San Luis Little Theatre's ACT Department Announces Spring Theatre Classes!

ACT Spring Classes!
February 9-May 7
Registration begins January 1st.

CLASS OFFERINGS
All Class offerings are based on 10 student participation. If the class does not fill, it will not be offered.

Introduction to the Theatre $200
Tuesday 3:00 – 4:00 (Katie Mack-Montenegro)
Grades K-1 – Maximum 10 students per class
Ms. Katie will lead the children though role playing, songs, movement and theatre games to encourage and unleash their imagination.

Storytelling $200
Tuesday 4:15-5:15pm (Kerry DiMaggio)
Grades 2-3 – Maximum 10 students
Ancient theatre began as oral storytelling, so what better way to introduce our young performers to the world of theatre? Students will learn to present a theatrical story using their bodies, voices, and imaginations!

Acting I $200
Wednesday 4:00-5:00 pm (Katie Mack-Montenegro)
Grades 4-6 – Maximum 10 students
This class will offer ensemble and solo theatre games as a way of building script-based characters. This class is recommended for our returning students.

Musical Theatre I $200
Wednesday 4:00-5:00pm (Kerry DiMaggio)
Grades 3-6 – Maximum 12 students
Students will learn the basic elements of acting, singing, and dancing for participation in musical theatre productions. Prior musical experience is not required.

Musical Theatre II $200
Thursday 4:00-5:00pm (Adrian Balbontin)
Grades 7-12 – Maximum 12 students
This class is for our older musical theatre students with prior experience. The students will continue working on their acting, singing, and dancing skills to strengthen the abilities for participation in musical theatre auditions and productions.

For our Musical Theatre classes: please note that the instructor reserves the right to move students to a different level depending on experience.

Advanced Acting Techniques $275
Tuesday 4:00 – 5:30pm (Joe Foss)
Grades 7 – 12 – Maximum 10 students
Audtion Required, contact ACT for more info
This class is for our older actors who are interested in perusing acting and theatre in a college setting or as a career. Students will begin with analysis of a script, delve into more advanced character and scene work, and learn how to make strong physical choices with which to communicate theatrically. Session will end with a performance of students’ in-class work.

For more information, please contact Kerry, our ACT Coordinator,
at (805)781-3889 ext. 14 or act@slolittletheatre.org

*For more information on our teachers, please visit our website at slolittletheatre.org!

Daughters of the Lone Star State

wow im really excited to see how well everything is starting to come along for this show!! the show opens on the 21st and its good. i really encourage anyone and everyone reading this to come out and see it at the SLO Little Theatre!

Announcing Final Performances for ACT's Fall Term!

Thanks to all of you who have partipated in our Fall 2008 Academy of Creative Theatre Classes. We are having a great time and really enjoying working with the children. We are looking forward to sharing all of our work with you at the end of our term, which is the week of December 9th. The final class presentations will take place on the following:

Advanced Acting Techniques
Tuesday, December 9th at 5pm

Introduction to Improv!
Wednesday, December 10th at 5pm

Musical Theatre I
Wednesday, December 10th at 5pm

Musical Theatre II
Wednesday, December 10th at 5pm

Introduction to Theatre
Thursday, December 11th at 4pm

The presentations are open to all family and friends who would like to attend. The students will attend class as normally scheduled on that day and then present their work at the scheduled time.

The emphasis of the ACT Department is on the process of developing theatre skills, therefore our final presentations are a way for us to share what we have learned in class rather than presenting a polished performance. Nevertheless, we are sure that you will enjoy what we have to share with you!

We hope to see you there!

Meet Our New ACT Coordinator!

Dear ACT Family and Friends,

As many of you already know, my time at the SLO Little Theatre is coming to a close. I have had an amazing year working at the theatre, but it is time for me to move on to other ventures. I will still be actively involved in the theatre and hope to stay on as a teacher for the spring and summer sessions.

In these final weeks at the theatre I have had the pleasure of training our new ACT Coordinator, Kerry DiMaggio, and I would like to take some time to introduce her to all of you. Kerry has been involved in the SLO Little Theatre for many years in different capacities and I was very lucky to have her come on board this summer as a teacher for the ACT Summer Musical Camp. She is a gifted performer and teacher who shares her love for theatre with passion and fun. Her students love her energy, flexibility, and caring nature. I have every confidence that Kerry is going to make a great addition to the SLOLT Staff and lead the ACT Department into another successful season.

Thank you to all of you for your enthusiasm and support for me this past year. I look forward to what the future holds and am excited to stay involved in the program to see how all of you grow and shine.

Kerry has also wrote a letter to all of you (see below) with some details about her background and plans for the ACT Department. If you have any questions or just want to say hello, please feel free to contact us at act@slolittletheatre.org or (805) 781-3889 ext 14

Best,
Katie



P.S. For those of you interested in seeing what Kerry looks like, please see her headshot!
************************************************************************************

Dear Parents and Students,

My name is Kerry DiMaggio and as some of you know, I will soon be joining the Little Theatre team as ACT Coordinator. I am absolutely thrilled by the opportunity to be working at the theatre and with such wonderful and talented students, no less!

I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know a little bit about myself. I’ve been a singer and actor most of my life; one of my earliest memories is performing songs from “The Little Mermaid” for a family-member audience…and I’ve been onstage ever since! I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from Cal Poly, where I worked in many aspects of theatre, from costume design to playwriting, acting to directing. One of my favorite courses at Cal Poly was Children’s Drama: one taste of teaching theatre to children and I was hooked! Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to be hired as a teacher for the ACT department; I co-taught the Summer Musical Theatre course, and am currently teaching the Musical Theatre I and II courses for the Fall session.

I’ve always been a strong believer in the importance of education. In particular, a theatre education teaches leadership, teamwork, and discipline, and concentration. A theatre education challenges us, stretches our imagination and creativity, and is just plain fun! I am so excited to be continuing my theatre education here as ACT Coordinator; not only will I be constantly learning, but I get to pass along my experience, enthusiasm, and love of theatre to children. What could be better?

As for the future of the program, we are enthusiastically planning the Spring and Summer sessions. We are very excited about both of these sessions; we will be offering some great classes for each. We are always looking for as many students as possible with which to share our program, so I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated! In addition, we are always looking to expand, enhance, and improve our program in as many ways as possible, so comments, suggestions, or ideas are always welcome. We want your child to get the best theatre education possible!

Thank you for your interest and continued support of the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre’s Academy of Creative Theatre. I am very much looking forward to meeting you in person. Please feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, anything!

Sincerely,
Kerry

Kerry DiMaggio
San Luis Obispo Little Theatre
ACT Coordinator
act@slolittletheatre.org
(805) 781-3889 ext 14

Party Tonight!

Hello everyone! Don't forget to stop by the Corner View Restaurant today between 5 & 7 pm for happy hour! All tip proceeds go to support the San Luis Little Theatre.

MASTER CLASSES

As part of the 1st Annual SLOLT Short Play Festival, we are offering a few special Master Classes at an affordable price. Check this out!

JOINS US FOR OUR FESTIVAL MASTER CLASSES!!!

Audition Technique Master Class
Saturday, October 18th from 10 am - 12.30 pm
Cost: $40
20 Student Maximum

As Artistic director of one of Germany's largest Broadway theatres, Corniela Drese has auditioned thousands of musical actors. Now is your opportunity to learn what makes a good audition and what you should avoid at all costs. This is a hands-on course, so bring in your favorite 1 minute monologue and 16 bars of a song with a playback accompaniment on CD, and get ready to take your next audition by storm!

Musical Theater Master Class

Saturday, October 25th from 10 am - 12 pm
Cost: $30

Explore the world of musical theatre with our international guest director/teacher, Cornelia Drese. This 2 hour workshop will consist of both lecture and interactive exercises to bring students closer to the musical art form.

Playwrighting Master Class

Sunday, October 19th from 7 pm - 10 pm

Cost: $50

20 Student Maximum

Join us and discover what goes into crafting an exciting play and/or book. This is the perfect opportunity for new playwrights to explore the world of playwrighting and experienced authors to remind themselves of what's truly important as a storyteller. All class participants are invited to bring 5 pages of a manuscript for the feedback/discussion forum.

Meet our Master Class Teachers!

Cornelia Drese (Audition / Musical) joins us from Dresden, Germany, where she continues to enjoy a very successful career as a performer, teacher, producer and director. Her favorite roles on the German Broadway stage include : Grizabella in CATS, Eva Peron in EVITA, and Fantine in LES MISERABLES. She was also Artistic Director for the German-speaking productions of A.L.Webber's Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia / Abba. Cornelia is thrilled to join SLOLT as a festival guest director and master class teacher.

Ken Hodkinson (Playwrighting) studied Theatre and English at the University of British Columbia and holds a Doctor of Fine Arts from the playwrighting program at Yale University Drama School and at New York University. He has experience as a drama critic for CBC radio, Vancouver, and as a consultant for Paramount Pictures in London. Ken's plays have been produced in Canada and London. In addition, his WORLDLY WISE series of school texts are used throughout the USA and Canada.

To register, call 781-3889 x10. Spaces will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis. SLOLT accepts Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover, as well as personal checks and cash.

The 1st Annual Short Play Festival runs from October 17 - 26, 2008.

SHOWTIMES: Friday / Saturday at 8 pm & Saturday/Sunday at 2 pm.

Tickets are $15.

CLICK HERE to reserve your tickets today!

Central Coasting

And here is the link to Central Coasting, a website for SLO County arts and entertainment. Gailee Walker-Wells, a director and friend of the theatre, has posted a great video of clips from the show. It is a wonderful advertising tool and a way to get your friends and family to the theatre!

Click Here to see a video clip of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"!

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Review

If you missed Joan Crowder's review of our current production, click here and find out why you don't want to miss it!

ACT Special Workshop - The Reality of Breaking into Los Angeles

Join talent executive, Loch Powell, for an overview of the realities of breaking into the L.A. market. Learn the dos and don'ts of Hollywood and the most effective steps to take to give you the best chance of success. Don't miss your opportunity to ask questions of a Hollywood entertainment veteran in an intimate discussion forum. There is no charge for this event!

Loch Powell, veteran Hollywood talent executive for 17 years began as a model booker for the prestigious LA Models and segued into talent representation development. Through the years, Loch has represented many A List stars. Currently, Loch specializes in talent development for young adults with Leverage Management.

If you are interested in participating in this session, please come to the SLO Little Theatre on Friday, August 15th at 11am. Please be prompt as we have limited time available.

Thank you and we hope to see you at the theatre!


AND DON'T FORGET THAT REGISTRATION FOR OUR FALL CLASSES HAS BEGUN. CLASSES START THE WEEK OF AUGUST 26TH - THE BROCHURE IS ATTACHED OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION WWW.SLOLITTLETHEATRE.ORG

Central Coast Children's Choir Accepting New Students!

Central Coast Children's Choir are currently accepting new students in the following choirs: Apprentice I Girls & Apprentice II Girls (auditions for grades 3 - 8), Debut Choir (no auditions needed, boys and girls grades 1 - 3) and boys in grades 3 - 8 for the premiere of San Luis Obispo's Boys Choir! We are so excited to announce that Dr. Thomas Davies, of Director of Cal Poly Choirs and Cuesta Master Chorale, will be leading our boys. This is a FANTASTIC opportunity for young boys to express themselves through vocal education and performance. Assistant Director, Richard Carrick, will teach their musicianship class and provide additional vocal coaching.

For fifteen years, the Central Coast Children’s Choir has been a highly respected and valuable county asset. The choir has sung with the major performing groups in the community, including San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cuesta Master Chorale, SLO Symphony, Pacific Repertory Opera, and the Mozart Festival. We have supported other non-profit organizations, performing at benefits for Hospice, SLO Children’s Museum, and C.A.S.A. Over the years, Central Coast Children’s Choir singers have been chosen to represent California in National and Western State honor choirs in Anaheim, Las Vegas, New York, Honolulu, Chicago and Miami.

Rehearsals include musicianship training and vocal coaching to assist in developing healthy singing habits. Professional directors provide a friendly, supportive environment. Our organization is committed to creating choral excellence, instilling self-esteem and self-discipline, building lasting friendships, and inspiring the artist within each child.

You can also check out the website: http://www.centralcoastchildrenschoir.org/.

GUYS & DOLLS AUDITIONS!

Chameleon Productions is holding open auditions for their upcoming production of Guys & Dolls!

Auditions will be held at St. Paul's Church at 800 Bello Street in Pismo Beach on Monday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 19th at 7:00pm. We are looking to cast thirty performers ages sixteen and up. Please bring sheet music with 16-24 bars of music prepared, it doesn't need to be from the show but if you are interested in a specific role we request that you be familiar with the show music. We also ask that you be prepared to do a short dance audition. Rehearsals begin August 31st and the show runs October 31st through November 15th at The Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. All roles are available so mark your calendars and we hope to see you there!

For more information please call Chameleon Productions at 474-8902.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND SUMMER SPECIAL COUPON!

There's only one weekend left of Alice in Wonderland. This production is beautifully done and perfect for the whole family.

To persuade audiences to give up this gorgeous weather for a couple hours, we're offering a Summer Special Coupon code that give you an additional $2 off each ticket! You can use the coupon code online or call our box office at 786-2440.

Simply mention the code "AWSS08" and receive a special price of $6 for children and $10 for adults!!

Enjoy the show!

Alice in Wonderland - Opens this weekend!

Alice in Wonderland
Opening this weekend!

The Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT) at the SLO Little Theatre is proud to announce the opening of their summer production of Alice in Wonderland. With a very talented cast of 15 young actors, this is not your average children's production. The land of wonder was created beautifully by our cast as a place of imagination and curiosity. Come and join us in our adventure through Wonderland!

Tickets can be purchased by visiting our website at http://www.slolittletheatre.org/ or by calling our box office at 786-2440.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children 13 and under. Show dates and times are: August 1 @7pm, August 2 @ 2pm and 7pm, August 3 @ 2pm, August 8 @ 7pm, August 9 @ 2pm and 7pm, and August 10 @ 2pm.

This is a great family show, approriate for audiences of all ages.

We hope to see you all at the theatre!

ACTORS WARHOUSE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Hurray! AW has a FREE piano – all we have to do is pick it up. Need 4-6 people to help move it – Saturday at 1 pm. Picking up in SLO near French Hospital and delivering to Atascadero. Meet there if you’re in SLO and I’ll drive you back home. If you’re in North County I’ll pick you up. We have a u-haul truck with the lift in rear to make it easy. Please please please call asap if you can help. We have to pick it up Saturday or we lose it. 712-1134. Thanks!

BABY LEWIS IS HERE!!!

Congratulations to Debi Lewis on her GORGEOUS new baby girl!! I guess doing the musical Baby last season was worth all the hard work! ;-)


Here's an excerpt from Debi's email:

Grace Madison Lewis was born last Wed July 23 @ 8:14 pm. Gracie, as we will call her, was 7.4 lbs and 20 inches. My labor was pretty bad. It lasted for 35 hours! She was wedged in crooked, so it was really hard to get her out, but it was worth it! She’s amazing and I’ve never known such love. I’m in awe of her!

We have a blog if you’d like to see pics and baby updates of our little bundle. Check it out... www.thelifeofalewis.blogspot.com

Can’t wait for you all to meet her. She’s an absolute joy!

Debi

Tech week at SLOLT

Hi everybody!

Once again, we are in tech week. It seems lately like we hop from one tech to the next. On Friday night Alice in Wonderland opens and the kids have been working like crazy.

We've had some AMAZING volunteers working on sets, costumes and props. Gene Goldschmidt has truly topped himself with his creative solutions for the larger than life teapot which has to hide the our young door mouse actress and the over-sized mushroom that not only has to move around but hold another young actress. Sharon Woodside-Hanish has done it again with her charming and creative costumes. Charlene Premer finished all the show props in record time, delivering the CUTEST baby and other odds and ends weeks before even going into teach. Heidi Ennslin and Lynn Hessler came in to paint set pieces, including an enormous book generously donated by the SLO Literacy Council. The kids and parents came in to paint the floor and prepare the backstage area. It's been a week of wonderful activity all leading up to one thing...opening night!

Of course kudos must go to our two talented directors, Annie H. Kee and Katie Mack-Montenegro who have taken a group of young actors and created another world.

Although 'hell week' can be exhausting for all involved, it is also the phase that reminds me how lucky we are to have the volunteer base that we do. Without our AMAZING volunteers, we wouldn't be able to do what we do! And our ACT kids are so talented and their excitement is catching.

I hope you can come by and see Alice in Wonderland and all the fabulous work done by our very own community artists and performers!

Wendy-Marie Foerster
Executive Director

Don't Forget to Buy Your 2008-2009 Season Subscription!

Readers' Theatre - THREE DAYS OF RAIN

THREE DAYS OF RAIN
By Richard Greenberg
Directed by Gailee Walker Wells

Friday, July 25, 2008 at 8 pm
888 Morro Street in SLO

Click here to order your tickets online, or pay cash at the door

A year after he disappeared on the day of his father's funeral, Walker Janeway returns to New York. He takes up temporary residence in the unused space where thirty-five years earlier, his father Ned, and Ned's late partner Theo, both architects, lived and designed the great house that would make them famous. Sleepless and emotionally jangled, Walker scours the old empty space for clues, evidences or keys to the tortured family history. Discovering his father's journal hidden under the bed, he finds it as unforthcoming as his nearly silent father had been. Walker is joined by his sister, Nan, and their friend from childhood, Pip, Theo's son, to hear the reading of Ned's will. It is there that Walker forces the confrontation that the others need. After an evening of harrowing and sometimes comically inadvertent revelations, Walker disappears once more. This time he returns later that evening with a surprising, but to him, definitive solution to the family puzzle. We travel back to 1960, when Ned's journal begins. We meet the parents at the same age their children are in Act One: Ned, who seems very different from the cold monster the children conjured; the charismatic and putative genius, Theo; and Lena, Walker and Nan's mother, the delightful, troubled "Southern woman who admits to thirty." In the guise of a love story, we are offered all the information needed to devise an alternative reading of the sad, unexpectedly romantic family story.

THE CAST:

Nick Bell...................Walker/Ned
Spencer Goss............Pip/Theo
Kelli Rodda...............Nan/Lina

OPEN AUDITIONS FOR GUYS AND DOLLS!

Chameleon Productions is holding open auditions for their upcoming production of Guys and Dolls!

Auditions will be held at St. Paul's Church at 800 Bello Street in Pismo Beach on Monday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 19th at 7:00pm. We are looking to cast thirty performers ages sixteen and up. Please bring sheet music with 16-24 bars of music prepared, it doesn't need to be from the show but if you are interested in a specific role we request that you be familiar with the show music. We also ask that you be prepared to do a short dance audition. Rehearsals begin August 31st and the show runs October 31st through November 15th at The Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. All roles are available so mark your calendars and we hope to see you there!

For more information please call Chameleon Productions at 474-8902.

So Much To Do!!!

Hello everyone!

Once again I got stuck in a time warp and lost a month. Between getting Best of Hollywood up and running and the season subscription rush, we've been swamped int he office. In addition, we received 170 play submissions for our first short play festival and had to read and score them all so we could post our semi-finalists. (see website for more info). In any case, things are beginning to slow down so we can all get back to blogging and sharing the daily life at the theatre with whoever would like to read about it. :-)

Don't forget this Friday we are kicking off our 2008-2009 Readers' Theatre season with Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg, directed by Gailee Walker Wells. Tickets are only $10 and available at the door or online through our website.

August 1st is opening night for Alice in Wonderland our summer ACT production. The kids have been working so hard to create a fantasy world that I think you'll all enjoy. It's the perfect family summer activity, so we hope to see you all there.

Our play festival guest director, Cornielia Drese, will be blogging with us a bit until she lands in SLO in October, so keep an eye out! In fact, I hope that all our directors will join us on our blog this season to share with you a behind the scenes peek at their production. We are so excited about the season. It's going to be FABULOUS!

See you at the theatre!

Best of Hollywood

OPENS JUNE 27th!!!

If you enjoyed “Razzle Dazzle” or any of our Award-winning Legend Series Shows, you will LOVE “Best of Hollywood”! Don’t miss this unforgettable musical homage to the films of Tinseltown. Once again, Mary Meserve-Miller and Suzy Miller combine their dynamic creative talents, along with the genius of Robyn Metchik, to create a fabulous song and dance-filled journey through eight decades of Hollywood films. Join us and one of the most incredibly talented casts ever assembled at SLOLT for what promises to be one of the most highly acclaimed shows EVER produced on our stage. You won’t want to miss this show! And don’t forget, every Saturday night is Martini Night, with a light gourmet supper and a no-host bar before the show. Hooray for Hollywood!

ACT Summer Camps

Summer is coming fast and with it comes 3 great ACT camps to keep all of our young performers busy this summer. Camps are filling fast, so register today!

The first camp is our Acting Out! Camp, a one week acting camp for performers in grades 1-6. The camp will explore character development, theatre games, improv, and audition techniques. At the end of the week, the students will perform for their family and friends. The camp runs June 16th -20th and costs $150. Grades 1-3 will work from 9am-12pm daily and Grades 4-6 will work from 1pm-4pm daily.

Our second camp is our Musical Theatre Camp, a two week camp for our performers in grades 1-6. In this camp the students will take classes in singing, acting, dancing, and audition techniques. The students will put their talents to work on a musical that will be performed on the last day of camp. The camp runs July 14-25th, with 1-3 graders attending from 9am-12pm and the 3-6th graders attending from 1pm-4pm. The last few days of camp (7/23, 7/24, 7/25) all campers will attend all day. The cost for the camp is $300.

Our final camp is for our older performers (grades 7-12), ACT Conservatory. The conservatory is a two week intensive camp where our students will attend classs from 9am-4pm. The morning sessions will concentrate on various workshops in different areas of theatre performance (Shakespeare, improv, voice, dance, stage combat, acting for the camera). The afternoon sessions will concentrate on various acting styles, advanced scene work, monologues, and audition techniques. The camp runs from August 3-15th and tuition is $450. On August 15th at 4pm, the conservatory students will present a showcase performance with what they have been working on for family, friends, and SLOLT directors.

For additional information, please contact the ACT Coordinator at (805) 781-3889 ext 14 or act@slolittletheatre.org There are scholarships, sibling discounts, and payment plans available for all our camps. A $50 deposit is due at the time of registration and the remaining tuition is due by the end of camp. Registration can be done via phone, mail, email, or fax. Camps are filling fast, so call today!

Here's a chance for single SLOLTers to support A.C.T.!!

COME HELP SUPPORT A.C.T.!!!

Known as “The Skim Event”—where singles meet & non-profits compete!
SCM helps singles meet & greet with our local non-profits & aims to provide education & inspiration to match our collective resources to better our non-profit community.
Mix it up, change it up & give it up to party for a cause!

Next Event
Date: June 24, 2008Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Location: Embassy Suites, 333 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo

Click http://www.scmevent.com/ to register.

My Fair Lady Review - Mustang Daily

Stephen Espinosa (Col. Pickering), Lauren Alburn (Eliza) and Alan Benson (Prof. Higgins)
Photo by Jonothan of BluePhoto

A big thank you to Bridget for her coverage of My Fair Lady! For more Mustang Daily articles, click on the 'arts' link below.

'My Fair Lady' goes local, still amazes

By: Bridget Veltri

Issue date: 6/2/08 Section: Arts

I am a bit of a musical theater snob.

I've been lucky to have had opportunities to see the crème de la crème perform on the legendary stages of both Broadway and London's West End.

The San Luis Obispo Little Theatre's (SLOLT) performance of "My Fair Lady" was my first community theater musical experience.

As I filed into the intimate theater, a minority among a sea of senior citizens, I thought this local performance would need more than "a little bit of luck" to stack up to my previous experiences.

Armed with a pen, a notebook and cynicism, I settled into my seat and prepared for what I thought would be the longest two-and-a-half hours of my life. But as familiar tunes streamed out of the speakers above and the lights dimmed, my elitist attitude began to fade.

The cast scurried about the stage conversing in convincing Cockney accents and dressed in surprisingly elaborate costumes, except for one unlucky ensemble member in an ill-fitted red dress.

After Eliza Doolittle (Lauren Alburn) finished singing "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," I was a community theater convert and had to restrain myself from bursting into song with her.

Audrey Hepburn is to "My Fair Lady" as Julia Roberts is to "Pretty Woman." In Alburn's first performance with the SLOLT, she played a character immortalized on the big screen by the iconic Hepburn and on the stage by Julie Andrews - no pressure. She was impressive and belted out the songs as if she was a Cockney canary.

Alfred Doolittle (Mike Mesker) didn't need a "little bit of luck" to bring Eliza's pub-frequenting father to life. His rise to "middle-class morality" was both convincing and entertaining.

Alan Benson brought his professional acting experience to the role of Henry Higgins and was a delight to watch.

For those unfamiliar with the musical - based on "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw - it is a story about love and personal transformation. It's the story of Eliza Doolittle, a woman plagued by a thick accent who makes her living by selling flowers on the streets of London, and Henry Higgins, an arrogant language academic who casually comments that "the way she speaks is what keeps her in her place" and with the right coaching he could turn her into a lady. Higgins eats his words when Doolittle shows up at his door for lessons.

Both the main characters embark on personal journeys: Doolittle's from flower girl to lady and Higgins' from snooty confirmed bachelor to a gentleman finally ready to let "a woman in his life."

There is a reason why they call it the SLO Little Theater: it's tiny. The audience surrounds the stage on three sides and the front row is inches away. The cast's witty banter compensated for the lack of curtains during set changes.

The atmosphere was crammed but comfy, and the theater's size added to the experience. While one of the women seated next to me dozed off and snored at several points during the performance, the other was there to see her young granddaughters perform, and informed me that her daughter made the strawberry tarts Col. Pickering (Stephen Espinosa) enjoyed in Higgins' study just before Doolittle has her breakthrough moment and sings about the infamous "rain in Spain."

The cast did more for me than just put on a show; they showed that you can do justice to a classic musical on a small scale, and the best part is you don't have to pay big Broadway prices to enjoy an afternoon of theater. Tickets are $22 for general admission, and $19 for students and seniors. The show, sponsored by Bob and Ruth Bostrom, will run through June 22.

Just as Higgins found love with someone he never imagined, I found a quality production in a place I never imagined: the SLO Little Theatre.

I am now a reformed theater snob.

A message from Erik Stein! :-)

Hello SLOLT!

Jackie and I co-directed a production of Elton John’s Broadway Rock Musical, “Aida”, and it opens this Thursday, May 22nd, at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande.

This is a thrilling production with unbelievable music, and it performs one weekend only. May 22, 23, 24 at 7:30 pm and a Sunday matinee, May 25th at 2:00 pm.

For tickets call (805)489-9444 or visit www.clarkcenter.orgTickets cost $15 in advance and $17 at the door.

We have some of the strongest high school students on the Central Coast in this show, and honestly the three leads, Joanna Jones, Andy Wilson, and Lauren Seidenberg, are the strongest young performers I've ever worked with.If you can fit it in your busy schedule go see these students. They sing stuff I can't believe people their age can sing, they dance Suzy Miller's choreography like pros, the leads play guitar, bass, drums, piano as part of the action of the play, and most importantly they tell a thrilling story.

May 22, 23, 24 at 7:30 pm and a Sunday matinee, May 25th at 2:00 pm.

You can call (805)489-9444 or visit www.clarkcenter.org for tickets.

We'll see you at the Clark Center.

All the best,
Erik

1st Annual SLOLT Short Play Festival!!!

The San Luis Obispo Little theatre is proud to support our nation's playwrights through the 1st Annual SLOLT Short Play Festival. We are looking to celebrate talented emerging artists, as well as established playwrights from across the United States. The 10 plays chosen for the festival will receive a full production, as well as publication in our SLOLT Short Play Collection 2008 which will be available for sale at the theatre during the festival, as well as on our website and on Amazon.com. All festival playwrights will receive a complimentary copy of the collection.


We are looking for strong writing in a variety of genres, so please send us your best work only.

Guidelines;


1. All 10-minute plays must be in English. All playwrights must be residents of the United States.

2. Deadline for submission is June 15, 2008. Only electronic submissions will be considered.

3. 10-minute plays must be no longer than 10-minutes when performed. Usually 10-pages in
standard playwriting format.

4. Provide separate cover page with author, title, contact information, email address, and phone. Do not print or include author’s name or other information on 2nd cover page or anywhere in script. You should be able to combine all materials into one file, but if you have trouble doing this, simply let us know in your email that there are multiple attachments.

5. The monologue/play must not have been previously published nor should it be pending publishing. Previous productions are okay. We will NOT keep someone else from publishing your piece in the future but we must be able to continue to keep the book in print.

6. Please be sure to fill out and submit the festival application along with your submission fee and script.

7. Plays that have been produced or won other awards are welcome – however, you must provide a complete list of awards and productions. We insist that we give credit to theatres that previously produced the work.

8. All genres are welcome.

9. Entries will be acknowledged by email. For more information, visit our website at http://www.slolittletheatre.org/.

10. All material must belong solely to playwright(s) listed on entry form.

11.SLOLT reserves the right to cast and staff all shows as we see fit without approval from playwrights.

12. Playwrights who wish to attend rehearsals may do so, but no pay or travel is offered and playwright’s attendance at any and all rehearsals is at the discretion of the director and/or producers.

13. Please provide a brief bio less than one-quarter of a page.

14. Criticism/feedback will not be available.

15. Please send your submission to office@slolittletheatre.org. Please be sure to include “SLOLT Short Play Festival Submission” in the subject line.

My Fair Lady of the Van

Last evening during the rehearsal for the "Embassy Waltz," it became necessary to time some dialogue spoken by Higgins, Pickering, Mrs. Higgins, and the show's villain/buffoon, Zoltan Karpathy, to the accompaniment of underscored music. With the rest of the company hard at work in the fellowship hall learning to waltz as the elegant upperclass socialites they are, we had to find an alternate space to do our task. So, five of us--four actors and I--repaired to the parking lot and piled into my van, and by the glow of the roof lights and to the cheerful strains of Frederick Loewe's waltz on my car stereo, we hunkered down and got the job done. We did have to pause to open the windows after the first couple of times through the material (with all that hot air steaming up the windows). But in spite, or maybe because, of our circumstances, this was one rehearsal I will always remember. I only wish I'd had a video camera to record it, if one could have fit.

M. Butterfly - Smut or Theatrical Literature??

Our current production, M. Butterfly, has the lobby buzzing with discussion during intermission. This cutting edge, award-winning drama crosses sexual and cultural boundaries and transports SLOLT audiences to places they're possibly never been before.

The question is... do audiences want to go there?

We've had varied reactions. Some of our patrons consider this play nothing more than 'smut' and were highly offended that SLOLT would choose such a play for our season. On the other hand, we received congratulatory calls thanking us for doing something other than comedies and musicals.

For those of you who've seen our production of M. Butterfly, what do you think? Is this play worthy of a Tony award? Can you understand why this play was a Pulitzer Prize finalist? Or is it nothing more than 'in your face' smut that the world would be better off without?

SLOLT wants to know how you feel. Please click on the 'comments' link and tell us!

Thank you,

Wendy-Marie Foerster

Executive Director

Baby Lewis Update!

Here's a message from SLOLT actress, Debi Lewis, who played Lizzie in our Fall musical, "Baby". She's getting close to her due date and we are thrilled to share her excitement as she progresses. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing part of your life with us, Debi!


Hi guys! I wanted to share our fun news. We now know that Baby Lewis, who is due July 25, is a...GIRL!!! We are so excited! As soon as we found out, my hubby ran out to buy a cheerleader doll and first set of pom poms...ha!!! Let me tell you, this kid is already practicing her pirouettes too! She’s a wiggler!!!! :) I’m feeling great. Still able to run, do pilates, work, train our crazy dog, and paint the nursery, so I can’t complain! I miss you guys. Hope you are all doing well and I get to see you soon!

Debi is going to send some preggy pictures so we can all be a part of this wonderful 'theatre baby' experience. :-)

Back on Track!

My apologies for dropping off the face of the earth like that! We are back on track and plan to blog regularly again.

Coming up soon, we will be featuring a weekly ACT update and a weekly Volunteer update, in addition to announcements about upcoming events and special projects. So make sure you check back regularly!

Quick Update:

M. Butterfly has opened and received a lovely review from the New Times. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, please do! Please note that this production does contain adult content and partial nudity.

We will be announcing our 2008-2009 season very soon. All our SLOLT supporters and volunteers will be receiving an email with the announcement, so make sure we don't go into your spam. I hope to be able to make the official announcement by the beginning of next week.

Our next Readers' Theatre production will be Taking Leave by Nagel Jackson, directed by Anet Carlin on Friday, May 9th at 8 pm. See synopsis below for more info.

In the middle of the night in his home in Seattle , Professor Eliot Pryne, PhD, D.Litt., is packing what he believes is a suitcase and leaving what he believes is a hotel. Suffering from dementia, Eliot is actually preparing to "take leave" of the real world and to enter a new one, but the transition is terrifying. His alter-ego, seen only by the audience, charts this final voyage speaking as Eliot once did when his seminars on Shakespeare and Chaucer overflowed with enthusiastic students. The central event of this oddly comic, yet fully sympathetic play is the visitation of Eliot's three daughters, who must decide what to do with their father, now that the hired nurse can no longer handle his antics. Motifs from Shakespeare’s King Lear, on which Eliot was an authority, resound throughout the play. A dark comedy you won’t want to miss.

My Fair Lady opens Friday, May 23, 2008. We are very excited about this large production and look forward to seeing you at the theatre! You can reserve tickets online through our ticketing system. Simply go to our website and click on the tickets tab.

I'll be posting pictures from our first annual Volunteer Appreciation Day soon!

Have a wonderful week and check back in a couple days for more updates.

Your Executive Director,
Wendy-Marie Foerster

READERS' THEATRE THIS WEEK!

WE'VE ADDED A THURSDAY NIGHT PERFORMANCE FOR THIS ROUND OF READERS' THEATRE, SO FEEL FREE TO COME ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY (OR BOTH) AT 8 PM!

SEE YOU AT THE THEATRE!

Adult Acting Classes

For those of you looking for an adult acting class, SLO Little Theatre is proud to welcome back veteran professional actor/director, Bill McLaughlin. PRO ACTING TECHNIQUES WORKSHOPS Sundays, April 9- June 1, 2008 from 4.30 - 6.30 p.m. at the theatre.

Classes will involve:

• How to listen
• Basing your performance on reaction
• How to break down a scene
• How to work with directors
• How to prepare a strong audition
• The rehearsal process and research
• How to make dynamic choices

All students will receive extensive coaching in the organic process of acting and scene analysis.

No more than 15 students will be accepted.

For more information call 773-4647 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Our Tribute to Ray Charles Strike

We thought you might enjoy a few pictures from our Easter Sunday strike of the Ray Charles show. Kudos to the cast & crew who not only put on a fantastic closing show, but stayed to rip apart the set afterward.

SLOLT VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BEST!!!!!

M. Butterfly has already built quite a bit of their set thanks to our energetic set designer, Heidi Enzlin and her brother who came all the way from Fresno to help out over Easter Weekend. We also had SLOLT volunteers (including M. Butterfly leading acting, John Laird) come by and help out. Anyone who is interested in joining the set building efforts of M. Buttefly or My Fair Lady, please contact Jeff at 781-3889 x14.

Thanks!

SLOLT

Dialect Boot Camp for My Fair Lady

After an exhilarating audition process which yielded a wonderfully talented and motivated cast, rehearsals began on March 3.

We have been fortunate to have the services of a truly gifted dialect coach and teacher, to establish the foundation for all the work our actors will be doing in both RP (that's Received Pronunciation or standard British) and Cockney (working-class British) in our show. And in spite of the somewhat tedious nature of learning the International Phonetic Alphabet, and then applying that knowledge to the two dialects, our cast has demonstrated uncommon dedication and focus to the task. With their busy lives outside of My Fair Lady, they all managed to do all the homework, and came to rehearsal prepared and with a fine seriousness of purpose. As a lover of language and dialects myself, I took the course, too, and have learned enormous amounts.

Now that we've got the building blocks for the speech, we have gone forward into music rehearsals, armed and ready to launch the language while learning this amazing music. This has been a wonderful rehearsal process so far, and we are only in week two of our journey!

Future Guest Bloggers

Hi everyone!

Things are crazy as ever around the theatre with the current FUNdraiser production "What'd I Say: A Musical Tribute to Ray Charles" playing to sold out houses and M. Butterfly in the wings ready to open in April. My Fair Lady is also cast and in rehearsals, plus Readers' Theatre has two performances on March 27th & 28th and our ACT program is preparing for a group sharing on March 20th. The days just fly by at the moment!

To keep you all posted on the most current happenings at the theatre, we're going to be inviting guest bloggers to keep you filled in over the next few months. So keep checking back!

Rachel Hockett, director for My Fair Lady, will be joining us as well as future directors and teachers. I'll be posting more interviews and keep you informed about some renovations we hope to start soon. We may actually have an efficient air conditioning system by the summer. Keep your fingers crossed!

As always, feel free to click on the comments link and tell us what you think about what we're doing. This is a community theatre so get involved!

Yours,
Wendy-Marie Foerster
Executive Director

ADDED MARTINI NIGHT!!!

Due to the overwhelming success of our Legend Series FUNdraiser, "What'd I Say: A Musical Tribute to Ray Charles," we have added a Martini Night performance on Thursday, March 13th. For tickets, please call our box office at 786-2440 or go to our website at www.slolittletheatre.org and click on the tickets tab.

Tickets are $45 and include a light, gourmet dinner and no-host bar.

Reserve your tickets now, they're going fast. All other scheduled performances are sold out. If you can't make it to our added performance and would like to see the show, please come to the box office one hour before curtain and put your name on the waiting list. We do our best to get all waiting list patrons in to see the show whenever possible.

Thank you for supporting the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre!

Costume Closet Success

Katie's "Costume Closet Open House" was a HUGE success. We not only managed to clear out a ton of costumes, but received some donations in the process. Kudos to Katie and a big thank you to everyone who came by last Saturday and took part in the event!

"What'd I Say: A Musical Tribute to Ray Charles" SOLD OUT!!

After two wonderful weekends and some amazing press, our FUNdraiser Legend Show has completely sold out! We may be adding shows, though, so keep tuned for the latest updates!

Click on the link below to check out the review in the Ticket this week. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/ticket/story/296185.html

CONGRATULATIONS DEBI LEWIS!!!

One cast member in our Fall production of Maltby & Shire's musical, "Baby," took her role to heart and is now expecting!!

Debi has offered to let SLOLT tag along during the pregnancy. She'll be checking in with us to report how things are going and share ultrasound pictures, too! Here's the first in our 9 month series of interviews with Debi.

Congrats to the parents-to-be! :-)


SLOLT: Debit, can you tell us what role you played in Baby?
I recently played the leading role of Lizzie in “Baby.” The show followed her character through a full term of pregnancy, complete with the birth at the end of the show!


SLOLT: What made you want to audition for the show?
I was in the ensemble of “Baby” when I was a sophomore at Cal State Fullerton working on my Musical Theater degree. I was too “young” to play the role then, but the show struck something in me and has always been dear to my heart. I just love the relationships and the music. I’ve wanted to play Lizzie ever since then, so I was thrilled when the opportunity arose.

SLOLT: We've heard a rumor that you actually became pregnant during the run of the show, is that true? Was it planned?
I DID get pregnant during the show. I’d like to think it was all of the baby mojo and lovely ladies in the cast who would rub my “belly” and pray for a true blessing to come to us. Now I can technically say that the baby has already been on stage. Ha! This baby was VERY planned! My husband and I have been married for 5 years, had great travels together, and reached the point in our lives where we really wanted to have a baby. I guess we just had to wait so we could have a fun story to tell about conceiving during “Baby!” I am thrilled to have the support of so many great theater colleagues and patrons too!


SLOLT: When is your due date? Do you know the sex yet?
My due date is July 24. We find out on March 6 what we are having. We can’t wait!!!

SLOLT: How are you feeling right now? Any fun morning sickness/cravings yet?
I am feeling great now! I had a rough first trimester, with quite a bit of morning sickness, but it was manageable. I know many women have had it far worse than I did. I am happy to be part of the statistics that enter the 2nd trimester and feel like a champ! I haven’t had any cravings yet, but I am eating my share of pickles...but no ice cream with them! :)

Feel free to leave your comments/congratulations for Debbie and stay tuned to see how this theatre baby develops!

Lend Me a Tenor director, Gailee Walker is offering acting classes!

Award-winning actor, writer, director, Gailee Walker will conduct two winter/spring workshops for serious actors and writers beginning in March.

“Stop Acting and Be”, a 10 week workshop that meets on Sundays from 11 – 2 once a week is for any actor – stage or film – who dares to throw away the safe crutches used by too many actors and become a powerful presence on the stage and in film. A former Equity company member of Stages Rep, Ms. Walker has studied with Michael Shurtleff, the British American Drama Academy, and was heralded as “the next Meryl Streep” by Variety before she retired from acting to raise her children. Actors will develop cold reading skills by learning how to immediately discover character, relationship, conflict, and need. Understanding of the importance of humor, mystery and secret in every moment will be explored. The differences between working on an intimate stage, a theatre that seats thousands, and being in front of a film camera will be experienced.

The workshop begins on Sunday, March 9th at 11 am runs for 10 weeks. For more information call 466-3538

Catching up!

My apologies for the gap between our last post and this one. Between flu season and a very busy month, it simply got lost in the shuffle. I've got lots to report, so keep reading!

Our yearly Legend Series FUNdraiser opened last weekend to sold out houses and rave reviews. "What'd I Say: A Musical Tribute to Ray Charles" will run through March 23rd. Tickets are going fast, so be sure to get yours soon. Don't forget to check out our new online ticketing system. Simply go to our website and click on the 'tickets' tab. Why deal with a voice mail system or play phone tag with the box office if you can do it yourself? If you prefer a personal touch, however, our box office staff is always happy to make your reservation. :-)

My Fair Lady auditions were a huge success. Congratulations to everyone in the cast. If you're curious to see the cast list, please visit the audition page on our website. If anyone would like to help out on the technical side of the show, please call our Volunteer Coordinator, Jeffrey Salsbury at 781-3889 x 11 or send him an email at volunteer@slolittletheatre.org.

This Saturday, March 1st, between 8 am and Noon we will be cleaning out our closets! For one day only we are opening our costume closet doors to the public! If you like it, you can have it! Costume, hats, shoes, purses, props. All different sizes, colors and time periods! Donations will be accepted. For more information, please contact our Production Manager, Katie Mack-Montenegro at 781-3889 x14 or katie@slolittletheatre.org!

Our upcoming Readers' Theatre production of Waiting for Godot will run on Thursday, March 27th at 8 pm and on Friday, March 28th at 8 pm. Tickets are only available online or cash at the door. This special production features local high school talent, so you won't want to miss it!

That's the update for now. I will be sure to keep you posted on any new and exciting events at the SLO Little Theatre. :-)

Wendy-Marie Foerster
Executive Director

My Fair Lady Auditions!!!

Come one, come all! Auditions start in only 3 days!

Directed by Rachel Hockett

Music Direction by John Cribb

Choreography by Zach Johnson

When: Mon Feb 11 OR Tues Feb 12, 6:30 pm. Callbacks if necessary Wed Feb 13, 6:30 pm

Where: Trinity United Methodist Church, 490 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos

Audition plan:

Vocal--Please prepare 16 bars of a song not from My Fair Lady. Audition accompanist provided; bring sheet music.

Dance--We will teach you a short routine; be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes for dancing.

Dialect--We will ask you to "repeat after me" in both Cockney and standard British.

Roles--No monologue preparation necessary; reading from the script only (sides provided).

A perusal script is available at the reference desk of the main branch of the SLO library, 995 Palm St (corner of Osos).

Important: Please appear either Mon OR Tues promptly at 6:30, and save Wed in case you are called back.

Also important: We encourage you to try out, even if you are feeling reluctant. A fun audition is promised. Remember: You gotta be in it to win it!

General Rehearsal Schedule: March 3 - May 21. Rehearsals will take place at different locations in San Luis Obispo City vicinity. A more detailed schedule will be available for perusal at the audition.

Preview: Thurs, May 22, 8 pm

Performances: May 23 – June 22, Fri and Sat at 8, Sat and Sun at 2

Eight principals, many featured roles, and a large ensemble, including young actors; no small parts. (Age ranges are flexible.)

Women:

Eliza Doolittle* (age 18-28): A streetwise, intelligent, and unschooled cockney girl from Lisson Grove working outside Covent Garden. Her potential to become a “lady” becomes the object of a bet between Higgins and Pickering.

Mrs. Pearce* (age 25-60): Higgins’s very proper housekeeper.

Mrs. Higgins (age 50-70): Henry’s long-suffering and elegant mother. Ensemble singing only.

Mrs. Eynsford-Hill (age 40-70) A friend of Mrs. Higgins’s and Freddy’s mother. Ensemble singing only.

8-10 featured roles/ensemble, including 1 or 2 young actors (ages 8-17): Speaking in dialect, singing, and dancing required.

Men:

Henry Higgins* (age 38-50): Upper-class professional bachelor, an ill-mannered curmudgeon with redeeming charms, a world-renowned phonetics expert, a teacher and the author of “Higgins’ Universal Alphabet.”

Colonel Pickering* (age 50-70): Retired British officer with colonial experience, kind and earnest and with all the manners that Higgins lacks, the author of “Spoken Sanskrit.”

Alfred Doolittle* (age 40-60): Eliza’s father, the elder statesman of the dustman set.

Freddy Eynsford-Hill* (age 20-35): Upper-class young man who becomes completely smitten with Eliza.

8-10 featured roles/ensemble, including 1 or 2 young actors (ages 8-17): Speaking in dialect, singing, and dancing required.

*Principal singing roles.

ACT NEW NAME CONTEST

Those of you who have taken classes or who have children in our ACT program will know that the name has bounced back and forth over the years. After a long discussion with our board over which name is the most effective for our children/youth training academy, we've decided to let the kids decide. They, after all, are the ones who would know best what name speaks to the younger generation and would peak the interest of other young performers.

Therefore, we are hosting an "ACT NEW NAME CONTEST".

Until Feb. 15th, we will be accepting suggestions for a new name for our ACT program. From all the entries received, we will choose the top 3-5 and post them on our blog for a vote. We will choose a winner based on the 3 most popular names.

Here are a few things to take into consideration before you send us your suggestion:

1. In order to make it easier on our grant writing process, it helps to make it clear that we are a children/youth oriented program.

2. Our classes focus on craft, as well as having fun. We would like to evolve into a pre-professional training program for kids who want to study theatre in college. Because of this, we consider our training program to be an academy of sorts.

3. It would be help to find a name with an acronym that works, too.

So, with that in mind, start brainstorming and email your ideas to act@slolittletheatre.org.

The authors of the top 3 suggestions will receive one free space in one of our upcoming master classes! We will be offering master classes in the areas of audition techniques, movement and the business of theatre, so keep an eye on our website for more information.

Good luck!!!

ONLINE TICKETING NOW AVAILABLE!!!

We did it! The new system is up and running. In fact, we've already had our first online sale! So, you can now get tickets to any SLO Little Theatre Show 24/7 on our website.

SLOLT would like to thank Dave at EvenCentrix for making this dream a reality. He has be absolutely amazing to work with and we wouldn't have gotten it up this quick without him. Thanks, Dave!

As we adjust to the new system, there may be a few bumps along the way. We appreciate our patron's patience and understanding and hope you enjoy the convenience of online ticketing!

Meet "Worse Than Murder" playwright, Lou Shaw!!!

On Friday, February 8 at 8:00 pm, Reader’s Theatre of the SLO Little Theatre will present a staged reading of Lou Shaw’s play, Worse than Murder.

The play revisits the events surrounding 1951 trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, who were found guilty of and executed for passing information on the American nuclear bomb to the Soviet Union. In this play the controversial case is relived through the eyes of Rosenberg’s two now-adult sons. It is a story of love, family, espionage, betrayal, politics and a government over-reaching its boundaries.

The playwright Lou Shaw is an award-winning TV film writer, producer and the co-creator of “Quincy”. Shaw produced “McCloud,” “The Fall Guy” in addition to developing “Beyond Westworld.” He has scripted over 200 film and television scripts for shows that include among others, “Columbo”, “All in the Family”, “Mission Impossible”, “Ironside”, “Mannix”,and “I Love Lucy”. In 1978 he won an Edgar Allen Poe Edgar award for one of his teleplays for “Quincy M.E.” Shaw has also written a novel, Honor Thy Son.

Shaw, who spent years researching the Rosenberg case, will host a question and answer session following the reading.

Information regarding the “Rosenberg Fund for Children” will be available. The fund, developed by Robby Meeropol, youngest son of the Rosenbergs, is a non profit organization that provides educational and emotional assistance to children whose parents have been targeted for their progressive activities.

The Trials and Tribulations of Online Ticketing

Some of you may be asking yourself "so where IS this online ticketing system they keep talking about anyway??"

Well, I can tell you in all honesty that it does exist and is in the process of being tested. Part of the delay is due to the success of Lend Me a Tenor (which we are EXTREMELY happy about!). Between this show and presales for "What'd I say, A Musical Tribute to Ray Charles" we can barely find time to get the new system tested.

We do hope to have the system up and running by the end of the week so you can all buy your tickets from the comfort of your own home. Yvonne, our box office manager, has been working overtime to take reservations for upcoming shows and can barely keep up. If you call the box office and land in the voice mail system, please be assured that we aren't ignoring you. We are with another customer and will return your call as soon as possible in the order received.

Thank you so much for your patience and patronage. We will give you more information as the ticketing system goes live!

Adult Acting Classes

For those of you looking for an adult acting class, SLO Little Theatre is proud to welcome back veteran professional actor/director, Bill McLaughlin.

PRO ACTING TECHNIQUES WORKSHOPS


Sundays, January 27 - March 16, 2008
from 4.30 - 6.30 p.m. at the theatre.

Classes will involve:

• How to listen
• Basing your performance on reaction
• How to break down a scene
• How to work with directors
• How to prepare a strong audition
• The rehearsal process and research
• How to make dynamic choices

All students will receive extensive coaching in the organic process of acting and scene analysis.

No more than 15 students will be accepted.

Class fee: $175

For more information call 773-4647 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Lend Me a Tenor Review from the Ticket

For those of you who might have missed Joan Crowder's review of Lend Me a Tenor in the Ticket, (http://www.sanluisobispo.com/ticket/story/248756.html) here it is for you to read at your leisure.

Photo by Donn Miyahara - Touch of Grace Photography

Stage: 2 tenors, lots of laughs
Little Theatre’s production of ‘Lend Me a Tenor’ straddles the line between drama and farce
By Joan Crowder

“Lend Me a Tenor” is a quintessential farce, complete with slamming doors, mistaken identities, double entendres and hilarious situations. Gailee Walker obviously appreciates the genre and directs the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre cast to create an enthusiastic pie-in-the- face entertainment. Ken Ludwig’s play is laced with clever lines and comic moments.

It’s a funny, if unlikely, story. It’s 1934 and famed Italian tenor Tito Merelli is to be the guest of the Cleveland Opera Co. The producer, Saunders, his daughter, Maggie, and his assistant, Max, are eagerly awaiting him. But when Tito and his wife finally arrive, they are arguing, and Tito’s wife leaves in a huff. Tito is bereft and takes a “fatal” overdose of phenobarbital. Leaving him for dead in the apartment, Saunders and Max, an aspiring singer, decide the show must go on. Since the opera is “Othello,” with black face makeup and an elaborate costume, they decide Max can pass.

The story is a stretch but the cast is excellent. Daniel Freeman has the most dramatic role as the producer. As events spin out of control so does he, and Freeman endows him with comic nervous tics as he nears hysteria.

As Max, Gregory Gorrindo starts out shy and wimpy as he courts pretty young Maggie, but gains self-confidence as he impersonates the opera star. Gorrindo gives the stereotypical character some depth, and he has a fine voice.

Al Curtice is Tito, and he gets plenty of laughs as he misunderstands language, misinterprets conversations and emotes over losing his wife. Ali Peters is cute as Maggie, sweet but airheaded as she falls for the opera star (whoever he is). Nancy Green plays the dowager director of the opera’s board. She’s perfect for the role and looks terrific in a slinky silver lamé evening gown.
Tito’s wife is played by Maya Addison, and she has the Italian accent and high-strung personality down pat. Kathryn Taylor is Diana, the sexy soprano, and her conversation with Tito about getting a break in the opera world is a crack-up as he thinks she’s talking about sex and prostitution. Daniel Salas shows talent beyond his years as the 13-year -old plays the pesky bellhop who is also trying to get a moment with Tito.

The set is a creative solution to the logistics of going in and out of doors, and an “imaginary” wall allows the audience to see into two different “rooms” at once. Director Walker, John Battalino and Eugene Wells designed the set. Stephen Tosh created the musical accompaniment, and Gayle Pierce is responsible for the women’s elegant costumes. Ruth Fleming, director of the Cambria Chorale, is vocal coach, and several members of the cast are chorale members and have been seen in musical productions in the pines and throughout the region.

In lesser hands, farce is a style that can easily become corny, if not painful. But this production does it with just the right balance between drama and slapstick, giving the characters enough personality to make it work.

LEND ME A TENOR ADDED PERFORMANCE!

Due to the high volume of ticket sales for our current production of "Lend Me a Tenor" we are adding a Thursday evening performance on January 31, 2008. For tickets call 786-2440.

Kelrick Production's "Annie"

I just got back from taking my girls to the Sunday matinee of "Annie". What a fun production. We saw a lot of familiar faces, reminding me that the Central Coast theatre scene really is one big family. :-) I was especially impressed how they utilized the small space. Hats off to Eric and the entire cast and crew!

We enjoyed this production very much. I encourage all of you looking for a family activity on the weekend to take your kids to see this production. For more info call 543-PLAY.

M. Butterfly Auditions Tonight and Tomorrow!

WE ARE CASTING FOR THE FOLLOWING ROLES on Tues. Jan 15 and Wed. Jan 16 at 6.30 p.m. in the Theatre

Still needed:

Song Liling - Beautiful, seductive Asian woman, 20 - 40. Must be played by a man.

Helga - Married to Rene, 30's.

M. Toulon/Man #1/Judge - Distinguished man in his 50's - 60's.

Rene Gallimard - 40 - 65. Rene is an "everyman." Someone you would pass on the street. He is someone whom a girl might say, "let's be friends." He can be easlily seduced.

MEET A.C.T. TEACHER - ZACH JOHNSON!!

Mr. Zach will be teaching the choreography for the musical classes, as well as choreographing My Fair Lady at the SLO Little Theatre this season.

SLOLT: Can you tell us what can be expected in your class(es)?
A basic understanding of choreography, how to learn a routine, history of the show, and fun!

SLOLT: What is your philosophy on children/youth theatre training?
I believe that fun and showmanship wins out over technical training. Kids who enjoy themselves theatre go on to love it later in life.

SLOLT: Can you tell us one of your favorite moments of your career so far?
I was performing in the Criterion Theatre in London and I walked out the front door to find myself in the center of Picidilly Circus on Londons West End.

SLOLT: What’s your most embarrassing moment on stage?
I was dancing in South Pacific in a small theatre, not unlike SLOLT, and there was a move where I was to run up the wall and backflip off. As I hit the wall I continued into the framing of the set and found myself half off stage and half on. It was crazy.

SLOLT: What advice to you have for young thespians?
What I find most important is that performers have fun. If you aren't enjoying what you are doing, the audience sure isn't enjoying it either.

Sucessful Opening Night of Lend Me a Tenor!

LEND ME A TENOR OPENING NIGHT!!!

Photo by Donn Miyahara - Touch of Grace Photography

If you weren't at the SLO Little Theatre for opening night of Lend Me a Tenor, you missed a wonderful performance. The house was full, the actors were on fire and the audience roared with laughter.


Make sure you don't miss this production. It's an evening you'll want to enjoy again and again!

Lend Me a Tenor runs until February 3, 2008. Show times are Friday & Saturday evening at 8 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. For more information see our website at http://www.slolittletheatre.org/ or call the box office at 786-2440.

For those of you who have seen the show, please feel free to post a comment and let us know what you thought!

MEET A.C.T. TEACHER - KATIE MACK-MONTENEGRO!!

Ms. Katie is going to teach the Stage Management portion of our new Technical Inisghts class. Hear what she has to say about Stage Management and theatre in general.


SLOLT: Can you tell us what can be expected in your class(es)?
I hope that my classes will be fun and educational at the same time. Stage Managing is really exciting, for the right person. It takes a lot of discipline and multi-tasking, as well someone who is patient, good with people, and able to make quick decisions. I hope that my students will learn the balance between organizational side of things and the creative side. A stage manager really is lucky to be allowed to be involved in all aspects of the theatrical process meeting with all departments and it is such a great joy to see it all come together in the end. My students will learn so much about how a production runs from start to finish - all the inside tricks and secrets!

SLOLT: What is your philosophy on children/youth theatre training?
I feel that it is very important to get children involved in the arts at a young age. Music, theatre, and dance have been things that have always remained constants in my life - aspects that have taught be discipline, teamwork, focus, given me self-esteem and fun. In all the craziness that comes with growing up, the arts were the one thing that I could do where I felt comfortable and like "me." I was proud of all the time I would put into classes and learning lines and music and choreography, and then to share it with an audience was the cherry on top. To share that experience with others is such a blessing for me. And I truly believe that starting children out at a young age with something that they enjoy and can be proud of, like the theatre, is something that can only enhance other areas of their lives. Yes, theatre is fun and we play games and sing, dance, and dress up in fun costumes - but there is a lot of work that goes into getting there. The discipline and dedication it takes to be involved in a production is a big accomplishment at any age that one should be very proud of.

SLOLT: Can you tell us one of your favorite moments of your career so far?
That is an easy one. Opening night of NO BOYS ALLOWED! a play that I wrote and directed. I had spent a year of my life reading, researching, writing, designing, and directing this piece. When the house lights went down and those first stage lights started to come up, there was just a feeling of happiness and accomplishment that flowed through my whole body. I had done it. The play literally came to me in a dream and I woke up determined to make it happen, and in less then a year I had it on stage. It was an amazing night.

SLOLT: What’s your most embarrassing moment on stage?
This one is a little harder. Looking back I on certain performances there are things I wish I had worked harder on or had made stronger decisions about, but (knock on wood) I have never really had anything really embarrassing happen while I was on stage in the middle of a show. I am still young - so there is plenty of time for all of that!

SLOLT: What advice to you have for young thespians?
Here are a few rules and lessons I have learned in my 20+ years in the theatre - things that I never, ever forget:

Have fun! Being involved in the theatre is a major committment of time and self, and if you don't enjoy it then it's not worth it. You come first!

ALWAYS BE ON TIME! In the theatre, being on time means being early. On time is late and late is unacceptable. A rehearsal can't start without all people present. Don't hold up the team!
Always be friendly and respectful with the people you work with. Theatre is a collaborative artform and no one person could do a show with out the other people's support. A prop master, spot light operator, and actor are equally as valuable to a production.

MEET A.C.T. TEACHER - JOHN BATTALINO!

Mr. John is teaching the lighting design portion of our new Technical Insights Class. Here's what Mr. John has to say!

SLOLT: Can you tell us what to expect during your portion of the Technical Theatre Insights class?

A hands-on interactive understanding of electricity, theater lamps, and practicals as they are used in making a lighting design for a show.

This will be accomplished using the existing SLOLT grid,fixtures, and starport computer generated cueing program. At the end of this class the student will be able to design,hang, aim, focus, and load cues for any show... with the SLOLT computer.

SLOLT: What is your philosophy on children/youth theatre training?

The experience of exposure to ART in any capacity is exquisitely vital to the growth and the expansion of the human soul, and that soul's connection to Divine Source Energy.

SOLT: Can you tell us one of your favorite moments of your career so far?

The lifetime achievement award from the SLOLT.

SLOLT: What advice to you have for young artists?

As ee cummings said it best i will remind them:
to be yourself in a world which is working day and night to make you like everyone else is the hardest battle to fight AND NEVER STOP FIGHTING IT!

MEET A.C.T. TEACHER - HEIDI ENSSLIN!

Miss Heidi will be teaching the scenic design portion of our Technical Insights class this session. This is a brand new class for kids in grades 9-12 as well as any technically inclined adults. We will be covering scenic design, lighting design and stage management.

One of the things Miss Heidi is planning on doing with her students during her portion of the course is paint faux textures in our newly renovated dressing room!

So.....heeeeeeere's Miss Heidi!

SLOLT: Miss Heidi, can you tell us what can be expected in your class?

Expect to paint. We'll be mixing paint and applying faux finishes.

SLOLT: What is your philosophy on children/youth theatre training?

They will use something that I taught them, someday, maybe not for years, but they will remember.

SOLT: Can you tell us one of your favorite moments of your career so far?

An opera singer took a bow with a prop I made.

SLOLT: What’s your most embarrassing moment on stage?

I was in the middle of a quick change when I remembered I had to go back on stage-- without my mustache!

SLOLT: What advice to you have for young thespians?

No acting please. Be original, sincere. You are a thousand times more interesting than acting. And Study your Lines!

For an idea of what a talented scenic artist Miss Heidi truly is, take a look at a few sets/props she's designed in the past.