California Central Coast Late July Theatre Offerings

As we come to the final week of July, I hope you will be wanting to attend one (or more?) of the numerous theatrical offerings currently running at the several theatre and live performance venues that make their home here on the California Central Coast!

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival's (http://centralcoastshakespeare.org) 2011 summer schedule of shows is under way in Paso Robles through August 13.  This season, they bring us two comedies, in repertory, that are sure to provide fantastic fun under the summer night sky.  First, one of Shakespeare's earliest and most hilarious plays: The Comedy of Errors.  Next, the delightful romantic comedy As You Like It.  Both will no doubt charm and delight.  So pack your picnic baskets, and get ready to have a great time this summer with classic theatre under the stars at the River Oaks Amphitheater! [photo of Gregory Gorrindo]

The Theatre at the Old Grammar School in Cambria (TOGS) (http://artistsofcambria.com/cambriapac/id4.html) is pleased to announce that Allied Arts Theatre has been revived and will be 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 August 5-27 in Cambria, followed by a special 3 performance engagement of Sylvia, featuring Tanna Frederick in the title role, September 2-4.

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

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 presented through August 7.

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

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

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. 

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.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery through September 4 at the Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.

To help celebrate Arroyo Grande's Centennial, South County Historical Society (SCHS) is producing "100 Years of People - Stories from our Past," a series of Readers' Theatre programs, each an hour long, adapted from historic writings about the life of Clara Edwards, born in 1855 to missionary parents in Indian Territory. Clara's childhood years turn her into an educated and adventurous woman, who arrives in Arroyo Grande in 1883. 

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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