California Central Coast Mid-August Theatre Happenings - and MORE!

As we move into the second half of August, I trust you will want to plan on seeing at least a couple of the theatre and live performance productions that are being presented at any number of the entertainment venues here on the idyllic California Central Coast!

Sorcerer Productions' Little Shop of Horrors (https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137142626372228#!/event.php?eid=219102174797618) will run through August 28 on the Clark Center main stage in Arroyo Grande.

The company that brought sold-out runs of Forever Plaid, The Producers and The Drowsy Chaperone to the Clark Center is back with this long-running and ever popular Broadway Musical. 

A down-and out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood.  Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination! 

Enjoy this theatre classic that satirizes science-fiction, "B" movies and the Faust legend, made famous by the 1986 film version starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin.  One of the longest-running off-Broadway shows of all time, this affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies has become a household name, thanks to a highly successful film version and a score by the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who redefined the animated musical film with Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Charming, tuneful and hilarious, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Little Shop of Horrors never fails to entertain.
 
Featuring show direction by Don Stewart, musical direction by Mark Robertshaw and choreography by Ryan Beck (previously of American Dance), Little Shop of Horrors is sure to give audiences the thrills...and chills.

The show's talented cast includes:

Natalia Berryman, Molly Dobbs, and Julia Siebert as the Urchins; Jennifer Malman as Audrey; Mike Mesker as Mr Mushnik; Ryan Cordero as Seymour; Jeff Salsbury as the Dentist; and Josh Feldman as Audrey II.

And remember, "Don't Feed the Plants!"

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Joe Chavira's Unity Shoppe Concert on September 3, Rudolf Budginas in Concert Featuring Kenny Lee Lewis on September 17, and the Kingston Trio on October 9.

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. 

"The Old Days:" Performance: Saturday, August 20 at 2 PM.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) is presenting The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery through September 4 at the Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach.  The Addams Family Reunion will run October 2 - November 6.

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current schedule includes The 1998 Tony Award Winning ART which will run August 26 - September 18.

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) was proud to present From Main Street to 42^nd Street on August 13, featuring Jacque Carnahan.  Stay tuned for what's next!   

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. 

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."

More Articles by This Author...