Check out these auditions up in Cambria!

Looking for a great opportunity up in Cambria? The Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre is holding auditions for its next play, Coming Apart, by Fred Carmichael. The production will be directed by Elaine Fournier. Check out the details below:

Where- Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre. 1350 Main Street (please use rear entrance.)

When- Monday 1/6 from 11-1/ Tuesday 1/7 from 6-8.

Cast- 2m and 2f (lead role is cast). Ages 45-50+

Performance dates- March 14-April 7, 2014

For more information, please call Nancy Green at (805) 927-5951

What an amazing holiday season at the Little Theatre! Thank you to everyone who made our "miracle" month happen!

Happy holidays!

What tremendous 6 weeks at the Little Theatre! Our holiday production of Miracle on 34th Street opened on November 22 and our special holiday show The Santaland Diaries took the stage a week later. For the next 5 weeks, these two shows played to sold-out audiences, leading the Little Theatre to one of the most financially and artistically successful holiday seasons in our 67 year history. 36 performances in 36 days! Thank you to the amazing cast of Miracle for giving so much of your time and talent to the community through this production. What a great way to begin the new year!

We had some "dark time" at the theatre from 12/23-12/26, but were back at it on Friday night, welcoming a full house to NO SHAME THEATRE. If you weren't at NO SHAME this month, you missed one of the most exciting, innovative nights of original theatre in months. Thank you to everyone who came out to participate and watch; it was so great to see so many familiar faces back in town for the holidays. Don't miss our next NO SHAME on January 24! Find out everything you need to know about NO SHAME THEATRE by clicking HERE.

As of this morning, the theatre is up and running and full strength! Pinocchio had a wonderful rehearsal yesterday afternoon and is heading into tech on Saturday. Dave Linfield (and his incredible scenic helpers) is furiously constructing the set in preparation for the light and sound work this weekend. This is going to be a truly magical show for the entire family. Get your tickets to Pinocchio by clicking HERE.

Thank you, everyone, for making our holiday season at the Little Theatre such an amazing success. We have so much to share with you in the new year- don't miss a moment!

-Kevin

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Many thanks to director Lisa Woske and the wonderful cast and crew of Miracle on 34th Street for an amazing, record-breaking run! Thank you for making the holidays a little brighter for all the folks who flocked to see your show.

The Little Theatre will be "dark" until January 2nd. The box office will be closed but you can still buy tickets for Pinocchio, Other Desert Cities, Some Enchanted Evening and even $25 Gift Certificates ONLINE.  The box office will be re-open at 11 am on January 2nd.

On Friday, December 27th, FREE NO SHAME THEATRE will be the one exception to our two weeks off here at the Little Theatre. The lobby will open at 9:30 pm, original script submissions will be accepted at 10 pm and exciting, original NO SHAME theatre will take the stage at 10:30 pm. So, get off that couch, write a story or a song or a poem or whatever strikes your fancy and we'll see you here!

Best wishes for a very happy holiday to you and yours. We'll look forward to seeing you next year!

Final Weekend of Holiday Show Performances, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and NO SHAME!

JUST 8 MORE PERFORMANCES!

If you haven't yet seen these great shows, you MIGHT still be able to get a ticket, but you'd better HURRY!  There are a grand total of 35 tickets left for six performances of Miracle on 34th Street this weekend. You can CLICK HERE to order online.

The Santaland Diaries is completely SOLD-OUT, absolutely packed to the rafters! However,we will have a waiting list available for Saturday evening's performance. Please arrive by 9 pm and let the box office know you'd like your name on the list and we'll do our best to seat you. Good luck!

And while we're on the subject, I've just got to say: THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing cast of Miracle on 34th Street! They are concluding an amazing run of 26 performances! Thank you for spending your Christmas at the Little Theatre and best wishes for a fabulous closing weekend!

You thought we'd forget, didn't you? No way!  There will be a special holiday-edition of No Shame Theatre on Friday, December 27th. Submissions begin at 10 pm, doors and bar open at 9:30 pm. Pull out those holiday stories you've been dying to share. Write a song or a poem or dance a New Year's jig. Or just come on out for some live, late-night, original theatre. It's No Shame, folks. Anything goes!

Farewell 2013!

Now it's time to get a little sappy. The holidays always do that to me. I start weeping at Coke commercials, cat and dog videos on youtube, cool flashmobs. You know how it is, don't pretend you don't do it too. 

I just really want to say thanks for a great year. We've been through a lot together. From Honk, Jr! last January to Kris Kringle and Macy's Santaland this December, it's been an amazing year of theatre and we want to thank you for "playing your part." Whether you're one of our dedicated donor/members, a valued volunteer, a season subscriber, a parent or a student in our ACT program or a member of our enthusiastic audience, you are a very important part of making the magic of theatre possible. Without you, it's just an empty room. With you, we share great stories that delight, inspire and excite our imaginations. Thank you for making LIVE, LOCAL, THEATRE possible.

All of us here at the Little Theatre wish you a happy and healthy holiday season filled with the love of family and good friends and the magic that is live theatre. 

Best wishes for a very happy New Year!

P.S. If you're looking for the perfect last minute gift, we've still got gift certificates available! Buy a $25 gift certificate, good for tickets to any show, any time, for just $20!  What a deal. Makes a great stocking stuffer. CLICK HERE to buy yours today.

Happy Holidays!

'Tis the Season for Giving, for Celebrating and for Enjoying some Great Holiday Shows!

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIVE THEATRE

In Miracle on 34th Street, a very practical little girl named Susan (as well as the entire city of New York!) learns how to "believe even when common sense tells you not to." Common Sense. Some might say that anyone who chooses to work in the unpredictable world of live theatre, does NOT have that trait in abundance. But one thing we do have is the ability to believe, especially when common sense tells us not to!

This year at the Little Theatre, we have two fabulous holiday shows running eight shows per week, an additional Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading with two performances next week and our Academy of Creative Theatre students grab the theatre whenever it's not already booked to rehearse Pinocchio (opening January 10th!) This is a very busy place in December and sometimes I wonder how we ever get it all done! We have a very small staff and a very tight budget but with the help of 300 miraculous volunteers, somehow we're able to produce 10 great shows, reaching over 14,000 people on 44 out of 52 weekends every year--and we've been doing it for over 67 years! How, you may ask? It's a mystery.

Actually, the answer lies in the fact that we LOVE it. We believe in live theatre and, with your help, it's always possible. Many thanks to the over 250 individuals and businesses who have already made a donation to the Little Theatre this season. Thank you for playing your part in bringing the magic of live theatre to San Luis Obispo! In particular, we'd like to thank the many people who have made a special end of year donation. If you'd like to join them, we'd love to welcome you to the family. You can help make the new year a bright one for the Little Theatre by making your tax deductible contribution right HERE.

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST!
If you have not yet gotten your tickets for MIRACLE ON 34th STREET and THE SANTALAND DIARIES, you'd best get on it!!  Santaland is sold-out tonight and well on it's way to that status for it's remaining three shows! You can purchase your tickets for this hilarious comedy featuring Kevin Harris, HERE.  And as for our heartwarming production of Miracle, there are just 11 shows remaining and all are nearly sold-out. So, come on!  Get up off that sofa and have a little holiday fun!  You can purchase your tickets right HERE. 

AN UNUSUAL MONOPOLY GAME
Next week's Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading features a monopoly game that you won't soon forget. Join us for A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS, Nagle Jackson's hilarious metaphor on corporate greed. The dates are December 17th and 18th at 7pm. If you come on Tuesday, you can stay for a talk-back with the cast and director Cynthia Anthony. Find out more and get your tickets HERE.

All of us here at the Little Theatre wish you a happy and healthy holiday season filled with the love of family and good friends and the magic that is live theatre. Hope to see you soon for a show, but until then, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

~ Patty

Our holiday shows are SELLING OUT, MARVIN GARDENS takes the stage, and GIFT CERTIFICATES are now on sale! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

What a wonderful weekend of theatre at 888 Morro Street. Miracle on 34th Street had it's first 6-performance weekend and played to packed houses every time! There are only a handful of tickets left for this classic holiday story- get your tickets NOW by clicking HERE. Miracle is a perfect show for the whole family- it plays through Sunday, December 22.

The Santaland Diaries has been called the "hot ticket in town" by Dave Congalton. Charlotte Alexander says, "Here is an absolute assurance: if you enjoy the peculiar charm of humorist David Sedaris, and if you take yourself to The Santaland Diaries this month, you'll laugh yourself silly while watching a masterful actor create a unique and quirky Christmas confection."

There are only 4 more performances of The Santaland Diaries- only a handful of tickets left. Secure your seats today by clicking HERE.

A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, the 4th staged reading in the Ubu's Other Shoe 10th anniversary season, comes to the Little Theatre on December 17 and 18 at 7:00 PM. Cynthia Anthony directs this hilarious play by Nagle Jackson. You can order your tickets by clicking HERE.

Give the gift of LIVE THEATRE! For the rest of the month, when you purchase a Little Theatre gift certificate for $20.00, you'll receive $25.00 in credit toward any Little Theatre production! Litttle Theatre gift certificates make wonderful holiday gifts. Order your instantly online by clicking HERE.

Thank you, as always, for your support of our theatre! Have a wonderful holiday week!

-Kevin

SANTALAND is coming to town and MIRACLE is selling out - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Crumpet the Elf has his own very special take on the holiday season. You can't blame him. He's spending 30 days in an elf suit guiding parents and children through the oh, so happy Macy's Santaland in New York City. It takes courage, a strong stomach and a good sense of humor.

Opening this Saturday night, November 30th, you can experience the "magic" of Christmas through the eyes of humorist and author David Sedaris in the late-night comedy cult classic THE SANTALAND DIARIES. Starring Kevin Harris and directed by Suzy Newman, this one-man-show is the perfect holiday nightcap after a day of shopping or an evening out with friends. The special bonus holiday show will be performed on Friday and Saturday nights only at 9:15 pm, immediately following MIRACLE ON 34th STREET. Click HERE for more information and tickets.

If you haven't reserved your tickets yet, you better do it now! This delightful holiday classic that reminds us "to believe even when common sense tells us not to" is selling out fast! 

Based on the beloved 1947 film, MIRACLE ON 34th STREET is a charming re-telling of the tale of Kris Kringle, a nice old man who comes to New York one Christmas season and winds up unleashing waves of good will throughout the city and sparking a hint of  magic in the heart of a very practical little girl. It's a sweet tale, directed by Lisa Woske and performed by a talented cast who are clearly having a ball bringing this story to life! This is the one to share with the kids and the grandkids, folks. Click HERE for more information and tickets.

Join us for a special staged reading of

Ben & Rita

by Wendy-Marie

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 @ 7 PM

SAN LUIS OBISPO LITTLE THEATRE

$10 PER PERSON AT THE DOOR

Sometimes fate lives right next door.

Rita's desperate need for attention has driven away everyone she's ever known. Ben never got close enough to anyone to scare them off in the first place. In fact, he hasn't left his apartment in ten years. But When Rita's recently widowed daughter, Eve, and teenage child, Sammy, come to live with Rita, the walls are broken down, literally. As Rita and Ben's worlds collide, they are faced with a choice. Continue to live in fear or take a chance on love?

Directed by Katie Mack with a fantastic cast including Suzy Newman, Makayla DuBois, Clara Jane Fulks and Randy Pound

The Little Theatre will be "dark" on both Thursday and Friday nights as we share the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. We'll be back on Saturday afternoon with two performances of MIRACLE ON 34th STREET at 2 pm and 7 pm and then opening night of THE SANTALAND DIARIES at approximately 9:15 pm, immediately following Miracle. And then of course, we'll have another matinee and another evening performance of Miracle on Sunday, so you've got plenty of opportunities to join us -- and we really hope you will. 

We wish you all a very happy holiday weekend filled with good things to eat and dear friends and family to share it with. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

~Patty

Board Meeting Canceled

Between holiday preparations, travel plans, and illness, we would be missing several members of the board this evening. Therefore, the meeting is canceled.

The next regular meeting of the board of directors will be January 22.

MIRACLE opens soon, SANTALAND enters tech, MARVIN GARDEN continues rehearsals, and 3-show subscriptions now available! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

What a weekend! The Little Theatre was "dark" this weekend, but that doesn't means we weren't busy! The tech crew of Miracle on 34th Street spent all days Saturday setting the lights and sound for our holiday production. On Sunday, we added in the actors and the rest of the crew for a technical rehearsal. The show looks great- you're not going to want to miss this one. Many performances are already selling out, so if you're thinking of getting tickets, better do it before opening night on Friday! Click HERE to reserve your tickets today.

The Santaland Diaries is entering its own tech rehearsal this week and is getting ready for the first benefit performance on November 27. Santaland open on Saturday, November 30 and plays every Friday and Saturday night (after Miracle) through December 21. Tickets are only $20.00. Click HERE to get yours today.

A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, the final Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading on 2013, is currently in rehearsals. Director Cynthia Anthony has assembled a great cast for this wonderful comedy by Nagle Jackson. Marvin Gardens plays for two nights only, December 17 and 18 at 7:00 PM. Read more about the show and get your tickets by clicking HERE.

Are you going to come see Miracle? Why don't you take advantage of our 3-show season subscription? Season subscriber receive great benefits! Secure your tickets for the rest of the season and never have to worry about hearing the words "SOLD OUT" again! Click HERE for all of the details.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

-Kevin

Board Meeting

The regular meeting of the Board of Directors will be held November 20, 2013, 6 PM at the Little Theatre.

View the agenda.

You better watch out, you better not cry

You better not pout, I'm telling you why...

MIRACLE ON 34th STREET

opens next Friday!!

Share this perennial holiday favorite, LIVE, onstage, with the entire family this year!

NOVEMBER 22- DECEMBER 22
Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun @ 7 pm | Sat & Sun @ 2 pm

CLICK HERE for more details and get your tickets today
(before they're all gone!)

He knows when you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake!

Yeah...well...  

Mark your calendars now for this late-night, one-man show featuring Kevin Harris as "Crumpet the Elf" in David Sedaris's hilarious take on working in Macy's "Santaland" one infamous holiday season.

CLICK HERE to read Dave Congalton's interview with Kevin on the new website Two for the Show. 

THE SANTALAND DIARIES

NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 21

Fridays & Saturdays only @ 9:15 pm

CLICK HERE for more information and TICKETS

Okay, so the Little Theatre is dark this weekend, but there are a LOT of other shows out there that you can go see! From PCPA in Santa Maria, to The Spot in Arroyo Grande, to the Melodrama in Oceano and the Cambria Center for the Arts. Support great theatre in SLO County and go out and see a show!

We'll see you next week for Opening Night of Miracle on 34th Street!

Have a great weekend!

~Patty

P.S. DON'T MISS
NO SHAME THEATRE!! 
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22 
Submissions begin at 10 pm
GREAT ORIGINAL THEATRE STARTS AT 10:30 PM!!

Celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of No Shame Central Coast!

Eugene O'Neill's DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS - 90 Years of History

2009 Broadway production with Brian Dennehy

"Eugene O'Neill conceived DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS as he slept one night, resulting in a work with the powerful emotional pitch of a fever dream."

That's the text we've been using on our website to promote the staged reading of this play, but you're really going to have to see it to truly understand that "emotional fever pitch" part. It's a masterpiece. I can remember studying the play in both high school and college. It's intense, wrenching and totally absorbing -- and absolutely worth the ride.

It was first produced in 1924, that's almost 90 years ago. The set was designed by the legendary Robert Edmond Jones. Check out this photo of the set design below.

 

You can read a New York Times review of the production from November 12, 1924 right HERE and there's a review of the 2009 Brian Dennehy version HERE. (Spoiler alert: the 1924 review gives away a bit more about the ending than some may want to know.)

And then of course there's the playwright himself:
 Eugene O'Neill. 

Artistic Director Michael Siebrass has titled this season of Ubu's Other Shoe "American Playbill: O'Neill to Letts." Tonight and tomorrow night is the O'Neill part. Don't miss it. It's truly the beginning of American theatre as we know it today. 

DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS

by Eugene ONeill

Wednesday, November 6th @ 7 pm
Thursday, November 7th @ 7 pm
Join us for a talk-back with the cast and director after Wednesday's performance

Directed by Brent Keast

Featuring: Tom Ammon, Graham Smith, Brooke Foster, Todd Andoli, Clayton Greiman, Joy Brenner, Cathryn Cannavino, Jim Thurman, and Sharlotte Elston

Tickets available ONLINE or at the door

$10 Regular / $7 Seniors & Students
(What a deal!)

And just for fun, check out the trailer for the 1958 film version starring Sophia Loren and Anthony Perkins. 

When you come tonight, you'll enjoy just how much better the live theatre version (even if it's just a reading!) can be. 

Hope to see you there!

~Patty

INDEPENDENCE bring audiences to their feet, DESIRE takes the stage, MARVIN GARDENS jumps into character work, and AUDITIONS for our RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN fundraiser are right around the corner! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

What a great weekend of performances at the Little Theatre. Independence enjoyed four standing ovations during the third week of its run- have you seen this remarkable production yet? There are only four more chances to see these four great actresses bring Lee Blessing's groundbreaking drama to life onstage. Check out the New Times review HERE. Check out the Tribune review HERE. Don't miss this powerful production- get your tickets for the final weekend by clicking HERE.

Ubu's Other Shoe (the staged reading series at the Little Theatre) is presenting Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms for two nights only: November 6 and 7 at 7:00 PM. Director Brent Keast has assembled a wonderful cast for this classic play. Learn more about the production and get your tickets by clicking HERE. Be sure to stay for the talkback with the director and cast after Wednesday's presentation.

A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, the fourth staged reading in Ubu's 10th anniversary season, has started rehearsals. Cynthia Anthony directs this hilarious comedy by Nagle Jackson (Taking Leave). Learn more about the play HERE. A Hotel on Marvin Gardens plays for two nights only: December 17 and 18 at 7:00 PM.

We're looking for some amazing singers and dancers to star in Some Enchanted Evening, our winter fundraiser. This tribute to the music and lyric of Rodgers and Hammerstein require a tight ensemble of 3 women and 2 men to bring these songs to life on our stage. See all of the audition details by clicking HERE.

Thank you, as always, for your support of our organization! Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

"This is more than a story about one dysfunctional family...the play asks questions about what we do to our children, what we owe our parents, how we move forward, and what we leave behind."

~ Joan Crowder, The Tribune

As we enter our third weekend, INDEPENDENCE continues to leave audiences speechless. Remember dramas? I know, sometimes they're tough to watch. I come home from work and I'm tired. I head for the TV and I don't immediately think about watching a heavy drama about dysfunctional families or a documentary about the war in Afghanistan. I want to laugh! I want to smile and be uplifted. It's the same with movies and even theatre sometimes. I love a good musical as much as the next theatre groupie. But you see, I forget sometimes how a well-written, beautifully-acted drama affects me. A well-thought out work of art speaks to me on a deeper level and can leave me feeling fulfilled and satisfied and well-fed in a way that a Will Ferrell comedy or an action adventure like Iron Man or even The Sound of Music (as much as I love it!) can't. 

If you haven't seen this show yet, please do. You won't be disappointed. Lee Blessing's insightful script, Suzy Newman's skillful direction and the acting of four amazing women will send you home feeling like you've seen the real thing: a great evening (or afternoon) of intimate, dynamic, live theatre. 

But don't just take my word for it. You can read Joan Crowder's review in the Tribune today right HERE and Anna Weltner's review in last week's New Times HERE.  And of course, you can get your tickets on our website HERE.

Speaking of great dramas, maybe you've heard of Eugene O'Neill?

Sparked by the dark hollows and brilliant imaginings of his subconscious, master American playwright Eugene O'Neill conceived Desire Under the Elms as he slept one night, resulting in a work with the powerful emotional pitch of a fever dream. Next week, our Ubu's Other Shoe 10th Anniversary Season of staged readings continues with this classic family drama. I'll be there and I hope you will be too!

Wed. November 6th @ 7 pm

Thu. November 7th @ 7 pm
Please join us for a talk-back with the director 

and cast after Wednesday evening's performance.

Directed by Brent Keast
Featuring:

Tom Ammon, Graham Smith, Brooke Foster, Evan Camacho,
Clayton Greiman, Joy Brenner, Cathryn Cannavino, and Sharlotte Elston

CLICK HERE for more information and tickets. 

AUDITIONS - NOVEMBER 13th!

Now's your chance to sing some of the greatest music ever written - the songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein! This show has it all, music from such great shows as Carousel, Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music and many more. We're looking for five dynamic performers and possibly a chorus as well.

WED. NOVEMBER 13th 

6 - 9:30 pm

CLICK HERE for more information

(And don't worry - tickets to the show will be available very soon!!)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!

We're looking forward to a very happy holiday season here at the Little Theatre with a double-header of holiday treats!  The beloved classic MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET opens on November 22nd, filling our mainstage season slot Thursdays-Sundays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm. Then, on November 30th, we will be adding a very special late-night holiday show. THE SANTALAND DIARIES, a one-man-show based on a short story by David Sedaris and starring Kevin Harris, will take the stage on Fridays and Saturdays at 9:15 pm. Rehearsals are in full swing now and we'll look forward to wishing you a very happy holiday with two great shows very soon!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hope you all have a very safe and fun Halloween. Don't eat too much candy and we'll hope to see you downtown, right here at the Little Theatre, very soon. 

Cheers!

~Patty

Only 8 more chances to see INDEPENDENCE, MIRACLE tickets are selling fast, SANTALAND takes the stage, and O'NEILL is coming. This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre,

Audiences are absolutely loving Independence, directed by Suzy Newman. We love this production and couldn't be more proud to present it, live onstage, to our community. Check out the reviews of the production by clicking HERE. Get you tickets to one of the remaining 8 performances by clicking HERE.

Miracle on 34th Street is having its first designer run-throughs this week; this heart-warming holiday classic opens in less than a month! There are still good seats left for several of the performances, but, secure yours today! They're going fast! Director Lisa Woske has secured a wonderful cast for our holiday production. Get your tickets today by clicking HERE. Check out the trailer for the classic movie by clicking HERE.

The Santaland Diaries begins rehearsals onstage this week! This cult classic riffs on a few of Sedaris’ truly odd encounters with his fellow man during the height of the holiday crunch. David Sedaris is a well-known NPR humorist and the best-selling author of When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.  His tongue-in-cheek style will bring us just the right amount of "salty" after our "sweet" Christmas fantasy Miracle on 34th Street. You can listen to the original short story read by the author by clicking HERE. Get your tickets to the hilarious stage adaptation by clicking HERE.

Looking for something a little deeper? Ubu's Other Shoe, our readers' theatre series at the Little Theatre, is proud to present a staged reading of Desire Under the Elms, directed by Brent Keast. This powerful play will come to life for two performances only: November 6 and 7 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are only $7-$10. Get your tickets (and check out the rest of Ubu's great season) by clicking HERE.

Thank you so much for ongoing support of our organization! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

-Kevin