Boom! Ubu's COPENHAGEN hits the stage this weekend PLUS 7 more news items that inquiring minds want to know!

Recently seen posted on Facebook:

"There's nothing more exciting than a theatre buzzing with creativity. Tonight at SLO Little Theatre there were dancers in the lobby, singers on the patio, a reader's theatre in the rehearsal room, auditions upstairs, and Music Man principals on the main stage. It's energizing."

Yep. It's true. There's nothing like being at the Little Theatre when it's alive with activity... which is most of the time. You might call us the Little Theatre that could...or the theatre that never sleeps or... well, you get the idea.  So, if this blog post is just a tad long listing everything we've got coming up, I hope you'll understand.

#7 out of 9 Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Readings this season will hit the stage this Friday and Saturday for 3 shows only. Make sure you're at one of them. COPENHAGEN is a Tony Award-winning play that soars at the intersection of science and art. Michael Frayn's engrossing drama is an explosive re-imagining of the mysterious wartime meeting between two Nobel laureates to discuss the atomic bomb. Directed by John Battalino and featuring Michael Siebrass, Nathan Emmons and Debora Schwartz, this one's gonna make you think. Tickets are only $10 and you can get them HERE. 

And right after Friday night's performance of COPENHAGEN, stick around for NO SHAME APRIL! (in May.)  It's live, it's original, it's FREE and it's not your ordinary, run of the mill evening out. Doors open at 9:30 pm, submit your scripts or whatever you've got at 10 pm and the show starts at 10:30 pm. If you've never "No Shamed" it on a Friday night, I highly recommend giving it a try.

The Academy of Creative Theatre will be having auditions for a fabulous, kid-sized version of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE on May 5 & May 7. Auditions are open to young actors ages 7-18 by appointment only. So, if you know a talented young actor, bring 'em on down! You can find out more about audition requirements HERE. The popular Gilbert & Sullivan operetta will run July 17-August 2. Tickets will go on sale in late May.

If you missed the premiere of this hilarious Michael Kaplan comedy on our stage back in January, you’ve got one more chance to see it live onstage with the original cast! On Friday, May 8 at the South Bay Community Center in Los Osos, We're Canceling Cable (And Other Empty Threats) will be resurrected as a benefit for the Monarch Grove PTA. This hilarious look at parenthood is directed by Jill Turnbow and will feature the talents of Gregory Gorrindo, Alicia Klein, Katie Gucik and Nathan Emmons with piano accompaniment by Mark Pietri. Original sketches, monologues, and songs explore the hilarious, sometimes cringe-worthy moments that take place on sidelines of soccer fields, behind closed doors of parent-teacher conferences, and within our own living rooms. Get your tickets HERE! (This show features adult language and situations; not exactly appropriate for children.  But why would you bring them? This is your time.)

We're hiring!  We are in need of a part-time Assistant Technical Director to manage all the technical needs associated with next year's After Hours, ACT and Ubu's Other Shoe shows. Interested? Or know someone who is? You can get all the details on the job right HERE. Interviews will take place the week of May 18th. Come on... trust me, it's a fun place to work. You'll love it!

Back to Ubu's Other Shoe for one quick second: we've got a cast for our final UBU of the season! Directed by Jill Turnbow, THE GOAT will feature the formidable talents of David Norum, Polly Firestone-Walker, Daniel Freeman and Anthony Hernandez. Get your tickets early, folks. That's going to be quite a show. Show runs June 19-20 and tickets are available right NOW, right HERE.

Do you love the the Little Theatre? Would you like to step up your involvement and help to create an exciting future for your community theatre? The Little Theatre is governed by a volunteer board of directors who meet monthly. The Nominating Committee is currently seeking interested members of the community who wish to become more involved in serving this dynamic and successful organization. For more information, please contact boardofdirectors@slolittletheatre.org. 

And last, but certainly not least, there are two more shows on the way! So, mark your calendars and get your tickets NOW as we race toward the finish line of our jam-packed 68th Anniversary Season! THE MUSIC MAN will march into the theatre on May 15th with all 76 trombones (kind of...) and you can get your tickets HERE.  The Ubu's Other Shoe comedy, RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN runs two nights only and you can get tickets HERE. 

Phew!  I know that was a lot for one blog post, but as our friend on Facebook said: "There's nothing more exciting than a theatre buzzing with creativity!" Come on down and join the fun. Whether you're onstage or off, there's nothing like live, local theatre.

Cheers!

~Patty

P.S. The 2015-2016 is coming soon! We'll be publicly announcing the entire line-up in the next week and tickets will be on sale in late May. Can't wait to share the excitement with you!

So, what's the deal with dramas? Seriously. Can we talk about this?

I don't get it. I just don't get it. Great play, amazing cast, deft direction, beautiful set. Did I mention this cast is awesome? It's the final weekend of this amazing show and there are still seats available. Okay, so it's a DRAMA. What's wrong with dramas? Why do comedies seem so much more appealing? I mean, I love to laugh as much as the next person, probably more. But a good drama, or even a tragedy, can feed the soul, cleanse the emotions, tell you something about yourself, about humanity. Something very important.

Full disclosure here. I love dramas. Meaty, true to life character studies are my favorite thing. And I'll bet you love 'em too. But only when they're good. When they're done very, very well... like this one. So, I'm going to make you a deal. I'm so sure that you will LOVE this show as much as I do, that I'm going to offer you a killer discount to come and see it this weekend. Come on . Just do it. Take advantage of a very special "Theatre Lover's Discount" this weekend only. All tickets for TIME STANDS STILL are just $20. Why? Because we want YOU to see this play. Really. Don't believe me? Check out the Tribune review by Debby Nicklas HERE.  Then, you can get all the details about how to get your discount (the password is drama!) right HERE.  Do it. You'll be glad you did. 

Speaking of GREAT shows... have you met Marge? And Trudy...and Lyn...then there's Chrissy and Edie and... geez, there are just far too many to name. And they're all miraculously played by Suzy Newman. Don't believe me? Then you haven't seen THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. And there are only 3 more chances for you to rectify that situation and avoid the TRAGEDY of missing this fabulous comedy!  (See what I did there?)  Seriously, if you miss this show, you are gonna hate yourself in the morning. 

Once again, I've got back-up here. Check out Sarah Linn's REVIEW in Ticket today. And trust me, this one's NOT a drama. Far from it. But of course it IS a late-night show. And by late night, I mean 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday and 7 pm on Sunday. That's not so late, is it?!  Of course not!  Don't be such a fuddy-duddy!  Okay, I'm gonna sweeten the deal for you. How about a discount? We're offering a special "Friends of Marge" discount just for you and your friends -- $10 for all seats, all 3 shows!  You can't beat that deal!

Listen, I really couldn't tell you why we're not sold out already. We should be. But I'm not going to sit idly by while you miss the chance to experience this amazing one woman show, so I'm making you you an offer you can't refuse. Click HERE to get your half price tickets today (the password is lily - for Lily Tomlin, of course!)

And before I forget, I gotta remind you about AUDITIONS!  The final show in our Ubu's Other Shoe 11th Anniversary Season will be directed by Jill Turnbow and auditions are this coming Monday night, April 27th at 6 pm.  We need four brave, funny and very talented actors to take on Edward Albee's THE GOAT (or Who is Sylvia?) The show will run for three performances only on June 19 and 20. Click HERE to get the details and we'll see you on Monday night!

Don't make me tell you again. You've got to see these shows! Really. 

Hope to see you here this weekend. Have a great one!

~Patty

P.S. Aren't our photos awesome?  Of course they are. Thank you, Jamie Foster Photography!

TIME STAND STILL is closing, SEARCH FOR SIGNS is electrifying, and THE MUSIC MAN moves into theatre! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre,

Time Stands Still finished up its second week of performances last weekend- audiences are loving this challenging play, featuring a wonderful cast and direction by the amazing guest director, Teresa Thuman. There are only 5 more chances to see Donald Margulies' script come to life on the Little Theatre stage. Read more about the play and get your tickets by clicking HERE.

Have you heard the buzz? People are absolutely raving about about Jane Wagner's one woman tour de force The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. The play, featuring Suzy Newman, opened last Friday and audiences are jumping to their feet after experiencing an evening of theatre unlike anything you've ever seen! Here's what audience members are saying on facebook:

"I expected this show to be wonderful, and it was. Looking forward to seeing it again tomorrow night."

"SLO county, please go see The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. Four more performances left and you won't want to miss the directing talents of Kevin Dale Harris or the acting amazingness of Suzy Newman. Go! "

"I had the honor of seeing The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre! It was a roller coaster for the imagination. Suzy Newman played multiple characters with such specificity and depth... It was a wonder to watch this incredible actress at work!
Seriously, y'all! It was real good."

Search for Signs is the 4th AFTERHOURS@SLOTheatre production of this year; the production only plays for 3 more performances. Read more about the show and get your tickets by clicking HERE.

The action on the Little Theatre stage moves from Williamsburg, Brooklyn (Time Stands Still) to River City, Iowa as The Music Man moves into the theatre for rehearsal this week. Ticket sales are already incredibly strong for this classic American musical (directed and choreographed by Zach Johnson and musical directed by Lacey McNamara.) Don't miss out on the good seats- read more about the play and get your tickets by clicking HERE.

We're wrapping up our 68th anniversary season in just a few months, but there's still plenty of great theatre to enjoy before it's finished! The Music Man, Copenhagen, Rapture Blister Burn, The Goat, and Between Iraq and Hard Place- what a great way to close out the Little Theatre's most ambitious, successful season in history! Check out our website to read about everything that's coming up! Don't miss a moment!

Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

Enjoy a "Tax Relief Sale" on AFTER HOURS tickets, check out the review for TIME STANDS STILL and more AUDITIONS!

Bummed out on Tax Day? Could you use a few laughs this weekend? Well, you've come to the right place! This weekend only, we're offering $10 tickets to an amazing and hilarious one-woman-show: THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. This is the show I've been waiting for all year. Suzy Newman will take on the Jane Wagner script made famous by Lily Tomlin on Broadway. Directed by the always amazing Kevin Harris, this is the fourth show in our inaugural AFTER HOURS @slotheatre late night comedy series and, trust me, it's worth staying up late to catch this one.

"A human comedy that strikes home so sharply it brings gasps of recognition as well as outbursts of laughter." --NEWSWEEK

SEARCH FOR SIGNS will take the stage immediately following our mainstage production of TIMES STANDS STILL on Friday and Saturday at 9:30 pm and Sunday at 7 pm. The show runs for two weekends only, April 17-26, but the discount is available for THIS WEEKEND ONLY!  Here's how:  Click HERE for more info on the show, then HERE to order your tickets. Choose your performance, then enter the promo code taxbreak and your $10 ticket option will pop right up.

Don't miss THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE!

I like musicals and comedies as much as the next girl, but if you want to really get my attention, and remind me why I LOVE theatre, give me a compelling, "meaty" drama every time. TIME STANDS STILL has it all:  an ensemble of strong actors, creative and insightful direction by Teresa Thuman, another beautiful, realistic set by Dave Linfield (I'm considering moving in to that loft!) and a thought-provoking, award-winning script by Donald Margulies.

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

"Don't shy away from the serious subject matter of Time Stands Still. This hugely compelling drama mirrors a true-life story set in modern times." --TRIBUNE TICKET

You can read the complete Tribune review by Debby Nicklas right HERE, but don't take Debby's word for it, you definitely need to see TIME STANDS STILL. Click HERE for more info about the show, and click HERE for your tickets today.

The final Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading in our 2014-2015 Season will be Edward Albee's THE GOAT (or Who is Sylvia?) directed by Jill Turnbow. Four strong actors are needed and auditions are set for Monday, April 27th at 6 pm. Click HERE for more information about auditions and click HERE for more information about the play. You can also click HERE to read a review of the London production from 2004.

That's about it for me on this Tax Day 2015. I hope your refund is sweet and that you'll spend just a little of it on some live, local theatre in downtown SLO.

Have a great weekend!
~Patty

Time Stands Still, a Passport to the Arts, and are you Searching for Signs of Intelligent Life In the Universe?

I watched a dress rehearsal of TIME STANDS STILL last night and guess what?  Director Teresa Thuman has done it again. As with PROOF last season and ENCHANTED APRIL the year before, Teresa has done a beautiful job bringing the best out of a powerful show featuring a small, tight-knit cast of very talented actors. The script by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Donald Margulies centers on the relationship of Sarah (Sabrina Pratt), a photojournalist gravely injured by a roadside bomb while working in Iraq, and James (Brent BC-Harvey), her writer/journalist boyfriend. Their friends Richard (Gregg Wolff) and Mandy (Alpha O'Neal) fill out this cast of complex and realistic characters in a script that absolutely crackles with bright wit and intelligence.

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

The one-unit Brooklyn loft set, designed by Dave Linfield, serves as the perfect setting as we watch their lives unfold and relationships evolve. The characters are multi-faceted and true, the choices aren't easy and, as a review by the Associated Press puts it: 

"Can you be a dispassionate, uninvolved observer of horrific events, recording them for posterity and still keep a sense of right and wrong, not to mention your sanity? It's one of several questions getting a workout in TIME STANDS STILL…Insightful writing, the work is smart, stylish, timely and layered with an intriguing seriousness that inspires discussion after the curtain comes down—a rarity these days." —Associated Press.

You can read Teresa Thuman's Director's Notes about the show HERE and you can purchase your tickets right now, right HERE. I'll see you this weekend for TIMES STANDS STILL. 

For the second year in a row, the Little Theatre will be participating in Children's Day in the Plaza with Passport to the Arts in Mission Plaza.  Many different arts groups will be on hand with activities for kids, including the SLO Symphony's Musical Petting Zoo, Chalk pavement drawing with Cal Poly Arts and performances by a variety of local dance and music groups. Education Director Kerry DiMaggio and some of our Academy of Creative Theatre students will be performing an "Improv" demonstration on the amphitheater stage at 12:45 pm and the Little Theatre will offer a DIY Costume Photo Booth throughout the event. We'll provide the costumes and props for kids to pretend with, and parents will provide the cameras! If you've got kids or grandkids, come on down to Mission Plaza and enjoy the fun this Saturday, April 11th from 10 am-3 pm. See you there!

"A human comedy that strikes home so sharply it brings gasps of recognition as well as outbursts of laughter." - Newsweek

Get ready for the third installment in our series of late night comedies! THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE opens next Friday, April 17th at 9:30 pm, immediately following a 7 pm performance of Time Stands Still. Actress Suzy Newman will take on this amazing one-woman-show by Jane Wagner, made famous by Lily Tomlin on Broadway.

In the words of Jane Wagner:
"Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it."

So, don't stress out! Grab a glass of wine at the bar and settle in for a healthy dose of comedy at After Hours @slotheatre.  SEARCH FOR SIGNS runs for two weekends only, April 17-26, so don't wait too long to get your tickets. They'll be gone before you know it. You can find out more about the show HERE and get your tickets today right HERE.


Happy Hump Day, everyone, and I'll see you at the Little Theatre very soon.

~Patty

Teen Monologues on Thursday, AUDITIONS on Monday and get ready for TIME STANDS STILL next weekend!

Happy April Fool's Day!  I'm a failure. I sat here for like 30 minutes trying my best to think of a funny, and at least somewhat believable prank to play on our blog today, but no luck. I'm completely without inspiration. In lieu of any cleverness on my part, here's a link to CNN's The Best and Worst Pranks from Around the Web.  Enjoy!

Dark weekends are rare here at the Little Theatre, but every once in a while we actually have one, and this is it! But before we get busy with our "dark" weekend filled with rehearsals and building sets, there will be two performances this Thursday night that you might want to catch. Directed by the amazing John Battalino, the 13th Annual Teen Monologues will be presented right here on the Little Theatre stage on Thursday, April 2nd at 6:30 and 8:30 pm.  The show is actually produced as part of the Community Action Partnership of SLO County's youth health and prevention program. The Little Theatre has hosted the rehearsals and performances of this teen-produced show for all 13 years and we're so happy to partner with CAPSLO on this important program. You can see photos and read more about this year's show in a great article by Sarah Linn right HERE. The story will also appear in tomorrow's Tribune TICKET.

Director Jenny Shaheen is looking for a cast for Gina Gionfriddo's hilarious and thought-provoking 2012 play RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN. The Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading will take the Little Theatre stage on May 19 and 20 but auditions are this Monday, April 6th at 6 pm. There are roles available for 4 women (20's, 40's 60's) and 1 man (40's).  Click HERE for audition details and we'll hope to see you on Monday!

“There are moments such as these when time stands still and all you do is hold your breath and hope it will wait for you.” 

--Dorothea Lange

I am really looking forward to this show. We did it as an Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading a couple of years ago and I can't wait to see it in a fully staged version. It's a truly powerful contemporary drama by Pulitzer winner Donald Margulies. Directed by award-winning Seattle director Teresa Thuman and featuring just four talented actors, Brent BC-Harvey, Sabrina Pratt, Gregg Wolff and Alpha O'Neal, this will be a great evening of theatre. You can read an interview with the author about the play HERE and get a sneak preview of Teresa Thuman's director's notes right HERE. And don't wait too long to get your tickets or you might just miss out. You can get more info and find a link to buy those online HERE.

We had a great party on March 22nd and gave our major sponsors and donors a sneak preview of the upcoming 69th Season and we're getting ready to roll-out the news to our volunteers, actors, directors, friends, family and fans very soon. Stay tuned for more information - you're gonna love it!

Have a great weekend everyone!
~Patty