BWW Blogs: Summer Begins With Some GREAT Theatre on the California Central Coast!

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

As we OFFICIALLY come to the beginning of summer, our live performance venues and theatres here on the California Central Coast are ready, willing and able to offer you an afternoon or evening's worth of entertainment that will satisfy most every taste and budget!

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 Sylvia through July 3 at the Marian Theatre (July 9-25 at the Solvang Festival Theater).

Our title character is the bone of contention between Greg and his wife Kate in this howlingly funny domestic comedy by A.R. Gurney, directed by Patricia Troxel, unleashing a hilarious and touching tale that takes the term "animal lover" to a whole other level (Adult Language).

The four-person cast includes Peter S. Hadres as Greg, Stephanie Philo as Sylvia, Catalina Maynard as Kate, and Richard Gallegos as Man.  

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

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

The Great American Melodrama (www.americanmelodrama.com) has kicked off its summer season with The Crock of Gold, written by Silas S. Steele and directed by Eric Hoit, that will run through September 18, along with "The Great Outdoors Vaudeville Review" following each performance (beginning July 15, this show will alternate with the Melodrama's second summer show, The Tavern).

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande, include Jim Messina of Loggins & Messina in concert on August 10, and the 9^th Annual Paul Wolff Accessibility Advocacy Awards with a benefit performance by comedian Josh Blue on August 28.

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!

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 San Luis Obispo Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) will present Suzy Miller's summer theatre dance spectacular Shimmy Shake Shine! July 8-31.  Auditions for Leading Ladies (performances October 8-31) will be July 12 & 13.  And persons to fill the roles of Henry and Bellomy are still needed for The Fantasticks (performances August 7 - September 9).  Contact director, Mark Plater, at rennman22@hotmail.com if you're interested.   

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com) will present Into the Woods July 16-18 at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly campus for 3 performances only.  This will be the farewell production for Kelrik here on the Central Coast as co-founder Erik Austin leaves the area.  He will definitely leave a void in the local theatre community.  THANK YOU Erik for a WONDERFUL run here in San Luis Obispo!   

Other upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include comedienne Lisa Lampanelli on July 10, the Festival Mozaic Grand Finale on July 25, American Dance of SLO's Just Imagine August 1 (2 performances - 2 & 6 PM), Pacific Coast Dance Convergence's JUMPBRUSH, August 12-14, and (for those who REALLY like to plan ahead!) comedienne Paula Poundstone on October 7.  

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.

The Brickyard Theatre (www.brickyardhteatre.com) is currently working on a production of Quilters, which will be presented September 2-25 in Atascadero.  Contact Bobbi Stoffel at stoffelfam@charter.net for reservations or more information.

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS) in Cambria will present The Belle of Amherst July 9 - August 1.  Contact Emma Duncan at (805) 574-0073, or eduncan@gm.slc.edu for more information.

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org), also 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?).

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, I'm told they are working on a "special project" that has taken them in a different direction at this point, and they will hopefully be making an announcement soon ... 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 there you have it - a live performance and theatre menu to satisfy the most discerning of entertainment palettes ... so get out there and enjoy the feast and support the performing arts here on the California Central Coast!

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