June is Bustin' Out All Over on the California Central Coast!

As we move beyond the "merry month of May" and begin our journey into June, I trust you will be wanting to avail yourself of some of the live performance and theatre productions that are currently (or soon will be) playing here on the California Central Coast!

Kelrik Productions' (www.kelrikproductions.com) current show, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp, runs through June 12 - so make a wish and hop aboard a magic carpet and fly to Unity, 1490 Southwood Drive in San Luis Obispo!

In a desert of Agrabah, an Evil Magician discovers the key to ultimate power is a magic lamp, which can be found in a secret treasure cave.  He also learns that evil men like him cannot enter this magical place, so to carry out his dirty work he must seek out a good and honest peasant boy.

He discovers the perfect boy, Aladdin, who has hopes of a better life, even has dreams of marrying the beautiful Princess.

The Evil Magician promises Aladdin wealth and fame beyond his wildest dreams and persuades the boy to accompany him to the cave in the mountains.  Aladdin finds the lamp, but growing increasingly suspicious, he refuses to hand it over.  The Magician becomes furious, casts a spell and locks Aladdin in the cave.

Alone and afraid in the dark, Aladdin notices some writing difficult to read on the side of the lamp so he rubs it clean.  To his amazement, a fantastic Blue Genie appears, promising to grant him three wishes!  Aladdin is free to go home, and is the wealthiest man in Agrabah!

Returning to the Palace, the Sultan agrees that Aladdin and the Princess should marry and all seem happy.  But the Evil Magician returns, lurking and with a devious trick he gains possession of the magic lamp.

This classic adaptation of Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp based on the Arabian Nights fairy tales promises to be an unforgettable production!  This fun-filled family show runs approximately one hour which makes it ideal for younger children.  It features a colorful cast of adult performers, as well as a youth and teen ensemble [PHOTO by Danielle Dutro of Lester Wilson as the Genie]. 

Kelrik's summer production of Seussical the Musical will be presented July 16-24 at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly campus.  Also - be sure to check out their acting classes for kids & youth!

SLO Little Theatre's (www.slolittletheatre.org) current mainstage production, Spinning Into Butter, runs through June 12.  And be sure to check out their children's summer theatre program classes and productions at act@slolittletheatre.org.  Readers' Theare productions of No Exit and Krapp's Last Tape will perform one night only on June 17.  The next mainstage production will be The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspre (Abridged) June 24 - July 7.  And ACT's summer youth production of Ann of Green Gables will be presented July 29 - August 7.

The God Is Still Speaking Players (follow them on Facebook) next show will be Nunsense Jamboree September 2-5 & 9-11 (auditions July 10-12). 

Upcoming performances at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center (www.pacslo.org) include the Academy of Dance's San Luis Jazz Dancers' Infusion on June 5, and the California International Choir Festival & Competition June 24-26.

Murder In Mind Productions (www.murderinmind.com) will present their interactive murder mystery, The Altos - Blood Is Thicker Than Wine, on Sundays at The Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach through June 5.  What's next?  The Beverly Hillbillies Murder Mystery, July 3 - September 4 (auditions for the part of Jane Hathaway being held the week of June 13). 

Sorcerer Productions (check them out on Facebook) recently closed a VERY successful run of the Tony Award winning The Drowsy Chaperone in the Clark Center Studio Theatre.  Next Up?  Little Shop of Horrors - auditions June 5 & 6, performances August 12-28 on the Clark Center main stage.

Other upcoming performances at the Clark Center (www.clarkcenter.org) include Mother Goose, presented by Everybody Can Dance & the Santa Maria Civic Ballet, on June 11 & 12, the Gold Coast Chorus' "Songs We All Know" on June 18, and "Live, Breathe, Dance" by Coastal Dance & Music Academy on June 26.

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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