San Luis Obispo Little Theatre Blog

Donors Honored

2012-02-13T15:57:00.000-08:00

Donors to the Show Must Go On Fund at the Director level and above were honored for their generosity January 25 with a reception at Alegria, a new retail wine shop and wine bar just steps away from the Little Theatre.

Board to Meet

2012-01-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday, January 25th at 6pm at the Little Theatre View Agenda.

Speakers Bureau Planned

2012-01-19T07:48:00.000-08:00

The Little Theatre marketing committee met January 16 and set the establishment of a speakers bureau as its first priority for the new year. Speakers will be available to do 15–20 minute programs for area service clubs, newcomer's clubs, and other groups.

Marketing committee members are Mark Plater, Debora Schwartz, Jean Gandy, Michael Simkins, and Susie Fulton. For more information or to schedule a talk, contact Michael Simkins.

The Little Prince opens tonight!

2012-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Little Prince! Our Academy of Creative Theatre production opens tonight (January 13!). Do not miss this beautiful production, directed by Shelagh Garren. Order tickets by CLICKING HERE!

November Board Meeting

2011-11-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

The Board of Directors will hold its monthly meeting today at the Little Theatre at 4 PM. View agenda.

Board Holds Annual Retreat

2011-11-23T12:34:00.001-08:00

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre's board of directors held its annual retreat November 5. Past president Ron Burkhart and his wife, Carol, graciously hosted the event in their Morro Bay home for the third time in as many years! The retreat provided an opportunity for the board to evaluate the previous year's accomplishments and revise the theatre's strategic plan for 2012.

From left: Ralph Slocum, Kevin Harris, John Battalino, Michael Simkins, Wendy-Marie Foerster, Jerry Chirpich, Gina Kirk, Ron Burkhart, Susan Silver (facilitator), Bryce Engstrom, Wilda Rosene, and Annette Kolar

DIRECTOR SEARCH for our 2012-2013 season!

2011-10-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

DIRECTOR SEARCH for our 2012-2013 season! Interested in Directing a show for the Little Theatre's 2012-2013 season? We are now accepting proposals. We will interview ALL prospective directors. Click below for all of the details. Application deadline: November 28!

CLICK HERE for all the information you need!

2011-10-21T18:18:00.001-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting October 26th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

Congratulations to the cast of THE COCKTAIL PARTY!

2011-10-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

John Battalino, the director of Ubu Other Shoe's upcoming presentation of The Cocktail Party has announced the results from auditions.

CAST OF THE COCKTAIL PARTY

Edward- Tyler Lopez

Lavinia- Angela Hutt-Chamberlin

Celia- Kristie Lynn Siebert

Peter- Erik Austin

Julia- Janet Stipicevich

Alex- John Geever

Barroway- Sarah Leavenworth

Harcourt-Reilly- Michael Siebrass

Thank you to everyone who auditioned! Don't miss The Cocktail Party, playing on November 18 and 19 at 7:00 PM. CLICK HERE for more details!

2011-09-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting September 28th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

KIMBERLY AKIMBO opens this Friday. Two performances only!

2011-09-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Don't miss our staged reading of Kimberly Akimbo, by David Lindsay-Abraire. This award-winning play, directed by Drew Burkholder, runs for two nights only: September 23 and 24 at 7:00 PM.

Kimberly is a teenager with a rare condition that causes her body to age four times faster than it should. When she and her family flee Secaucus, New Jersey under dubious circumstances, Kimberly is forced to reevaluate her life while contending with a hypochondriac mother, a rarely sober father, a scam-artist aunt, her own mortality, and, most terrifying of all, the possibility of first love. In this dark comedy, winning the game has never been more complex, the stakes so high.

Kimberly …………………………Dottie Thompson

Buddy ………………………….Jonathan Shadrach

Pattie ………………………….... Jill Turnbow

Jeff …………………………...... Michael White

Debra ………………………….. Elaine Fournier

Tickets are $7-$10 and can be ordered online through our WEBSITE.

Ubu's Other Shoe, the staged reading program at the Little Theatre is generously sponsored by Anet and Charley Carlin.

www.thewebgame.com.

Pro-rated Season Tickets now available online!

2011-09-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

Pro-rated Season Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE online! Don't miss a moment of our 65th Anniversary Season. See the last four mainstage shows for only $90/adults or $77/seniors (62+). OKLAHOMA opens in just a few weeks! Get your season tickets today!

CLICK HERE to see our groundbreaking 2011-2012 season!

Final weekend of ART at the Little Theatre!

2011-09-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this wonderful show! CLICK HERE for a special coupon. Come share the first production of our 65th Anniversary season. Come see ART!

THEATRE ORGANIZATION DAY!

2011-09-08T10:51:00.001-07:00

Come join the staff get the theatre ready for our busy fall season! Anyone is welcome- jobs for everyone!

CLICK HERE for more information!

ART gets great reviews!

2011-09-08T09:23:00.001-07:00

Thank you to Anna Weltner of the New Times and Joan Crowder of The Tribune for their great reviews of our current production, ART.

ART runs for two more weekends, every Friday/Saturday at 7:00 PM and Saturday/Sunday at 2:00 PM.

To read more about the show and order tickets, please CLICK HERE.

To read the NEW TIMES review, please CLICK HERE.

To read the TICKET review, please CLICK HERE.

Don't miss this Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy. Get your tickets today!

Congratulations to the cast of KIMBERLY AKIMBO!

2011-09-08T09:18:00.001-07:00

Kimberly …………………………Dottie Thompson

Buddy ………………………….Jonathan Shadrach

Pattie ………………………….... Jill Turnbow

Jeff …………………………...... Michael White

Debra ………………………….. Elaine Fournier

Thank you to everyone who came out! Interested in being a part of one of our productions? CLICK HERE to check out our upcoming auditions!

Officers, Committee Chairs Selected

2011-08-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

At its August meeting, the Board of Directors elected officers for the 2011-2012 season. They are:

Michael Simkins, president and co-chair of Marketing and Outreach
Susie Fulton, vice president and co-chair of Marketing and Outreach
Jerry Chirpich, treasurer and chair, Budget and Finance
Bryce Engstrom, secretary and chair, Facilities

Other committee chairs include:

John Battalino, Artistic Advisory
Ron Burkhart, Nominations
Wilda Rosene, Development

Invitation!
If you have time and energy to contribute, we're looking for a "few good committee members!"

Learn more about the committees and what they do.
Fill out this form to let us know what your interests are.

ART opens tonight!

2011-08-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

Don't miss Art, opening tonight at 7:00!

Steve Kipp, Joe Eister, and Stuart Wenger

THE CAST OF ART

Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play, Art is a dazzling comedy about three men and a painting that deals with questions of male friendship, intellectual honesty, and, of course, what is or isn’t art. The three best friends debate their interpretations of art, economics, loyalty, the values of society, intimacy and human expectation and the debate shakes this trio’s 15-year relationship to the core.

"Anyone looking for a play that is funny, sophisticated, stylish, stimulating and moving should go to 'ART'." —Independent (London).

Art runs through Sunday, September 18. Get your tickets HERE!

Final weekend of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES!

2011-08-02T13:07:00.002-07:00

Don't miss this heart-warming show for the whole family. Tickets are almost sold out. Get yours today by CLICKING HERE.

Auditions for OKLAHOMA!

2011-07-25T12:42:00.001-07:00

Save the dates! Open auditions for Oklahoma will take place on August 8, 9, and 10! For a complete character breakdown and audition requirements, please CLICK HERE.

Congratulations to the cast of ART!

2011-07-11T11:19:00.003-07:00

Steve Kidd as Serge

Stuart Wenger as Marc

Joe Eister as Yvan

Congratulations to our recently-elected Board Of Directors!

2011-06-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

The San Luis Obispo Little Theatre held its Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 26. Thank you to everyone who attended! The Board, staff, volunteers, and members of our organization are proud to introduce our recently elected Board members for 2011-2012. These successful candidates join John Battalino, Susie Fulton, Jerry Chirpich, and Gina Kirk.

Bryce Engstrom is completing his first term on the board and currently serves as board secretary. He was born and raised in Northern California and came to the Cal Poly Architecture program straight out of high school in 1983, graduated in 1989, and just never left. He has been a San Luis Obispo county resident for 26 years. He started Azimuth Design & Construction in 1990 and then went on to become a licensed architect in 2002 and has been practicing full time as an architect since then. Bryce has been with his wife, Kate, for 16 years. For six years in the late 90's, Bryce played in an all-original folk/rock band and performed all over San Luis Obispo County. He is a graduate of the Leadership SLO Program, Class XII. He and his wife have been avid world travelers visiting over a dozen countries on five continents. They have been enthusiastic fans of local theatre for over 15 years.

Richard Luckett is completing his first term on the board. He was born in St. Louis and moved to San Luis Obispo in 1980. He worked as an engineer for PG&E and retired in 2006. His wife, Catherine, is a retired speech and language pathologist who worked for the San Luis Coastal School District. Both Richard and Catherine have actively supported the arts on the central coast for the past thirty years and have been long time patrons of the San Luis Obispo Little Theater. Catherine serves on the board of directors for the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) at Allan Hancock College. In their first three years of retirement Richard and Catherine have traveled around the world and visited all seven continents. A master craftsman by avocation, Richard is currently involved in extensive, do-it-himself renovations to the Luckett home-and wishing for another vacation.

Michael Simkins is completing his first term on the board. During 2009-2010 he served as board secretary and this year as president-elect. A lifelong educator and theater buff, Michael was an elementary schoolteacher for 15 years in the Los Angeles area where he also taught drama and musical theater workshops for elementary and middle school students. In 1987, Michael began nine years as principal of Baywood Elementary School in Los Osos. During that time he was active in Kiwanis and served as both a board member and president. He was also on the board of directors of the Los Osos-Baywood Park Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Michael is involved in several educational consulting projects.. If re-elected, Michael looks forward to comparing notes with his wife, Maryellen, who will be serving as president of the PCPA Foundation.

Ralph M. Slocum was born and raised in Palo Alto, California, is a Cal Poly alumnus, and has lived on the central coast for over 25 years. Since 1987, Ralph has worked in the financial services industry including Dean Witter Reynolds, Morgan Stanley and UBS, where he served as Senior Vice President of Investments. He is now Branch Manager at Slocum Wealth Management in San Luis Obispo. Ralph and his wife, Anne, have been married 24 years and have four children. For over ten years, Ralph has been active in the American Youth Soccer Organization as referee, coach, and board member. He enjoys singing and performed for two seasons with the Vocal Arts Ensemble. Ralph also enjoys snow skiing, theater, wine tasting, travel, inspirational quotations, and our beautiful central coast.

Annette Rietkerk, originally from Upland, California, came to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting and a minor in economics. While at Cal Poly, she received the Orfalea College of Business Academic Excellence Award. Currently, she is Senior with Caliber Accounting & Tax, LLP in Pismo Beach. She enjoys dancing as well as hiking and biking. A very big day is approaching for Annette! She and her fiancé, Jared Kolar, will be getting married in September 2011. Annette is excited for the opportunity to participate on the board.

Wilda Rosene began her association with SLOLT back in the late 1970's while living in Avila; however, it was not until 1992 that her involvement took a different turn. For the past 19 years she has been a board member on and off and president of the board three times. When not on the board she kept up her involvement through committee and volunteering opportunities. She is pleased to see the progress of SLO Little Theatre over the years in becoming an artistically and fiscally sound business. Wilda is also very involved with The Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo, heading up their popular Homes of Distinction Tours. Wilda works several jobs-one being sewing alterations-and in her spare time enjoys reading, gardening and cooking.

AUDITIONS!

2011-06-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

Art, a comedy, which raises questions about art and friendship, concerns three long-time friends, Serge, Marc, and Yvan. Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting. Marc is horrified, and their relationship suffers considerable strain as a result of their differing opinions about what constitutes "art". Yvan, caught in the middle of the conflict, tries to please and mollify both of them.

Michael Siebrass (the director) is looking for three actors, all male, 20s to 60s. The actual ages of the characters are not specified and we will determine our cast based on abilities, synergy, and credibility rather than fixed ages. The original Broadway cast included Alan Alda, Victor Garber, and Alfred Molina.

Auditions are Tues July 5th at SLO Little Theatre with callbacks on the 6th and 7th. Actors will read sides from the script. A copy of the script is available for perusal at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the San Luis Obispo main library. Since we looking for 3 actors who have been friends for many years, if you have friends who are actors with whom you would like to audition, please encourage them to accompany you to the auditions.

Performances are August 26 through Sept 18.

Don't miss the final four performances of SPINNING INTO BUTTER!

2011-06-09T11:09:00.001-07:00

Spinning into Butter, the final production of our 2010-2011 season, closes this Sunday, June 12. Don't miss this wonderful play. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.sl0littletheatre.org.

CLICK HERE to check out a great review of the production!

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and director of Spinning into Butter!

2011-05-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting May 23rd, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

SPINNING INTO BUTTER opens tomorrow night!

2011-05-19T13:58:00.002-07:00

SPINNING INTO BUTTER opens tomorrow night at the Little Theatre! Don't miss this important, award-winning play.

Set on a small college campus in Vermont, Spinning Into Butter explores the dangers of both racism and political correctness in America today. When one of the few African American students at liberal Belmont College begins receiving hate mail, the campus erupts, first with shock, then with mutual recrimination as faculty and students alike try to prove their own tolerance by condemning one another. As the administration sponsors public “race forums” and the students start their activist groups, Sarah Daniels, the Dean of Students, is forced to explore her own feelings of racism. Her self-examination leads to some surprising discoveries and painful insights, the consequences of which even she can't predict.

SHOW SPONSOR: Michael and Maryellen Simkins

Get your tickets today by going to www.slolittletheatre.org!

Board Election Underway

2011-05-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

The election of members to the Board of Directors takes place at the Annual Meeting, June 26, 2011 at the Little Theatre. However, the By-Laws allow for members to vote prior to the meeting electronically or by absentee ballot. Read more...

TOO MUCH MEMORY plays for one night only!

2011-05-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the Ubu's Other Shoe presentation of Too Much Memory. A theatrical explosion of myth and revolution, Too Much Memory retells the classic Greek story of Antigone and sets it firmly in the present. A timeless drama of family conflict and social turmoil, the play is a contemporary collage of mythology and modernity incorporating texts by Richard Nixon, Tom Hayden, Peter Brook, Anne Carson, Pablo Neruda, Susan Sontag, and Hannah Arendt.

Too Much Memory plays for one night only: Friday, May 6th at 8:00 PM.

Thank you to the wonderful cast and crew that have brought this production to life on our stage:

Antigone: Anna Bush

Chorus: Maggie Coons

Creon: Michael Siebrass

Ismene: Denise McGimsey

Haemon: John Carroll

Eurydice: Zandi Peters

Jones: John Dicus

Stuart: Brent Ericson

Barns: Nicki Barnes

Intern: Olga Siebrass

CLICK HERE to get your tickets!

NO SHAME this month ROCKED THE HOUSE!

2011-05-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you for everyone that came out to the April NO SHAME at the Little Theatre. After only 5 events, NO SHAME has become of the most anticipated ARTS events on the Central Coast. Don't miss the next NO SHAME on Friday, May 27!

Check out what you're missing!

Congratulations to the cast of TOO MUCH MEMORY!

2011-04-04T13:26:00.001-07:00

The Little Theatre is proud to announce the cast of our upcoming Ubu's Other Shoe presentation of Too Much Memory, directed by Leticia Velez.

Antigone: Anna Bush

Chorus: Maggie Coons

Creon: Michael Siebrass

Ismene: Denise McGimsey

Haemon: John Carroll

Eurydice: Zandi Peters

Jones: Phil Epstein

Stuart: John Discus

Barns: Nicki Barnes

Intern: Olga Siebrass

Don't miss this wonderful play- one night only: May 6 at 8:00 PM.

Want to learn more? CLICK HERE!

Thank you to the NEW TIMES...

2011-03-24T11:52:00.001-07:00

...and Anna Weltner for the wonderful article about our upcoming presentation of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE.

Check it out HERE!

2011-03-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting March 28th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

AUDITIONS for TOO MUCH MEMORY!

2011-03-15T10:21:00.001-07:00

Ubu's Other Shoe (Readers' Theatre at San Luis Obispo Little Theatre) is excited to announce auditions for Too Much Memory by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, directed by Leticia Velez.

Auditions will be held in the theatre on Monday 3/21 from 6-8PM.

Too Much Memory is a retelling of the classic Greek story of Antigone set firmly in the present. This inventive adaptation straddles a line between the classic Greek tragedy and modern storytelling.

"In Too Much Memory, which won the Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Play at the 2008 New York International Fringe Festival, Antigone's actions result in a long public debate with Creon over her right to protest, which offers a chance for the script to bring in echoes of modern day protests. The play... is Sophocles' Antigone, transported from 5th century B.C. to the present day. The brothers of Ismene and Antigone died fighting in a civil war, and the new leader, Creon, declared that one should be honored while the other, Polynices, should be disgraced with the harshest punishment of the time, to lie unburied as carrion prey."
-inthisweek.com (Utah)

AUDITION INFO
All Parts are Open for Casting
Auditions will consist of readings from the script (A copy of the script will be available for your perusal at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor of the Main Library in SLO.)
Please Note: The script contains strong language and adult content

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Chorus (Non-Gender or Age Specific)
Antigone (Female Protagonist 20-30's)
Ismene (Her Sister, Female 20's)
Haemon (Antigone's Lover, Male 20-40's)
Creon (Male Ruler, 40+)
Eurydice (Creon's Wife, Female 40+)
Male Soldiers (3 Men, Possibly 1 Woman, Open Age Range)

Questions? Please email Michael Siebrass at msiebrass@yahoo.com

Hope to see you there!

Congratulations to the cast of SPINNING INTO BUTTER!

2011-03-15T10:19:00.002-07:00

Sarah: Amy Barrick

Patrick: Redzuan (Red) Rahim

Greg: Travis Nefores

Ross: Jeff Lang

Dean Kenney: Elaine Fournier

Dean Strauss: Michael Siebrass

Ms. Meyers: Pam Hester

Directed by Lisa Woske.

Don't miss this wonderful play! CLICK HERE to learn more!

The Reviews are in! ROCK 'n' ROLL is a HIT!

2011-03-03T11:54:00.002-08:00

Thank you to the cast and crew of THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL, which has played to sold-out audiences for the last two weekends! Only three weeks left! Check out what the critics say:

NEW TIMES: http://www.newtimesslo.com/art

/5700/nothin-but-a-hound-dog/

TICKET: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2

011/02/17/1487110/ready-to-remake-history.html

CAL-COAST-NEWS: http://calcoastnews.com/2011/02/alan-freed-musical-rocks-slo-little-theatre/

DAVE CONGALTON: "Braved the rain to see "This is Rock 'n Roll" at SLO Little Theatre tonight. A complete acting tour de force by Chad Stevens as legendary DJ Alan Freed. Kudos to all involved for serving up a fine mix of music, drama, and great memories. It works on every level. Go see it!"

Get your tickets today! This weekend is nearly SOLD-OUT.

www.slolittletheatre.org

AUDITIONS for Spinning into Butter!

2011-02-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

AUDITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Spinning into Butter, by Rebecca Gilman

Directed by Lisa Woske

WHEN: March 9 and 10 from 6:00-9:00 PM

WHERE: San Luis Obispo Little Theatre

PREPARE: Actors will be participating in cold readings from the script. Short monologues are welcome, but not required.

All roles are open. Performances are May 20-June 12, 2011.

Synopsis: Set on a small college campus in Vermont, Spinning Into Butter explores the dangers of both racism and political correctness in America today. When one of the few African American students at liberal Belmont College begins receiving hate mail, the campus erupts, first with shock, then with mutual recrimination as faculty and students alike try to prove their own tolerance by condemning one another. As the administration sponsors public “race forums” and the students start their activist groups, Sarah Daniels, the Dean of Students, is forced to explore her own feelings of racism. Her self-examination leads to some surprising discoveries and painful insights, the consequences of which even she can't predict.

Characters:

Sarah Daniels: 35-40, dean of students

Ross Collins: 35-40, Art History professor

Dean Catherine Kenney: 60

Dean Burton Strauss: 55, chair of Humanities

Mr. Meyers: 50, a security guard

Patrick Chibas: 19, a self-assured young man

Greg Sullivan: 21, a senior

Ages are negotiable.

A perusal script is available at the reference desk of the San Luis Obispo County Library.

Any questions? Contact Lisa Woske, director, at lwoske@calpoly.edu

2011-02-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, February 28th at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre welcomes our newest staff member, Wendy-Marie Foerster!

2011-02-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre is thrilled to announce that the organization has hired Wendy-Marie Foerster as its new Development Director. Ms. Foerster will be responsible for Donor Cultivation, Development, and Membership Acquisition.

Wendy-Marie Foerster is a native of the Central Coast and has been involved in the local community theatre scene since 1983. After graduating from PCPA's Actor Training program, Wendy-Marie completed her B.F.A. in Acting at Marymount Manhattan College in New York and has been performing, writing and directing theater in the U.S. and Europe ever since. After returning to the Central Coast 4 years ago, Wendy-Marie enjoyed a year as Executive Director of the SLO Little Theatre and then moved into the position of Membership Director at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts.

Wendy-Marie joins Kevin Harris (Managing Artistic Director), Jessi Brown-Carlin (Volunteer Coordinator/House Manager), David Linfield (Technical Director), Yvonne Ogren (Box Office Manager), and Kerry DiMaggio (Academy of Creative Theatre Coordinator.) The Board and staff welcomes Wendy-Marie to the Little Theatre team, and look forward to a wonderful collaboration in our upcoming season!

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre presented its first play, Blithe Spirit, in 1947, and is one of the oldest continuously-running community theatres in the nation. For the last 15 years, through the generosity of the City of SLO, San Luis Obispo Little Theatre has called the old library building on the corner of Palm and Morro its home.

THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL: The Alan Freed Story! Get your tickets today!

2011-02-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL: The Alan Freed Story!

February 18-March 20.

This incredible journey through the birth of rock and roll follows the life of notorious DJ Alan Freed – aka "Mr. Rock 'n Roll." Experience the rise and fall of this American legend in a dazzling show featuring a live band, swingin' singers, dynamic dancers, and the classic tunes that created the soundtrack of our lives.

THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL features over 30 of the greatest songs ever written, including:

Blue Moon

Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

Route 66

Hound Dog

Mr. Sandman

Down in Mexico

Johnny B. Goode

All I Have To Do (is dream)

and many, many more!

Come join us for this original musical! You won't want to miss it!

Written by David Vienna

Directed by Kevin Harris

Choreographed by Drew Silvaggio

Associate Director: Lisa Woske

SHOW SPONSOR: The Hind Foundation

Massive Renovations Underway at Little Theatre!

2011-02-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the HIND Foundation for their incredible $50,000 gift to our organization! We began our complete tech booth/sound equipment renovation on Monday! Keep checking our website to see the progress!

2011-01-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting January 24th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

Little Theatre receives $50,000 grant from the HIND foundation!

2011-01-11T15:28:00.001-08:00

SAN LUIS OBISPO LITTLE THEATRE RECEIVES $50,000 GRANT FROM THE HIND FOUNDATION

PHOTO (L-R): Kevin Harris (Managing Artistic Director), Michael Simkins (President-elect), Ron Burkhart (President), Greg Hind, Kirsten Hind, Bryce Engstrom (Secretary), Jerry Chirpich (Treasurer)

Grant will fund the purchase/installation of audio equipment

San Luis Obispo, CA- San Luis Obispo Little Theatre is the proud recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Hind Foundation. The grant funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a state-of-the-art audio system in the main theatre, located at 888 Morro Street in San Luis Obispo.

The new audio system will include new body/handheld microphones, coverage microphones, mixing boards, amplifiers, subwoofers, intercoms, speakers, and portable sound equipment specifically designed for musicians. These capital improvements in the theatre will result in a more enjoyable theatrical experience for patrons, a more professional technical experience for directors and artistic teams, and, most importantly, more significant and practical training experiences for the Little Theatre’s technical volunteers.

The Hind Foundation was established on July 12, 2006 by Greg and Jane Hind to provide funding for important projects primarily in San Luis Obispo County and elsewhere in the State of California. Its purpose is the preservation of our cultural heritage with emphasis in music and visual arts, plant and wildlife conservation and historical restoration projects. The Hind Foundation seeks community based projects that inspire members to work together and build an enduring legacy for future generations.

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre presented its first play, Blithe Spirit, in 1947, and is one of the oldest continuously-running community theatres in the nation. For the last 15 years, through the generosity of the City of SLO, San Luis Obispo Little Theatre has called the old library building on the corner of Palm and Morro its home.

Thank you to the Hind Foundation for this wonderful gift to the theatre! Check the blog for photo updates on the project!

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe opens soon!

2011-01-10T15:41:00.002-08:00

Thank you to Nikol Schiller for visiting a rehearsal of our Academy of Creative Theatre production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last week. Check out the great article about her experience.

CLICK HERE to see the article!

Shelagh Garren and her incredible cast are putting the final touches on the production which opens this Friday, January 14 at 7:00 PM.

CLICK HERE for more information or to purchase tickets!

Need to Communicate with the Board?

2011-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

Have something you want to say to the Board of Directors? We've made it easy with a new e-mail address. Just write to boardofdirectors@slolittletheatre.org Your message will go directly to the Board secretary who'll see that it gets to the right place!

Happy Holidays from the Little Theatre!

2010-12-20T10:48:00.002-08:00

Hello theatre friends!

I hope that everyone is staying happy, healthy, and reasonably dry!

It has been a wonderful, successful season so far at the Little Theatre. Thank you to the cast/crew/patrons that made NUNCRACKERS! such a fantastic event. The theatre is empty after strike yesterday afternoon, and the next artistic team is about to move in!

Don't miss Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge, a Readers' Theatre event taking place this Wednesday and Thursday, December 22 and 23 at 8:00 PM. This hilarious send-up of A Christmas Carol sold out last time it arrived at the Little Theatre, so get your tickets today!

The Little Theatre is happy to announce a new member of our team: beginning in January, Jessica Clough will be joining us as an Academy of Creative Theatre intern from Cal Poly. She will be assisting on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (January 14-310, 2011) and documenting the rehearsal process for This is Rock'n Roll: The Alan Freed Story, an original musical opening in February. Welcome, Jessica!

Want to get involved? Check out our upcoming auditions for Readers' Theatre and Mainstage productions. We'd love to have you here!

On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers at the Little Theatre, thank you for making this season so great! Have a wonderful, safe holiday season. We'll see you next year (or at Bob Cratchit!)

Kevin Harris

Managing Artistic Director

NO SHAME was a great success!

2010-12-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who attended/participated in our very first NO SHAME event last Friday night at 11:30. The response was overwhelming (all available slots were filled in the first 7 minutes!)

Don't miss next month's event! NO SHAME will take place on the 4th Friday of each month.

Learn more about No Shame Theatre.

2010-11-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting November 29, 2010 at 6 pm in the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

Stage Matters?

2010-11-18T13:14:00.001-08:00

Does theatre matter? Of course! Produced by the Theatre Communications Group, this video captures artists, theatre leaders, patrons, educators, corporate executives and politicians around the country as they emphatically speak about the value of theatre and challenges live theatre faces in an ever-changing environment. Watch it. Share it!

Stage Matters from Theatre Communications Group on Vimeo.

NO SHAME theatre. Time to step up on December 10th!

2010-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

“No Shame provides a place where anyone can take a shot at any aspect of theatre which interests them, a place where writers outside the Workshop and inexperienced actors can explore the possibilities of working in live theatre in front of an audience not expected to be polite. When you do your theatre in parking lots, there is very little in the way of audience etiquette. Cat calls, or even thrown bottles make for effective quality control. Even if a piece is bad, you have to believe in what you're doing enough to face that kind of crowd. It makes for very honest and sincere fare. No Shame is a place where anyone may get up and dare to fail. It is a place without shame.”

-The Drama Review, Spring 1990

My first experience with No Shame came in the Fall of 2004 when I was a first-year MFA Directing Student at the University of Iowa. Sitting in the lobby of the theatre building, I overhead three undergrads at an adjacent table discussing a solo theatre piece they had seen (or rather, experienced) the previous Friday.

Apparently, an MFA Playwrighting candidate had delivered a scathing monologue about his classmates, professors, parents- the list of targets went on and on- which culminated in a seemingly spontaneous, spastic dance break. To no music.

What, in the name of God, was happening in Theatre B from 11:30-1:00 AM every Friday night? I found out a few days later when I attended my first No Shame event.

The No Shame structure (and the energy it creates) was unlike anything I had experienced. I had no idea what to expect, and that’s the point. No Shame gives theatre artists an opportunity to put it out there, whatever it may be. Seeing playwrights, actors, and directors suddenly set free from the restraints of non-original work, classroom requirements, and preconceived audience expectations was exhilarating. Not that all of it was good. Some of it was terrible. Like really, really terrible. But it was out there, and the performers, writers, and audience members became better theatre artists because of it.

Wendy Marie-Foerster, Katie Mack-Montenegro, and I are extremely proud to bring this tradition of risk-taking and boundary-breaking to the Little Theatre and artistic community of the Central Coast. Now’s your chance to step up. There’s the stage, there’s the audience…what do you want to say? Dare to fail on December 10th! See you there.

www.slolittletheatre.org

-Kevin Harris

Managing Artistic Director

Thank you to all DIRECTORS!

2010-11-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Artistic Advisory Committee would like to thank all of the directors who submitted proposals for our 2011-2012 season. As of the Friday deadline, we have received SEVENTEEN proposals! The Artistic Advisory Committee looks forward to interviewing all candidates during November.

Thank you for your interest in directing and your continued support!

Board Meeting Next Week

2010-10-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting October 25th, 2010 at 6 pm in the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

AUDITION for THIS IS ROCK 'N ROLL: THE ALAN FREED STORY!

2010-10-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Don't miss your chance to be a part of THIS IS ROCK 'N ROLL: THE ALAN FREED STORY!

November 2 and 3 at the Little Theatre! Want all the details? Click below!

http://www.slolittletheatre.org/pages/auditions

Congratulations to the cast of BOY GETS GIRL!

2010-10-13T13:09:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the cast of BOY GETS GIRL, directed by Virginia Anderson.

Tony

KEVIN HARRIS

Theresa Bedell

MAGGIE COONS

Howard Siegel

DAVID NORUM

Mercer Stevens

JOHN CARROLL

Harriet

MEGAN WOLFE

Madeleine Beck

DELILAH SHANK

Les Kennkat

MICHAEL SIEBRASS

Don't miss this thrilling, important play. One night only: November 5th at 8:00 PM.

CLICK HERE for more information about this play!

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets today!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

2010-10-05T17:18:00.002-07:00

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre is pleased to announce its Spring Fundraiser, THIS IS ROCK'N ROLL: The Alan Freed Story.

This incredible, theatrical journey through the birth of rock and roll follows the life of notorious DJ Alan Freed – aka "Mr. Rock 'n Roll." Experience the rise and fall of this American legend in a dazzling show featuring a live band, swingin' singers, dynamic dancers, and the classic tunes that created the soundtrack of our lives!

Tickets are now available. CLICK HERE to get yours today!

Congratulations to the cast of NUNCRACKERS!

2010-09-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time to audition for NUNCRACKERS! We really appreciate it!

CAST

Sister Mary Regina (Rev. Mother) - Anita Schwaber

Sister Mary Hubert- Anna Romero

Sister Mary Paul (Amnesia)- Debora Schwartz

Sister Robert Anne- Alison Cebulla

Sister Mary Leo- Caroline Hoskins

Father Virgil Manly Trott- Lester Wilson

STUDENTS

John- Gabe Zachrich

Lousie- Katie Blauvett

Billy- Christopher Jensen

Maria- Nadia Schwartz Bolef

Again, thank you so much for auditioning! Jim Shine will be in touch soon.

CLICK HERE to email Jim with any questions.

AUDITIONS for Boy Gets Girl!

2010-09-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Little Theatre is pleased to announce auditions for the second show of season 7 for Ubu's Other Shoe (Readers' Theatre), Rebecca Gilman's Boy Gets Girl, directed by Virginia Anderson, an Assistant Professor in the Theatre and Dance Department at Cal Poly.

Auditions will be held at the theatre on Sunday, October 3rd at 1 PM. A performance of the play is scheduled for November 5th. There will be a perusal copy of the script at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor of the main SLO Library after noon on Wednesday. You will be reading from the script in the audition and you will be given time to read a scene before auditioning.

Questions? Contact Michael Siebrass. CLICK HERE to email him now!

Board Meeting Next Week

2010-09-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting September 27, 2010 at 6 PM in the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the Agenda

2011-2012 Director Applications are NOW AVAILABLE!

2010-09-16T13:23:00.001-07:00

Interested in proposing a play/musical to direct for the Little Theatre's 2011-2012 season? Applications are now available!

Please CLICK HERE to read about the process and download an application!

Building Crew Needed!

2010-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre's new Technical Director, Dave Linfield, is looking for a few good builders to help him construct sets. This is a great way to get involved with our organization and to learn the ins and outs of scenic design/construction for the theatre.

Dave will organize and supervise all builds. Contact him by CLICKING HERE.

Not a builder? We're always looking for new Volunteers to make our organization work! We will happily train you for any backstage work you're interested in, including:

Light/Sound Operator
Property Master
Stage Manager
Followspot Operator

Now is the time to get involved! Contact Jessi Brown-Carlin, our Volunteer Coordinator, by CLICKING HERE.

Thank you for supporting the Little Theatre!

Upcoming auditions at the Little Theatre!

2010-08-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Open auditions for our upcoming holiday production of Nuncrackers! will be held on Monday and Tuesday, September 20 and 21 at the Little Theatre.

CLICK HERE for the details!

Congratulations to the cast of SIDE MAN!

2010-08-26T14:46:00.002-07:00

The Board and staff of the Little Theatre would like to congratulate the cast of Side Man, an Ubu's Other Shoe production scheduled for September 24th.

Clifford: Tyler Lopez

Gene: Dana Shaheen

Terry: Jenny Shaheen

Patsy: Katy Dore

Ziggy: Mike Mesker

Al: Jim Conroy

Jonesy: Michael Siebrass

Narrator: Kerry DiMaggio

Directed by John Battalino

Get your tickets today for this one-time event!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

Board Meeting Postponed

2010-08-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors meeting originally scheduled for Monday, August 23rd has been postponed. We will post a rescheduled date as soon as it is available. Our sincere apologies for any inconveniences this may have caused.

Are You a Member?

2010-08-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Did you know? You qualify as an official member of the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre if, during the current season, you fulfill any one of the following:

Purchase a season ticket.
Donate $25 or more to the Little Theatre.
Are a director, choreographer, musical director, designer, cast or crew member listed in the program for a production in the current season.
Provide, as a volunteer, box office/hospitality service for at least three productions for a minimum of one evening per production during the current season.

The season runs from July 1 to June 30.

Upcoming events at the Little Theatre!

2010-08-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

The staff and Board of Little Theatre are getting ready for the beginning of our groundbreaking 2010-2011 Season. Time is running out to take advantage of our great Season Subscriber benefits; see all 5 of our 2010-2011 Season Shows for only $99 ($89/seniors over 62). CLICK HERE for a complete rundown of our upcoming season, and become a subscriber instantly online!

Congratulations to Suzy Miller and the incredible cast/crew of Shimmy Shake Shine. Our summer fundraiser closed last Saturday night- be sure to read Glen Starkey's ART BASH article about his experience! Thank you to the amazing cast and crew of Shimmy. We appreciate all of your hard work over the last several months!

Our Academy of Creative Theatre summer production of A Midsummer Night's Dream opens this Friday, August 6 at 7:00 PM. This family friendly event features young sweethearts, human and fairy royalty, and an amateur theater troupe reel through romance and magic in one of Shakespeare's most hilarious and enchanting works. Adapted and directed by Shelagh Garren, this delightful romantic comedy is one you won't want to miss. CLICK HERE to reserve your tickets today!

We're looking forward to a great season, and we want you to get involved! We're always looking for volunteers to play a leading role in our organization. Interested? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jessi Brown-Carlin, to discover the opportunities waiting for you at the Little Theatre.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Kevin Harris

Managing Artistic Director

Audition Call

2010-08-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

Auditions are scheduled for Side Man, the next production in our Readers' Theatre program. Read the details.

Congratulations to the cast of Leading Ladies!

2010-07-27T15:05:00.001-07:00

The Board and staff of the Little Theatre would like to congratulate the cast of Leading Ladies! Director Leticia Velez-Ericson has found a wonderful group of actors to bring this wild farce to life!

Congratulations to Karina Campbell, Kayla Perecca, Dottie Thompson, Tom O'Flarety, Charles Hayek, Stuart Wenger, and John Geever.

Leading Ladies begins rehearsals in August and opens on October 8, 2010. This production is sponsored by Richard and Catherine Luckett.

Interested in becoming a part of the Little Theatre family? Check our website for up-to-the-minute audition information. We're always looking for new faces!

See you at the theatre,

Kevin Harris

Managing Artistic Director

Officers Elected for 2010-2011

2010-07-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

At its meeting on July 26, the Board of Directors elected the following officers for 2010-2011:

Ron Burkhart, President
Susie Fulton, Vice President
Bryce Engstrom, Secretary
Gina Kirk, Treasurer
Michael Simkins, President-Elect

Need to get a message to the board? Write boardofdirectors@slolittletheatre.org

Board Meeting Next Week

2010-07-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting July 26, 2010 at 6 PM in the Little Theatre. Members of the Little Theatre are welcome to attend.

View the agenda

Need to Communicate with the Board?

2010-05-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

Have something you want to say to the Board of Directors? We've made it easy with a new e-mail address. Just write to boardofdirectors@slolittletheatre.org. Your message will go directly to the Board secretary who'll see that it gets to the right place!

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

2008-12-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daughters of the Lone Star State

2008-11-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

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

Announcing Final Performances for ACT's Fall Term!

2008-10-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

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

Advanced Acting Techniques
Tuesday, December 9th at 5pm

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

Musical Theatre I
Wednesday, December 10th at 5pm

Musical Theatre II
Wednesday, December 10th at 5pm

Introduction to Theatre
Thursday, December 11th at 4pm

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

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

We hope to see you there!

Meet Our New ACT Coordinator!

2008-10-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dear ACT Family and Friends,

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

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

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

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

Best,
Katie

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

Dear Parents and Students,

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Kerry

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

Party Tonight!

2008-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

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

MASTER CLASSES

2008-09-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

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

JOINS US FOR OUR FESTIVAL MASTER CLASSES!!!

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

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

Musical Theater Master Class

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

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

Playwrighting Master Class

Sunday, October 19th from 7 pm - 10 pm

Cost: $50

20 Student Maximum

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

Meet our Master Class Teachers!

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

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

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

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

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

Tickets are $15.

CLICK HERE to reserve your tickets today!

Central Coasting

2008-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

2008-09-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

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

ACT Special Workshop - The Reality of Breaking into Los Angeles

2008-08-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

Central Coast Children's Choir Accepting New Students!

2008-08-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

GUYS & DOLLS AUDITIONS!

2008-08-11T09:51:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

ALICE IN WONDERLAND SUMMER SPECIAL COUPON!

2008-08-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

Enjoy the show!

Alice in Wonderland - Opens this weekend!

2008-07-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

Alice in Wonderland
Opening this weekend!

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

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

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

We hope to see you all at the theatre!

ACTORS WARHOUSE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

2008-07-31T10:13:00.001-07:00

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

BABY LEWIS IS HERE!!!

2008-07-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

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

Here's an excerpt from Debi's email:

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

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

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

Debi

Tech week at SLOLT

2008-07-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody!

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

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

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

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

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

Wendy-Marie Foerster
Executive Director

2008-07-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Readers' Theatre - THREE DAYS OF RAIN

2008-07-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

THE CAST:

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

OPEN AUDITIONS FOR GUYS AND DOLLS!

2008-07-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

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

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

So Much To Do!!!

2008-07-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

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

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

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

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

See you at the theatre!

Best of Hollywood

2008-06-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

OPENS JUNE 27th!!!

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

ACT Summer Camps

2008-06-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008-06-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

My Fair Lady Review - Mustang Daily

2008-06-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

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

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

'My Fair Lady' goes local, still amazes

By: Bridget Veltri

Issue date: 6/2/08 Section: Arts

I am a bit of a musical theater snob.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am now a reformed theater snob.

A message from Erik Stein! :-)

2008-05-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hello SLOLT!

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

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

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

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

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

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

We'll see you at the Clark Center.

All the best,
Erik

1st Annual SLOLT Short Play Festival!!!

2008-05-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

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

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

Guidelines;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. All genres are welcome.

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

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

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

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

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

14. Criticism/feedback will not be available.

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

My Fair Lady of the Van

2008-04-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

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

M. Butterfly - Smut or Theatrical Literature??

2008-04-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you,

Wendy-Marie Foerster

Executive Director

Baby Lewis Update!

2008-04-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

Back on Track!

2008-04-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

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

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

Quick Update:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Executive Director,
Wendy-Marie Foerster

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre Blog

Donors Honored

Board to Meet

Speakers Bureau Planned

The Little Prince opens tonight!

November Board Meeting

Board Holds Annual Retreat

DIRECTOR SEARCH for our 2012-2013 season!

Congratulations to the cast of THE COCKTAIL PARTY!

KIMBERLY AKIMBO opens this Friday. Two performances only!

Pro-rated Season Tickets now available online!

Final weekend of ART at the Little Theatre!

THEATRE ORGANIZATION DAY!

ART gets great reviews!

Congratulations to the cast of KIMBERLY AKIMBO!

Officers, Committee Chairs Selected

ART opens tonight!

Final weekend of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES!

Auditions for OKLAHOMA!

Congratulations to the cast of ART!

Congratulations to our recently-elected Board Of Directors!

AUDITIONS!

Don't miss the final four performances of SPINNING INTO BUTTER!

SPINNING INTO BUTTER opens tomorrow night!

Board Election Underway

TOO MUCH MEMORY plays for one night only!

NO SHAME this month ROCKED THE HOUSE!

Congratulations to the cast of TOO MUCH MEMORY!

Thank you to the NEW TIMES...

AUDITIONS for TOO MUCH MEMORY!

Congratulations to the cast of SPINNING INTO BUTTER!

The Reviews are in! ROCK 'n' ROLL is a HIT!

AUDITIONS for Spinning into Butter!

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre welcomes our newest staff member, Wendy-Marie Foerster!

THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL: The Alan Freed Story! Get your tickets today!

Massive Renovations Underway at Little Theatre!

Little Theatre receives $50,000 grant from the HIND foundation!

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe opens soon!

Need to Communicate with the Board?

Happy Holidays from the Little Theatre!

NO SHAME was a great success!

Stage Matters?

NO SHAME theatre. Time to step up on December 10th!

Thank you to all DIRECTORS!

Board Meeting Next Week

AUDITION for THIS IS ROCK 'N ROLL: THE ALAN FREED STORY!

Don't miss your chance to be a part of THIS IS ROCK 'N ROLL: THE ALAN FREED STORY!

November 2 and 3 at the Little Theatre! Want all the details? Click below!http://www.slolittletheatre.org/pages/auditions

Congratulations to the cast of BOY GETS GIRL!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

Congratulations to the cast of NUNCRACKERS!

AUDITIONS for Boy Gets Girl!

Board Meeting Next Week

2011-2012 Director Applications are NOW AVAILABLE!

Building Crew Needed!

Upcoming auditions at the Little Theatre!

Congratulations to the cast of SIDE MAN!

Board Meeting Postponed

Are You a Member?

Upcoming events at the Little Theatre!

Audition Call

Congratulations to the cast of Leading Ladies!

Officers Elected for 2010-2011

Board Meeting Next Week

Need to Communicate with the Board?

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

Daughters of the Lone Star State

Announcing Final Performances for ACT's Fall Term!

Meet Our New ACT Coordinator!

Party Tonight!

MASTER CLASSES

Central Coasting

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

ACT Special Workshop - The Reality of Breaking into Los Angeles

Central Coast Children's Choir Accepting New Students!

GUYS & DOLLS AUDITIONS!

ALICE IN WONDERLAND SUMMER SPECIAL COUPON!

Alice in Wonderland - Opens this weekend!

ACTORS WARHOUSE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

BABY LEWIS IS HERE!!!

November 2 and 3 at the Little Theatre! Want all the details? Click below!

http://www.slolittletheatre.org/pages/auditions