Despite budgetary cutbacks across California, a performing arts renaissance is occurring on some high school campuses, thanks to a combination of determined educators, motivated students and an infusion of community dollars and know-how.

Ask any one of the hundreds of students involved in Campolindo High School's production of "Les Miserables," in Moraga, the operatic Acalanes singers starring in "Pirates of Penzance," in Lafayette, or the pink ladies of Foothill and Amador Valley's "Grease," in Pleasanton.

Collaborations are bringing new zest to many high school musical productions, as nonprofit arts companies lend equipment and expertise to public schools, and community members offer support.

Amador Valley High School relies on its Friends of Amador Music, and its theater is a joint city-school district entity. The Acalanes district's Del Valle theater is run by Walnut Creek's Regional Center for the Arts.

Last fall, Campolindo opened its new performing arts theater, following the opening of parcel tax-funded theaters on every other Acalanes district campus. Last month, Lafayette's Bentley High followed suit.

"If you build it, they will come," said former Campolindo principal Tom Ehrhorn, gazing at the standing-room-only crowds at "Les Miserables" during intermission at a recent performance.

The audience had mourned with Fantine, swooned with Eponine and been struck breathless by the march to the barricades in the first act.

Ten minutes later, as the lights went down and choral music director Gene Peterson lifted his baton, the massive red flag was unfurled once again. In a surging forward movement, Campolindo senior Michael Persons led the advance, singing a stirring anthem of freedom and rebellion.

Or, depending on the performance, Mario Rizzo led the advance, climbing the immense barricades and ultimately collapsing over the top.

"Les Miserables" was triple-cast to accommodate the scores of students involved -- 120 on stage, dozens in the lighting booth and catwalks, and another 18 in the orchestra pit.

The dramatic barricades that rotated on the stage, giving audiences glimpses of both the rebellion leaders and the fallen heroes on the other side, were there courtesy of the Willows Theatre, which lent its massive stage turntable and theatrical expertise to the production.

Musical productions like these or Miramonte's recent "Jekyll and Hyde," require directors, choreographers, costumers, dressers, schedulers, builders, painters, props and sets.

An army of parent and community volunteers work behind the scenes for months. Some, like Acalanes' Carol Edlinger and Campolindo's Connie Barnard, work on these projects practically full time. Both Edlinger and Barnard's children graduated years ago, but they return each year to help.

An entire community is involved in mounting a musical, said "Les Miserables" stage director and parent Dave Pinkham.

"It's like a runaway train. The whole program is so strong and (involvement) is such a family tradition," he said.

Nonprofit arts organizations, like the Lamplighters, Civic Light Opera and the Jewish Community Center theater, also lend props and practical assistance to local high school productions.

When pirate king Julian Arsenault channeled Johnny Depp down the "Pirates of Penzance" gangplank, the Acalanes sophomore was disembarking from the Lamplighter's dramatic pirate-ship set.

Many of the costumes were on loan from San Jose's American Musical Theater company. And costumes were dry-cleaned gratis by Lafayette's Hamlin Dry Cleaners.

Acalanes choral director Bruce Lengacher acknowledged that this year's musicals have definitely raised the bar, but said it was natural, given a community that values the arts so highly.

"All of us expect more out of our kids than the average high school (performance)," he said. "I tell my kids, the only difference between them and professionals is professionals get paid. We're doing the same material. There's no reason we shouldn't be striving to be professional."