April 2012 - Early April Theatre Opportunities on the Central Coast of California

As we begin our journey into April, I hope you will want to make plans to take in a couple of shows at one of the numerous theatre and live performance establishments that ply their entertainment trade here on the California Central Coast!

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) Theatre After Dark Series will present The Rocky Horror Show LIVE through April 14 at Unity (1490 Southwood Drive in San Luis Obispo).

Let the good times roll as the mega-watt cast distastefully titillates your very soul from every corner of the theater.  Come ready to rock to this glam-stra-va-gan-stic salute to Richard O'Brien's musical masterpiece while giving yourself over to absolute pleasure as they send you up this send-up of the send-up that is The Rocky Horror Show LIVE.

The musical that became a movie and started a 35-year nonstop cultural phenomenon is back where it is meant to be seen - live on stage.   When Brad and Janet, a clean-cut young couple from the suburbs, get caught with a flat in the middle of nowhere, they seek help from the devilishly charming transvestite Dr. Frank 'N' Furter.  What they discover in his mysterious laboratory is a time warp of sexual and scientific possibilities - and, perhaps, true love.

Director Danielle Dutro recently saw a production of The Rocky Horror Show LIVE in San Diego at The Old Globe Theatre and was hooked.  "I honestly didn't know what I was in for!" says Dutro.  "I knew this production was going to be different than any other ‘Rocky’ I'd seen before because it was NOT in front of a movie screen with the actors merely lip syncing the words and musical numbers...there were amazing sets and lighting and the performers were some of the best I've ever seen! By doing this version of The Rocky Horror Show LIVE I'm hoping to give the community a new 'liking' of such a popular cult phenomenon.  Since its beginnings, Rocky Horror has been a place where people can be who they want to be.  I want our production to follow the same ideals, to be a place where people can wave their ‘freak flag’ freely, without judgment.  The show features all the classic songs you've come to love including ‘Sweet Transvestite,’ ‘Damn it Janet,’ and ‘The Time Warp,’ all performed with a live band - but this version aims to turn your insides OUT, making you (and the rest of the world) Rocky virgins all over again!"

This show includes mature subject matter and language.  Therefore, it is required that audience members under the age of 17 bring a parent or guardian with them to the performance [NOTE: Saw the Friday evening performance of the second weekend - and the cast does a GREAT job of bringing this rather ribald cult classic from the 70s to the stage!].

The cast of The Rocky Horror Show LIVE includes Erik Austin (Frank 'N' Furter), Mark Rohner (Riff Raff, Usher), Taylor Peters (Magenta, Usherette), Ali Peters (Janet), CJ Gormley (Brad), Travis Nefores (Rocky), Karyn Blaney (Columbia), Michael McKinney (Narrator, Eddie Dr. Scott) with Benjamin King, Katie Matten, Clara Fulks and Marissa Purcell as the Phantoms.  The creative team includes: Danielle Dutro (Director), Lacey McNamara (Musical Director), Buffy Doran (Scenic Painting), Keith Wetzel (Costume Design) and Ryan Manus (Stage Manager) [Photo by Danielle Dutro Photography of Taylor Peters and Mark Rohner].

Next up in Kelrik’s Family Theatre Series is Willy Wonka (performances May 12 – June 3).

SLO Little Theatre (www.slolittletheatre.org) Ubu's Other Shoe readers' theatre series will hold auditions for BOOM! April 16 & 17 (performances May 11 & 12).  Next on the mainstage will be Dinner With Friends April 13 - May 6, followed by The House of Blue Leaves May 25 - June 17.  And be sure to check out the Academy of Creative Theatre’s (http://www.slolittletheatre.org/pages/classes) children & youth theatre opportunities for this spring and summer!

The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887), in collaboration with Bent Angel Productions, recently completed a readers’ theatre production of Our Town.  Next up is a summer musical production of Snoopy – auditions July 16 & 17, performances August 31 - September 9. 

Curt Miner received his degree in theatre from Northern Arizona University and has been involved in theatre, educationally and professionally, for nearly 40 years now. He is currently Pastor of the United Church of Christ in San Luis Obispo, CA (www.sloucc.org), where he founded a theatre outreach ministry known as The God Is Still Speaking Players (check them out on Facebook). Their first production was the West Coast Premiere of a new play by Gordon Greene (one of Curt's former theatre professors from back at NAU) entitled "The Scopes Monkey Trial: What Really Happened" in October of 2008. Curt and his wife of 35 years, Linda, worked together as Director and Music Director on a production of "Godspell" June 2009. The group presented a readers' theatre production of Archibald MacLeish's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play "J.B." November 2009, participated in a collaborative effort with Bent Angel Productions in a staged reading of "12 Angry Men" in February 2010, presented "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" the first 2 weekends of September 2010, embarked upon another collaborative effort with Bent Angel Productions of a staged reading of Dylan Thomas' "Under Milk Wood" in November 2010, presented a readers' theatre production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" the first weekend this past March, mounted a production of "Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree" the first 2 weekends of September, and presented "Celebration In Song" - a musical variety show to benefit the work of GALA and PFLAG in November. A readers' theatre presentation (possibly "Our Town") or another musical revue will be presented this coming March, with "Snoopy" (sequel to YAGMCB) on the schedule for the first 2 weekends in September. When people ask him "Why a theatre outreach ministry?" Curt tells them "I have found that theatre is sometimes able to touch a person's heart and soul more deeply than the best crafted worship experience ... that's why."

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