March 2012 - Late March Theatre & More on the Central Coast of California

As we come to the end of March, I trust you're planning to attend a show (or 2?) at any one of the several live performance and theatre venues to be found here on the Central Coast of California!

The Lompoc Civic Theatre (www.lompoccivictheatre.com) is currently presenting Almost, Maine through April 1.

The play tells nine stories which take place at the same magical moment on a cold, clear night in the middle of winter in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine.  All is not quite what it seems.  As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the town's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways.  Knees are bruised, and hearts are broken - but The Bruises heal, and the hearts mend … almost, in this delightful midwinter night's dream.

Director Larry McLellan, a native of Maine, along with Assistant Director Christine Jeszeck, are pleased to bring the spirit of northern New England to the Central Coast with this production of Cariani's popular play.  A highlight of this production is the original musical score by local pianist William Koseluk and an onstage creation of the northern lights by PCPA's Todd Harper.

Friday and Saturday night shows start at 7:30 and Sunday matinees at 2:00.  Tickets are $10 at presale outlets: Alfie's Fish & Chips, Lompoc Chamber of Commerce, and Texas Cattle Co.  Tickets for seniors, students, military and for all matinees are $10.  Adult tickets are $12 at the door.  The show will be performed at the Civic Auditorium, 217 South L St. (at the corner of Cypress). 

Additionally, a dinner theatre production of The Outrageous Adventures of Sheldon and Mrs Levine at D'Vine Wine Bar will have its FINAL performance on April 15 (reservations required).

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 Romeo and Juliet, April 19 - May 13.

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre's (www.smct.org) next production will be the comedy Battle of Shallowford - performances April 27 - May 19.

The Great American Melodrama (www.americanmelodrama.com) in Oceano is proud to present The Three Musketeers, through April 22, along with a Blue Collar Vaudeville Revue salute to plumbers, electricians, mechanics, and many more as they work hard for the money!

The Spot (https://www.facebook.com/#!/hit.the.spot) in Arroyo Grande will present Spinning the Globe & A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Foreclosure March 30 – April 1, magician Chris Lopez March 30 - April 1, and Exit Pursued By a Bear's The Changeling April 13-21.

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Suspended Motion Aerial Arts' Eventyr April 12 & 13, Four Sides of 40 on April 14, California Theatre Center's Beauty and the Beast on April 16, and the National Tour of Winter Dance Party - the official live and authentic re-creation of the final tour of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper before their untimely deaths in a plane crash in 1959.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present SLO Legal through May 6 at Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) Ubu's Other Shoe readers' theatre series will hold auditions for BOOM! April 16 & 17 (performances May 11 & 12).  A special performance of Teen Monologues will be presented on April 5.  And then next on the mainstage will be Dinner With Friends April 13 - May 6, followed by The House of Blue Leaves May 25 - 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) Theatre After Dark Series will present The Rocky Horror Show March 30 - April 14.  Auditions for Sweeney Todd will be held on April 3 (performances May 18 - June 2).  Next up in their Family Theatre Series is Willy Wonka (performances May 12 – June 3).     

The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887), in collaboration with Bent Angel Productions, recently completed a readers' theatre production of Our Town.  Next up is a summer musical production of Snoopy – auditions July 16 & 17, performances August 31 - September 9. 

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Andre Watts on April 5, The MET Live in HD: Massenet's Manon on April 7, Imagen y Espíritu Ballet Folklórico de Cal Poly's Mexico de Noche on April 7, Deyo Dances April 13 & 14, and Bettye Lavette on April 14.

The Cuesta College Performing Arts Center (http://academic.cuesta.edu/performingarts/) will present their Spring Drama Production, Three Musketeers, April 27 – May 6.

Espressivo! Chamber Theatre (http://espressivotheatre.com/) will present The Botanical Engineers May 12 – June 10 at various locations on the Central Coast – stay tuned for locations & times.

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival (http://centralcoastshakespeare.org) will hold auditions April 14 & 15 at the Ludwick Community Center in SLO for their summer productions of The Trials of Robin Hood and The Tempest.

Coast Union High School Drama Department (www.cuhsdrama.com) will present The Wizard of Oz through April 1 at the CUHS Gymnasium in Cambria (call 927-3834 for more information).

The Theatre at the Cambria Center for the Arts (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/index.html) will present a staged reading of Old Love with Judith Jesness and Paul Schecter April 14 & 15 and 21 & 22.

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) in Cambria will present Outward Bound April 20 – June 3.

Paso Robles High School Drama Department's (http://prhsdrama.com/index.html) Spring Musical will be Guys and Dolls (performances May 11-20).

AHS Greyhound Theatre (https://www.facebook.com/events/336683296349613/) will present South Pacific April 26 - May 6 at the Atascadero Junior High School.

So, regardless of what you may have planned over the course of the next couple of weeks, I hope you will find time to take in some performances at a couple of the 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"