Questlove Steps Up To Ensure Next Year's CAPA Musical Will Go On
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A famous alumnus of Philadelphia's High School for the Creative and Performing Arts ("CAPA") is reaching into his own pocket to make sure that next year's musical at his alma mater won't be scrapped, as this year's was.
Questlove, frontman for Philadelphia-based hip-hop band "The Roots," wanted to help when he read that the annual musical at CAPA was being canceled this year because of a lack of funds (see related story).
CAPA principal Johnny Whaley Jr. says he got a phone call from Questlove on Friday, promising a "sizable" donation.
"He's reached out to our school in the past and given us supplies," Whaley tells KYW Newsradio. "But you have to understand that we're a very close-knit organization. And when our alums see things changing, if they have the financial ability to help, they reach out to us."
Any donation would come too late to save this year's production.
The musical costs about $65,000 to produce, but it's not part of the CAPA budget. The Home and School Association paid last year, with a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
