Early September Theatre Happenings on the California Central Coast

As we make our way on into September, 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 one of the numerous entertainment establishments that call the Central Coast of California home!

The God Is Still Speaking Players (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/92718528887) is proud to present Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, September 4 & 5 and 9-11, at the SLO United Church of Christ (11245 Los Osos Valley Rd).  Friday curtain time is at 8 PM, with all other shows at 2 PM - with a special Labor Day Monday matinee on September 5 to benefit the medical costs of Baby Ella Beckstead.  General admission is $15 - with a Family FUN-Pak option that will admit a family of 4 or more for $50.  Tickets may be obtained online at www.brownpapertickets.com, at Boo Boo Records (SLO), Volumes of Pleasure (Los Osos), Coalesce Bookstore (Morro Bay), or at the door on the day of the performance

The New York Times reports that "with the NUNSENSES - I, II and III, Dan Goggin has made millions laugh ... he has raised the human spirit!"  In Nunsense I, when a wacky nun known as Sister Mary Amnesia regained her memory, she recalled that she had always wanted to be a country singer.  In Nunsense II, her dream became one step closer to a reality when Reverend Mother landed a recording contract for her.  In Nunsense III: Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, her dream is realized as she headlines a brand new show promoting her debut album, "I Could've Gone To Nashville."  Cheered by audiences and critics alike as the funniest and fastest paced show in the first 3 Nunsense plays (there are nine at this point!), this hilarious hoe-down is Nunsense fun with a Laugh-In-Hee-Haw-Grand-Ole-Op'ry slant.

You say you're not a country music fan?  Don't worry - this country music is "Nunsense Theatrical Style," guaranteed to please any Nunsense fan.  And you don't have to be a Nunsense veteran to love the Nunsense Jamboree.  Its story stands on its own.  But if you are a fan, you'll appreciate being able to meet two brand new characters!  You see, since Mother Superior couldn't leave the convent for this "promo tour," she has assigned Sister Mary Wilhelm (Sandy Schwarer), Superintendent of Nursing, to supervise the tour.  Along with Sister Mary Amnesia (Debora Schwartz), Sister Robert Anne (Danielle Mendoza), and Sister Mary Leo (Taylor Peters), you'll also meet Sister Leo's brother, a country singing Franciscan priest: Father Virgil Manly Trott (Curt Miner) - the first man to appear in a Nunsense show (Virgil that is ... not Curt).

The show is Directed by Danielle Dutro and Music Directed by Lacey McNamara [photo of Debora Schwartz as Sister Amnesia by Danielle Dutro Photography].

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current schedule includes The 1998 Tony Award Winning ART which will run through 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 (I'm hearing rumblings about a production of Avenue Q)!   

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 La Guitarra California Festival September 9-11, Chanticleer: Love Story on September 25, Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys on September 30, and Come Together: The Beatles Concert Experience on October 1.

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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