Ranch student stars in play

RANCHO SANTA FE — Lana Lakdawala, a 7-year-old in second grade at R. Roger Rowe Elementary School, is playing the role of Sally Brown in the Poway Performing Arts Company melodarama “A Perplexing Puzzle For Miss Penelope’s Pupils.” The show runs at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday evening, and 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 24 through Sept. 26.
Although this is Lana’s first experience in community theater, she had a lot of previous stage and performing experience. She started taking dance lessons at age 2, and is now beginning her fifth year in competitive dance. Lana is a Junior Charger Girl, has been in the Miss California and Miss San Diego pageants during the past two years, won a scholarship for a Green Skills video she made, modeled in the American Girl Fashion Show, and was the Burn Institute’s Fire Safe Kid. Her video on what she is thankful for was featured on “Good Morning America” last Thanksgiving weekend and was selected as a YouTube Spotlight Video.
Lana was cast for the role of Sally Brown in late July, and rehearsed with the cast for about seven weeks. Last weekend, Lana and the play’s cast rode in costume in Clenet cars and a float in the 46th annual Poway Days Heritage Parade.
The story takes place in Poway Valley the 1890s. When Sally Brown’s father, Farmer Brown, is seriously injured, the community works to raise money to pay his hospital bills. Meanwhile, the new handyman in town is planning to steal the funds being raised for Farmer Brown, and is flirting with Miss Penelope, the school teacher. It is discovered that he isn’t the nice, churchgoing citizen he purports to be.
PowPAC’s theater is at 13250 Poway Road in Poway. For reservations, call the PowPAC box office at (858) 679-8085 or visit powpac.org.