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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Patty

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

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

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!
~Patty

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

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

Photos by Jamie Foster Photography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

~Patty

The 20th Century Begins Now... PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE!

Photo by Ryan Loyd, Rylo Media Design

It's finally here! Opening Night for PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE is tomorrow night -- Friday, October 10th. I had the chance to see a rehearsal on Monday night and I can hardly wait to see this show. Written by the always wonderful Steve Martin, the story goes something like this:

Picasso and Einstein walk into a Paris bar. It's 1904. 
Much laughter follows.

There are only 14 performances over 3 weekends of this delightful show, so I'd recommend getting your tickets very, very SOON. You can do that by clicking HERE.

Now, I'm going to turn the rest of the BLOG over to photos today, because as we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks to Ryan Loyd of Rylo Media Design for these great shots!

Einstein (Cameron Rose) gets an idea...

The lovely Suzanne (Alicia Klein)

Freddy (Bobby Kendrick) the owner and bartender of the Lapin Agile

Picasso (Toby Tropper) meets Einstein.

Sagot (Larry Kaml) an art dealer

A duel...?

Gaston (Tom Ammon)

Germaine, waitress and Freddy's girlfriend (Megan C.C. Walker)

The whole hilarious cast (including a mysterious visitor...)

Hope to see you at PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE - it's going to be a blast!

~ Patty

INDEPENDENCE bring audiences to their feet, DESIRE takes the stage, MARVIN GARDENS jumps into character work, and AUDITIONS for our RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN fundraiser are right around the corner! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good morning friends of the Little Theatre!

What a great weekend of performances at the Little Theatre. Independence enjoyed four standing ovations during the third week of its run- have you seen this remarkable production yet? There are only four more chances to see these four great actresses bring Lee Blessing's groundbreaking drama to life onstage. Check out the New Times review HERE. Check out the Tribune review HERE. Don't miss this powerful production- get your tickets for the final weekend by clicking HERE.

Ubu's Other Shoe (the staged reading series at the Little Theatre) is presenting Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms for two nights only: November 6 and 7 at 7:00 PM. Director Brent Keast has assembled a wonderful cast for this classic play. Learn more about the production and get your tickets by clicking HERE. Be sure to stay for the talkback with the director and cast after Wednesday's presentation.

A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, the fourth staged reading in Ubu's 10th anniversary season, has started rehearsals. Cynthia Anthony directs this hilarious comedy by Nagle Jackson (Taking Leave). Learn more about the play HERE. A Hotel on Marvin Gardens plays for two nights only: December 17 and 18 at 7:00 PM.

We're looking for some amazing singers and dancers to star in Some Enchanted Evening, our winter fundraiser. This tribute to the music and lyric of Rodgers and Hammerstein require a tight ensemble of 3 women and 2 men to bring these songs to life on our stage. See all of the audition details by clicking HERE.

Thank you, as always, for your support of our organization! Have a great week, everyone!

-Kevin

INDEPENDENCE is here. This play, and these performances, are the real deal.

I saw a dress rehearsal for INDEPENDENCE by Lee Blessing last night and it really got to me. I called my Mom today. Not because she's anything like Evelyn Briggs, the Mom in Independence. Trust me. She's not. AT ALL. But she's my Mom and I love her. You'll see what I mean when you see the show. Family is family. And this family of women is at once funny, sad, loving, angry, desperate, confused...well, you'll see when you see the show.

What an amazing cast, led by a great director, Suzy Newman, most recently seen onstage in Always, Patsy Cline at PCPA and last seen at the Little Theatre in Watergate. Mikayla Dubois is the oldest daughter Kess, it's her first show at the Little Theatre, but hopefully not her last. Alicia Klein is the middle child, Jo. You'll remember her from Enchanted April and, if you squint a little, you might be able to recognize her as the movie star from House of Blue Leaves. Clara Jane Fulks is remarkable as Sherry. Just 17 and this is her third mainstage show at the Little Theatre, not to mention many other great, local roles. And of course, Jill Turnbow is Evelyn, the matriarch of this little family of women. Jill directed Incorruptible and House of Blue Leaves and has appeared onstage in several Little Theatre shows including Taking Leave, Daughters of the Lone Star State and in countless evenings of No Shame Theatre. 

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, I recommend Opening Night on Friday, October 18th.  There's something about opening night that is like no other night in the run of the show. I mean, sometimes there are a few little glitches, a new prop goes haywire, the paint might be wet, a sound cue goes awry. But the energy and dare I say, the magic, of opening night is palpable. It's my favorite night in the run. Plus, we get to have a party in the lobby afterwards, food, wine, mingling. We thank our generous sponsors, Tom Stollmeyer of Peak Electric and an Anonymous Theatre-Lover (who may just be revealed on opening night!) along with our amazing director Suzy Newman and our stellar cast. Join us, won't you?

CLICK HERE for show information and tickets. You'll be glad you did. This one's the real deal.

INDEPENDENCE

by Lee Blessing
Directed by Suzy Newman

October 18-November 10

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays @ 2 pm

(And thanks to Jamie Foster for the great photos!)