A Bountiful Harvest of Live Performances on the California Central Coast!

Having recently returned from 2 weeks in the Midwest - I am reminded that in many parts of the country, this is harvest time when farmers are concerned about getting the crops out of the fields in between fall rains and before the first snows arrive.  But here on the California Central Coast, the temperatures are still warm - and so is the hospitality in our numerous live theatre and performance venues!

At the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) in the Village of Arroyo Grande, popular Central Coast singer, Inga Swearingen, will be in concert on Sunday afternoon, October 25, at 4 PM.

If you think you know Swearingen's musical style, think again.  Her latest release, First Rain, enters new territory with songs rooted in family, farm, nature and love.  It's an upbeat mixture of smoky, bluesy jazz and beautiful down-home folk, with acoustic layers that bloom like a flower.  Deeply personal, most of the songs were written, arranged and produced by Inga and feature silky vocal harmonies with her sister, Britta.  The instrumentation is warm and intimate, with electric and acoustic guitar, stand up bass, cello, violin, and Inga's signature scatting solos.

In addition, a number of other quality entertainment opportunities will be presented at the Clark Center in the weeks ahead, including the Rocky Horror Picture Show on November 7 (black box theatre), An Evening With Leo Kottke - also on November 7 in the main auditorium, and The Persuasions on November 14.

The Studio of Performing Arts (www.thestudioofperformingarts.com), also located in Arroyo Grande, will present The Miracle Worker November 6-21.

In Oceano, The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville (www.americanmelodrama.com) presents Scary Poppins through November 15.  Following Scary Poppins at each performance is the "United Swing Organization Vaudeville Revue."  Set in a USO dance hall during World War II, this song, dance and comedy revue features the same cast singing great jazzy harmonies and dancing up a storm to some of the most popular tunes from the height of the swing era.

PERSONAL NOTE: we saw this show and vaudeville review last weekend, and it was one of the funniest and best shows we've ever seen at the Melodrama - so be sure to make time to go see it before it closes November 15!

At the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (www.pcpa.org), the Central Coast's resident professional theatre company, they are busily preparing for their 2009/10 season - which opens with C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, November 5 - December 23 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria, followed by Macbeth February 18 - March 7.

At the Santa Maria Civic Theatre (www.smct.org), the second show of the season, Wake Up, Darling, has performances scheduled for November 20 - December 12.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (check them out on Facebook or at www.sloucc.org) recently held auditions for a readers' theatre production of Archibald MacLeish's "J.B."  Performances are scheduled for November 13-15 at the San Luis Obispo United Church of Christ.

At the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org), the second show of their 2009/10 season, Rumors, runs through November 1.  A readers' theatre production of The Visit, written by Friedrich Durrenmatt and directed by Stewart Moss, will be presented November 6 and 7.  A staged reading of The Devil's Chaplain, a new play about "the real Charles Darwin," by Alan Navarre, will be presented on November 29.  How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying will run November 20 - December 20.   A Children's Theatre production of A Little Princess has performances scheduled for January 15-31 in 2010. 

Kelrik Productions (www.kelrikproductions.com), located in San Luis Obispo, has just completed a successful run of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning production of RENT at the Spanos Theatre (www.pacslo.org).  Stay tuned for what Erik Austin & Co will be doing next!

Providing a broad selection of live entertainment options, the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) is proud to present Virginia's Barter Theatre's Of Mice and Men on October 25, Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer on October 26, and Theatreworks USA's Charlotte's Web on November 1.

The Houselights Theatre (www.houselightstheatre.org) in Cambria recently completed a remount run of their popular summer musical Always ... Patsy Cline at the Spanos Theatre (www.pacslo.org).  Stay tuned for details concerning their next show.

The Pewter Plough Playhouse (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org), also in Cambria, has opened their fall season with The Mousetrap, which runs through November 8.

And in Paso Robles, the Pioneer Players (www.pioneerplayers.org) are planning auditions October 27-29 for their next production - Oliver, scheduled to be presented January 15-30 of 2010.

Live vocal, dance and instrumental performances, resident theatre groups, touring companies - we've got it all here on the Central Coast ... so get out there and support the live entertainment option of your choosing!

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