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

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

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

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

PASSPORT TO THE ARTS

SATURDAY, MAY 5 - 10am-1pm

Mission Plaza, San Luis Obispo

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

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR
OPENING NIGHT, OCTOBER 18TH!

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

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

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

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

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

Worlds to live by. Have a great weekend everyone! 

~Patty