CCPT Begins 12th Season of Theatre, 7/17

Culver City Public Theatre (CCPT) presents its 12th season of free theater in Carlson Park for families and theatre fans of all ages! Founded in 1998, CCPT (a 501(c)3 non-profit) is a premier professional membership theatre company in Culver City, California.

The season opens with the 12:00pm, July 17th world premiere performance of THE TRUE STORY OF JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, written by long-standing CCPT member and current company President, Heidi Dotson. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Ms. Dotson has penned the Children's Popcorn Theatre show, which is the show offered every season specifically aimed at a younger audience. Her previous plays were 2007's KING MIDAS, 2008's SLUE-FOOT SUE AND PECOS BILL, and last year's AUNT FONDEEN AND THE LOST DUTCHMAN GOLDMINE. Ms. Dotson will also direct the clever retelling of this beloved fairytale, which features an unlikely character as the narrator. Children and adults alike thoroughly enjoy the Children's Popcorn Theatre productions. This will be Ms. Dotson's seventh season with CCPT, where she has both acted and directed numerous times. Ms. Dotson has an extensive background in music theatre, having performed with San Gabriel Valley Music Theater, The Redlands Bowl, Redlands Theatre Festival, Rio Hondo College, and Riverside Civic Light Opera, where she even played the front half of the cow in their production of Jack and the Beanstalk!

CCPT's first main stage show of the season is a classic Shakespeare play with a modern twist, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (NEW JERSEY), opening on July 17th at 2pm. Mike Peebler directs this timeless tale of small town gossip, artfully set in modern day New Jersey. Mr. Peebler joins CCPT for the first time this season, though he is no stranger to outdoor productions, having worked extensively with Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum. In addition to his vast experience with Shakespeare productions, Mr. Peebler has also appeared in numerous television shows and films. These include "Medium", "NUMB3RS", "Las Vegas", "Scrubs", and Valkyrie which stars Tom Cruise. In addition to the challenge of directing Shakespeare, Mr. Peebler can also be seen playing the titular role in Theatricum Botanicum's current production of Hamlet.

CCPT finishes this year's season with Sir Arthur Pinero's THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE, opening August 7th at 2pm, which is directed by CCPT member Nicole Nelson. As the title suggests, this is a charming and magical play, made famous by the 1945 film adaptation starring RoBert Young and Dorothy McGuire. Though seldom performed, CCPT proudly presents this story which explores the true meaning of beauty. In addition to making her directing debut with CCPT this year, Ms. Nelson has appeared in three previous CCPT productions, perhaps most notably as "Slue-Foot Sue" in SLUE-FOOT SUE AND PECOS BILL. Ms. Nelson has also performed with Underground Theater and Next Stage, as well making multiple appearances in film and TV, which include Step Up 2, Nip/Tuck, and Parental Control.

For more information on CCPT, please visit www.ccpt.org.

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