The California Central Coast's Abundant August Theatre Offerings

As we start our way into August, the California Central Coast live performance and theatre options just keep getting better and better, although time is short in some cases - so make your reservations before it's too late!

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival (www.centralcoastshakespeare.org) is proud to present its summer productions of The Gamester (closed August 6) and Twelfth Night (closes August 14) in repertory at the Outside Amphitheatre at the River Oaks Hot Springs in Paso Robles.  Grab your beach chairs, blankets, family and friends, pack a picnic and enjoy live theatre under the stars!

The Gamester, by Freyda Thomas, is a sparkling comical romp loosely based on a 1696 work by Jean-Francois Regnard.  The story follows the adventures of a young man torn between his beautiful fiancée and his mistress - The Gambling and Gaming Halls of turn of the century Paris.  The Chicago Tribune calls The Gamester, "an intriguing hybrid of old and new ... with bristling, insightful, richly comic and deliciously rhymed lines ... mixing the verbal musicality of an earlier theatrical style with the sensibility of modern life ... The Gamester charms on every level." [NOTE: saw the closing performance and this is one VERY talented company and a WONDERFUL outside venue!].

Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's most produced comedies and for good reason. Unrestrained passions and ribald revelry reign!  Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a topsy-turvy triple love story featuring separated twins, mistaken identities, gender crossing disguises, besotted relatives, and wise cracking fools.  Once the shipwrecked heroine Viola washes ashore, the world seems to go mad in delightful ways [PHOTO: Randy Pound as Malvolio].

The Pioneer Players (www.pioneerplayers.org) finished a successful run of Oliver at the Templeton Performing Arts Center in January.  Next up was supposed to be a summer musical production of Fiddler on the Roof, but performance rights were unavailable.  Then the plan was a production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown.  Now, I'm told they are working on a "special project" that has taken them in a different direction at this point, and they will hopefully be making an announcement soon ... stay tuned!

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School (TOGS) in Cambria presents Rosann Balbontin's Bridging the Gap through September 5.  Contact Theatre Director, Jeff Mar, if you have any questions at KRKJFRZ@aol.com.

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org), also located in Cambria, closed their production of Finishing Touches on February 28.  The theatre will now be closed for a time while it installs a new fire sprinkler system - stay tuned for details on its reopening and next show!

The Houselights Theatre (www.houselightstheatre.org) completed a successful remount run of their popular summer musical Always ... Patsy Cline at the Spanos Theatre On the Cal Poly campus this past August.  Stay tuned for details concerning their next show (and where it will be held - they are looking for a new place to call home ... got any suggestions?).

The Brickyard Theatre (www.brickyardhteatre.com) is currently working on a production of Quilters, which will be presented September 2-25 in Atascadero.  Contact Bobbi Stoffel at stoffelfam@charter.net for reservations or more information.

The San Luis Obispo Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) presents the Academy of Creative Theatre's summer youth production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Shelagh Garren, August 6-8 & 13-15 [NOTE: Saw the Saturday evening performance of the first weekend of this show - and it was delightful!].  The Fantasticks will be the theatre's next main stage production, scheduled to run August 27 - September 19.

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include ODC Dance/San Francisco August 12, JUMPBRUSH In Concert - featuring dancers from Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo, Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo, Deyo Dances, and Variable Velocity Performance Group on August 14, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks September 24, Bill Cosby on September 26 (2 shows - 3:00 & 7:00 PM), international guitar sensation Benise September 29, Steve Martin October 6, and comedienne Paula Poundstone on October 7.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook or at www.sloucc.org) will present You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown the first 2 weekends in September - including a special Labor Day Monday matinee to support the ongoing work of the Prado Day Center.

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com) recently closed their FINAL Central Coast production of Into the Woods as Kelrik's Artistic Director, Erik Austin, prepares to leave the area and head south to San Diego.  THANKS for all the wonderful theatre you created and shared with the community during your years here on the Central Coast Erik - you will be missed!

Murder in Mind Productions (http://murderinmind.com) presents Bewitched: De-Witched, a parody by John Logue and directed by Ron Kewish, at the Spyglass Inn, located at 2703 Spyglass Dr in Shell Beach, through September 5.  Reservations are required. 

Pismo Beach Youth Theater (www.pismobeachyouththeater.com) will present CLUE The Musical August 12-15 at the Clark Center Black Box Theater.  Tickets may be reserved by calling (805) 471-4976 or by emailing pbyouththeater@yahoo.com.

Ryan Cordero (rccor385@gmail.com) and Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed a successful run of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Clark Center Studio Theatre.  What's next on the drawing board for what some are calling the most exciting and creative theatre company on the Central Coast?  A production of Forever Plaid will be presented September 17 - October 2 as part of their inaugural season of 4 shows.  In addition to Forever Plaid, Last Five Years is tentatively scheduled for production in November, Drowsy Chaperone in Feb/March of 2011, and Crazy for You in August 2011.   

Upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in Arroyo Grande, include Jim Messina of Loggins & Messina in concert on August 10, the 9^th Annual Paul Wolff Accessibility Advocacy Awards with a benefit performance by comedian Josh Blue on August 28, A Night of Worship with Wayne & Libby Huirua September 4, country artist Darryl Worley September 12, San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition September 30, Carlene Carter October 1, Richie Havens October 11, and folk icon Judy Collins October 14.

The Great American Melodrama (www.americanmelodrama.com) in Oceano is into its summer repertory season with The Crock of Gold alternating performances with their second summer show, The Tavern, through September 19, along with "The Great Outdoors Vaudeville Review" following each performance.

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 classic 50s musical West Side Story through August 22 at the Solvang Festival Theater [NOTE: Saw the final Saturday matinee of this production at the Marian Theatre before it moved to Solvang - and it was AMAZING!].  Next up at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria is Songs for a New World through August 21 (August 27 - September 12 in Solvang).

The Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org) will present their next production, The White Liars and Black Comedy, September 10 - October 2.

So there ya' have it - a little bit of everything to satisfy just about any theatre taste and budget ... ENJOY!

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

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