It's an "UBU" kind of Weekend!

Just a quick reminder that it's going to be an UBU kind of weekend here at the Little Theatre! The last two shows in our 10th Anniversary Ubu Season are up to bat and you don't want to miss them - onstage or off!

A DELICATE BALANCE takes the stage Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. Ubu's Other Shoe shows are general admission (no reserved seating) and they have been very close to selling out all season long, so CLICK HERE to get your tickets today and arrive early to ensure your seats!

Our final Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading of the season is going to be a blockbuster. Directed by Anet Carlin, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY will take the stage as the grand finale of our 2013-2014 Season on June 20 and 21. Auditions are this Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. So, break out your acting chops and come on down to the audition! CLICK HERE for more information.

I'll leave you with this image of Kelly Fidopiastis knocking it out of the park as Cassie during rehearsals for A Chorus Line. Wow.  You know what to do: GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY!

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Patty

CAPSLO's TEEN MONOLOGUES, Albee's A DELICATE BALANCE and A CHORUS LINE IS COMING!

This morning, the Little Theatre lobby, patio and theatre were full to bursting with teenagers, both onstage and in the audience. Teen Monologues had taken over the building once again. Now in their 12th year, the Teen Monologues are directed by John Battalino and sponsored by the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO). Since 2003, the Little Theatre has proudly served as the rehearsal and main performance space for the program which reaches more than 600 students every year.

A description of Teen Monologues from their website:

"Composed as a series of monologues and scenes, Teen Monologues is based on interviews and surveys from local teens and teen parents...This performance reflects the state of teen pregnancy in our community and beyond, moving past facts and statistics and into the emotional undercurrent that thousands of teens are swept into every day."

In June, the student actors will perform Teen Monologues at the plenary session for the annual Office of Adolescent Health conference in Washington DC for an audience of more than 1,000 attendees representing more than 300 federal teen pregnancy prevention grantees. More info HERE.

Just thought I'd share some of the cool stuff that goes on around here when you may not be looking. Thanks to John Battalino and CAPSLO's Francine Levin for creating this incredible program.  Pretty awesome, don't you think?

PROOF closed last weekend and A CHORUS LINE won't open for two more weeks. So, what's a theatre-lover to do in the meantime?  Join us for an Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading this Friday and Saturday, that's what! Directed by Jill Turnbow and featuring an awesome cast (even if I do say so myself...) Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize winning A DELICATE BALANCE is a touching, funny and beautifully written glimpse of upper middle class angst (and more!) in 1967.

"Powerful...A beautiful play filled with humor and compassion, and touched with poetry"
-- New York Daily News

"A brilliant play." -- New York Post

"An evening of theatrical fireworks."
-- The New York Times

Don't miss the seventh installment in our Ubu's Other Shoe series of staged readings this season. Arrive early to ensure your seats and stay late on Friday for a talk-back with the cast. Click HERE for your tickets.

A FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!

Nuff said. Better get your tickets early!

See you at the theatre this weekend. Until then, stay cool... :)

~ Patty

PROOF's Final 4 Shows, Albee's A DELICATE BALANCE and...A CHORUS LINE is coming soon!

PROOF FINAL WEEKEND

All good things must come to an end. That's what they say, right? Well, I don't care what they say, I'm going to miss this one. And if you haven't seen it yet, you'd better hurry up and get your tickets. Just four performances remain of what many are calling one of the best they've seen in years, and seats are rapidly disappearing! 

Do yourself a favor and click HERE to purchase your tickets today. I'll be there Friday night to see it again. It's that good. Hope to see you!

UBU'S UP NEXT!

I won't spend too much more of your time today with my musings, but I do have to tell you about A DELICATE BALANCE. Jill Turnbow directs this amazing play by the legendary Edward Albee. Full disclosure: I get to play the boozing sister-in-law. Having a blast doing it. Albee's language is absolutely incredible. No wonder he won the Pulitzer Prize. Tom Ammon, Diana Daughters, Daniel Freeman, Jo Jackson and Alicia Klein are my amazing fellow cast members. We take the stage on May 2 & 3 at 7 pm for the 7th Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading this season! You can get your tickets right HERE. 

ONE SINGULAR SENSATION

Need I say more? Gonna be awesome. Get your tickets early. Get your tickets HERE. Do it now, before they're all gone. Here's a VIDEO of the 3,389th performance of A Chorus Line in 1983. Director Michael Bennett brought back over 300 cast members for this Broadway record-breaking performance. The video is a little blurry, but I still got goose bumps watching it.

P.S.  And yes, part of the fun of our production will be seeing how director Zach Johnson makes it all happen on our intimate Little Theatre stage!

NO SHAME THEATRE THIS FRIDAY!

The most exciting, unpredictable night of original theatre on the Central Coast is this Friday night. And did I mention it's FREE?  Lobby and bar open at 9:30 pm, script submissions at 10 pm and then...at 10:30... you never know what's gonna happen!  Read all about it on our website HERE. I'll be there on Friday for No Shame, and I hope you will too.

Have a great weekend!
~Patty

PROOF continues its stellar run, A CHORUS LINE is selling out, A DELICATE BALANCE approaches, and TEEN MONOLOGUES takes the stage on Thursday. This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

Proof continued its incredible run this weekend- audiences are loving this play! There are only 4 more chances to see this wonderful cast bring David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play to life on the Little Theatre stage. There are only a handful of tickets left for the final weekend, so, reserve your seats today by clicking HERE.

We're almost a month away from opening night, but A Chorus Line is already a box office phenomenon- some performances are already selling out! Zach Johnson (director/choreographer) and Lacey McNamara (music director) are putting together a huge production for our Little Theatre. The energy is the building is palpable- we all can't wait to share this one with you! Do not be left out of this one- secure your tickets today by clicking HERE. Not excited yet? Click HERE to check out this clip from the 1983 Tony awards. We can't wit for you to see this show!

Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance is coming to the Little Theatre! Jill Turnbow directs a wonderful cast in the 7th staged reading in Ubu's Other Shoe's 10th anniversary. Our Ubu staged reading have been selling out, so get your tickets today by clicking HERE. Interested in going a little deeper? Get your tickets for the Friday night show and stay for our talk back with the cast and director after the performance. Come see what Ubu's Other Shoe is all about!

The Little Theatre is proud to partner with CAPSLO to bring Teen Monologues to our community! This performance reflects the state of teen pregnancy in our community and beyond, moving past facts and statistics and into the emotional undercurrent that thousands of teens are swept into every day. John Battalino, the director since its inception, continues to dedicate his time and love to ensure that Teen Monologues receives accolades from community members for its acting and staging. Teen Monologue plays for one night only: Thursday, April 24. You can find out more information by clicking HERE.

Thank you for your support of our organization! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

-Kevin

The regular meeting of the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre Board of Directors will be held at 6 PM on April 23, 2014 at SPOKES

Click here to view the agenda.

Just two more weekends of PROOF, A DELICATE BALANCE is in the building and A CHORUS LINE is heading towards a SOLD-OUT run!

Another weekend of PROOF is on its way. If you haven't seen this powerful play yet, you've only got eight more chances. The acting is among the best you'll see on the Central Coast, Teresa Thuman's direction is impeccable, the set is beautifully evocative and the intimate space here at our Little Theatre draws you right into the action of this Pulitzer Prize winning play.

There's been some great reviews and related stories about PROOF in the local press and trust me, they're all worth a read. Check out ALL of these:

Two for the Show Review by Charlotte Alexander

Asked & Answered, Interview with actor Tom Ammon by Dave Congalton

Tribune Ticket Review by Joan Crowder

New Times Review by Erin C. Messer

Don't miss this show. PROOF runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm through Sunday, April 27th. Get your tickets right HERE.

Since 1967, this Pulitzer Prize winning play has been staged again and again all over the world. The original Tony-nominated 1966 production starred Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, while the 1973 film starred Katharine Hepburn, Paul Scofield and Lee Remick. A 1996 Broadway revival of the show starred Rosemary Harris, Elaine Stritch and George Grizzard and won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. 

What I wouldn't give to have seen ANY of those performances! You can view an interview with the inimitable Elaine Stritch about A Delicate Balance and more right HERE. (There's a few clips from the play too.) 

Our Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance will take the stage in about two weeks, on May 2 and 3 at 7 pm. Our seventh Ubu show this year! The show is directed by Jill Turnbow and features Diana Daughters, Tom Ammon, Alicia Klein, Daniel Freeman, Jo Jackson and Patty Thayer. Click HERE for more information and tickets. 

Director and choreographer Zach Johnson and Musical Director Lacey McNamara are really putting the cast of A CHORUS LINE through their paces, coming together six days a week for dance, music and staging rehearsals! And tickets are just flying out the door! You'll be hearing more about A Chorus Line over the next three weeks, but I recommend you make your reservations NOW! The center section of our Little Theatre is filling up fast for every single performance! 

Click HERE for more information and tickets. A CHORUS LINE is truly "one singular sensation."

If you missed the announcement last week, here it is again! Check out the latest news about next season right HERE. Season subscription tickets will be on sale in mid to late May (watch for our season brochure!) and individual shows will be available for sale online June 15th. For now, mark your calendars!

Have a great weekend everyone! Go out and see a show.

P.S. And let us not forget:  NO SHAME APRIL! Next Friday, April 25th. Don't just sit there, get off the sofa, write and perform something!

PROOF is packin' the house, A CHORUS LINE continues staging, and our 2014-2015 season has been announced! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

Jamie Foster photography

Proof had a fantastic second weekend of shows- audiences are absolutely loving this award-winning drama. After receiving three great reviews last week (Two For the Show, The Tribune, and New Times) tickets have been going fast! There are only eight more chances to see this "treasure of a play." Get your tickets by clicking HERE.

Director/Choreographer Zach Johnson with Kelly Fidopiastis (Cassie)

Jamie Foster photography

A Chorus Line is entering is 4th week of rehearsal and the show is looking great! Director/choreographer Zach Johnson and Musical Director Lacey McNamara have assembled an incredible cast for this production. The buzz for this production is off-the-charts (several shows are nearly sold out already.) Make sure you don't get left out- get your ticket by clicking HERE.

We've announced our 2014-2015 season and we're more excited than Steve Martin flipping through the new phonebook! We have so much to share with you next year. If you haven't checked it out yet, click HERE to explore our 68th anniversary season!

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

-Kevin

ANNOUNCING THE 2014/2015 SEASON!

We've got a fabulous season planned for you starting with choreographer Suzy Miller's musical extravaganza PLAY ON! and ending with THE MUSIC MAN! We've got comedies, dramas, musicals, a fabulous holiday show and more! There will be 9 Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings and we've added a late-night series of shows called After Hours@slotheatre that you're gonna love. Our Academy of Creative Theatre students are going to have a blast this summer in CINDERELLA, and our winter gala fundraiser will be SINGIN' IN THE RAIN!

Season subscriptions will go on sale in mid-May with the release of our season brochure. Individual show tickets will be available in June. 

For now, please mark your calendars, and join us in looking forward to the 68th Anniversary Season of the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre!

Oh, yeah! you can click HERE for all the fabulous details now listed on our website. Enjoy!

BUT WAIT!  Before you go, don't forget that we've still got four more shows to enjoy this season! 

Click these links for more information and to get your tickets today for PROOF, A CHORUS LINE, A DELICATE BALANCE or AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Have a great weekend!

The Reviews are in and PROOF Knocks it out of the Park!

Courtesy of Jamie Foster Photography

The Critics Agree, PROOF is INCREDIBLE!

"SLO Little Theatre’s production of 'Proof' is marked by strong performances... poised to grow more rich and subtle as the run continues." -- Erin Messer, New Times

"When a fine play and excellent actors come together, it’s theater alchemy." -- Joan Crowder, Ticket

"All the key ingredients are represented in this fine, fine evening of entertainment." 

-- Charlotte Alexander, Two for the Show

Courtesy of Jamie Foster Photography

If you'd like to read the full reviews, just click on the authors' names above. But beware of a couple of "spoilers" if you do. In fact, if you'd like to be totally surprised with all the twists and turns in this Pulitzer Prize winning play, come see it first, THEN read the reviews!  Whatever you decide, don't miss this play! PROOF runs now through April 27th, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm. More information and tickets can be found HERE.

PERFORMERS NEEDED!
We're looking for a few singers / dancers / contortionists / performers to be a part of Suzy Miller's original summer musical that kicks off our exciting 2014/2015 Season. It's a joyous exploration of Broadway and pop music that uses Shakespeare's words and stories as inspiration. In other words, it's going to be a blast! Rehearsals begin in April. Performances in July. Just email KEVIN HARRIS if you're interested in learning more about how you can play a part in this exciting original show.

CHILDREN'S DAY IN THE PLAZA

Join us on Saturday, April 12th at Children's Day in the Plaza! Children's Day in the Plaza is an annual event hosted by the San Luis Obispo County Child Care Planning Council to celebrate National Month of the Child.  The event is held every year in the San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza to provide children and their families an opportunity to explore creativity, individuality, and diversity.

The Little Theatre will be there with a fun Costume Photo Booth, full of costumes for kids of all ages to try on and play make-believe. The SLO Symphony will have their popular Musical Petting Zoo on hand, and many other arts groups (all members of Arts Obispo) will be there to chat and give you more information about summer camps and after-school programs and performances just for kids.

We're almost ready. It's almost here. Watch this space for the big announcement! We've expanded our season, added a new series of late-night shows, and you will not believe the gala musicals that are in store for you during our incredible 68th Anniversary Season! 

Tomorrow is the big day. Friday, April 11. All will be revealed. Unfortunately you'll have to wait until May to BUY your season tickets, but we can't wait that long to share the news! So, keep your eyes on this BLOG. I'll see you right here with all the details TOMORROW. Until then...

Cheers!

~Patty

PROOF has an amazing opening, A CHORUS LINE begins staging, A DELICATE BALANCE begins rehearsals, and our 2014-2015 is nearly ready to be revealed! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre,

The cast of PROOF (Jamie Foster Photography)

Gwendolyn Gay and Tom Ammon in PROOF (Jamie Foster Photography)

Proof, the 4th season show of the Little Theatre's 67th anniversary season, had a tremendous opening weekend! Congratulations to this remarkable cast and crew who bring this Pulitzer Prize-winning play to life on our stage. Our opening night night enthusiastically jumped to their feet at the end of the play! Thank you, also, to Teresa Thuman, the wonderful director of Proof (and last season's hit, Enchanted April.) Tickets are going fast for this production- you can read more about the play and reserve your tickets immediately online by clicking HERE.

The cast of A CHORUS LINE during rehearsal (Jamie Foster Photography)

A Chorus Line is off and running! Music rehearsals are coming to an end and full staging has begun. Director/choreographer Zach Johnson and Musical Director Lacey McNamara are putting together a huge show that will be unlike anything else you've seen at the Little Theatre. Opening night is 5 weeks away and tickets are already being snatched up- you will not want to miss this production. Get your tickets by clicking HERE before the waiting lists begin!

It hard to believe, however, our 7th Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading of Ubu's 10th anniversary season is right around the corner. The Ubu's Other Shoe series has grown at a rapid rate this year (thank you to all of our Ubu Season Subscribers!) Be sure to attend the first performance of any Ubu and stay for the talkback with the cast and director after the show. Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance (directed by Jill Turnbow) will certainly give us a lot to talk about! Read about the play and get your tickets by clicking HERE.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Little Theatre. Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

PROOF is ready to take the stage, more AUDITIONS on the calendar and the 14/15 SEASON is almost ready to be revealed!

PROOF [noun]

1. A deductive argument for a mathematical statement.

2. Evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth.
3. Anything serving as such evidence.
4. The act of testing or making trial of anything.
5. The establishment of the truth of anything.

PROOF by David Auburn

1. Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

2.Winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play

3. Beautiful set design by Dave Linfield

4. Masterful direction by Teresa Thuman

5. Featuring a very talented cast: Tom Ammon, Gwendolyn Gay, Nathan Emmons and Alyson Wren

(And by the way, these beautiful photos are courtesy of Jamie Foster Photography.)

I've been looking forward to this show all year, and it's finally here. I'll be here this Friday for Opening Night, and there are still a few seats left if you'd like to join me. Come on, you know you want to. 

Here's the cool thing about opening nights: there's a reception afterwards where you can mingle with the actors and the director and meet our generous sponsors. The food is always great and then of course, there's wine. It's always a great fun. You should come. However, I know we're all busy, so if you can't make it Friday, no worries. PROOF runs through April 27th.

PROOF is sponsored by Catherine & Richard Luckett and Maryellen & Michael Simkins. Be sure to thank them next time you see them for making this show possible. You can get your tickets HERE. Do it. You'll be glad you did.

AUDITIONS!  You can take your turn performing at the Little Theatre in one of our upcoming Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings OR in a new After Hours Piano Cabaret planned for June. Auditions are planned for this Sunday for our piano cabaret and on May 3 and 4 for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Click HERE for all the details and we hope to see you there!

We're almost ready to share it with you. Not yet, but almost. And I'm not "April-Fooling" you!  (I already did that!)  Keep checking this BLOG in the next couple of weeks and all will be revealed. 

I will tell you that there will be MUSIC. Lots of it. And COMEDY. And NEW works. And DRAMA. And LOTS of great theatre, just for you.

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre.

Your Community. Your Theatre.

Can't wait to share the news! Until then, 

you'll just have to be patient. 

Trust me, the waiting will be worth it. 

P.S. And come see PROOF this weekend. You'll love it!

Announcing the 2014-2015 Season!

It's going to be an all Rodgers & Hammerstein, 

all Kevin Harris musical extravaganza of a season! 

Delight to the sounds of some of your favorite musicals of all time performed by the inimitable "face" of the Little Theatre, the master of musical comedy, the one and only KEVIN HARRIS!

Our fifth season show is still up for discussion, but we're considering...

Or perhaps...

Of course, cutting-edge drama is always good. Perhaps a production of Equus would round out the season a bit more?

Whatever the final decision, we hope you'll join us for a season of ALL Kevin Harris, ALL the time, 

ONLY at the Little Theatre!

P.S. Happy April Fool's Day!