10News honors Larry Zeiger for his commitment to the education of the arts as an English and Art of Film teacher at Point Loma High School. In addition to being a hard working teacher for the last 30 years, he has volunteered as the school’s musical theater producer/director and has directed and produced 30 original world renowned plays.

Zeiger moved to San Diego in 1970, where he received a teaching credential from San Diego State University. His productions started out as a final class project for his senior English students. Thirty years later, the productions have flourished to become extravagant Broadway-like musicals with more than 100 students involved in the projects.

All of the productions take place at the Larry Zeiger Performing Arts Center. Ten years ago, members of the Point Loma community approached the school board about honoring Zeiger for his hard work.

Zeiger’s productions are renowned as over the top, creative and hilarious with music and dance numbers. These performances are not your average high school drama productions. In fact, they even parodied the Wynona Ryder shoplifting incident in the musical "Sticky Fingers- A Tale of Saks, Lies and Videotapes," which was so popular it became a worldwide story featured in newspapers, magazines and television stations.

His goals are to empower students as leaders in the arts as actors, directors, costumers, choreographers, writers and producers.

Zeiger’s productions are such an integral part of student life at Point Loma High, that many students who are not a part of the drama or arts program, volunteer to help out so that they can be part of the wonderful and enriching experience.

It is not only students, but the entire community including parents, teachers and former students that become involved.

In this year's play, "I.See.U-The Medical Musical," doctors from Scripps Green Hospital and Sharp Hospital begged to be a part of the production.

The shows are funded by students selling advertisements for the print program, which helps to raise $6,000 a year. In addition, they are able to generate $20,000 in ticket sales. In the past three years, the program has received grants from the Hervey Family Fund and from the Morton Family.

Through Zeiger’s inspirational teaching, many of his students have gone on to produce, act and direct in such major Hollywood productions such as Boondock Saints, Guilding Light and Butterfly Effect.

His legacy resonates in Hollywood where each year his past students, who are a part of the entertainment industry, hold a reunion where they can network with one another.

Zeiger is always looking for new ways to improve arts in the schools. He is on a renegade mission to help stop budget cuts that affect arts programs in public schools.

To help out with his own productions, he plays the piano and writes original music and rearranges popular music to fit the stories.

He just finished putting on this year's musical at Point Loma High and is looking forward to many years of creative and entertaining productions.

For more information, please contact Point Loma High at (619) 223-3121 or visit www.PointLomaHigh.com.