BWW Blogs: Mid-February California Central Coast Theatre Openings & Closings

As we come to the second week of February, I hope you had an opportunity to attend the couple of shows that have just closed - and have plans to attend some of the wonderful performances that are happening in the coming weeks at several of our California Central Coast live performance venues!

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 The 39 Steps, February 10 through March 6 (later to be reprised June 16 - July 3 at the Solvang Festival Theater).

Whether you take a plane, train or automobile, cling to your seat as four actors play over a hundred characters in this hilarious Tony award winning thriller.  Your suave hero Richard Hannay is pursued across the country in a manhunt with international portents.  This delicious farce has kept audiences rolling on Broadway with ingenious comic staging and Hitchcock's special brand of romance, intrigue and espionage.

Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, will be performed at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org) on Friday and Saturday nights through February 26.  Auditions for their next production, An Evening with David Ives, will be held on February 8 (performances April 29 - May 21).

The Great American Melodrama's (www.americanmelodrama.com) current production at their newly renovated theatre in Oceano, Under the Boardwalk, runs through March 6.

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include California Theatre Center's Most Valuable Player on February 11, The Four Bitchin' Babes in Diva Nation on February 12, Artbeat Inc's In the Mood on February 16, The Damon Castillo Band: Music for the Next Generation on February 18, and Take Me Home: The Music of John Denver on February 19.

Ryan Cordero (rccor385@gmail.com) and Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed their very successful production of Forever Plaid, at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande as part of their inaugural season of shows.  Next up is Drowsy Chaperone, with performances scheduled for April 1-24.

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) next production, Annie, will run February 18 - March 6.  Auditions will be held on February 23 for Pinkalicious, which will run April 2-17.

SLO Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) will hold auditions on February 9 & 10 for their readers' theatre production of My Name is Rachel Corrie (performance on March 25).  THIS IS ROCK n' ROLL! takes to the stage February 18 - March 20.

The Great American Railroad Show (www.americanrailroadshow.com) is scheduled to be presented at Unity (1490 Southwood Dr in SLO) March 18-27.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) will present a readers' theatre production of The Diary of Anne Frank the first weekend in March (final night of auditions on February 8, 7 PM, SLO UCC, 11245 Los Osos Valley Rd), and Nunsense Jamboree in September (auditions early/mid July).

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include the Vienna Boys Choir on February 8, the Russian National Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake on February 10, Brian Regan in concert on February 11, Vagina Monologues February 18-20, Lily Tomlin on February 19, and Falsettos February 24 - March 5.

The Houselights Theatre (www.houselightstheatre.org) is looking for a new place to call home ... got any suggestions?  Details concerning their next show are TBD (and where it will be held).

The Pioneer Players (www.pioneerplayers.org) presented a "special project."  Always ... Patsy Cline, at Centennial Park in Paso Robles for 2 performances in September.  Stay tuned for what they'll be doing next! 

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) in Cambria is proud to present The Glass Menagerie, directed by Nehemiah Persoff, with performances through March 5 [NOTE: saw the Feb 4 Friday evening performance of this show - and it was exceptional!].  Their next production, Becky's New Car, will run March 25 - May 8.

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) also located in Cambria, closed Rosann Balbontin's Bridging the Gap in September.  Contact Theatre Director, Jeff Mar, at KRKJFRZ@aol.com to find out what their next project will be.

So, whatever you may be planning in the coming weeks by way of recreation and entertainment - I hope you will be supporting the performing arts here on the California Central Coast by attending one of the several shows currently in production ... and that you'll do so sooner rather than later!

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

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