August Theatre Offerings on the California Central Coast

As we come to the first week of August, I trust your plans include seeing a couple of the theatrical productions that are currently running at any one of the numerous live performance and theatre venues here on the glorious California Central Coast!

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current schedule includes 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, directed by Shelagh Garren, presented through August 7.  Experience the charm and spirit of L.M. Montgomery's enduring classic about an imaginative orphan girl, Anne Shirley, who comes to stay at Green Gables and wins the hearts of everyone she meets!

Auditions for Oklahoma! will be held August 8-10 (performances October 7 - Novemner 6).  Contact director, Zach Johnson, for more information (z_l_johnson@yahoo.com).

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 & 12, Reach the Sky, an evening of songs by what may well be some of Broadway's future songwriters, will be presented.

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) next show is From Main Street to 42^nd Street on August 13, featuring Jacque Carnahan.   

The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887) is currently in rehearsals for Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, which will be presented September 2-5 & 9-11, at the SLO United Church of Christ. 

Espressivo! Chamber Theatre's (http://espressivotheatre.com) next production: LUNATICS IN LOVE!, or Singing in the Reign (of Terror) have performances scheduled in various venues September 21 - October 2.  Call David Hance at (805) 550-7656 for more information.

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include the Academy of Dance's Dancin' 2011 on August 14, and In God We Rust with Lewis Black on August 25.

The Brickyard Theatre (www.brickyardhteatre.com) in Atacadero will present The Clean House August 31 - September 18.  

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival's (http://centralcoastshakespeare.org) 2011 summer schedule of shows is under way in Paso Robles through August 13, bringing us two comedies, in repertory: The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, at the River Oaks Amphitheater.

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School in Cambria (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) and Allied Arts Theatre are presenting The Octette Bridge Club through August 21, and Dearly Departed October 21 - November 20 (auditions August 16-18).

The Pewter Plough Playhouse's (www.pewterploughplayhouse.org) next production, The Woman In Black, will be presented through August 27 in Cambria, followed by a special 3 performance engagement of Sylvia, featuring Tanna Frederick in the title role, September 2-4.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) is presenting The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery through September 4 at the Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.  Auditions for The Addams Family Reunion will be held the week of August 8 (performances October 2 - November 6).  Please contact Judie Kewish at judie@murderinmind.com or call her at (805) 489-3875 to set up an audition appointment and for further information.

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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