Late May Live Entertainment Options on the Central Coast of California

As we make our way toward the end of May, I hope you will find or make the time to attend some of the many productions currently playing (a number of which will soon bring their runs to a close) at any of the various live performance and theatre venues that make their home here on the Central Coast of California!

Arroyo Grande High School Theatre Company will present Pippin, a musical comedy by Stephen Schwartz, at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) May 25 – 27.

Once upon a time, a young prince longed to discover the secret of true happiness and fulfillment.  He sought it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh, and the intrigues of political power.

Pippin is a hip, tongue-in-cheek, anachronistic fairy tale that captivated Broadway audiences and continues to appeal to the young at heart everywhere.  The energetic pop-influenced score by three-time Oscar-winning composer/lyricist, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell,  and the animated films Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Prince Of Egypt) bursts with one show-stopping number after another - from soaring ballads to infectious dance numbers [PHOTO: Savanah Brewer and Kyle Compton]. (Contains some mature themes)

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) in Cambria is currently presenting Outward Bound through June 3.

The Theatre at the Cambria Centerfor the Arts (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/index.html) will present DRAMARAMA - Youth Acting Classes June 4-28.

Templeton Performing Arts Center of the North County Dance and Performing Arts Foundation (http://www.northcountyperformingarts.org/) in association with Class Act Dance will present SYNERGY, a summer dance recital, on June 23.

SLO Little Theatre’s (www.slolittletheatre.org) next mainstage production, The House of Blue Leaves, will run through June 17.  And be sure to check out the Academy of Creative Theatre’s (http://www.slolittletheatre.org/pages/classes) children & youth theatre opportunities for this spring and summer!

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com) held auditions for their summer musical, Grease, on May 23 (performances June 23 – July 15), and will hold auditions on May 30 for their Grades 1-10 Summer Camp/Performance Class that will present Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr in early August.  Sweeney Todd will run through June 2 as part of their After Dark Series [NOTE: Saw both opening weekend performances and this cast does a WONDERFUL job of bringing this rather macabre dramedy to life], and in their Kelrik Family Series, Willy Wonka is currently playing through June 3 [NOTE: Caught the opening matinee -FUN show ... GREAT kid vocals!]. 

Next up for The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887), is a summer musical production of Snoopy – auditions July 16 & 17, performances August 31 - September 9.

Espressivo! Chamber Theatre (http://espressivotheatre.com/) will present The Botanical Engineers in May & June at various locations on the Central Coast – including May 26 at SLO Botanical Garden, May 27 at SLO Little Theatre, May 31 at the Gather Wine Bar in Arroyo Grande, June 1 at Davidson's Furniture "Art After Dark" in SLO, June 2 at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles, June 3 TBA, and June 7 back at Poalillo Vineyards in Paso Robles (WHEW ... talk about takin' it on the road!).

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Cal Poly Symphony and Choirs Spring Concert – Rule Britannia on May 26, Cal Poly RSVP XVII: Garabatos on May 29 & 31, Vanable Velocity Performance Group’s Inside Out on May 31 & June 2, Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble Spring Concert on June 1, Cal Poly Wind Bands Spring Concert – Winds of Change: Music of the 21^st Century on June 2, Martin Short on June 3 (Cohan Center), and The Academy of Dance and San Luis Jazz dancers’ Infusion on June 3 (Spanos Theatre).

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present Pirates of Pirates Cove opening July 1.

The Spot (https://www.facebook.com/#!/hit.the.spot) will present Pismo Beach Youth Theater's Guys and Dolls through May 27, Comedian & Magician, Chris Lopez, on May 26 & 27, and the Poetic Justice Project’s Planet of Love June 8-17.

Exit Pursued By a Bear (https://www.facebook.com/events/405235212833014/) held auditions May 24 at The Spot in Arroyo Grande for Much Ado About Nothing and Titus Andronicus, which will run in repertory in parks on the Central Coast 2 weekends in August.

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Everybody Can DANCE and Santa Maria Civic Ballet’s Cinderella, Chopiniana & Giselle Act 1 June 9 & 10.

The Great American Melodrama (www.americanmelodrama.com) in Oceano is proud to present a Vaudeville Spectacular through June 10 ... a full night of Vaudeville Revue taken from the best of the best from years past and packed into one night of high energy entertainment.  Whether it's a classic comic routine or one of your favorite song and dance numbers, you're sure to have a good time as you take a trip down Memory Lane!

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 Little Women, the Broadway Musical, June 14 - July 1 at the Solvang Festival Theater and The Rivals June 21-30 in Santa Maria (July 5-22 in Solvang).

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org) recently closed The Battle of Shallowford – stay tuned for details on their next production!

The Lompoc Civic Theatre (www.lompoccivictheatre.com) will hold auditions May 28 & 29 for their upcoming summer production of tick, tock … BOOM!  Performances are scheduled for August 3-19.

So, whatever you may have planned in the coming weeks for your entertainment listening and viewing pleasure, I trust you will want to include at least a couple of the offerings to be found at any number of our theatre and live entertainment establishments here on the California Central Coast!

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