We lovingly dedicate our production of Candide to Jean Paal, (December 25, 1926 – March 17, 2018), a patron of the arts and of humanity. Jean believed in the power of storytelling and music as a way to share experience and understand our fellow human beings.

She particularly loved opera as the perfect combination of the two.

R.I.P. dear Jean

To donate in Jean Paal’s  memory CLICK HERE and in the “Apply My Donation To” scroll down menu select Jean Paal Memorial Fund 

Her extensive contributions to our community were beautifully outlined in an article in the Alaska Dispatch News (April 11, 2015)
In living memory: Anchorage renaissance woman plans her own ‘premortem funeral’ by Mike Dunham.

Excerpts from that article:

“…her passion was the arts. Over the years she worked on plays behind the scenes and volunteered with the Anchorage Opera Guild, finally appearing onstage in a silent role at Anchorage Opera‘s world premiere of Victoria Bond’s “Mrs. President” in 2012. She also worked on KSKA‘s “Stage Talk” radio program for about 12 years…

Her involvement in theater ranged from working backstage in a big touring production of “South Pacific” in the 1950s to helping start the Out North alternative theater organization. In recent years, she began writing plays herself and submitted some to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, an annual event that she loved to attend. In 2007 she was a winner in the UAA/Anchorage Daily News Creative Writing Contest for her nonfiction piece “Self Control.”

As an avid and respected gardener, her horticultural activities were not contained to her own yard. “She always supported interests in preserving Anchorage’s greenbelt, coastal trail and historical sites,” [Daughter, Joan] Paal-Fridley said. “Her attitude has always been that the arts are what makes life worth living, be they of the performing, historical or natural variety, they all contribute to the health and well being of each of us.”

To read the article in its entirety click here