Fairy Tales in the Park

Performances are Always Free!
In 1995 John and Roxanne Diesel co-founded Gypsies in a Trunk, an all-volunteer troupe of actors performing free fairy tales for the young and young at heart. In partnership with the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District and with the support of then recreation supervisor, Doug Gale, the troupe opened their first season to enthusiastic audiences at the Rancho Simi Community Park Amphitheater and called the annual series Fairy Tales in the Park. The troupe’s love of children’s theatre has led them to perform every May through September since 1995 all over Ventura County. The tour has grown to include Camarillo, Simi Valley, Ventura, Westlake Village and the Channel Islands Harbor. The troupe's goal has always been to create an environment where families could introduce live theatre to their children in a casual setting at the right price – free! All Fairy Tales in the Park performances are held outdoors in a variety of venues and is always free of charge, though the players pass the hat to help cover costuming and travel costs, donations are always voluntary. From staging beloved fairy tales on a beautiful amphitheatre stage to a loading dock, the front lawn of a recreation center, or dockside in the grass, the aptly named Gypsies in a Trunk perform anywhere there is an audience!

 

About Our Shows & Venues
All of our Fairy Tales in the Park are outdoor shows. Most of our venues do not have shade, so sunscreen and hats are appropriate. Bring water, juice, snacks, picnics (the actors promise not to raid the picnic baskets). Blankets and low-slung chairs are recommended. We love Fido, but he will upstage the actors, so we ask that you leave him home if possible.

The shows are designed to run approximately 45 minutes, which coincides with the attention span of our target age group, 3-10 year olds. Of course, the young at heart will enjoy our shows as well, who doesn't love to watch a child's eyes light up as they watch (and meet) a character straight out of a book.

 

Couldn't Have Done it Without....

This has always been a labor of love for everyone involved with Gypsies in a Trunk. We appreciate all of our actors and directors and of course our wonderful audiences that support us each year. We'd like to acknowledge some special people who were with us from the very beginning (and some are still involved!)

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Our children: Mikisha Harrison-Haeri and Ben Harrison​

Ron and Judie Kewish​

Chris Carnicelli​

John and Loretta Logue​

Doug Gale

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Thank you to everyone for helping us carry out 27 seasons of what has always been a labor of love and fun for the community.