"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

Another weekend of INDEPENDENCE and NO SHAME takes a break till November!

"Evelyn’s not crazy exactly, but she can 

certainly see it from where she’s standing." 

~Anna Weltner in New Times

That pretty much sums up the central character of Lee Blessing's insightful drama, INDEPENDENCE, now playing at the Little Theatre. Brilliantly portrayed by actress Jill Turnbow, Evelyn is the needy and demanding mother of three lovely daughters, Kess (Makayla Dubois), Jo (Alicia Klein) and Sherry (Clara Jane Fulks) who " find themselves bringing out the worst in one another, the way only families can."

Seriously folks, this one's the real deal. A skillfully written drama with heart, soul, humor and "a dash of crazy," this is an incredible show, and you  might just catch a glimpse of yourself onstage. We're all a little crazy, aren't we? Directed by Suzy Newman and beautifully acted by a great cast, you certainly won't soon forget Evelyn, her family, or this play.

We invite you to read the complete New Times review of the show HERE and catch the social buzz about the show on our facebook page HERE.  And of course, you can read more about the play and get your tickets HERE. Do it today and join us this weekend for real, live, theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo.

By the way, this production has been sponsored by some awesome people. Thanks to Tom Stollmeyer at Peak Electric and to a lovely, anonymous theatre-lover who had this to say about INDEPENDENCE: "Wow! A must see. Congrats to all, a truly great production."

THANK YOU!!

Speaking of sponsors and generous people, I'd like to take a minute to thank ALL of our amazing Little Theatre members. This place would NOT exist without your support. Ticket sales alone just won't do it. Your donations keep your Little Theatre performing LIVE, LOCAL, THEATRE on 44 out of 52 weekends every year. You can view a list of all of our very special donors HERE and, just for fun, you can also view our season lobby video HERE. Thanks to Ryan Loyd of Rylo Media Design for putting together a video that not only recognizes our supporters but also gives a great overview of our entire season.

Did you know that you too can become a member of the Little Theatre? For more information and to make your tax-deductible donation today, click HERE. Thank you for playing your part in making live theatre a thriving presence in San Luis Obispo for over 67 years.

That's right. There's no NO SHAME this month. Sorry folks! 

We're taking a break from our monthly Friday night No Shame Theatre in October, partly because of a little lobby construction going on (due to water damage) and partly so we can gear up for a big party next month! On Friday, November 22nd, we'll be back and we'll be celebrating three great years of original, late-night theatre in San Luis Obispo. Mark your calendars and we'll see you then!

And speaking of lobby construction...

The city pipes backed up and we had a bit of a flood last week, so one end of our lobby will be off limits for a while while we dry out and make it beautiful again. Our shiny, new lobby should be completely done in a few weeks. In the meantime, don't let a little dust scare you away! Come on down this weekend to see INDEPENDENCE. We'll take care of you while you're here and you'll love this show.

Best wishes for a great weekend to all. Hope to see you soon!

~Patty

Board Meeting

The Little Theatre Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6 PM tonight at San Luis Obispo Country Club. Click here to view the Agenda.

INDEPENDENCE bring audiences to their feet, MIRACLE storms the stage, AUDITIONS for MARVIN GARDENS are happening tonight, and the SANTALAND photo shoot is in the can. This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!

What a fantastic opening weekend for Independence, directed by Suzy Newman! Audience response to the powerful play was incredible. This is an "absolutely stunning" production that we couldn't be happier to present on our intimate stage- you will not want to miss this one! Some audience feedback via Facebook:

"Wow! A must see. Congrats to all, a truly great production."

"Superb from top to bottom. Great play, great cast, great chemistry, great direction, great production."

Independence plays for three more weekends and word of mouth is already beginning to work its magic (tickets are selling fast!) Get yours today by clicking HERE. You'll be happy you did.

Now that Independence is open, the theatre space is free on weeknight evenings for Miracle on 34th Street rehearsals. Our holiday production, directed by Lisa Woske, opens in a month! Have company in town for the holidays? Consider an evening out at the theatre. Good seats are still available (but won't be for long!) Get a group of tickets for your friends and family by clicking HERE.

Looking for a chance to get up on our stage? We're holding open auditions for A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, directed by Cynthia Anthony TONIGHT at the Little Theatre! All roles are opens and the rehearsal schedule is very light. Check out all of the audition details by clicking HERE. We're always looking for new faces to brighten up our stage. This is a wonderful, low-impact way to get involved. See you tonight.

We had a great photo shoot for The Santaland Diaries! This one man show, based on David Sedaris's popular story about his time as a Macy's Santaland Elf, will be playing Friday and Saturday evenings after Miracle on 34th Street. Tickets are only $20.00 for this hilarious evening of theatre (for mature audiences only.) Secure your very own Santaland experience by clicking HERE.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do to support our organization. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

-Kevin

INDEPENDENCE is here. This play, and these performances, are the real deal.

I saw a dress rehearsal for INDEPENDENCE by Lee Blessing last night and it really got to me. I called my Mom today. Not because she's anything like Evelyn Briggs, the Mom in Independence. Trust me. She's not. AT ALL. But she's my Mom and I love her. You'll see what I mean when you see the show. Family is family. And this family of women is at once funny, sad, loving, angry, desperate, confused...well, you'll see when you see the show.

What an amazing cast, led by a great director, Suzy Newman, most recently seen onstage in Always, Patsy Cline at PCPA and last seen at the Little Theatre in Watergate. Mikayla Dubois is the oldest daughter Kess, it's her first show at the Little Theatre, but hopefully not her last. Alicia Klein is the middle child, Jo. You'll remember her from Enchanted April and, if you squint a little, you might be able to recognize her as the movie star from House of Blue Leaves. Clara Jane Fulks is remarkable as Sherry. Just 17 and this is her third mainstage show at the Little Theatre, not to mention many other great, local roles. And of course, Jill Turnbow is Evelyn, the matriarch of this little family of women. Jill directed Incorruptible and House of Blue Leaves and has appeared onstage in several Little Theatre shows including Taking Leave, Daughters of the Lone Star State and in countless evenings of No Shame Theatre. 

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, I recommend Opening Night on Friday, October 18th.  There's something about opening night that is like no other night in the run of the show. I mean, sometimes there are a few little glitches, a new prop goes haywire, the paint might be wet, a sound cue goes awry. But the energy and dare I say, the magic, of opening night is palpable. It's my favorite night in the run. Plus, we get to have a party in the lobby afterwards, food, wine, mingling. We thank our generous sponsors, Tom Stollmeyer of Peak Electric and an Anonymous Theatre-Lover (who may just be revealed on opening night!) along with our amazing director Suzy Newman and our stellar cast. Join us, won't you?

CLICK HERE for show information and tickets. You'll be glad you did. This one's the real deal.

INDEPENDENCE

by Lee Blessing
Directed by Suzy Newman

October 18-November 10

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays @ 2 pm

(And thanks to Jamie Foster for the great photos!)

INDEPENDENCE is in the final stretch, MIRACLE has its first stumblethrough, and AUDITIONS for all ages! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!

There were no performances at the Little Theatre this weekend, but, there was still a lot happening! The production team of Independence slammed through technical rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday and begin full dress rehearsals this evening! You will not want to miss this award-winning drama by Lee Blessing, directed by Suzy Newman. You can find out more about the play HERE. Check out the teaser trailer for our production by clicking HERE. Get your tickets for the opening weekend by clicking HERE.

Our holiday production of Miracle on 34th Street is beginning to come together. You'll love our children's choir and elf theatre! Director Lisa Woske has put together a top-notch cast and crew and tickets are already flying out the door! Get your family/friends together and get your tickets today. We all remember the CLASSIC MOVIE; not experience it LIVE ONSTAGE at the Little Theatre.

We have many opportunities for actors of all ages to get up onstage. For younger actors, check out our upcoming auditions for our Academy of Creative Theatre production of Pinocchio.This production class gives young performers a wonderful chance to be a part of a full theatrical production on the Little Theatre mainstage. Get all of the audition details by clicking HERE.

Looking for a low-commitment acting opportunity? Ubu's Other Shoe, the readers' theatre program at the Little Theatre, gives actors and technicians the chance to experience incredible plays with a minimal rehearsal period. Our next Ubu's auditions will take place on October 21. Click HERE for a full character breakdown and audition details.

Time is running out- become a season subscriber today!

See the remaining four mainstage production for as little as $77.00. Click HERE to explore the great benefits that only season subscribers enjoy. Don't miss a moment of our 67th anniversary season!

Thank you for your ongoing support of our organization! Have a wonderful week, everyone! See you on opening night!

-Kevin

A DARK weekend this week means a GREAT opening night NEXT week! Declare INDEPENDENCE!

Bit by bit, nail by nail and wall by wall, the set for INDEPENDENCE is coming together! It truly is a marvel to see how set designer Dave Linfield does it. As you can see by the floral wallpaper used on the walls, INDEPENDENCE takes us back in time a few years and you're going to love the trip. Costumer Randon Pool has been spending many hours hitting the thrift stores and Prop Mistress Charlene Premer has been polishing up the china service. Next week, we'll see how the year 1985 looks live onstage.

Suzy Newman (Director), Makayla Dubois (Kess), Clara Jane Fulks (Sherry), Alicia Klein (Jo) and Jill Turnbow (Evelyn)

"You can't begin to work on a play about family without all of the same excitement and trepidation saved for a trip home for Thanksgiving."  ~ From the Director's Notes on Independence

Set in the small town of Independence, Iowa, this award-winning drama by the author of A Walk in the Woods and Fortinbras, is a story of family ties that bind...and sometimes strangle. Featuring four very talented local actresses -- Makayla Dubois, Clara Jane Fulks, Alicia Klein and Jill Turnbow -- and led by director Suzy Newman, Independence will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. In other words, this is the real deal. You don't want to miss this wonderful production!

INDEPENDENCE
by Lee Blessing | Directed by Suzy Newman
October 18-November 10
Fridays & Saturdays @ 7pm
Saturdays & Sundays @ 2pm

Thanks to our Show Sponsors
An Anonymous Theatre-Lover
Peak Electric, Tom Stollmeyer

MORE INFO & TICKETS

BREAK OUT YOUR ACTING CHOPS!
Director Cynthia Anthony is looking for 3 women and 2 men for the Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading of A Hotel on Marvin Gardens. Auditions will take place on Monday, October 21 at 6 pm here at the Little Theatre. This hilarious comedy by Nagle Jackson will hit the stage on December 17 & 18.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Have you marked your calendars yet for these November/ December shows? If not, do it NOW! (Click HERE for more information about our mainstage schedule.)  Every square inch of the theatre is jammed with actors rehearsing every night of the week and we're looking forward to a very jolly holiday season here at the Little Theatre. 

We all need a little break from the bad news out there, don't you think?  We hope you'll join us -- onstage or in the audience -- for live, local, life-affirming theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo. 

Finally, just a quick note of thanks to all of our Little Theatre members. Your generous donations are what keep your community theatre performing 44 out of 52 weekends every year. You can see a list of all of our generous member/donors right HERE.  And you can join them today by making your online donation right HERE.  Membership has many benefits, including free tickets, voting privileges, invitations to special events and more. Your tax-deductible gift to the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre is a gift to your community. Thanks for playing your part in making the magic happen.

Thanks again for listening and I hope to see you real soon, right here at the Little Theatre.

~Patty

THIRD challenges audiences, INDEPENDENCE moves into tech, it's beginning to sound a lot like MIRACLES, and SANTALAND begins rehearsals! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!

Ubu's Other Shoe presented Third, the second staged reading of its 10th anniversary season. Congratulations to the cast and crew (including director Kerry-Ann Mayling) for bringing this though-provoking play to life on our stage. Check out these audience comments on the Little Theatre's facebook page:

"THIRD is brilliant! I don't go crazy about many plays but saw it tonight and the writing and performances were stellar. The play is funny, meaningful and packs a big heart under its cerebral exterior. Bravo to director Kerry Mayling. This is exactly the kind of play I'd like to see as a main stage production."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this second Ubu readers play this season. Great job by the actors and once again, a very effective staging for a 'readers' play. It left me thinking about the effects of academic liberal bias shown by Prof. Jameson, who described a student as 'a walking red state.' "

Don't miss another Ubu this year! Join us for a free talkback with the cast and crew after the first performance.

Independence is heading into technical rehearsals- everything is coming together beautifully! Suzy Newman, the director the Lee Blessing's drama, has put together a wonderfully intense, intimate production for our audiences. Independence is the second mainstage play of the Little Theatre's 67th anniversary season- opening night is less than two weeks away! Get your tickets instantly online by clicking HERE. Watch our teaser trailer for the play by clicking HERE.

Miracle on 34th Street is heading into it 2nd week of rehearsals- the halls of the Little Theatre are ringing with the sounds of the holidays!

Check out our musical director, John Laird, teaching the carols used in the production to our children's chorus. Tickets to Miracle are already going fast- don't miss your chance to see this classic holiday story live onstage at the Little Theatre. Get your tickets instantly online by clicking HERE. Click HERE to listen to a great song we're using in the production!

Artistic Director Kevin Harris will star in this remarkable one-man show based on the true chronicles of David Sedaris’ experience as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland display. 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. FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. Get your tickets online by clicking HERE.

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

-Kevin

Can you UBU? Wendy Wasserstein, Third, a Passport to the Arts, and Other Thoughts on a Life in the Theatre

Brilliant, controversial, opinionated, funny and gone too soon. That's playwright Wendy Wasserstein, author of this weekend's Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading, THIRD. Wasserstein's other plays include the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning The Heidi Chronicles, The Sisters Rosensweig, Uncommon Women and Others, Isn't it Romantic and many more. Wasserstein died in January, 2006. THIRD was her last play, written in 2005. 

Wasserstein commented once that her parents allowed her to go to Yale only because they were certain she would meet an eligible lawyer there, get married, and lead a conventional life as a wife and mother. Guess she showed them. But that does beg the question, why do some of us feel compelled to live a life in the theatre? It can't be the pay. There are much easier, and much more lucrative, ways to make a living. The perks? Late nights. Lots of rejection. Blessed acceptance. Applause. What have I forgotten?  Ah yes, the people. The people are awesome. Both onstage and in the audience.

Speaking of which, don't miss our staged reading of THIRD this Friday and Saturday at the Little Theatre. I get the chance to flex my acting muscles once again playing Laurie, a middle-aged, (who, moi?) and quite opinionated college professor who accuses one of her students, a right-leaning jock, of plagiarism. Also featured in our stellar cast are Janet Stipicevich, Tony Costa, John Battalino and Taylor Peters. Our lovely and talented director is Kerry Ann Mayling. THIRD is a funny, touching and challenging play and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you this weekend -- two nights only at 7pm! You can read a New Times "Artifacts" story about the show HERE and you can learn more about the show and get your tickets HERE. 

PASSPORT TO THE ARTS

SATURDAY, MAY 5 - 10am-1pm

Mission Plaza, San Luis Obispo

Join the Little Theatre and other local arts groups as we celebrate National Arts & Humanities Month AND kick off this year's Passport to the Arts program! Bring the whole family for fun, interactive activities, performances and more, designed for the child in all of us. A collaborative project of the Little Theatre, Arts Obispo, Cal Poly Arts, the San Luis Obispo Symphony, Festival Mozaic, OperaSLO, Ballet Theatre and the Central Coast Center for Arts Education, Passport to the Arts is a celebration of the arts, designed to introduce children and families to all the different ways they can enjoy and participate in the arts in San Luis Obispo County.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR
OPENING NIGHT, OCTOBER 18TH!

Independence rehearsals are in full swing and word around town is that this cast rocks. Incidentally, so does the director. Suzy Newman, seen this summer in PCPA's production of Always, Patsy Cline, and familiar to Central Coast theatre-lovers from her many years at the Great American Melodrama.  INDEPENDENCE is a powerful family drama, written by award-winning playwright, Lee Blessing. 

You can read more about Lee Blessing HERE and more about the play HERE. And don't forget to buy your tickets right HERE.

That's "Bee Bee Works His Magic," a lovely piece of public art, located at the corner of Morro and Palm, right in front of your San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. Why not come on down and see it this weekend? 

I'll leave you with just one more quote from Wendy Wasserstein.

"Don't live down to expectations.
Go out there and do something remarkable."

Worlds to live by. Have a great weekend everyone! 

~Patty