Mid-June Theatre Opportunities on the California Central Coast

As we move toward the middle of June (and beyond 2 days of rain - what was THAT all about?!), I hope you will be making plans to attend a couple of the theatre and live performance productions that are currently being presented here on our beautiful California Central Coast!

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current mainstage production, Spinning Into Butter, runs through June 12.

Set on a small college campus in Vermont, Spinning Into Butter explores the dangers of both racism and political correctness in America today.  When one of the few African American students at liberal Belmont College begins receiving hate mail, the campus erupts, first with shock, then with mutual recrimination as faculty and students alike try to prove their own tolerance by condemning one another.  As the administration sponsors public "race forums" and the students start their activist groups, Sarah Daniels, the Dean of Students, is forced to explore her own feelings of racism.  Her self-examination leads to some surprising discoveries and painful insights, the consequences of which even she can't predict [NOTE: Saw the June 10 performance - and this is one VERY good and WELL done drama ... the best I've seen in a LONG time!].  

Be sure to also check out SLOLT's children's summer theatre program classes and productions at act@slolittletheatre.org.  Readers' Theatre productions of No Exit and Krapp's Last Tape will perform one night only on June 17.  The next mainstage production will be The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkpr (Abridged) June 24 - July 7.  And ACT's summer youth production of Ann of Green Gables will be presented July 29 - August 7.

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) current show, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp, runs through June 12 at Unity, 1490 Southwood Drive, in San Luis Obispo!  [NOTE: saw the June 5 performance of this show and it was, well ... MAGICAL!]  I also understand it will be presented for ONE performance only at the Spanos Theatre on Cal Poly campus in collaboration with the Pacific Dance Center.

Kelrik's summer production of Seussical the Musical will be presented July 16-24 at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly campus.  Also - be sure to check out their acting classes for kids & youth!

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) next show will be Nunsense Jamboree September 2-5 & 9-11 (auditions July 9 & 10). 

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include the California International Choir Festival & Competition June 24-26, and Summer Drama Workshop for Children's King Arthur's Quest July 5-9.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery, July 3 - September 4 (auditions for the part of Jane Hathaway being held the week of June 13). 

Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed a VERY successful run of the Tony Award winning The Drowsy Chaperone in the Clark Center Studio Theatre.  Next Up?  Little Shop of Horrors - performances August 12-28 on the Clark Center main stage.

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Mother Goose, presented by Everybody Can Dance & the Santa Maria Civic Ballet, on June 11 & 12, the Gold Coast Chorus' "Songs We All Know" on June 18, and "Live, Breathe, Dance" by Coastal Dance & Music Academy on June 26.

To help celebrate Arroyo Grande's Centennial, South County Historical Society (SCHS) is producing "100 Years of People - Stories from our Past," a series of Readers' Theatre programs, each an hour long, adapted from historic writings to run every Saturday at 2PM throughout the summer.

"Young Clara"  
Born 1855 to missionary parents in Indian Territory, Clara's childhood years turn her into an educated and adventurous woman, who arrives in Arroyo Grande in 1883.   

Performances Saturdays at 2PM, June 18 & 25

"Life in the New City"
Clara's continuing adventures in Arroyo Grande as a pioneer teacher and wife of the city's first permanent doctor, Edwin Paulding.

Performances Saturdays at 2PM, July 2, 9, 16, 23
    
The Great American Melodrama's (www.americanmelodrama.com) current production, Soup du Jour, will run through June 12, followed by yet another Vaudeville Revue to tickle your musical senses.  Next up is Butch Cassidy and the Sunburnt Kid June 16 - Septemmebr 17, which will run in repertory with Lost At Sea July 14 - September 18.  And be sure to check out Camp Melodrama for young people ages 7-17 which runs July 18 - August 15.

Santa Maria Civic Theatre's (www.smct.org) next production, The Frog Prince of Spamalot, will be presented July 15-24.   

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 its first summer production, Hairspray, June 16 - July 2 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria, and July 8-31 at the Solvang Festival Theater.  A reprise of this past season's The 39 Steps will perform at the Solvang Festival Theater June 16 - July 3.  And be sure to check out their Summer Acting Camp for Young Actors (July 10-16 for ages 7-12, July 23-30 for ages 13-18).  [NOTE: Housing needed for summer theatre interns.   Contact PCPA's Company Manager, Amy Barrick at (805) 928-7731 ext. 3153 for more information].

The Pewter Plough Playhouse's (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) next production, Playhouse Creatures, will be presented through July 17 in Cambria.

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School in Cambria (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) is pleased to announce that Allied Arts Theatre has been revived and will be presenting The Octette Bridge Club July 29 - August 21, and Dearly Departed October 21 - November 20.

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival (http://centralcoastshakespeare.org) is proud to announce its 2011 summer schedule of The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, to be presented at the River Oaks Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, July 14 - August 13.

So, whatever else may be on the ol' social or entertainment calendar in the coming weeks, I really hope you will give some serious thought to supporting the performing arts here on the Central Coast by taking in a show or two!

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

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