Peggy White has spent more than 30 years connecting East Bay families to live theater, dance, and music through the Diablo Regional Arts Association.
This year, her nonprofit is adding something new: a puppetry program for children with disabilities.
The Deluxe Puppets initiative, launching in 2026 at Las Juntas Elementary School in Martinez, brings interactive puppetry, storytelling, music, and creative play to students in the school's special needs after-school program. The program uses those tools to encourage self-expression, communication, and social connection, White told the Diablo Gazette in a July 8 profile.
"We meet the kids where they are," White said.
DRAA operates as the nonprofit partner of the Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. The organization raises funds to support drama, musical theater, dance, opera, music, and visual arts programming at the center, enriching the lives of thousands of East Bay residents each year, according to the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce.
Bringing live arts to Title I schools
DRAA's longest-running outreach effort is its Arts Access program, which brings students from Title I schools to professional performances at the Lesher Center. Teachers submit an application, and DRAA covers both transportation and admission costs. For many of those students, White said, attending a professional production is their first exposure to live performing arts.
The organization also runs cultural events including Del Sol Celebration and Fiesta Cultural, drawing families from across Contra Costa County. Ann Notarangelo, community relations manager at Martinez Refining Company and a DRAA board member, has been a key partner in the nonprofit's "Lesher Center in Your Neighborhood" initiative, which brings performing artists into Martinez schools and community spaces, according to Contra Costa News.
White said the organization's goal is to keep DRAA "fresh, innovative, and focused on access to excellence." All programming is community-funded. Residents can support the work by attending performances, volunteering, becoming a business sponsor, or donating auction items for the annual Gala on Broadway fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026.
More information is available at draa.org.
Upcoming at the Lesher Center
The free Summer Sounds concert series continues on Rudney Plaza at 1601 Civic Drive:
- Thursday, July 16 — Mustangs of the West (Americana-infused country rock). 5:30 to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, July 30 — Alpha Rhythm Kings (Bay Area swing). 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Seating is first-come, first-served. No tickets required.
