PPJT

In 1970 Robert Kuhne started a little theater group to meet the needs of talented students within the La Mesa/Spring Valley School District. Kuhne's direction.

It began as after school program at Casa De Oro Elementary School under Mr. It was later moved to Lemon Avenue Elementary School when Mr. Kuhne was transferred. For some time, the cast was selected from students who attended Lemon Ave Elementary only, but as the annual production's popularity grew, talented students from other schools began to show an interest. In 1981, auditions for Peter Pan Jr.

Theater were opened to students throughout the district. Now auditions and rehearsals take place at school facilities after school and on weekends, while the production itself airs at the Salvation Army’s Ray and Joan Kroc Community Theater. Talented teachers who have a background in the Arts have always played an integral role in each production as designers, choreographers, vocal directors, orchestra directors and musicians. Often, high school and college students who were once Peter Pan Jr. Theater actors return to help backstage, as production team members, as the stage manager or in other ways. One such student, Mark Arapostathis, went on to study theater in college. Dr. Arapostathis is a second grade teacher in the La Mesa/Spring Valley School District, and volunteers his time to run and Direct Peter Pan Jr. Theater. Dr. A has played the lead in many Peter Pan productions since the 4th grade. He has been involved with PPJT for the past 34 years. The La Mesa/Spring Valley School District supports Peter Pan Jr. Theater by providing rehearsal facilities free of charge. Parents whose sons and daughters are involved in the production must raise all of the funding. Typically, the cost of a PPJT musical involving 70 to 80 students is approximately $50,000. It’s most unusual for a group of parents to provide this level of support for a Junior Theater. These are parents who truly believe in children and the Arts.

06/13/2026

We were thrilled to continue our tradition of marching and singing in the Flag Day parade in Downtown La Mesa, culminating in the announcement of PPJT’s next show! Such a joy to celebrate with our city!

06/13/2026

Next Year’s PPJT Show is… ONCE UPON A MATTRESS!
Stay tuned for information about auditions and show dates! We can’t wait to see you there!

03/26/2026

Ah has spoken! Li’l Abner is a hit! Make sure you get your tickets to PPJT’s production of Li’l Abner running March 25-28th at 7pm with a 1pm matinee on the 28th at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre! Get your tickets now at ppjt.org/tickets or at the link in our bio! Can’t wait to see you there!

03/26/2026

We are feeling AMOOZIN’ about our opening night! Li’l Abner is officially open at the Joan B. Kroc theatre. Get your tickets now for a fantastic piece of live theatre! ppjt.org/tickets

03/22/2026

We load-in TODAY for our 2026 Production of Li’l Abner! Here’s a sneak peek of all the hard work from our dress rehearsal! We are thrilled to be moving into the Joan B. Kroc Theatre with just 4 days till opening night! Tickets are going fast so get them while you can at ppjt.org/tickets or from the link in our bio!

03/12/2026

We are just a week and a half away from the opening of Li’l Abner! The cast and crew have worked so hard to bring this show together and we are so excited for you all to see it! Tickets are on sale now and available at ppjt.org/tickets and at the link in our bio. Get ‘em while you can as we take a trip down to ol’ Dogpatch USA!

02/26/2026

There’s only 1 month left till we open Li’l Abner! The cast and production team have been working so hard to create this show and we can’t wait for you all to see it! Get your tickets today at ppjt.org!

12/27/2025

We’re Stupefied! Tickets for PPJT’s Li’l Abner are now on sale! They can be purchased on our website, ppjt.org or by following the link in our bio. Tickets are $20 online and $25 at the Box Office. Just a few more months till we open and transport our audiences to Dogpatch, USA!

Address

6611 University Ave
San Diego, CA
92115

Website

http://www.ppjt.org/

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