Monday, October 21, 2013

INDEPENDENCE bring audiences to their feet, MIRACLE storms the stage, AUDITIONS for MARVIN GARDENS are happening tonight, and the SANTALAND photo shoot is in the can. This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!


What a fantastic opening weekend for Independence, directed by Suzy Newman! Audience response to the powerful play was incredible. This is an "absolutely stunning" production that we couldn't be happier to present on our intimate stage- you will not want to miss this one! Some audience feedback via Facebook:

"Wow! A must see. Congrats to all, a truly great production."

"Superb from top to bottom. Great play, great cast, great chemistry, great direction, great production."

Independence plays for three more weekends and word of mouth is already beginning to work its magic (tickets are selling fast!) Get yours today by clicking HERE. You'll be happy you did.


Now that Independence is open, the theatre space is free on weeknight evenings for Miracle on 34th Street rehearsals. Our holiday production, directed by Lisa Woske, opens in a month! Have company in town for the holidays? Consider an evening out at the theatre. Good seats are still available (but won't be for long!) Get a group of tickets for your friends and family by clicking HERE.


Looking for a chance to get up on our stage? We're holding open auditions for A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, directed by Cynthia Anthony TONIGHT at the Little Theatre! All roles are opens and the rehearsal schedule is very light. Check out all of the audition details by clicking HERE. We're always looking for new faces to brighten up our stage. This is a wonderful, low-impact way to get involved. See you tonight.


We had a great photo shoot for The Santaland Diaries! This one man show, based on David Sedaris's popular story about his time as a Macy's Santaland Elf, will be playing Friday and Saturday evenings after Miracle on 34th Street. Tickets are only $20.00 for this hilarious evening of theatre (for mature audiences only.) Secure your very own Santaland experience by clicking HERE.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do to support our organization. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

-Kevin







Wednesday, October 16, 2013

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 WatergateMikayla 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.

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!)


Monday, October 14, 2013

INDEPENDENCE is in the final stretch, MIRACLE has its first stumblethrough, and AUDITIONS for all ages! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!



There were no performances at the Little Theatre this weekend, but, there was still a lot happening! The production team of Independence slammed through technical rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday and begin full dress rehearsals this evening! You will not want to miss this award-winning drama by Lee Blessing, directed by Suzy Newman. You can find out more about the play HERE. Check out the teaser trailer for our production by clicking HERE. Get your tickets for the opening weekend by clicking HERE.


Our holiday production of Miracle on 34th Street is beginning to come together. You'll love our children's choir and elf theatre! Director Lisa Woske has put together a top-notch cast and crew and tickets are already flying out the door! Get your family/friends together and get your tickets today. We all remember the CLASSIC MOVIE; not experience it LIVE ONSTAGE at the Little Theatre.



We have many opportunities for actors of all ages to get up onstage. For younger actors, check out our upcoming auditions for our Academy of Creative Theatre production of Pinocchio.This production class gives young performers a wonderful chance to be a part of a full theatrical production on the Little Theatre mainstage. Get all of the audition details by clicking HERE.

Looking for a low-commitment acting opportunity? Ubu's Other Shoe, the readers' theatre program at the Little Theatre, gives actors and technicians the chance to experience incredible plays with a minimal rehearsal period. Our next Ubu's auditions will take place on October 21. Click HERE for a full character breakdown and audition details.

Time is running out- become a season subscriber today!


See the remaining four mainstage production for as little as $77.00. Click HERE to explore the great benefits that only season subscribers enjoy. Don't miss a moment of our 67th anniversary season!

Thank you for your ongoing support of our organization! Have a wonderful week, everyone! See you on opening night!

-Kevin




Thursday, October 10, 2013

A DARK weekend this week means a GREAT opening night NEXT week! Declare INDEPENDENCE!


Bit by bit, nail by nail and wall by wall, the set for INDEPENDENCE is coming together! It truly is a marvel to see how set designer Dave Linfield does it. As you can see by the floral wallpaper used on the walls, INDEPENDENCE takes us back in time a few years and you're going to love the trip. Costumer Randon Pool has been spending many hours hitting the thrift stores and Prop Mistress Charlene Premer has been polishing up the china service. Next week, we'll see how the year 1985 looks live onstage.

Suzy Newman (Director), Makayla Dubois (Kess), Clara Jane Fulks (Sherry), Alicia Klein (Jo) and Jill Turnbow (Evelyn)
"You can't begin to work on a play about family without all of the same excitement and trepidation saved for a trip home for Thanksgiving."  ~ From the Director's Notes on Independence

Set in the small town of Independence, Iowa, this award-winning drama by the author of A Walk in the Woods and Fortinbras, is a story of family ties that bind...and sometimes strangle. Featuring four very talented local actresses -- Makayla Dubois, Clara Jane Fulks, Alicia Klein and Jill Turnbow -- and led by director Suzy Newman, Independence will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. In other words, this is the real deal. You don't want to miss this wonderful production!


INDEPENDENCE

by Lee Blessing | Directed by Suzy Newman
October 18-November 10
Fridays & Saturdays @ 7pm
Saturdays & Sundays @ 2pm

Thanks to our Show Sponsors
An Anonymous Theatre-Lover
Peak Electric, Tom Stollmeyer

MORE INFO & TICKETS




BREAK OUT YOUR ACTING CHOPS!
Director Cynthia Anthony is looking for 3 women and 2 men for the Ubu's Other Shoe staged reading of A Hotel on Marvin Gardens. Auditions will take place on Monday, October 21 at 6 pm here at the Little Theatre. This hilarious comedy by Nagle Jackson will hit the stage on December 17 & 18.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION


Have you marked your calendars yet for these November/ December shows? If not, do it NOW! (Click HERE for more information about our mainstage schedule.)  Every square inch of the theatre is jammed with actors rehearsing every night of the week and we're looking forward to a very jolly holiday season here at the Little Theatre. 

We all need a little break from the bad news out there, don't you think?  We hope you'll join us -- onstage or in the audience -- for live, local, life-affirming theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo. 


Finally, just a quick note of thanks to all of our Little Theatre members. Your generous donations are what keep your community theatre performing 44 out of 52 weekends every year. You can see a list of all of our generous member/donors right HERE.  And you can join them today by making your online donation right HERE.  Membership has many benefits, including free tickets, voting privileges, invitations to special events and more. Your tax-deductible gift to the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre is a gift to your community. Thanks for playing your part in making the magic happen.

Thanks again for listening and I hope to see you real soon, right here at the Little Theatre.
~Patty







Monday, October 7, 2013

THIRD challenges audiences, INDEPENDENCE moves into tech, it's beginning to sound a lot like MIRACLES, and SANTALAND begins rehearsals! This week at the Little Theatre!

Good afternoon friends of the Little Theatre!


Ubu's Other Shoe presented Third, the second staged reading of its 10th anniversary season. Congratulations to the cast and crew (including director Kerry-Ann Mayling) for bringing this though-provoking play to life on our stage. Check out these audience comments on the Little Theatre's facebook page:

"THIRD is brilliant! I don't go crazy about many plays but saw it tonight and the writing and performances were stellar. The play is funny, meaningful and packs a big heart under its cerebral exterior. Bravo to director Kerry Mayling. This is exactly the kind of play I'd like to see as a main stage production."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this second Ubu readers play this season. Great job by the actors and once again, a very effective staging for a 'readers' play. It left me thinking about the effects of academic liberal bias shown by Prof. Jameson, who described a student as 'a walking red state.' "

Don't miss another Ubu this year! Join us for a free talkback with the cast and crew after the first performance.


Independence is heading into technical rehearsals- everything is coming together beautifully! Suzy Newman, the director the Lee Blessing's drama, has put together a wonderfully intense, intimate production for our audiences. Independence is the second mainstage play of the Little Theatre's 67th anniversary season- opening night is less than two weeks away! Get your tickets instantly online by clicking HERE. Watch our teaser trailer for the play by clicking HERE.


Miracle on 34th Street is heading into it 2nd week of rehearsals- the halls of the Little Theatre are ringing with the sounds of the holidays!


Check out our musical director, John Laird, teaching the carols used in the production to our children's chorus. Tickets to Miracle are already going fast- don't miss your chance to see this classic holiday story live onstage at the Little Theatre. Get your tickets instantly online by clicking HERE. Click HERE to listen to a great song we're using in the production!


Artistic Director Kevin Harris will star in this remarkable one-man show based on the true chronicles of David Sedaris’ experience as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland display. This cult classic riffs on a few of Sedaris’ truly odd encounters with his fellow man during the height of the holiday crunch. David Sedaris is a well-known NPR humorist and the best-selling author of When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.  His tongue-in-cheek style will bring us just the right amount of "salty" after our "sweet" Christmas fantasy, Miracle on 34th Street. FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. Get your tickets online by clicking HERE.

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

-Kevin