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

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

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

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!
~Patty

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

~Patty

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

Time for New Times "BEST OF...", THE MUSIC MAN needs a cast, NO SHAME hits Friday and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is breaking all records!

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.

AUDITIONS - SUNDAY, MARCH 2 @ 6 pm

The next big musical on the Little Theatre stage is a little slice of Americana, one of the most popular musicals ever to hit Broadway, with some of the best lyrics ever written by that one-hit wonder of musical theatre Meredith Willson. Yes, I'm talking about THE MUSIC MAN and we are looking for a talented cast of actors, singers and dancers of all ages who want to help us make some real  TROUBLE, right here in River City!  Remember, as Professor Harold Hill says: "an idle brain is the devil's playground." So, get busy learning a song, dust off those acting chops and get down here to the theatre this Sunday night for AUDITIONS!  Click HERE for all the details on available roles and audition requirements, then click HERE to get inspired by the incomparable Hugh Jackman. :)

If you've been before, I don't have to tell you what it's like. If you haven't... you have to see it to believe it. NO SHAME CENTRAL COAST will take over the Little Theatre stage once again this Friday night, February 27th. Doors and Bar open at 9:30 pm (Admission is FREE!) Script submissions at 10 pm. Show starts at 10:30 pm. Be a part of one of the most exciting nights of live, original theatre on the Central Coast. Click HERE for all the details and I'll see you on Friday night!

Yep. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is breaking all records for ticket sales and is pretty much SOLD-OUT for the next three weekends. But don't despair!  The best bet is to place your name on our waiting list at the box office one hour before show time and then cross your fingers. There are always a few empty seats at show time and you just might be one of the lucky ones sitting in one of them. Really. This show is worth the wait, so come on down this weekend and give it a shot!

It's a glorious feelin'.... and I hope to see you here this weekend!

Cheers!
~Patty

Farewell to January, 4000 Miles and The Secret Garden and Welcome to February, our History Exhibit and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN!

Last weekend's Ubu's Other Shoe production of 4000 MILES performed to capacity audiences in three awesome shows. Our Ubu staged readings grow more and more popular with each performance. Thank you to director Danielle McNamara and her fabulous cast and crew for creating a wonderful show. Mark your calendars now for our next Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Reading:  ROCK 'N ROLL, directed by Leticia Velez. Click HERE to find out more about this 2006 Tom Stoppard play and our talented local cast.

We also bid farewell to our Academy of Creative Theatre production of THE SECRET GARDEN in January. This heartwarming tale of the transforming power of love and nature was beautifully told by our young, student cast and we were sorry to see it go. If you know a young person who would like to learn and grow their theatrical talents, consider signing them up for ACT Spring Theatre Classes at the Little Theatre! There are still a few spots open in our musical theatre class AND in our Spring Break Camp. Click HERE for all the details and to register your child. Generous scholarships are always available thanks to a grant provided by The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County.

Interested in some Little Theatre history? Join us at Art After Dark this Friday night at the History Center of San Luis Obispo County for a look-back at 68 years of SLO Little Theatre called: "LET'S PUT ON A SHOW!" The exhibit will run through April 26th at the History Center at 696 Monterey Street in downtown SLO. In addition to showcasing some of our history, we'll also give you a glimpse of some exciting plans for the future! The exhibit project was spearheaded by board member Michael Simkins and has been generously sponsored by Joan Gellert Sargen. Click HERE for more information, then join us for Art After Dark in downtown SLO next weekend!

Photo by Jamie Foster Photography

Meet the cast of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN! One of the most beloved Hollywood movie musicals of all time will be coming to SLO, live on stage, and it's not too late for you to join us for our Gala Opening Night Celebration on February 13th! This very special evening will feature generous hors d'oeuvres, wine, martinis, a movie-themed silent auction and more! Film maker, actor and producer Todd Fisher (son of the lovely Debbie Reynolds, star of the original MGM Classic film!!) will be at the opening night show and will be bringing along a very special item to display: one of the original costumes worn by his famous Mom in the film! Also on hand will be KSBY's charming meteorologist Dave Hovde. Dave will keep us posted on the weather and serve as our host for the evening. Guests are invited to join the fun, dressing in classic 1920's style, or elegant black tie and gowns. Doors open at 5:30 pm for wine, food and auction, and the show starts at 7 pm. After the performance, you're invited to stick around for dessert and  mingling with the cast and crew.

Photo by Jamie Foster Photography

Center section seats are SOLD OUT for our gala opening  night, but there are still side seats available at the discounted price of $75. Click HERE for more information about the show and our gala opening night and click HERE to reserve one of only 14 remaining seats for this fabulous event!

And if you can't make it on Opening Night?  No worries! There are still great seats available for most performances, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm, running February 14-March 15. All seats are $35. Click HERE for more info and a link to buy tickets. But you'd better hurry, tickets are flying out the door!

The Little Theatre is dark this weekend as we get ready for our Gala Opening Night Celebration next weekend. Hope you have a great weekend and we hope to see you at SINGIN' IN THE RAIN!

~Patty