March Theatre Openings & Closings on the California Central Coast

BroadwayWorld.com brings you theater recommendations from San Luis Obispo's own Curt Miner.

As we come to the beginning of March, a number of our California Central Coast theatre and live entertainment venues have recently closed or will soon be closing their current performance runs.  However - never fear!  As a very wise theatre professor of mine once told me - the only reason one show closes is so another one can open.

Nipomo High School, one of the premier drama programs in the area, will present a special production of Sweet Charity March 4-6 in Olympic Hall on the Nipomo High School Campus.

In this version, Charity tries her luck and wins big on the most exciting game show of her life.  But to do so, she has to survive everything a live audience and a quirky game show host can throw her way.

The Neil Simon classic still includes such musical hits as "Big Spender," "If They Could See Me Now," "Rich Man's Frug" and "Rhythm of Life."

The team of director Ryan C. Cordero and musical director Mark Robertshaw, who last summer presented Sorcerer Productions' smash hit The Producers, are again joining forces on the unique project, according to producer and NHS drama director Robyn Metchik

Rounding out the production team is noted Central Coast choreographer Suzy Miller.

Cordero, who has a fascination with the "game show era" of the 1960s and '70s, came up with the unique twist on Sweet Charity.

"It is really amazing to see how this game show concept lends itself so nicely to such a classic script," Cordero said.  "When the musical debuted on Broadway, it was during the game show era, when shows like 'Match Game' and 'Let's Make a Deal' were all the rage.  Throw a bit of a modern twist into the mix, and it's almost as if this show was meant to be performed this way."

Metchik also is happy with the result.

"I am thrilled with the way Ryan has been able to take the show out of the 'box' and create a new look and feel for the show," she said.  "It has made the show 'age appropriate' for high school, and the students are having a wonderful time with the game show theme."

Nipomo High School senior Sarah Miramontes (pictured above), perhaps best known for her role as Reno in Anything Goes, returns to the stage as the sexy and vivacious Charity Hope Valentine.  Ricky Moreno takes on the role of the animated and somewhat quirky game show host.

Costume Capers, which previously provided costuming for the NHS productions of Beauty and the Beast and Anything Goes, will provide costumes for this show as well.

Contact the NHS Activity Office at (805) 474-3300 ext. 6 for tickets and more information.

The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (www.pcpa.org), the Central Coast's Resident Professional Theatre Company, located on the Allan Hancock College Campus in Santa Maria, presents William Shakespeare's Macbeth through March 7.  March 12-21, two new playes will be presented in the Severson Theatre: Shipwrecked! by Donald Margulies, and Tender by Nicki Bloom (adult language/themes). 

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org) has just closed their production of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap.  Next up is Everybody Loves Opal, April 30 - May 22.

In Oceano, The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville (www.americanmelodrama.com) proudly presents I Hate Hamlet through March 7, including their ever popular Vaudeville Revue following each performance.

At the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande, the Affinity Hip Hop Showcase takes the stage on March 6, and the Best of San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition is on March 13.

Performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Julius Caesar March 4-6, James Cotton March 13, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder March 14, and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) by the Reduced Shakespeare Co. March 17.

San Luis Obispo's RadioActive Players will present The Madwoman of Chaillot at the Steynberg Gallery on March 12 & 13.  Contact Gene Strohl at genestrohl@aol.com for more information.

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com) presents Seussical through March 14 at Unity in San Luis Obispo.

The San Luis Obispo Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) is proud to present their next installment of the theatre's ongoing Legend Series, Swingin' with Sinatra, through March 21.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) was pleased to work with Bent Angel Productions on a staged reading of 12 Angry Men, directed by Chrys Barnes, Feb 19-21.  Watch for audition dates for "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" midsummer, with performances in early September

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org), located in Cambria, closed their production of Finishing Touches on February 28.  The theatre will now be closed for a time while it installs a new fire sprinkler system - stay tuned for details on its reopening and next show! 

The Houselights Theatre (www.houselightstheatre.org) completed a successful remount run of their popular summer musical Always ... Patsy Cline at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly campus this past August.  Stay tuned for details concerning their next show (and where it will be held ... possibly somewhere in Paso Robles?).

And then from up Paso Robles way, the Pioneer Players (www.pioneerplayers.org) finished a successful run of Oliver at the Templeton Performing Arts Center in January.  Next up is a summer musical production of Fiddler on the Roof.  Auditions will be held some time in April or May with performances in late June/early July - stay tuned for exact dates.

A couple of these shows close this week - so be sure to call and make your reservations before it's too late!  We've got our tickets to see Macbeth at PCPA, Swingin' with Sinatra at SLOLT, and Kelrik's Seussical ... maybe see ya' there?

Curt Miner ... your BroadwayWorld.com guy on the ground with the California Central Coast theatre "news & views" 

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