Mid-January Theatre Happenings on the California Central Coast

As we come to the middle of January (already?!), I trust that you have made plans to attend some of the upcoming performances that are or soon will be happening in one of our California Central Coast live performance venues!

The Great American Melodrama's (www.americanmelodrama.com) next production in Oceano, Under the Boardwalk, will open on January 20 and run through March 6.

This hilarious musical comedy, written by Central Coast favorite Erik Stein and directed by George Walker, returns to the stage of The Great American Melodrama to open their 2011 season.

Set under Pismo Beach's famous pier, the trouble starts in Under the Boardwalk when a gaggle of lady seagulls run into a group of clams.  But what happens when between these mortal enemies a love match is made?  The seagull in question, Daria (Katie Worley) finds herself inexplicably drawn to Glen, one of the clams (Rhett Guter).

As you can imagine, the fact that Daria has broken the unspoken rule of never falling in love with dinner does not sit well with her gull friends, Rita and Flo (Natasha Harris and Suzy Newman).  This also makes Glen's clam buddies, MC Clammer and BiValve Devoe (Chuck McLane and George Walker) feel more then a little steamed when they hear about Glen's romantic feelings for a former feared predator.

Completing the talented cast is the story's plucky, rapping master of ceremonies, DJ Jazzy Starfish, played by pianist and musical director Jordan Richardson.  

Under the Boardwalk is filled with hilarious parodies of some of your favorite hit songs, high energy dancing ... and did I mention that the lady gulls are on roller skates?

Following Under the Boardwalk is a brand-new vaudeville revue full of song, dance and comedy - which many Melodrama patrons feel is worth the price of admission in and of itself. 

Performances are Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8pm, and Sundays at 6pm.  (Regular Melodrama attendees should note the new, earlier showtimes for Saturday performances.  On Thursday, February 3, a 2pm matinee will replace the 7pm performance).  The Melodrama's in-house snack bar features great food and drinks served before the show and during intermissions.  Tickets are $18 to $22, with discounts available for groups, seniors, students, active military, and children.  For more information or to make reservations call the Melodrama Box Office at 805-489-2499.  The Great American Melodrama is located on Highway 1 in Oceano, just three miles south of Pismo Beach.  The Melodrama has been providing professional family entertainment on the Central Coast since 1975.

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).

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include the World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre on January 16, the Peking Acrobats January 21 & 22, and California Theatre Center's Alexander's Terribe, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day on January 24.

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.

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.

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) Academy of Creative Theatre's production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will run January 14-31.  SLOLT will also present a readers' theatre production of The Voysey Inheritance on February 4, and THIS IS ROCK n' ROLL! February 18 - March 20.

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com), after a brief hiatus, has decided to continue producing here on the Central Coast, announcing its next production, Alice's Wondrous Adventure, January 22 - February 6.  Auditions for their next production, Annie, will be held on January 13 (performances February 18 - March 6).

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook), in collaboration with Bent Angel Productions, recently closed its run of a staged reading of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood.  What's next?  A readers' theatre production of The Diary of Anne Frank is planned for 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 Opera SLO's Evening in Seville on January 14, Guitar Masters Andy McKee, Eric Johnson and Peppino D'Agostino also on January 14, and Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from Who's Line Is It Anyway? on January 15.

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! 

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 Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) in Cambria has announced that their next production will be The Glass Menagerie, directed by Nehemiah Persoff, with performances January 21 through March 5.

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS), 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.

So, whatever else you may have planned for this month - I hope you will avail yourself of one or more of the theatre productions here on the California Central Coast and support the performing arts!

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

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