Feb 2012 Late Month Theatre Opportunities on the Central Coast of California

As we move toward the end of February, I hope your entertainment plans include attending a couple of shows at any one of our several theatre and live performance establishments that ply their trade here on the California Central Coast!

Kelrik Productions’ (www.kelrikproductions.com) next show in their Family Theatre Series is Once Upon A Mattress, February 25 - March 11 at Unity (1490 Southwood Drive) in San Luis Obispo.  This family-friendly musical has a score by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer.

If you thought you knew the story of "The Princess and the Pea," you're in for a walloping surprise!  An off-beat retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, the production focuses on a royal family whose matriarch Queen Aggravain (Debora Schwartz) has decreed that no one in the kingdom may marry until her son, Prince Dauntless (Lester Wilson), weds.  She keeps the entire kingdom single by foiling every marital candidate the prince entertains.

When the noble Sir Harry (Evan Camacho) and Lady Larken (Lauryn Judson) learn they are about to become parents, however, they set out to put an end to the queen's tyranny so their baby may be born in wedlock.  Sir Harry finds the perfect potential bride for Prince Dauntless in Princess Winnifred (Kelly Barrett)), an uncouth maiden from the "wrong side of the swamp."  With the help of Sir Harry and Lady Larken, she sets out to overcome Queen Aggravain and win her true love's heart.

By turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the classic tale of courtship and come-uppance leads to side-splitting shenanigans.  After seeing Once Upon A Mattress, you'll never look at fairy tales quite the same way again!

The family-friendly production is directed by Erik Austin. "Once Upon A Mattress takes the audience back to the joys of childhood," says Austin.  "We have assembled a great cast and creative team to bring this 'happily ever after' story to life."  At just over an hour, the show is perfect for families and younger audiences.  With colorful sets and costumes and hilarious musical numbers, Once Upon A Mattress is a show you will NOT want to miss!

Tickets to Once Upon A Mattress can be purchased online at www.kelrikproductions.org, by phone at (805) 543-PLAY, or at Cheap Thrills in San Luis Obispo.  Please note the family-friendly performance schedule: Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 PM with Saturday evening performances at 7 PM.  Ticket prices are $14 -$20.  Discounts are available for full-time students, seniors, and groups of 15 or more.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Once Upon A Mattress opened off Broadway on May 11, 1959, with Carol Burnett in the role of Princess Winnifred.  It then moved to Broadway for a run of 460 performances, receiving Tony Award nominations for Best Musical and Best Leading Actress for Carol Burnett.  A Broadway revival starring Sarah Jessica Parker as Princess Winnifred opened in December of 1996 and was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical.

There have been three made-for-television versions of the musical.  The 1964 version starred Burnett again as Princess Winnifred and Elliott Gould as the Jester.  Another version in 1972 added Bernadette Peters as Lady Larken, Ken Berry as Prince Dauntless, and Wally Cox as the Jester.  In December of 2005, The Wonderful World of Disney produced a new version starring Carol Burnett in the role of Queen Aggravain, Denis O'Hare as Prince Dauntless, Tom Smothers as King Sextimus the Silent, Matthew Morrison as Sir Harry, Zooey Dechanel as Lady Larken and Tracy Ullman as Princess Winnifred.

In Kelrik’s Theatre After Dark Series, The Rocky Horror Show will be presented March 30 - April 14.   

Such Great Heights will be presented through February 25 by the SLOHS Drama Club (https://www.facebook.com/events/297057623681203/).

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current mainstage theatrical offering is My Generation, running through March 25 [NOTE - Attended a Saturday matinee of this production, and this is one show you do NOT want to miss ... especially if you were a pat of the 60s!].  Auditions for the future mainstage production, The House of Blue Leaves, will be February 27 & 28 (performances May 25 - June 17).  Dinner With Friends will be presented on the mainstage April 13 - May 6.  In SLOLT's Ubu's Other Shoe readers' theatre series, next up is Dollhouse, March 30 & 31.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887), in collaboration with Bent Angel Productions, will be presenting a readers’ theatre production of Our Town, with performances March 16-18.

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department’s A Sreetcar Named Desire February 23-25 & March 1-3, Cal Poly Choirs' Winter Concert: If Muisc be the Food of Love on February 25, Los Lonely Boys on February 26, and Red Star Red Army Chorus & Dance Ensemble on March 1.      

The Theatre at the Cambria Center for the Arts (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/index.html) will present the Singing Hands children’s choir March 24 & 25, and 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 is proud to present Wait Until Dark through March 25.

Paso Robles High School Drama Department (http://prhsdrama.com/index.html) will present a dinner theatre presentation of Law & Order: Fairytale Unit and In Other News March 2 & 3.  Their Spring Musical will be Guys and Dolls.

The Templeton Performing Arts Center (http://events.sanluisobispo.com/templeton-ca/venues/show/858649-templeton-performing-arts-center) will present Urinetown: The Musical March 15-24. 

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present SLO Legal, April 1 - May 6 at Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.

Sorcerer Productions’ (https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sorcerer-Productions/105954829426281) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will run through February 26 at the Studio Theatre at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande [NOTE: Attended an opening weekend performance - this show is WELL worth seeing!].

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center(www.clarkcenter.org) include Branch Elementary School’s annual Talent Show on February 27, Don’t Fence Me In - Songs, Music and Poetry of the American West on March 1, Surfin’ Safari – The Ultimate Tribute to The Beach Boys on March 3, AGHS Spring Choral Concert on March 6, Dana Elementary's Beauty and the Beast on March 7, California Theatre Center's Cinderella on March 8, and AGHS Drama's A Midsummer Night's Dream March 8-10.

The Spot (https://www.facebook.com/#!/hit.the.spot) in Arroyo Grande will present SOPA’s The Wizard of Oz February 24 & 25.

The Great American Melodrama (www.americanmelodrama.com) in Oceano is pleased to present Greater Tuna, followed by a Rat Pack Vaudeville Revue, running through March 4 [NOTE: Saw a Sunday early evening performance of this show - and Billy Breed and George Walker are BRILLIANT!].

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre's (www.smct.org) current production, Rabbit Hole, will run through February 25.  Next up will be the comedy Battle of Shallowford (performances April 27 - May 19).

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 Little Women, the Broadway Musical, through March 11.

The Lompoc Civic Theatre (www.lompoccivictheatre.com) is currently presenting a dinner theatre production of The Outrageous Adventures of Sheldon and Mrs Levine at D'Vine Wine Bar (performances: March 4, April 15, May 6), with reservations required.  Additionally, Almost, Maine will be performed at the Lompoc Civic Auditorium March 16 - April 1. 

So, whatever you might have on your calendar in the next couple of weeks, I trust you will want to make sure a couple of shows at some of our live entertainment and theatre venues here on the Central Coast of California are included in your plans as well!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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