COMPOSER FOCUS OF BENEFIT CONCERT.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA -- The Theatre Project/SCV, a new professional regional theater company, will raise money for its inaugural season with an Oct. 22 tribute to the musical work of Stephen Schwartz.

The concert will be staged at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia.

This tribute will be the first public event for the group, which recently announced plans to bring professional theater to the Santa Clarita Valley. Various performers will sing some of Schwartz's well-known tunes, and the composer also has agreed to appear.

``We're honored and humbled that not only has Mr. Schwartz given his permission for us to stage this event, but that he has agreed to attend, even taking the stage to personally interpret one of his best- known songs,'' said Mark Salyer, the theater's co-producing director.

Schwartz wrote the score for Broadway's ``Wicked'' as well as ``Godspell,'' ``Pippen'' and other musicals. He also has composed scores for the animated films ``The Hunchback of Notre Dame,'' ``Pocahontas'' and ``The Prince of Egypt.''

While the tribute is intended to raise money for the theater, the event also will benefit other arts organizations, including the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center and the college's Patrons of the Arts program. The theater will donate $900 worth of tickets to each of five community arts organizations: Santa Clarita Symphony, Santa Clarita Ballet, Canyon Theatre Guild, Repertory East Playhouse and Escape Children's Theatre. These organizations can use the tickets for their own fundraising campaigns.

``One of the big concerns expressed to us as we've been meeting with the community is that many believe that by supporting a professional regional theater that other professional, educational and community groups will suffer financially,'' Salyer said. ``I think just the opposite. If the Santa Clarita Valley obtains a higher profile as an arts destination, every local group will benefit from larger audiences.''

The chorus for the show will include 20 performers, 10 from the college's music and theater programs, and 10 spots filled by audition. Tickets range from $25 to $150 and are available by calling [phone] or visiting www.canyonspac.com/schwartz.html.

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Composer Stephen Schwartz will appear Oct. 22 when The Theatre Project/SCV, a professional theater company, will stage a Schwartz musical tribute at a fundraiser benefiting the organization and five other local arts groups.