THE GOAT takes the stage for 3 shows only, get ready for ORLANDO auditions and SEASON TICKETS are available NOW!

Where did the year go? I know, it's hard to believe, but this weekend we'll present the FINAL SHOW of our 2014/2015 Season, an Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading of Edward Albee’s THE GOAT (or Who is Sylvia?) What an amazing show to end a fabulous season!

Winner of the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, THE GOAT is a tragically comical play with a simple, albeit deeply disturbing premise: a married man falls in love with a goat. Once his wife finds out this sordid truth, all hell (and a lot of vases) breaks loose.

I can't wait to see this play this weekend and not just because it marks the final show of an amazing season here at the Little Theatre, but because it is going to be awesome. You know why? Because THE GOAT is directed by the amazing and very funny Jill Turnbow and features the awesome talents of David Norum, Polly Firestone-Walker, Daniel Freeman and Anthony Hernandez - that's why! You've got three chances to see this stellar cast in action: Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm.  Click HERE to choose your performance and purchase your tickets online. Seriously, don't miss our final UBU show of the season, you're going to love it!

"Meet Virginia Woolf's Orlando, your typical Elizabethan Man: a favorite of the Queen, madly in love with a Russian Princess, fleeing an Archduchess, and waking up one fine day in Constantinople to find he has become, of all things, a woman..."

AUDITIONS for our first Ubu's Other Show Staged Reading of the 2015-2016 Season will take place this Sunday, June 21 from 5:30-7:30 PM.  ORLANDO was written by Virginia Woolf and adapted by gifted playwright Sarah Ruhl. The staged reading will be directed Anet Carlin. Actors are asked to come to auditions prepared with two 30 second monologues. You can find out more on our website HERE. Orlando will run for three shows only, August 7-8.

And just in case you didn't get the memo....SEASON TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!  And trust me, they are flying out the door. We have an incredible season lined up for you beginning in August with the delightful comedy SYLVIA and running through early next July with BYE, BYE BIRDIE!  If you don't want to be left standing in line at a sold-out show, with your name on a waiting list -- as many of you did for THE MUSIC MAN, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE and so many of our shows during the 2014/15 Season -- then buy your tickets now!  Season Ticket holders are guaranteed the Best Seats at the Best Price. Guaranteed.

Click HERE to find out more about our 6 SEASON SHOWS, 7 UBU'S OTHER SHOE STAGED READINGS, 4 AFTER HOURS COMEDIES, 2 ACADEMY OF CREATIVE THEATRE educational shows, 1 SPECIAL HOLIDAY SHOW, 1 BEST OF NO SHAME and of course...CABARET. Then click HERE to download an order form and place your order today via phone, fax or walk-up.  Online sales for season subscriptions, along with all of our "a la carte" shows, will begin on Monday, June 22.

AND finally, watch for a special announcement early next week when we launch our brand new, beautiful, easy-to-navigate website at slolittletheatre.org, courtesy of our friends at SUBPLOT STUDIO.  Don't worry, I'll definitely let you know when it's ready to go - I can hardly wait!

Have a great weekend everyone - see you at THE GOAT!

~Patty

The 2015-2016 SEASON BROCHURE will be in the MAIL on Thursday! Buy your SEASON SUBSCRIPTION early to ensure the BEST SEATS!

Here it comes. The news you've all been waiting for! Or at least I've been waiting for it, and I hope you have as well. Your season brochure will be arriving in your mailbox this week!  It's chock full of great shows for your entertainment and edification (or something like that!) We'll also have a big ol' stack of them, complete with season subscription order forms, in the lobby this weekend for your reading pleasure.

WELCOME TO THE 2015/16 SEASON!

For our 69th Season (Can you believe it?! 69 years!!) we're giving you MORE of the theatre you LOVE!

That's right, for ONE low subscription price, you'll enjoy SIX award-winning, awesome season shows. Save up to 15% when you buy all six!

The Ubu’s Other Show Staged Reading series will feature SEVEN plays from all over the world and when you buy all seven, you'll save 16% off the regular price!

The popular After Hours @slotheatre late night comedy series will feature FOUR side-splitting comedies. Buy all four and save 25% off the regular price!

PLUS ~ Enjoy ONE fabulous, one-of-a-kind Gala Musical (Come to the Cabaret, old chum!) ONE very special Holiday Show (You'll shoot your eye out!) ONE unique Best of No Shame evening of original work (plus 10 more live, late-night shows throughout the year) and TWO Academy of Creative Theatre student productions, beginning with the wonderful PIRATES OF PENZANCE opening on July 17th!

We have so much to share with you this year and we can’t wait to get started. Join us as a subscriber this season and don’t miss a moment of the journey!

Click HERE for your sneak preview of the entire season on our website and click HERE to download a season subscription order form.

Did you know that we have averaged 92% capacity houses for the entire 2014-15 Season?  

Not just once or twice, or just the musicals and comedies. Nope. Every single show this year has enjoyed near capacity or completely SOLD-OUT houses for their entire run. THE MUSIC MAN is a great example -- there are only about 10 seats left in the final 10 shows remaining in the next two weeks! Sure, we do pretty well for our wait list (if you don't have tickets yet, give it a shot!) but do you really want to stand outside and wait?

There's a better way. BUY A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION and enjoy these great benefits:

Guaranteed seats for all shows.

Best Seats in the House.

Save 12-25% off the individual show prices.

Easy to exchange.

Priority Seating every single time.

Check out our new season brochure and fall in love (like I have!) with the 2015-2016 Season! If you don't get your brochure by Monday, shoot me an email and I'll make sure to send you one.

Happy Wednesday everyone!
~Patty

An opening weekend special for BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE, AUDITIONS on Sunday and the 15/16 Season Brochure will arrive soon!

Join us for opening weekend of Jill Turnbow's critically acclaimed one-woman show BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE and get a special opening weekend discount. We need your help to spread the word about our final After Hours show of the season so we're offering $10 tickets to build the buzz. Just click HERE for tickets, enter promo code: iraq and you're in at half the price. Take advantage of this early bird discount THIS WEEKEND ONLY and come see this show!

THE CRITICS AGREE
BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE is based on Jill's real-life experiences entertaining the troops during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. She relates this personal story with dry humor, hilarious details and all the skill of a seasoned stand-up comic. Jill has performed this show to rave reviews in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and even here at the Little Theatre for a limited run three years ago. This is comedy worth staying up late for, and a theatrical experience you don't want to miss!

Theatermania.com:
"Every three days, 950 military personnel came aboard to be entertained; they were nearly all men, some of whom had been stationed in the desert for up to a year. After much of the boat's female staff quit, Turnbow was left with only 20 other women, outnumbered 50 to one, sharing sole responsibility with one other (male) comic for standing before the rowdies to make them laugh." (Click HERE for complete review.)

Backstage.com:
"...an affecting show, starting out in the mood of standup comedy and becoming a heartfelt recollection...[Turnbow] avoids any political assessment of that battle, but paints an engrossing picture of the toll of war on ordinary soldiers, ending up as a salute to their courage and patriotism." (Click HERE for complete story.)

Yep. We're talking the real deal here. Click HERE to pick up your half price tickets for this weekend only, Friday and Saturday at 9:45 pm (note the change in time!) and Sunday at 7 pm immediately following THE MUSIC MAN. 

Our first main stage season show of the 2015-2016 Season will be SYLVIA: a modern romantic comedy about a dog, the couple who adopts her, and the comedy that results. Auditions for this wonderful show by A.R. Gurney will be held this Sunday, May 31st, beginning at 4:30 pm.  The director is David Carey Foster, who directed our production of GOOD PEOPLE last season. You can find out more about the show, the characters and download sides for the auditions HERE. Don't miss your chance to be a part of our season opening comedy!

Coming soon to a mailbox near you: the 2015-2016 Season brochure!  If all goes well, all the news that's fit to print about our upcoming 69th Season will land in your mailbox this weekend (or early next week at the latest!) We're giving you MORE of the theatre you LOVE with SIX season shows, SEVEN Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Readings, FOUR After Hours comedies, TWO Academy of Creative Theatre student productions and ONE fabulous Gala Musical, namely CABARET, celebrating 50 years of performances in 2016. You can take a sneak peek at all the shows AND download a season subscription order form right HERE. Season Subscriptions are only available for mail, phone or walk-up purchase (using the form provided) right now. SLOLT staff will fill subscriptions in the order they are received, giving priority seating to renewing subscribers and donors until June 22nd, when online sales will begin. Your season tickets will be sent to you in late June/early July.

Don't get stuck in line waiting for tickets on a sold-out show next year, SUBSCRIBE NOW to ensure your first choice of dates and seats!

The nearly sold-out run of THE MUSIC MAN continues this weekend with shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You can click HERE to check availability and buy your tickets online. If we're sold-out, don't despair!  Arrive one hour before show time and place your name on our waiting list. We'll do our best to get you in to see this heartwarming, classic musical!

Thanks for your support of the Little Theatre. It's been an amazing season and we look forward to sharing more great theatre with you next year and an exciting future ahead!

Have a wonderful weekend!
~Patty

THE MUSIC MAN's a HIT, our mid-week UBU show rocked, NO SHAME this Friday and BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE is up next!

The cast and crew of THE MUSIC MAN will go in to their second weekend of performances with two great reviews in their pockets! You can read the entire NEW TIMES review, by Andrea Catanzarite, HERE and Debby Nicklas's TRIBUNE review is not posted as of 10 am this morning, but you can either pick up a print copy, or keep checking the website HERE. Take my word for it, they're both wonderful!

Photos by Danielle Dutro McNamara Photography

The show is breaking records for ticket sales, but I promise, we can still get you in to see this show! Click HERE to purchase your seats online, and if it's sold-out, just come on down to the theatre anyway. We'll have a waiting list at the door beginning one hour before show time, and we're always able to squeeze in  more than a  handful of those patient enough to wait. Whatever you do, don't miss our fabulous season finale musical!

Photos by Danielle Dutro McNamara Photography

Our eighth UBU'S OTHER SHOE STAGED READING for the 2014-15 Season was an absolutely hilarious look at "feminism's foibles." Gina Gionfriddo's 2012 comedy RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN was directed by Jenny Shaheen and featured the talented cast seen in the photos above. Congratulations to cast and crew on a wonderful show and a very successful two-night run. Mark your calendars now for our final UBU staged reading of the season, Edward Albee's THE GOAT (or Who is Sylvia?) on June 19 and 20.

Our final After Hours @slotheatre late night comedy show of the 2014/15 Season will hit the Little Theatre stage on May 29th. We are thrilled to present actress and comedienne Jill Turnbow in her one-woman show BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE. In hilarious and heartwarming detail, the show details Jill’s experiences as a stand-up comic entertaining the troops during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Imagine a huge cruise ship moored in the Persian Gulf, brought there to offer “R&R” for troops in the region. Then imagine a young, female, stand-up comic, 27,000 men and an open bar. The result? In Jill's own words: "I had a pretty good time."  We promise you will too.

You can read more about the show in an article at Theatermania right HERE. There's also a review in the LA Times right HERE. And a great piece on the Backstage website HERE.  Yep. We're talking the real deal here. Jill performed a limited run of this show on the Little Theatre stage a few years ago and if you missed that one, do NOT miss this one. Even if you saw that one... see it AGAIN.
There will be six shows only running Fridays and Saturdays at 9:45 pm (note the change in time!) and Sundays at 7 pm immediately following THE MUSIC MAN. I'd recommend you get your tickets NOW to ensure your seats. And you can do that right HERE.

NO SHAME May hits the stage this Friday night after The Music Man. The lobby opens at 9:30 pm, submissions start at 10 pm and get ready for FREE, LIVE, LOCAL, ORIGINAL, late-night theatre beginning at 10:30 pm. I'll be there!

Brochure design by SUBPLOT STUDIO

Coming soon to a mailbox near you....the 2015-2016 SEASON!  To ensure that you receive our fabulous season brochure containing everything you need to know about purchasing season tickets (don't get stranded in the waiting list line next season!) along with detailed information about all the great shows, education programs and more, give us a call at (805) 786-2440 or send us an EMAIL with your mailing address TODAY!  This little gem will be hitting the streets by the end of next week and you don't want to miss out on your copy! You can take a sneak peek at next season's schedule on our website HERE and you can even download a subscription ticket order form, so you can get your order in early and ensure that you get the best seats in the house!

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday weekend to everyone. Be sure to add some live theatre to your weekend plans, along with the traditional BBQ and beach!

~Patty

New Times "BEST OF", the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin', RAPTURE BLISTER, BURN next Tuesday and JILL TURNBOW!

The annual New Times Best Of poll results are in and you've done it again! Thank YOU for voting us the BEST LOCAL THEATER GROUP for six years running!  In the words of New Times outgoing Arts Editor Jessica Pena:

"SLO Little Theatre isn't just a place to see plays in San Luis Obispo. It's an institution. Since 1947, it's been a consistent source of quality theatre, running more shows than any other theater group on the Central Coast. 'The staff and board of the Little Theatre feel that it's our responsibility to produce the widest variety of theatre possible,' said Kevin Harris, Managing Artistic Director. And that's no lie. This year alone, the Little Theatre has produced a beloved musical, a contemporary drama, and a daring one-woman show. It may be 'little' in name, but not in ambition."

Thank you New Times readers and Little Theatre fans! We promise we'll keep doing our best to bring the magic of live theatre to downtown San Luis Obispo this year, and for many years to come. Speaking of which...

Here it comes. The season finale musical for our 2014-2015 Season. THE MUSIC MAN! Director Zach Johnson, Music Director Lacey McNamara, an incredible production staff and crew and this talented cast of 28 local actors have been working hard for almost two months putting this fabulous show together and it's almost here. This Tony Award winning musical (five Tonys, including Best Musical!) opens this Friday night and you'll kick yourself if you miss it! But if you're going to see it, you'd better hurry, there are less than 200 seats remaining for sale in the entire five-week run! So, what are you waiting for? Click HERE to get your tickets today!  (Hint: Thursday nights are probably your best bet for the best seats and you can also try our waiting lists at the door!)

Tuesday and Wednesday nights may not seem like the usual time to consider going to see a play, but when you've got an amazing staged reading like RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN playing, it's not only a good idea, it's absolutely the best idea I've heard in a long time. Number 8 in our 2014/15 Season of Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Readings is a contemporary comedy by Gina Gionfriddo.  RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN tackles feminism’s foibles in what The New York Times called an, "intensely smart and immensely funny," new play. Director Jenny Shaheen and her talented cast of five local actors will bring Gionfriddo's comedy to life in a staged reading Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20 at 7 pm. The price is just $10 and there will be an audience talk-back after Tuesday night's performance. Click HERE for your tickets!

Our final After Hours @slotheatre late night comedy show of the 2014/15 Season will hit the Little Theatre stage on May 29th. We are thrilled to present actress and comedienne Jill Turnbow in her one-woman show BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE. In hilarious and heartwarming detail, the show details Jill’s experiences as a stand-up comic entertaining the troops during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Imagine a huge cruise ship moored in the Persian Gulf, brought there to offer “R&R” for troops in the region. Then imagine a young, female, stand-up comic, 27,000 men and an open bar. The result? In Jill's own words: "I had a pretty good time."  We promise you will too. There will be six shows only running Fridays and Saturdays at 9:30 pm and Sundays at 7 pm. I'd recommend you get your tickets NOW to ensure your seats. And you can do that right HERE.

Photos by Danielle Dutro McNamara Photography

We're heading into an exciting opening weekend!  Hope to see you at THE MUSIC MAN!

~Patty

THE MUSIC MAN: Under Construction. RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN: In Rehearsal. CANCELING CABLE: In Los Osos Friday. 2015-2016 SEASON: On the Way!

We are definitely UNDER CONSTRUCTION this weekend at the Little Theatre. The sounds of a tablesaw, electric drills and hammering mingle with the smell of paint and the voices of volunteer set builders. At the same time, the lobby is full of young voices chattering away as the Academy of Creative Theatre holds auditions in the rehearsal room for THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE; and then, if you hang around until about 6 pm, you can catch a Barbershop quartet warming up out front for Music Man rehearsals. I know, you've heard it before and you'll hear it again: it gets pretty busy around here during the week, even when there's no show scheduled for the weekend!

These are the happy faces of the children featured in The Music Man. Winthrop, Amaryllis, Gracie and Zaneeta posed with their young friends and neighbors during a break from rehearsals. In a little over a week, they'll be dancing across the (completed) stage set, in costume, singing The Wells Fargo Wagon!   Under the skillful hands of director Zach Johnson, the show is coming together bit by bit and will open next Friday night, May 15th. Seats are filling up fast, so I'd recommend making your reservations sooner, rather than later. Not kidding! You can do it right HERE, right NOW.

And no sooner do we open THE MUSIC MAN, but our 8th Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading of the season will take the stage mid-week for two shows only, May 19 & 20 at 7 pm. Director Jenny Shaheen has assembled a cast of real pros for Gina Gionfriddo's RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, including Marilyn Blake, David Norum, Robin Kirk Wolf, Joan Pederson and Ashley Moses. This fast-paced, witty comedy explores the continuing fallout and evolution of the feminist movement. You can read an interview with the playwright about the play HERE. 

You don't have to wait for the weekend to enjoy some live theatre, you know! Join us for a mid-week dose of UBU and enjoy a staged reading of RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN. You can get your tickets for just $10 right HERE. 

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

Are you ready? Are you set?... Then GO!  Plans for the exciting 2015-2016 Season are moving forward rapidly and you are going to LOVE what we have planned for our 69th Season here at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre!  Season Subscriptions will be available for purchase beginning May 22, but YOU can take a sneak peek at the entire season schedule right HERE. If all goes well, our season brochure will hit your mailbox right around May 27th. What's that? You're not on our mailing list?!  Well, we can't have that. Click HERE to email me and I'll make sure that you get all the news that's fit to print about next season. You won't want to miss a minute!

Like I told you before, it's a DARK weekend here at the Little Theatre, except of course for major rehearsals, set construction, lighting and sound design. But starting next weekend.... you'll be in major TROUBLE if you don't get your tickets for THE MUSIC MAN soon!

Have a great weekend!

~Patty

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!
~Patty

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

~Patty

Are you ready to ROCK 'N ROLL?! (PLUS...have you seen THE DUELING CAVALIER?!)

Tom Stoppard's explosive masterwork about love, politics and rock 'n roll takes the stage this weekend as the sixth show in our Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading series. ROCK 'N ROLL is directed by Leticia Velez Ericson and features 13 exceptional local actors: Robin Kirk Wolf, Creston Cooper, Micaela Morgan, Gregory Gorrindo, Michael Siebrass, Rosh Wright, Katherine Blauvelt, Gerald Manata, Jonathan Shadrach, Frank Moe, Tony Taylor, Debora Schwartz and Kate Kravets. If you love ROCK 'N ROLL, history, comedy, drama and great theatre, don't miss this one. Besides it's only $10!  Friday is currently sold-out, but tickets are still available for two shows on Saturday, March 21st at 2 pm and 7 pm. But I'd act quickly if I were you! Click HERE to get your tickets today.

Director John Battalino is looking for three, just three, very talented actors to take on the challenge of COPENHAGEN, Michael Frayn's Tony Award winning play about an event that occurred in Copenhagen in 1941, a meeting between the famous physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. The third character in this intimate drama is that of Bohr's wife Margrethe Norlund, who was a very important part of his life and work. Auditions will take place on Sunday, March 22nd at 6 pm. Actors will be asked to read from the script. The show will run May 1 and 2, 2015. Find out more about auditions HERE.

And don't miss this Academy of Creative Theatre student-acted staged reading of CYRANO on March 27 & 28 at 7 pm right here at the Little Theatre. The classic tale has been adapted into an engaging three-person staged reading for young actors, and our young ACT actors -- Jed Authier, Penny DellaPelle and Trevyn Wong -- are awesome!  The reading is directed by Kerry DiMaggio, ably assisted by student director Elizabeth Tharp. Tickets are just $10 and benefit the scholarship fund for the Academy of Creative Theatre. Get your tickets HERE!

And if you're having withdrawal pangs, since the closing performance of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN last weekend, have I got a treat for you! Ryan Loyd of RyLo Media Design has made the brilliant films he created for our popular production available on YouTube!  Both The Royal Rascal and The Dueling Cavalier can now be enjoyed by all, in the comfort of your own office or living room. Ain't it awesome?! 

So, I will leave you now to enjoy the silliness of these films --- one silent, one...not so much --- and I hope to see you this weekend for ROCK 'N ROLL!

Click HERE for THE ROYAL RASCAL

Click HERE for THE DUELING CAVALIER

"Yes, Yes, Yes!  No, No, No!"

Enjoy!

~Patty

Happy Closing Weekend to SINGIN' IN THE RAIN! That's 16 shows down, 9 more to go before we're done with the 2014/2015 Season!

What a glorious feelin'! It's been an amazing run for the cast and crew of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and we are going to be so sorry to see it go. Just five more performances and this singing and dancing spectacular will be gone forever - but certainly not forgotten! All seats are currently SOLD-OUT, but if you haven't yet seen this lovely show, we encourage you to give our waiting list a shot. Arrive one hour early, give your name to box office staff and we'll do our best to seat you at show time! Our remaining shows are Thursday (tonight) at 7 pm, Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm.

Get ready to ROCK 'N ROLL for three shows only on Friday, March 20th at 7 pm (followed by a talk-back with the director and cast) and Saturday, March 21st at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are only $10 for a fully-rehearsed staged reading of this electrifying show by Tom Stoppard. Director Leticia Velez has assembled an awesome cast for this decades-spanning tale of love, revolution and music. Looking forward to getting my monthly "Ubu-Fix" next weekend and if you've never dipped your theatrical toes into our staged reading series, this one's a great place to start. Get your tickets HERE and I'll see you at the show.

Speaking of staged readings....our Academy of Creative Theatre students will be taking the stage the weekend after Rock 'n Roll in an adaptation of CYRANO designed for young student actors. Jed Authier will portray the legendary large-nosed poet Cyrano de Bergerac, Penny Della Pelle will play Roxanne and Trevyn Wong will take on the role of lovestruck Christian (along with many other characters!) The staged reading is directed by Kerry DiMaggio, assisted by student director Elizabeth Tharp. We invite everyone to come and enjoy this timeless story performed as in intimate and engaging staged reading by the talented young members of our ACT educational program. The annual ACT Staged Reading is produced as a benefit for the ACT Scholarship Fund, which exists so that any student with a desire to learn, may participate in ACT's classes and programs.Click HERE for more information and to purchase your tickets today.

The fourth season show in our 2014/15 Season -- TIME STANDS STILL -- will take the stage on April 10th.  Award-winning director Teresa Thuman has assembled an amazing ensemble cast for this intimate and engaging contemporary drama by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Donald Margulies.  Margulies is well known for his tightly constructed contemporary dramas, laced with humor and featuring realistic relationships and situations. Many of you may remember our production of Margulies' DINNER WITH FRIENDS, directed by Lisa Woske, which enjoyed a very successful run here at the Little Theatre in 2012.

Margulies says: "There's a lot of humour in Time Stands Still that leavens its intensity. Audiences laugh in recognition of truths large and small."  You can read more about TIME STANDS STILL, the original Broadway production and Margulies' process in writing the play, in an article from The Economist HERE.  And you can get your tickets for our production of this thought-provoking drama right HERE.

Last, but most certainly not least, mark your calendars for the fourth show in our new After Hours @slotheatre late night comedy series!  Actress Suzy Newman will be taking on the amazing one-woman show THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. Written by Jane Wagner, and famously performed on Broadway by Lily Tomlin, this is the show that proves "there is life, there is hope and there is certainly comedy."  Opening on Saturday, April 11th and running for eight shows only, we recommend making your reservations early to ensure your seats. SEARCH FOR SIGNS will take place at 9:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 7 pm on Sundays, following performances of Time Stands Still. Get your tickets HERE!

Phew!  Never a dull moment in the land of live theatre. There's another new show around each and every corner. Happy closing weekend to the cast and crew of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN!  And to the rest of you:  come on out to a show at the Little Theatre soon. It's live, it's local and you'll LOVE it!

Cheers!
~Patty

New Show Added for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, Tom Stoppard's ROCK 'N ROLL is up next and VOTE FOR US!

There are just two more weekends of shows left for our wildly successful gala musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. If you haven't seen it yet, you may be in luck! We've just added one additional performance on THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH at 7 PM. Seats are going fast, but if you hurry, you just might make it. Click HERE for reservations. Ready...set...GO! And if you can't make it next Thursday, our wait list is your best bet to get your foot in the door. Arrive one hour early, tell the box office, have a glass of wine and 9 out of 10 times...you're in!

The next Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading will take the stage March 20-21 for 3 Shows Only: Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm. We are extremely proud to present Tom Stoppard's groundbreaking, mind-blowing drama ROCK 'N ROLL. It is 1968 and the world is ablaze with rebellion, accompanied by a sound track of the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Clutching his prized collection of rock albums, Jan, a Cambridge graduate student, returns to his homeland of Czechoslovakia just as Soviet tanks roll into Prague. When security forces tighten their grip on artistic expression, Jan is inexorably drawn toward a dangerous act of dissent. Back in England, Jan's volcanic mentor, Max, faces a war of his own as his free-spirited daughter and his cancer-stricken wife attempt to break through his walls of academic and emotional obstinacy. Over the next twenty years of love, espionage, chance, and loss, the extraordinary lives of Jan and Max spin and intersect until an unexpected reunion forces them to see what is truly worth the fight.

If you love Stoppard, get your tickets now- this is going to be an amazing staged reading of an absolutely brilliant play. Click HERE to reserve your seats today.

Let's do it again! The Little Theatre has been voted the BEST LOCAL THEATER GROUP in the annual New Times Readers Poll every year since 2010 and BEST PLACE TO SEE A PLAY at least three times over the past ten years.  If you've enjoyed a show here in the past year, or two, or three, and if you LOVE our intimate downtown space in downtown SLO as much as we do, then take a minute and let New Times know! Pick up a copy of this week's New Times or click HERE to fill out this year's poll online. The deadline is March 16th at 5 pm.

We just finished three full nights of auditions and call backs for our season finale musical THE MUSIC MAN!  Stay tuned to this page and we'll let you know the latest news on director Zach Johnson's fabulous cast as soon as the list is posted!  In the meantime, here's another taste of this classic show - just to whet your appetite!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
~Patty