Actress Myha’la Herrold is getting quite a homecoming this week as she stars in Broadway San Jose’s presentation of the smash musical hit “The Book of Mormon.”
Herrold, who graduated from San Jose’s Archbishop Mitty High School in 2014, just joined the national tour of the show as Nabulungi, and her first public performance in the role was Tuesday night at the Center for the Performing Arts.
“Getting to perform my first Broadway tour in my hometown in the first three weeks of my contract has been so special,” Herrold said at a cast party held at the Hotel De Anza following Wednesday night’s show. “I could not have hoped for a more blessed situation and I feel so happy to share this gift with the city that helped bring me so far.”
Herrold was a star at Archbishop Mitty’s performing arts department and for Children’s Musical Theater San Jose, and in 2013 she received the award for best lead actress at the Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Awards. Teachers, friends and administrators from both Mitty and CMTSJ have been buying tickets for the show, which has played to packed houses in its return to San Jose.
And for the young star, who attends Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the San Jose run — which continues through July 23 — has given her the opportunity to spend some time with her biggest fan — her mom, Susan Herrold.
“I am overjoyed for her,” said Susan Herrold, who watched both Tuesday and Wednesday’s shows. “This is a tough industry, so it might not have been the first thing I’d choose for her, but it’s wonderful to see her passion on stage.”
MILESTONE IN PHILANTHROPY: The Summit League, one of the Santa Clara Valley’s most prestigious women’s philanthropic groups, celebrated its 60th anniversary with a charity luncheon last month that raised $130,000 for the nonprofit Cancer CarePoint.
More than 350 people attended “A Day in the Garden with Friends,” held at the Los Gatos home of Lynn and James O’Brien, which featured several inspiring speakers, including Terry Curtin, DreamWorks Animation’s director of global marketing.
The Summit League — established in 1957 by Marge Dodge, Etel Lorraine and Barbara Lockhart — currently has 50 active members and 60 sustaining members who focus their philanthropy in the areas of education, health, welfare and the arts. In that time, the group has raised more than $2 million for Silicon Valley causes. Get more information about the group at www.summit-league.org.
LOUNGING AROUND IN SOFA: Downtown San Jose’s art scene will get another monthly spotlight with the return of SoFA Sundays, a free event series that starts this weekend. Think of it as a mellow, “Third Sunday” counterpart to the popular South First Fridays art walks.
From noon to 4 p.m., art lovers can visit the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, MACLA and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles or take in live performances and art activities around the Urban Rooms installation at Parque de Los Pobladores.
And if you’re looking to stay inside, you can check out Sunday matinees of the hilarious musical “The Toxic Avenger” at San Jose Stage or the cutting tunes of “Lizzie” at City Lights Theater Company. Future SoFA Sundays will take place Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15.
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