Mid-July Theatre Happenings on the California Central Coast

As we come to the middle of July, I hope you have made your plans to attend one or more of the numerous productions that are running at present at one of the many live theatre and performance venues that make their home here on the picturesque California Central Coast!

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) next show, Seussical: The Musical, will be presented through July 24 at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly campus.

"Oh, the thinks you can think" when Dr. Seuss's best-loved stories collide in an unforgettable musical caper!  The Cat in the Hat (Erik Austin) is the host and emcee in this musical romp through the Seuss classics.   When the sweet-natured elephant Horton (Matt Ambrose) hears a cry for help coming from a floating speck of dust, he promises to rescue it and keep it safe because "a person's a person, no matter how small."  On that small speck of dust lives JoJo (Jayce Garcia & Westen Meyer), an imaginative young Who.  JoJo has astounding "thinks" in which "anything is possible," but his parents believe this creativity is inappropriate for the son of the Mayor and his wife of Who-Ville (Lester Wilson & Carey Blauvelt).  Meanwhile, in the Jungle of Nool, Horton is antagonized by the Wickershim Brothers (Scott Nelson, Jeffery Larsen and Ryan Vasquez) and mused by a doo-wop girl group of Birds (Danielle Dutro, Ashlin Hatch, Danielle Mendoza and Veronica Surber) while Horton's neighbor Miss Gertrude McFuzz (Makenzie Hunt), a bird with a one-feather tail, only wants Horton to notice her and decides a more impressive tail is what she needs to catch his eye as the conniving Mayzie La Bird (Olivia Tenney) cajoles Horton into sitting on her egg while she goes off on a spree.

Will the planet of Who survive?  Will Horton ever notice Gertrude?  Will Mayzie ever return for her egg?  Dr. Seuss's best loved characters find themselves intertwined in a crazy-quilt adventure in which the power of friendship, loyalty, family and community is challenged but ultimately emerges triumphant.  Join Kelrik for this musical journey through the imagination of Dr. Seuss - a trip that will make you laugh and cry.  Don't miss this wonderful production featuring the crème de la crème of Central Coast talent. 

Directed by Erik Austin, the Kelrik production features a talented local cast of thirty- seven.  According to Austin, "Kelrik is always proud to showcase the immense talent in our community.  This production, brought back by popular demand, is a particularly good show for younger performers.  We are thrilled to be able to cast so many talented teens and children both in featured roles and the ensemble co-mingled with the adult leads.  It's gratifying to be able to offer such a great performance opportunity to our up and coming local talent and to take this show  to  a Broadway-caliber level at the Spanos Theater".

Other members of the creative team include Jeffery Larsen (Choreography), Lacey McNamara (Musical Direction), Sean Blauvelt (Stage Manager), David Beals (Lighting Design), and Keith Wetzel of Costume Capers (Costume Design).  Professional backdrops will be provided by Kenmark, Inc. 

Seussical: The Musical has a score by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and a book by Ahrens and Flaherty.  It was adapted from the works of Dr. Seuss based on the conception of Ahrens, Flaherty and Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame).  This production is recommended for audiences age 4 and up [photo by Danielle Dutro Photography] (NOTE: Saw the opening matinee of this production and it is absolutely DELIGHTFUL!).

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current schedule includes a production of The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkpr (Abridged) through July 17 [NOTE: Had the pleasure of attending final dress for Compleat Works - and this is one VERY funny show that you will NOT want to miss!].

In addition, SLOLT has children's summer theatre classes and productions (get more information at act@slolittletheatre.org), with ACT's summer youth production of Ann of Green Gables performing July 29 - August 7.

If you're interested in honing your musical theatre audition skills (August 13 & 14 with Daniel Witzke) or attending a week at GLEE Camp (August 15-19 with Daniel Witzke, Michael Jenkinson and Sarah Brookell) contact ACT Coordinator, Kerry DiMaggio, at (805) 781-3889 X 14.

PLUS - on September 5 & 6 (and possibly 12), Reach the Sky, an evening of songs by what may well be some of Broadway's future songwriters, will be presented.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) next show will be Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, September 2-5 & 9-11, at the SLO United Church of Christ. 

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include Kelrik's Seussical the Musical July 16-24 (see above), and the Academy of Dance's Dancin' 2011 on August 14.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery through September 4 at the Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.

To help celebrate Arroyo Grande's Centennial, South County Historical Society (SCHS) is producing "100 Years of People - Stories from our Past," a series of Readers' Theatre programs, each an hour long, adapted from historic writings about the life of Clara Edwards, born in 1855 to missionary parents in Indian Territory.  Clara's childhood years turn her into an educated and adventurous woman, who arrives in Arroyo Grande in 1883. 

"Life in the New City"

Clara's continuing adventures in Arroyo Grande as a pioneer teacher and wife of the city's first permanent doctor, Edwin Paulding.

Performances: Saturday, July 23 at 2PM. 

Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed a VERY successful run of the Tony Award winning The Drowsy Chaperone in the Clark Center Studio Theatre.  Next Up?  Little Shop of Horrors - performances August 12-28 on the Clark Center main stage.

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Mary Meserve-Miller's LEGENDS Viva La Diva through July 31, Sorcerer's Little Shop of Horrors August 12-28 (see above), Joe Chavira's Unity Shoppe Concert on September 3, Rudolf Budginas in Concert Featuring Kenny Lee Lewis on September 17, and the Kingston Trio on October 9.

The Great American Melodrama's (www.americanmelodrama.com) current productions are Butch Cassidy and the Sunburnt Kid, which will run in repertory with Lost At Sea through September 18.  And be sure to check out Camp Melodrama for young people ages 7-17 which runs July 18 - August 15.

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, is proud to present its first summer production, Hairspray, through July 31 at the Solvang Festival Theater [NOTE: Saw the official opening night of this show on Saturday, June 18, and it was AMAZING ... I don't remember the last time the ENTIRE audience erupted into an IMMEDIATE standing ovation as curtain call began - but that's exactly what happened at this production, and it was WELL deserved!].   

In addition, Shakespeare's The Two Gentleman of Verona is playing in Santa Maria through July 30 (August 5-21 in Solvang).  And be sure to check out PCPA's Summer Acting Camp for Young Actors (July 23-30 for ages 13-18).  [NOTE: Housing needed for summer theatre interns.   Contact PCPA's Company Manager, Amy Barrick at (805) 928-7731 ext. 3153 for more information].

Santa Maria Civic Theatre's (www.smct.org) next production, The Frog Prince of Spamalot, will be presented through July 24.  Auditions will be held on July 18 & 19 for Blithe Spirit (performances September 16 - October 8).

The Lompoc Civic Theatre (www.facebook.com/LompocCivicTheatre) will present And ... Action! and Purgatory Life July 22-24 at Stone Pine Hall on South H Street. 

The Pewter Plough Playhouse's (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) current production, Playhouse Creatures, will be presented through July 24 in Cambria. 

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School in Cambria (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) is pleased to announce that Allied Arts Theatre has been revived and will be presenting The Octette Bridge Club July 29 - August 21, and Dearly Departed October 21 - November 20.

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival (http://centralcoastshakespeare.org) is proud to announce its 2011 summer schedule of The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, to be presented at the River Oaks Amphitheatre in Paso Robles through August 13.

So, whatever you might have planned over the course of the next few weeks, I trust you will want to find or make the time to show your support toward the group of performing artists that share their considerable artistic talents here on the Central Coast!

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