With an entourage of nearly 60 townspeople ready to display a range of talents, skills and comedic savvy, guests can expect the works, including school superintendents Cindy Ranni and Mary Ann Park turned Chicago vixens and Los Gatos High School Vice Principal Doug Ramezane and Councilman Barry Bakken singing "Bitchin' Hair."

Herding in the talent and keeping the pulse of the production at a height will be Councilman Mike Wasserman, who has prepared some witty banter to be mixed with impromptu funny business and surprise cameos by familiar townspeople.

"I've lined up about a dozen cameos by renowned citizens, but I can't disclose who they are. It would take the fun out of it," Wasserman says. However he can say that he is "delighted" to be MCing the event, which is close to his heart, given that he has a daughter entering her junior year at the school and a son about to begin his freshman year.

"This is going to be a talked-about event for the next 10 years," says "Town Follies" coordinator and LGHS performing arts chairwoman Diana Pleasant. "It's amazed me that you don't have to go far to find talent. At first people were hesitant, but now no one wants to be left out. We'll have comedy routines, dances, skits, vocals ... it is so incredible what's going to happen!"

In addition to the entire Los Gatos Town Council, other notables scheduled to appear include Los Gatos Police Chief Scott Seaman, LGHS Principal Trudy McCulloch, Festival Theatre Ensemble actors, Double D's co-owner Dan Harris and LGHS teachers Scott Downs and Ralph Aguayo. Mayor Sandy Decker will team up with townspeople—including Pleasant and Planning Commissioner Joanne Talesfore—for a Fosse-inspired dance number.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Theater Improvement Project, an effort supported by the New Millenium Foundation. TIP was formed by Pleasant two years ago and is comprised of community leaders such as Mayor Decker and Planning Commissioner Paul Dubois.

The project is a response to the 1998 Measure B bond, which slated $1 million in repairs for the theater, which was originally built in 1924 and renovated in the 1960s and has not been touched since. When bond money proposed basic fire and electrical upgrades and painting over the wear and tear, Pleasant set to work.

"Measure B was just going to paint the whole thing. We have wood, acoustic tile and vinyl walls that shouldn't be painted—it is beautiful acoustically, and we need to retain those acoustics, which requires more money than we are allotted," she says.

Upgrades that TIP would fund include updating access points for those with disabilities; renovating the lights, sound system and orchestra pit; and reclaiming fly space above the stage—lost in the 1960s rehabilitation—which is used for rigging lights and flying sets.

To commit to this initial phase of upgrades, TIP needs $600,000 by Dec. 31. The total TIP renovation is estimated at $2.8 million over the allotted bond monies, which would provide an added stage house, entrance lobby, concession counter, ticket booth and backdoor loading dock.

The foundation has already raised $30,000, and Pleasant is hoping the "Town Follies" will be a great encouragement to fundraising efforts.

Pleasant had the idea for the follies six months ago and soon began cold calling to recruit performers. She says she has been extremely pleased with the town's commitment to the project and encouragement from staff.

"I must give credit to Sandy Decker," Pleasant says. "She embraced the idea immediately and has been a silent creative inspiration to me on this. And Joanne Rodgers has been passionate about seeing this project succeed."

The idea of a town talent show is actually not new to Los Gatos. For several years the town held a local pageant, which attracted a multitude of acts and guests. Pleasant would like the follies to revive those old days of performance and town camaraderie.

"It's a revival of an old tradition. I would love to see the 'Town Follies' become a regular town event," she says. "It would be great if it became a tradition."

Pleasant plans to put together at least one more show next year

The 'Town Follies' begins at 8 p.m. on July 3 at Los Gatos High School's Prentiss Brown Auditorium. Tickets will be available at the door one hour before the show. The cost is $25 for general admission and $50 for reserved seating. Los Gatos High School is located at 20 High School Court.