The young imaginations of Hollywood up-and-comers Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal got supercharged the same way as so many other children from Oakland and the surrounding Bay Area: long afternoons at Children’s Fairyland on the shore of Lake Merritt.
The writers, stars and producers of the 2018 critically acclaimed film “Blindspotting” (set in Oakland, of course), will team up once again at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, to host “Celebrity Storytime” for Children’s Fairyland.
“It’s been difficult keeping this one under wraps,” states the Fairyland website. The Oakland institution — said to be one of Walt Disney’s inspirations for Disneyland — is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. It’s also been closed since the pandemic hit in March and is struggling financially, reportedly losing at least $1 million in what was supposed to be a celebratory year.
The website says Fairyland “is making plans for a modified re-open,” though no date for the reopening has been announced.
The event will feature “homegrown fairy tales that speak to us all.” The theme park’s Twitter and Facebook pages list other notables with Bay Area connections slated to be involved with the event, including Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, comedian W. Kamau Bell, media personalities Glynn Washington and Davey D., actress Kathreen Khavari and many others.
“Help us save @FairylandCA!!!,” Diggs tweeted. “Hosting with @RafaelCasa and some of the dopest puppet co-hosts you’ve ever seen. Gonna be a great old fashioned virtual celebration.”
“Happy to be asked to help. I loooooooooove @FairylandCA. Help save it!” tweeted Bell.
Diggs and Casal became friends while students at Berkeley High. Cable network Starz recently announced plans for a TV series based on “Blindspotting,” with the East Bay natives onboard to write and produce.
“Celebrity Storytime” is free, though donations are welcome. Registration is required, at www.classy.org/event/fairylands-celebrity-storytime/e297793.