Late January Theatre Openings & Closings on the California Central Coast

As we move toward the end of January, I hope you have attended some of the wonderful live performances that are happening in one of our California Central Coast live performance venues, and are planning on attending even more in the weeks ahead!

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) in Cambria is proud to present The Glass Menagerie, directed by Nehemiah Persoff, with performances through March 5.

This classic play by Tennessee Williams opens their 35th season and is their first production following their temporary closing for the installation of required fire sprinklers and other upgrades.

This is the literary masterpiece that launchEd Williams' career, a drama of great tenderness, charm and beauty.  He went on to write many other classics of the American stage and became one of our greatest playwrights.  It is a haunting and enduring story about the struggles of family life and the unrelenting power of memory and delusion; and is probably the playwright's most deeply personal and autobiographical work.  It is also about the difficult process of coming of age for an artist.

The director, Nehemiah Persoff, renowned stage, screen and TV actor, has directed a number of productions at the Plough and has a special affinity for this play.  The accomplished cast is comprised of Jill Turnbow, Joe Eister, Christina Fountain and Kasady Riley.  Lori Cunningham is the Company Manager.

Friday evenings, at 7:30pm, through Mar 4, special price $15.

Saturday evenings, at 7:30pm through Mar 5, regular $20, seniors/students $18.

Sunday Matinees at 3 pm on Jan 23 and Feb 13, regular $20, seniors/students $18.

Group Reservations of ten or more, paid in advance with a single payment, receive a 10% discount.

For reservations or more information, please click on the Reservations button on the website or directly phone the Box Office at (805) 927-3877.

The Pewter Plough Lounge, adjacent to the lobby, is open for wine, beer and refreshments before the show, during intermission and afterwards.  They specialize in Central Coast wines.  You can pre-order your drinks for intermission and have them waiting for you at your favorite table!  On Saturday nights, the Lounge generally features live entertainment.

Pewter Plough will hold auditions for their next production, Becky's New Car, on January 31 (performances March 25 - May 8).

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) also located in Cambria, closed Rosann Balbontin's Bridging the Gap in September.  Contact Theatre Director, Jeff Mar, at KRKJFRZ@aol.com to find out what their next project will be.

The Houselights Theatre (www.houselightstheatre.org) is looking for a new place to call home ... got any suggestions?  Details concerning their next show are TBD (and where it will be held).

The Pioneer Players (www.pioneerplayers.org) presented a "special project."  Always ... Patsy Cline, at Centennial Park in Paso Robles for 2 performances in September.  Stay tuned for what they'll be doing next! 

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) current show, Alice's Wondrous Adventure, runs through February 6 [NOTE: Saw the opening matinee performance and this is a WONDERFUL show!].

SLO Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) will hold auditions for The Gin Game February 1 & 2 (performances April 8 - May 1).  A readers' theatre production of The Voysey Inheritance will be presented on February 4, and THIS IS ROCK n' ROLL! takes to the stage February 18 - March 20.

Auditions for The Great American Railroad Show (www.americanrailroadshow.com) will be held at Unity (1490 Southwood Dr in SLO) on February 1 & 2 (performances March 18-27).

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) will present a readers' theatre production of The Diary of Anne Frank the first weekend in March (auditions on February 6 & 7), and Nunsense Jamboree in September (auditions early/mid July).

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Orchesis Dance - Shift February 3-5, the Vienna Boys Choir on February 8, the Russian National Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake on February 10, and Brian Regan in concert on February 11.

Murder in Mind Productions (http://murderinmind.com) presents Golden Girls: Meet Blanche's Niece, at the Spyglass Inn, located at 2703 Spyglass Dr in Shell Beach, through January 30.  Reservations are required.

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include the Peter Rowan Bluegrass band on February 5, and The Four Bitchin' Babes in Diva Nation on February 12.

Ryan Cordero (rccor385@gmail.com) and Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed their very successful production of Forever Plaid, at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande as part of their inaugural season of shows.  Next up is Drowsy Chaperone, with performances scheduled for April 1-24.

The Great American Melodrama's (www.americanmelodrama.com) current production at their newly renovated theatre in Oceano, Under the Boardwalk, will run through March 6.

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre's (www.smct.org) next production, Doubt, is in rehearsal and will run February 4-26.

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, will present the next show of their season, The 39 Steps, February 10 through March 6 (later to be reprised June 16 - July 3 at the Solvang Festival Theater).

So, whatever else you may have planned for the weeks ahead - I hope you will be attending a couple of shows and supporting the performing arts here on the California Central Coast ... I have NO doubt you'll be glad you did!

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

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