Bloglander

Since the school opened in 1963, there's been a Ham on Regal show at Joel E. Ferris High School on the South Hill.

The variety show features parents and school staff for a big ol' night of comedy, music and whatever else the Ham Players decide to throw at their audiences. The proceeds from Ham on Regal, which last year topped $100,000, go to benefit a variety of programs not  fully funded by the district and are distributed to staff through an application process.

The show runs all weekend and tickets are still available for all three nights (7:30 pm tonight, 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm tomorrow). You can get those tickets at the Ham on Regal website.

A little history behind the beloved event:

Ham on Regal was born in the fall of 1963, with the opening of Joel E. Ferris High School. Two parent-teacher groups combined to put together a show that would raise funds to support school activities. The success of the show truly bonded the two groups and laid the foundation for the tremendously strong parent-school community we now enjoy at Ferris.

The Ham on Regal Players acquired its name from the title of the 1969 production. While searching for a name for the show, the chairman suggested “Ham on Regal” because the school faces Regal Street. Since then, the troupe has been known as the Ham on Regal Players or "Hams" for short. The five decade long venture stems from the work of thousands of parents and teachers over the past 52+ years. 

And here's a promo for this weekend's show.