Ojai Valley News
“Bakersfield Mist,” the latest Ojai Art Center Theater (ACT) offering that opens May 4, was supposed to be directed by John Slade, the Ojai actor and retired teacher who was killed in a hit-and-run accident last year.
Slade was a pillar in the Ojai theater community for almost 20 years, always taking on adventuresome roles or directing assignments along with his work at Nordhoff High School.
“With so many in Ojai still feeling the loss of John, we spoke with his widow, Laurie Walters Slade, and asked if we could dedicate this production to John and raise funds for his memo- rial scholarship fund,” said
ACT artistic director Richard Camp. “We know how special that fund is to Laurie and to all of the students who shined under John’s guidance.”
“I am so incredibly touched by this tribute to John,” said Walters Slade. “He was a passionate direc- tor and loved co-creating with actors, both adults and students. I’m grateful that the extremely talented Susan Kelejian has taken the helm of ‘Bakersfield Mist,’ the play he had planned to direct, and equally grateful that the Art Center is supporting John’s memorial scholarship at Nordhoff High School where he taught, guided and inspired students for many years.”
At each performance, attendees will be encouraged to leave a donation in a bowl by the poster about the John C. Slade Memorial Theatre Scholarship that will be in the lobby. During the week, people may drop off a check at the OAC office.
A portion of the play’s proceeds will be donated to the fund along with all collected donations.
“One of the things that has really struck me,” said Aaliyah Mora-Khan, the play’s producer, “is that almost everyone I have spoken to about it has mentioned that John Slade was the original director for this play. Having moved to Ojai last December, I didn’t know who he was but whenI started conversations with people who knew John, I realized just how important the idea of truth was to him, and how he would have relished working through his play with the actors, deeply challenging notions of what makes art into art and looking for the humor in the various conflicts between these two characters. I realized John Slade was a man who brought communities together through his actions. That felt important to remember and thus the inspiration for recognizing this play as being, in part, a tribute to him was born.”
Playwright Stephen Sachs will be in attendance for the May 4 opening-night performance and reception that will follow.