Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Max Morse flips David Serwitz over his back to the tune of 'Blue Moon.' Students are in daily rehearsals for the show that's set to play April 26.

Look of Los Gatos surveys music history

Spanning the years from Elvis to the Spice Girls

By John Pancharian

The annual Look of Los Gatos fashion production, sponsored by Community Against Substance Abuse, is tuning up for its 13th year. The theme this time is "Pop In, Jazz Up, Rock Out," a survey of modern musical history.

Thirty-six student models from Los Gatos High School and local grade schools have prepared their own segments for the show that tie the fashions to the music.

Each segment will feature a distinct musical genre--everyone from Elvis to the Spice Girls is represented--and theatrical and dance elements that complement its look and sound.

This may sound daunting, but co-chairs Mimi Gutman and Nancy Boesenberg have intentionally left as much creative control as possible in the hands of the students involved.

"It's been a long process trying to have the kids create their own scene," Boesenberg said. "Now that we have rehearsals every day, it's falling together. There's been a big surge of enthusiasm toward the end."

Last year's show deviated from the usual pattern of student creative control and suffered for it, Boesenberg and Gutman agreed.

Students also direct the backstage aspects of the show. LGHS junior Matt Hoffman is responsible for lights and sound this year, and student volunteers are helping LGHS parent William Shepard with the scene design.

Other parent volunteers are helping with publicity, and Jenny Littlejohn has taken on the job of fashion ambassador.

After Gutman and Boesenburg had solicited local stores to donate fashions for the event, the two of them chose which store to use with which scene, based on what styles they had found there. The fashion ambassador then chose which clothes to include in each segment of the show and coordinated the fitting of clothes to student models. Closer to the show, she also managed the pick up and drop off of the clothes selected.

While the show is not intended as a fundraiser, the bulk of the proceeds goes to the Teen Counseling Center of the West Valley. Pat Lake, the center's director of administration, said fashion show funds help them offer a sliding scale to clients who otherwise could not take advantage of the center's services. "We're here to help people make positive changes in their lives," Lake said. "All of our services are geared that way."

The center offers counseling for teens and their families, on-campus counselors in area high schools and peer support groups. They concentrate on relationships with peers and family, sexual violence and date rape. "We often counsel people who maybe just need a listening ear, but who don't have huge problems," Lake said.

This year's fashion show will be performed on Sunday, April 26, at 3 and again at 6 p.m. in the Los Gatos High School auditorium. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for students, on sale at the door. For ticket information, contact Pat Lake at 354-7648.

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