THEATRE IS BUSTIN' OUT ALL OVER ON THE CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST!

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

As we welcome the beginning of June, many of our California Central Coast theatres and live performance venues eagerly await the opportunity to bring you a variety of quality entertainment to fit virtually every taste and budget!

"Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome!"

The decadent world of 1930s Berlin comes to life in Kelrik's (www.kelrikproductions.com) production of the Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece, Cabaret, that embodies the issues and events Europe was facing at that time.  The story, based loosely on the reminiscences of Christopher Isherwood in Berlin Stories and John Van Druten's play I Am a Camera, centers on an American writer, Clifford Bradshaw (Garrett Marshall), and Sally Bowles (Heather  Malcolm), an English singer and dancer at the Kit Kat Klub.  Bradshaw and Bowles fall in love and quickly become caught up in Germany's pre-war social and political turmoil.  A sub-plot involves the forbidden romance between a German boarding house owner, Fraulein Schneider (Delilah Shank), and her elderly suitor Herr Schultz (Mike Mesker), a Jewish fruit vendor.  Overseeing the action is the Emcee (Erik Austin), who presides as Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub and serves as a constant metaphor for the current state of society in Weimar Germany throughout the show.

"Cabaret is an important show because it is representative of an actual historical time period," said director Brian Lampert.  "It raises larger questions about the nature of prejudice, social intolerance and artistic freedom, yet despite the serious tone, the music and dancing are jazzy and upbeat."  The production is directed by Brian Lampert with musical direction by Stephen Tosh and choreography by Emmy Award winner Suzy Miller.

With music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1966.  It ran for over 1,100 performances and won the Tony for Best Musical.  The 1972 film version of Cabaret, directed by Bob Fosse and starring Joel Gray and Liza Minnelli, won eight academy awards.  The show includes the popular songs "Willkommen," "Don't Tell Mama," "Two Ladies" and "The Money Song" as well as the explosive title tune.

Cabaret will perform at Unity, 1490 Southwood Drive in San Luis Obispo, June 4 - 26 for only eight  performances,  Friday and Saturday evenings at 7PM.  Tickets cost $16 and may be charged by phone at (805) 543-PLAY.  Due to the adult storyline, Cabaret is suitable for older teens and adult audiences.  Seating will be cabaret-style and wine and cocktails will be available for purchase.  Reservations are strongly recommended.

The San Luis Obispo Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) production of Sherlock's Last Case runs through June 20.  [NOTE: attended the Saturday evening performance of opening weekend, and this is one of the cleverest whodunit productions I've ever seen on stage - WELL worth an investment of your time and entertainment budget!]

In addition, you won't want to miss The Slightest Movement presented by Drew Silvaggio and The Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo on June 13 at SLOLT, and a readers' theatre presentation of Incorruptible, a farce by Michael Hollinger and directed by Jill Turnbow, on June 25. 

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include the Cal Poly Wind Bands' Spring Concert on June 5, the Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble Spring Concert on June 6 (Spanos Theatre), and the DPAC Showcase 2010: Dellos Dance Recital on June 26 (Spanos Theatre - 2 performances: 2 & 6 PM).  

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook or at www.sloucc.org) will hold auditions for their next production, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, July 19 & 20, with performances scheduled for the first 2 weekends in September.

In Oceano, The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville (www.americanmelodrama.com) presents the first production of a new play by Neal LaVine, Back After This Break, through June 13.  Each performance is followed by a "School Daze Vaudeville Revue."

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org) will be presenting this year's Summer Fairy Tale Doc, Doc ... Goose! July 9-18.

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 musical comedy murder mystery Curtains at the Solvang Festival Theater June 17 - July 3.  [NOTE: Saw a Saturday matinee of this production during its Marian Theatre run in Santa Maria and it is absolutely WONDERFUL!]

Ryan Cordero (rccor385@gmail.com) and Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed a successful run of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Clark Center Studio Theatre.  What's next on the drawing board for what some are calling the most exciting and creative theatre company on the Central Coast?  I'm hearing rumors of a production of The Drowsy Chaperone as part of a full season slate of possibly as many as 5 productions ... stay tuned!

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande, include Into the Woods Jr. June 4-6 by the Pismo Beach Youth Theatre, ballet pieces from Snow White, Giselle, and La Bayadere by Everybody Can DANCE and the Santa Maria Civic Ballet June 5 & 6, and Coastal Dance & Musical Academy's We Are The World June 20.

Murder in Mind Productions (http://murderinmind.com) will present Bewitched: De-Witched at the Spyglass Inn, located at 2703 Spyglass Dr in Shell Beach, July 4 - September 5.  Reservations are required.

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 - they are looking for a new place to call home ... got any suggestions?).

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS) in Cambria will present Hamlet July 9-31.  Contact Emma Duncan at (805) 574-0073, or eduncan@gm.slc.edu for more information.

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 was supposed to be a summer musical production of Fiddler on the Roof, but performance rights were unavailable.  Then the plan was a production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown.  Now, they are working on a "special project" that has taken them in a different direction at this point, and they will be making an announcement before the summer starts.  Stay tuned!

Also in Paso Robles, the Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation (http://pryaf.org) is in rehearsal for its production of Twelfth Night for actors ages 8-18.  Performance dates are July 9-18.  For more information call (805) 238-5825.

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival (www.centralcoastshakespeare.org) will present its summer productions of Twelfth Night and The Gamester July 9 - August 14.

So what are ya' waitin' for?  Get out there and support the performing arts here on the beautiful California Central Coast!

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

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