater and the community theater, but just giving of themselves. And then, as you pointed out, donna, one of the important things is giving people the opportunity to learn something new, to know that you can do it, give them the confidence to be used for the next show coming up. And the director came over and got to use a router for the very first time, got a little teaching lesson with that. I love it. Cut out that doorway and he says, my gosh, it's so clean, it's so much better. I said, yeah, we learn these tools. So giving the opportunity for people to find the best in themselves, I think, is a huge part of this.
Speaker 1:Well and that is another piece of the special sauce I have to say so, yes, the opportunities are there, but there is a little phrase that we in this particular community have, and we all know exactly what we're talking about.
Speaker 1:We say, well, you got Larson'd, and we know exactly what that means. Because all of a sudden, not only did you learn that thing that you were really interested in learning, but all of a sudden you're like in charge of it, you're doing it, you're running it, because you guys just have this way about you of letting all the rest of us like really believe in ourselves and that we can do it. And then your trust in us really gives us those wings to do it ourselves. And I know I personally have flown in all kinds of ways because you've offered that sort of love and support and guidance, and there are countless people who would say the same. So I hear what you're saying, but I also have to say, okay, but wait a second. There there really is. There is something very particular about the two of you and the way you are with each other and the way that you are with the community and the way you raised your family, and all of that that creates this special kind of magic here. It's true.
Speaker 4:We always set out to educate and entertain. So the education part, we felt good about it because we had, you know, we were teachers, we were in the classroom, we knew how to work positively with kids. We had great feedback from parents already and and administrators and staff members about how we worked with kids and how we can inspire. We inspired them. So we had a family too. So we not only didn't want it to be the Paul and Karen Paul and Karen show, not because we didn't want it to be special or have ownership in it, but because, you know, we had other stuff in our life and we wanted it to be community right off the bat. I mean, the very first show we did, we did together but and we did a couple other shows where we were, you know, directed and produced and did a lot of stuff early on but at the same time the very second show we did in children's theater was directed by somebody else and you know we just helped out, we were just there to kind of facilitate.
Speaker 2:So that happened right from the very get go many times watching performances, but once, almost 30 years ago, when I had a teeny tiny role in the best little Christmas pageant right, which was so much fun, and I watched you, Donna, kind of step your toe in and then be 100% immersed, volunteering 40 plus hours a week now, and so I've seen just the hope that you guys have brought to the community, to my own family, through this theater, which is pretty amazing. But I guess what I want to know is then what gives you guys hope as you started this theater, as you've continued the theater, what gives you hope and keeps you going Well?
Speaker 4:And the connection with everybody, with everyone that's involved. You know, you just keep making these connections with your fellow human beings and you just watch them bloom and it's so exciting. You know you say, oh, so-and-so is doing this and they're so good at it. You know, and I'm so glad they're a part of it. It just makes our theater even better. When you have, when you connect with others and you are able to nudge them, maybe, uh, or maybe not, maybe they'll come up to you and just open up and say, hey, I've always wanted to try this. You know, here's the opportunity. So I think the connection is really important with fellow humans.
Speaker 3:Yes, the connection and also, uh, there is a feeling of family that's involved with this community theater, truly a feeling of a family with this group, and it becomes a safe place for all kinds of people to be. Some people are introverts that find a wonderful home, and there are some people that have had difficulties, kids that have had difficulties in school for acting out, and finally they find a home to act out and they meet a director that understands that need to showcase themselves and yet gives them the tool to become a better speaker, to become very clear, to become focused, focused, yeah, and then that child then turns around and becomes a mentor for another person. And the same thing with the adults. I think of one person, doug Rumbaugh. I'll mention him. His daughter was in a show. Let's see. When did Winnie the Pooh come up? Was that 2018?
Speaker 1:It was something like that, yeah.
Speaker 3:And this was just one of the dads that was trying to figure out what he could do to help out, and so we put a drill in his hand. He says, yeah, I can use this thing, and was watching and learning and asking questions. And as time has gone by, not only did he handle that, but then he was designing sets, he was building sets, he writes, he's directed shows, and we have a number of parents that have found homes that way. We've had people that have truly just walked in off the street saying what is this place? I said, well, why don't you come in? You can usher for the show. And they say I didn't know.
Speaker 3:We do live theater here in Chino. And they'll go from being an usher to being someone that'll help out backstage, to being on stage and then up in the booth doing lighting or something. You just never know what you might find in yourself as a human being. And I believe that truly for karen and me both, it's been very important to give that opportunity. This is all. It's almost like a pay it forward If I can give someone else an opportunity right now to find something new about themselves, because I discover more every day for myself. I am the epitome of a lifelong learner.
Speaker 4:A work in progress.
Speaker 1:We're all works in progress progress, we're all in progress, and if we can uh add opportunity to others, then I think there is a great deal of hope for our society yeah right, it's interesting, isn't it, how you know, when life has its challenges as it does or there are those days which are a little harder, that just stepping into some of that work of uplifting someone else and turning to them and being mindful, all that that does for yourself right and shifting your mood, your energy, your outlook yeah, yeah, I mean that's know helping others or is you're really helping yourself when you do that?
Speaker 4:You know you. Just it gives you such a good feeling to make that connection and to help to think that you've inspired somebody to try something new or to go a different way. It's pretty exciting, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember you stepping into that, that both of you during the pandemic, when everything was shut down, all of a sudden you were starting different workshops online, and I remember specifically the ukulele class that you were running, paula. That was just. It was okay. So the theater is not open. We can't all be together, so the theater is not open. We can't all be together, but the theater is not stopping. You kept doing all these things for the community and really branching out. You didn't have to be in Chino or the Inland Empire. You could be, you know anywhere and join those classes, which was pretty amazing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think that's what Zoom has done basically, I mean even to this this day. We had a meeting last night with a community theater and we had people a person from arkansas who moved to arkansas and he was on the zoom call, you know. So we had four people on the zoom and we had a dozen people at the house. Oh nice, and it was really nice to be able to open it up like that. And we did that with. Donna came up with her idea with the Reader's Theater, so we did that. I did a sewing class. I was teaching people how to sew pockets, make pockets and stitches, and we did Shakespeare. We did a bunch of stuff during the pandemic and some of it has continued. As far as the connections have continued, yeah, you know, we made that was hope in a very dark time for everybody. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I think, if we look back at all that we did during that time, I mean we were robust and thriving throughout all of that shutdown. We certainly were not shut down though the building. The building was empty.
Speaker 4:Yeah, stuff going on in the parking lot. Yes, you know he had stuff going on in the parking lot. Yes, you know.
Speaker 1:We had tap dancing out in the parking lot.
Speaker 4:We had a show showing on the back of the wall and people parking in their cars and spaced out. You know, I mean that's right. We really outdid ourselves. And it wasn't just Paul and me. Again, it was the community.
Speaker 3:It was everyone.
Speaker 4:It was everybody.
Speaker 2:Well, the show must go on right.
Speaker 3:I loved the marquee at that time with the message it's still intermission.
Speaker 2:It was a long one. So you both were elementary school teachers. So growing up, did you aspire to be teachers? Did you aspire to be in the theater? What? What was your aspiration growing up? I'm curious.
Speaker 4:I, I always wanted to be a teacher. A teacher, yeah I. I grew up in a family where I had older brothers and sisters that were quite a bit older than me, and then there was a 10 year gap and then my brother and me came along, and so I was always like the babysitter aunt who was like just a few years younger, or a few years older than my nieces and nephews, and so I just sort of fell into that routine of caretaker and teacher, and so it was a natural fit for me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Mine was a different route. I thought I was going to be an electrical engineer and work on the space program. I was very good at math and science and I found that I much preferred working with people than sitting in a lab constantly, although I enjoyed it very much all through high school Four years of electronics and got to design some pretty amazing things. I wish I had kept them or had some good photos of them. But once I got to college I found out that I really liked working with people. So I set myself up for education and government.
Speaker 3:So I did my internships in city government and worked with the county and was all set to go actually work for Ruben Ayala up in Sacramento one summer and it ended up falling through. But all the way through I did not know I was going to be a teacher until I had graduated. I had been accepted to Georgetown in government and I decided no, I'm going to stick around here and become a government teacher. Well, I taught American government over at Claremont High School in my last student teaching experience but then landed a job here in Chino, where Karen had already gotten a job, and we loved it here it was, it was. It is a wonderful home for us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Never know.
Speaker 1:No, you don't know that's so beautiful. So you both have such a bright outlook. You know people who know you, people who meet you, they are absolutely touched by the warmth that you both exude. And I mean we can all agree that. You know Karen is walking sunshine everywhere, she goes right. So what is it, what is it in you that allows you to sort of live that perspective and live that way, because you, like all of us, you've had many a hardship in your life. You've had losses, you've had challenges we all do. That's human experience, right, um? And and yet you do maintain this sense of fellowship and camaraderie and positivity. What, what is it that does that for you?
Speaker 3:Well, one of the first things would be the attitude of my dad. My father was a fellow that always said yes. When there was an opportunity to serve or be a steward for something, he said yes. And his best example was I'll keep this brief but he went active again in the Korean War during the Korean conflict. He had been in World War II, had served at Guadalcanal, got done there and said what do you want to do, kid? And he says I want to fly.
Speaker 3:So he became a pilot and served in World War II, finished and then during the Korean conflict he re-upped, went to North Carolina and they said we have a newfangled thing called a helicopter. Anybody want to learn to fly it and put his hand up right away. And so he says okay, you 100 guys are going to go over there and learn how to fly these new helicopter things. And then they were doing tests that were physical tests to find out how to do it and loading it up with 500 pounds and seeing if we could lift 500 pounds, and then 1,000 and 1,500 and 2,000.
Speaker 3:And okay, we're not going to put 3,500 pounds on this because we won't get off the track and trying to land on an aircraft carrier in a helicopter, does it work?
Speaker 3:So he went through all that experience and then they called the guys together again and divided them in two and said OK, you 50 are going to Korea and you 50 are staying here in the States to find out more about how these things work. And he ended up being able to stay in the States and learned how to be a very good helicopter pilot. And then, when the conflict ended, when the United States pulled themselves out of that, the best pilot, as he said, was heading to Los Angeles to work for LA Airways. And he asked the guy do you think they have any jobs for me? He said I don't know. Why don't you go find out? And so he packed up, went and picked up my mom and my two older brothers and drove to Southern California with no idea what he was going to do except go knock on the door and say I want to be a pilot. And sure enough, he got to fly with LA Airways for about 12.
Speaker 1:My goodness, what an entrepreneurial spirit. Yeah, yeah Well.
Speaker 3:I learned from that and I will say yes to a lot of things from that, and I will say yes to a lot of things.
Speaker 1:I can see that that makes perfect sense. Knowing you and seeing yeah, I can see that makes so much sense.
Speaker 3:And I can share it's the same with my two older brothers. I've lost my younger sister and brother, but my older brother and sister, my older brothers, are of the same ilk. They serve on boards of directors and they volunteer in their community and by doing that you get the gift and joy of being a part of it, and our community benefits from ourselves participating in it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which then comes back and feeds you. Also, right, that robust community.
Speaker 2:And I think that's something that so many people the people who aren't doing that work are missing out on. They think that life is too busy. I have all these things going on, I don't have time for that. But the reality is is if you can make time for that, it comes back to you so many times more than what you give and that you just no matter what it is if it's community feeder, if it's you know the animal shelter, if it's you know working with children somewhere, volunteering in the kid's classroom, whatever it is that comes back to you and just really feeds you. So, as I listened to you guys talking just well, your father sounds very inspirational. Also, I'm curious who inspires you today? Where do you get inspiration, gosh?
Speaker 3:I'll tell you, watching our children with their families I think is one of the greatest inspirations I have right now. Yeah, the ways that they approach parenthood and their jobs All different University of Washington in theater and to see what he's done at NYU and at Hamilton College and now at UW is just inspiring. One of those people that does a beautiful job of creating community. He has been in charge. He and two of his friends, when they were in New York for years, took over a program called Catch, which was a great opportunity for people to showcase new songs or if they're working on a show or a dance or something, they could put up a 10-minute piece and get feedback on it from the audience. They ended up winning an Obie Award for the work they were doing and last two weekends ago, two Saturdays ago, they put on one more catch at a location that's closing shop and they had 250 people show up and had a dozen performances. That went on and it just brought the house down in new york city.
Speaker 4:This is new york.
Speaker 3:He went back and did that and they've done a couple out on the west coast now and because everybody you know his three buddies one's in new york, one's in uh and he's in seattle and yet they were able to collaborate and keep up with that. And our daughter Jessie you both know of that is teaching high school theater and touching the hearts of many kids that may not have ever thought about doing theater. And our daughter Jenna, who got into the culinary arts and is now raising her three kids and volunteering at the school where her kids attend.
Speaker 4:They just inspire us they inspire me and they're all. They're all so different, which is which is one of the things that I grew up being exposed to. I was, I grew up in science and mind and um, so the idea that we're you, we're all spiritual beings having this human experience, and so when you look at each person with those eyes and with that thought in mind, it changes you, because they're not separate from you, they are, you know, one with you. In some way. You have that connection, and so what is their journey going to look like, you know? And so that's why, of course, why we get so excited about our own kids, but we also do that with, like Sidney Reyes, or, you know, kids in the theaters, or Sebastian O'Geen, you know, I mean, these kids are just amazing, and to watch them blossom and grow, you know, talk about giving you hope for the future or for our civilization. Those are the kinds of inspirations we get. You know, not all over, it's all around us. You know, dawn is an inspiration, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, I agree. Oh, thank you. Yeah, well, I want to ask you, karen, in particular because I want to dig in a little bit more also to your journey and your outlook, because I know, knowing you, I know that you had a profound loss when you were a young girl and changed your life, and yet you've maintained this very open outlook and perspective and that has ignited this much broader sense of community. And can you speak to that a little bit? And what gave you?
Speaker 4:that and my mom and dad were both very inspirational to me, even though I lost my dad when I was 10. And that was a shock, because I was daddy's girl, I mean, we would get up early, he would explore all kinds of stuff with me, very spiritual things and just what he was thinking about. He didn't treat me like a 10 year old. He treated me like a fellow human being.
Speaker 4:And so I learned so much from him and growing up in in science and mind it's. It's a very positive religion. I mean, it's not even a religion, it's a philosophy or a way of life.
Speaker 4:I like to look at it that way more than quote unquote religion, because that always kind of has a negative connotation these days, but it's the idea that there's several little catchphrases what you think is what you get. So what are you thinking? You know, mind your mind. You know, pull out those weeds. Those are just things that your mind came up with. You don't need them, just like a garden, and look for the good and praise it. I've always had that philosophy with in my classroom and with kids. You know, you know you could have a row of kids lined up and maybe one is looking at you and doing what you want, you know, to get into the classroom and you just hit upon that one child, you know, and call them out and say, instead of saying, quiet, turn around, keep your hands to yourself, blah, blah, blah. You know those are all negative things. And guess what? You're giving them great attention for being negative. So, instead of that, giving them great attention for being negative, so instead of that, say, gosh, I really appreciate the way you're looking at me and you're standing, so, not facing forward, and you're, you know, you're ready, listening, ready to go in and those kind of things. If you focus on those things or anything that you want to grow, then it grows, you know, and if you keep focusing on what's wrong rather than what's right, you get a lot of wrong stuff. You know what? There's another one here, here comes another one. The universe always says yes, no matter what you put out there, you know, oh, you think this, oh, okay, well, you're more of that, you know. So those are just a few of my little things that I live by.
Speaker 4:That I was, that I grew up being exposed to, and and my that was, you know, more from my dad than my mom. But my mom, uh, she was inspirational. She actually here. She was lost, her husband at 50, had two little kids, a fifth grader and a fourth grader, and um went back to work, went back to college, got, you know, got certificates and, you know, ended up working until she was 70 and just blossomed. I just watched her blossom and become more of herself. Talk about stepping out of the box. You know she really did. And yet we always had, you know, wonderful Christmases, wonderful family gatherings, all those kinds of things that that she really made sure that we had everything we needed.
Speaker 4:We never, you know, lacked for anything. Yet I'm sure she was pinching pennies all the way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but what I'm hearing from both of you is that you both really had profound models in your life of people who went forward, had the obstacles and, like, found a way, just kept going and found ways of exploring and doing what inspired them, filled them up, kept showing up, kept making it happen, and certainly that's you know true of the both of you there's. You two are Energizer bunnies. Keep going.
Speaker 4:Yeah, when I had that, I dealt with a couple of physical things. I had like a subdural hematoma that I had to have removed. That I actually lived to tell the story about, you know, and that was pretty traumatic. And then I dealt with um cancer. During the um, during the pandemic, yeah, I had lymphoma and looking at it as not a curse but as a blessing and something to I'm going to learn from this, I'm going to grow out of it, I'm going to not so much beat it, but I'm going to learn from it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And incorporate it into my life. And Paul was probably my, not probably. He definitely was my biggest cheerleader and my angel. He stood by my side. I mean talk about rock solid. I mean I just our relationship, even even that, even more close than it already was.
Speaker 2:And watching from the outside again. I mean, I was not part of your lives during that time, but I definitely saw from the periphery. You did that all with such grace and I guess I kind of want to know and I think other people might want to know this idea of like. Well, the universe always says yes, so I just always think positively and I just live in this positive, sunshiny state of mind. That is what I see of you. But I'm curious is there like a battle sometimes inside of you? Is there ever this doubt that? Well, I know the universe says yes, but maybe this is the one time it's not going to say yes. You know, I'm curious about that, is there?
Speaker 1:Or what is this nonsense that's just shown up? I didn't think this into being.
Speaker 4:There again, you have a little monkey mind that you know throws in all the doubts and insecurities. We all deal with that. But you know that you have to mind your mind and get rid of that stuff, yeah, out of it.
Speaker 1:When those things come up.
Speaker 3:Sorry, diana, when those things come up, you acknowledge them, you know they're there and for me, I can set those aside for right now and focus on the task at hand, what needs to be done, because some of those things are very large. As we know, there are events that happen in our lives and the people that are listening. We can each point to one or two or three, or maybe even five that could have taken us to very dark places.
Speaker 3:We've lost family members because of it, but the choices that we make on the paths that we want to follow are our choices. Still so, even when things get rough, there are times that you can work on it for yourself and with the great people that are around you today, that you can consider friend and family members that you can say you know, I'd just like to talk for a little bit. Could you just need someone to listen? Those are some of the times when you can let go of those dark moments, you know, share them and release them and then go back to what you can do. It's kind of it's the concept for me of being able to shine a little bit of a light. If I can shine a bit of a light, then I'm doing some good. And if the person next to me and the person next to them and the person on my right and left, if everybody's shining a little light, pretty soon it's looking pretty good where we are.
Speaker 1:It just brings us back to that community. It's in building the community, and then that community is also there when the times are hard. You've got that Now I rely on.
Speaker 4:The theater community was amazing the lanes. Every time I went in for a treatment there'd be some little basket on my front door with a blanket and a book or you know, or some pajamas or candles or something to munch on. You know, so thoughtful and so appreciated, so much appreciated. And you just, the people in your lives, your family and your friends. They just uplift you. So you are lifted up above that problem and you have a different perspective.
Speaker 4:You can look down on it and say, ok, you know, you can get a handle on it a little bit better if you have that support community right and diana to make a point.
Speaker 3:It does not discount it. It's not to discount it. It's just, as karen said, to maybe rise above or move away from it. It's not to ignore it and not to discount it. But I'm not going to stay there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's a lot of what we're talking about here and why we're doing this podcast it's this whole hope, through idea that that all of these things do exist and we don't pretend that they don't. And we feel all that we feel and we also make certain choices. And we find all that we feel and we also make certain choices. And we find that hope through whatever it is, whether it's action or dance or surrender or community, as we've been talking about.
Speaker 3:Ukuleles yeah ukuleles. Oh through ukuleles.
Speaker 1:Val de Buque, everyone yeah, tonight.
Speaker 4:We have tonight. There you go.
Speaker 1:Everybody come on down. So here let me ask you this though you two you have this community didn't just happen. You didn't just magically plop into this wonderful community. You were very intentional about building it. Not that you worked to create the community, but you worked to create the space for community. Yeah, so if you were to go back to your you know those 10, 12, 13 year old selves that you once were, what do you think they'd say and think about what you've created and where you are today? What would be their perspective?
Speaker 3:My 10-year-old self would say what, what? You're not going to be surfing, you're going to be living at the beach.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's true, I do miss the beach. Yeah, that's true, I miss. I do miss the beach. I'd say that was a that was quite a journey that you've had so far, karen yeah quite a journey and you're, and we're happy. I mean, we talk about it. We just talk about it. The other day, we just said what a great life we have. We really do, you know, and because you know, because of choices, because of who we surround ourselves with, the community, your community, good peeps.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and some of the choices that we've made as we become adults and then become even more mature along the way. I can share that. On my 30th birthday, the gift I gave myself was the permission to be quiet. You can go ahead and be quiet and listen for a while, Paul. You don't need to share your opinion on everything.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 3:One of the greatest gifts I've given myself.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 4:Interesting. He was kind of a know-it-all for a while Because he knows a lot he did know a lot, you know, and he just wanted to share it, but listen to have that understanding and that we're with all at 30 is pretty amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I don't know about you all, but I always say I'm going to live well into my hundreds. I've said that since I was little and I warn my kids all the time that they're with me for many more years and I warn my kids all the time that they're with me for many more years. So at the end of this journey, however long it lasts, well into your hundreds, because you've got such a strong community behind you, how do you want to be remembered? What's the legacy you want to leave behind?
Speaker 3:I think that he cared. He cared yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, that one's already done, I promise you that is how you are seen and understood now we know that she brought joy into my life.
Speaker 4:Yeah, in some way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so important, especially when there's talk in the world about is empathy a good thing? Is it a bad thing? You know, I I'm here to say it's 100 a good thing, not even a question. Yeah, it's like.
Speaker 4:It's like this whole dei thing diversity yes included.
Speaker 1:Inclusion yes, equity yes yes I mean they love and fellowship and welcome and these are all always awesome those are.
Speaker 4:That's what makes us humans and humanity. You know, that's. That's all the good stuff yeah, for sure yeah, for sure passion. Yes, for sure Passion.
Speaker 1:Yes, love, yes. So here's a little theater moment that, paul and Karen, you'll both appreciate, and you've not seen our little current show yet, which is House Rock live Once again. We've done it before a couple of times, but here it is again and, given the current consciousness, there's some challenges out there in our world right now. There comes a moment in our show when the kids are singing the Great American Melting Pot, who throws on a Statue of Liberty costume and stands on a box with a flashlight and a peachy folder, and all the rest of the cast pull out little international flags and they circle around singing about lovely Lady Liberty and about, you know, liberty and immigrants. What good ingredients. And you can hear every performance. There are gasps and tears in the audience as people share that moment of remembering. Oh yes, this is who we are, this is who we are and we are community and we do belong to, and that's the consciousness.
Speaker 4:We want to, yeah, add fuel to to grow. I mean, we want to grow that consciousness, yeah.
Speaker 1:And you do yeah. You both, yeah, and to see.
Speaker 4:You have to do it in your own way, in your own little way. A thousand little lights, like Paul said. You know we have the light. So if we're, you know there's a strength in numbers.
Speaker 2:I'm curious and, speaking of numbers and you probably don't have these numbers, but I would love to know how many kids have been involved in the children's theater, how many families, and to have those numbers over 40 years and then to look at. Then our education numbers yes and then and the adults.
Speaker 1:You know, there's adults and children alike.
Speaker 2:But this started with that little. I think it was your son. You said Jeff was his name right, Jeff is his name and that he wanted to act.
Speaker 3:And so you said, yeah, let's do this thing 40 years ago, and now here he is bringing this to so many people in Washington and New York and wherever else he's been, and you just think of all of them?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so you think of this one, paul, you talked about that flashlight and if you can just turn on the light a little bit and somebody else joins you, and to just think of how many kids have been impacted in the last 40 years and how that's rippled out from each of them going out into their communities and the world and continuing to be this light, it's yeah.
Speaker 4:And the skills they learn are. You know, theater skills are not just applicable to theater they're applicable their life skills, so being able to stand up and present yourself, or being comfortable doing that, being able to listen to others and wait for your cues, so there's a focusing working together for, you know, a complete show I mean, the list goes on uh, how to move.
Speaker 4:You know, uh, there's so many pluses to theater, yeah all of it that are that enrich your life and make it easier for you to go forward. So just giving kids those uh skills and those that confidence, confidence building, that it has, you know, and it's OK to take risks and it's we create that safe environment for them to do that and then they can do it out there in the real world.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, not just in the theater world, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, we're aware that we've been keeping you talking for a long time and we should probably we'll, we'll jump into our little rapid fire questions now. How about that? Yeah, easy questions, and just first thing that comes to mind, you throw it on out there. Yeah, yeah, and maybe one at a time?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but, but I think we want to hear from both of them, right. So, at a time, yeah, yeah, but but, but I think we want to hear from both of them, right so when we ask perfect, so here's a fun one.
Speaker 1:So you know baseball. You're the pitcher who walks out to the mound. What is your walk-in song? Or, wherever you are, what's your song?
Speaker 3:thus sprock zarathustra there you go okay, and it'll be apes.
Speaker 4:Oh, oh, my gosh, I am not good thinking at this stuff like this.
Speaker 1:Um, let me see uh I know what your song is. You think of another one, but I think of you walking on sunshine.
Speaker 4:That's your song yeah, something positive and fun.
Speaker 2:There you go. You thought of my song. Oh, no, no, no.
Speaker 4:Walking on sunshine.
Speaker 2:It's so new, it is. It feels good, it's a good one. Well, we'll, we'll let you have that. Donna helped you out there, but what book changed you?
Speaker 4:Let's see.
Speaker 3:Well, she's thinking I'll share Alice in Wonderland. As a boy and a teen, I read that every year and picked up something new each time. It was a very important book in my development.
Speaker 1:It's a layered, layered book.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I did my college thesis on Alison Woodrow.
Speaker 4:The first book that I just absolutely loved was the Secret Garden. I just loved that book, a good one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, gorgeous book, all right. What movie lives rent-free in your, in your brain?
Speaker 3:princess bride uh um, let's see.
Speaker 4:Uh, my big fat greek wedding is always a good one, or, miss Congeniality? Those are my two go-to laughter I could see that.
Speaker 2:I could see that. What did you love doing as a kid that you still love doing today?
Speaker 3:Taking a hike.
Speaker 4:Yeah, walking in the redwoods or in the mountains or on the beach I I love when you share your pictures of your adventures like that.
Speaker 2:It's always nice to see those, those travels yep, you guys have a lot of adventures.
Speaker 1:What in your world is lighting you up right now?
Speaker 4:I think getting ready for a big trip to go see all our grandkids and we're going to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary coming up in July Beautiful.
Speaker 1:Congratulations.
Speaker 4:Lighting us up right now.
Speaker 3:My choice would have been our grandkids as well.
Speaker 2:They're just joys for us.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I've only met one the kids are my bad grandkids or something yeah, the grandkids are great and they're all so different and so much fun yeah, oh, they're very cute, they are okay, so what color is hope? Can I pick rainbow? You can. You can, because the world is a rainbow. Yep.
Speaker 3:My color would be green because it continues to grow.
Speaker 2:Yes, I like that. What does hope sound like?
Speaker 4:Laughter.
Speaker 3:That's a great choice. I think the best one would be the final movement from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. That is my hope.
Speaker 2:Wow, I love that answer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, so complete the statement. Community is.
Speaker 4:Family, family.
Speaker 3:Community is where I want to find myself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nice. How about connection Connection is?
Speaker 4:Connection is community. We're going in a circle here.
Speaker 3:Connection is making yourself available mentally, physically and spiritually.
Speaker 1:Beautiful. The meaning of life is A great movie, but don't do that.
Speaker 3:It's 42. We know that.
Speaker 4:It's 12, right, still a line from Fools.
Speaker 3:That was 17 in.
Speaker 4:Fools, I thought it was 12.
Speaker 2:That could be the meaning of life.
Speaker 4:The meaning of life? I don't know. We're ageless spiritual beings and having a human adventure, so we just are here to learn and grow and connect.
Speaker 3:Yeah, being something greater than yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and we'll. We'll wrap it up with hope. Hope is what.
Speaker 3:Turning your dreams into reality.
Speaker 4:Yeah, hope is that feeling inside of you that inspires you to move forward in a positive way.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Beautiful you wonderful to beautiful Paul and Karen Larson. I love you so much and I'm so grateful for you. Thank you for spending time with us now and sharing your light and your hope with us. You've built an extraordinary community and I will say to anyone again the reason this community exists as it does is because you two started it in the way that you started it, with the love that you started it with okay, can you share?
Speaker 2:then, talking about the community and community theater, can you share with everybody where they can find the theater, where they can find y'all and the work you're doing? Is there a website? There is.
Speaker 3:Chinocommunitytheaterorg. Chinocommunitytheaterorg.
Speaker 4:Chinocommunitytheaterorg.
Speaker 1:Theater with an R-E yes, Theater with an R-E.
Speaker 4:Where are?
Speaker 2:you now Perfect. So the two websites and on Facebook as well, Facebook.
Speaker 1:Insta.
Speaker 2:Awesome. I will just say again, I've only been really involved in one production and on the sidelines in a couple of others, but if anybody is in Southern California anywhere, it's a theater that they should go visit. Even if they don't have children performing in the theater, it is an amazing place to be.
Speaker 1:And you think of it as children because through I've done so much there, but it's an adult.
Speaker 4:Yes, theater as well and which is right, I'm just gonna say, after donna's fabulous show closes this weekend, then we gear up for little shop of horrors, which will be another fun show right they're, they're all fun.
Speaker 2:All of them are fun. Yeah, they are Right.
Speaker 1:You guys have any just real quick. Do you have any idea how many shows have been done in those 40 years? I've heard the number, but now I don't remember it.
Speaker 3:Yes, we're at. I think it's 234 community theater productions and about 178, 179 children's theater productions amazing.
Speaker 1:Countless summer camps and classes, workshops and cabarets and events zoom classes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh my gosh, you guys. Yeah, and this is just the beginning.
Speaker 4:You're only 40 years into it, so oh yeah, that's all started with a handshake and we were just babies when we started it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh my goodness you guys, thank you so much for taking this time with us. We sure appreciate you and love you so much. Go out and have some fun yes, go play the ukulele for having us on the soul, sisteries.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Yes, exactly what I was going to say. Yes, thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to share.
Speaker 2:We're blessed. Thank you, Bye guys. Thanks for joining us today on Soul Sisteries.
Speaker 1:And thanks for sharing stories with us. We'd love to hear your stories as well and keep the conversation going, absolutely keeping the hope going. So we're really hopeful that you'll connect with our guests as well, who have great stories to share. Go ahead and follow them in various social media platforms or live venues, wherever it is that they're performing and sharing what they do.
Speaker 2:We would love to have you follow us on all of our social media platforms, subscribe and rate, as that will help us get our message of hope out to others. Thanks for listening to Soul Sisteries.
