Little Shop of Horrors, is the show that redefined the meaning of plant food. This cult classic musical is an affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies.  Seymour, a nerdy flower shop assistant on Skid Row discovers a strange and unusual plant that looks like a cross between a venus flytrap and an avocado, and discovers that it only thrives when fed human blood.  And when the plant thrives, amazing things happen for the human who is providing the food.  Its appetite for blood is nearly insatiable and Seymour is torn between keeping the plant alive and his conscience.  Will he sell his soul to this bloodthirsty plant?

Little Shop’s music is in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop, and early Motown and includes several well-known tunes, including “Skid Row (Downtown)”, “Somewhere That’s Green,” and “Suddenly, Seymour.”  “Little Shop” provides chills, thrills, and lots of fun but is not recommended for children.

Little Shop of Horrors will play weekends from September 25 through October 30.  Ticket prices range from $12 to $17 and reservations may be made beginning September 7 by calling the box office at 661-799-2702.  The CTG is located at 24242 Main Street in Old Town Newhall.

Sleeping Beauty is based on the classic fairy tale that parents and children alike are familiar with, but this adaptation takes a much more humorous approach to the tale, while still telling the story of the beautiful princess who is cursed by the wicked fairy.

Audience members are encouraged to come in costume and be ready to participate in the fun.  There will be pre-show entertainment and the cast is available to participate in birthday parties (pending advance scheduling).  Call the theatre for information on group sales, Princess Parties, and the availability of patio parties.

Sleeping Beauty will have Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm on September 25, October 2, 3, 9, 16, 17, 23, 30 and 31.  There will be Sunday performances at 6:30 pm on September 26, October 10 and October 24.  Ticket prices range from $10 to $15.  Call the box office at (661) 799-2702.  The CTG is located at 24242 Main Street in Old Town Newhall.

Three women, using nothing but costumes, wigs, and props, guided the audience through their hilarious “educational” interpretation of Bible…The Old Testament in Act 1, and The New in Act 2.  The stage (The SCV Theatre Space – www.thescvspace.com), which is almost too intimate, actually worked with only three players, and the set (a large basket of props and a projection screen) was appropriately stark, allowing the energy of the characters to carry the show.

And indeed it did. Hannah Lively was so lively she practically dared the audience to keep up with her jokes, Beth Anne Sweetzer portrayed an ill-prepared ditz determined to contribute, and Tamarah Ashton-Coombs brought an air of “let’s do this right” to balance the insanity of the other two characters.  It should be noted that she was also the voice of God (an appreciated tongue-in-cheek choice from director Michael Davies).

The show was, overall, a delight.  Slapstick gags and rapid-fire costume changes made Biblical education enjoyable.  And while it would help to be familiar with the book before seeing the show (lest you miss the punch line of my favorite joke: stillness after announcing a skit about the funniest parts of Job), the jokes and themes are broad enough for anyone to appreciate them.

The costume designer, Patricia Casto, deserves commendation, as many of the laughs came purely from the way the actors were able to visually transform themselves.

My only issues were with line flubbing and pace.  Initially, I found characters owning up to botched lines charming (it made the experience seem more like a pleasant hang out with friends than a show, which was actually a plus in such a tiny space), but eventually found myself wishing it had been more rehearsed.  And the pace, which derailed with a too-trite-to-describe sing along of Noah’s Ark, was never fully recovered (an issue I wish the director would have fixed).

Sadly, I cannot recommend this show for the sole reason that it is no longer playing.  I caught it closing night (which speak more to a lack of marketing than it does to quality), and am glad I did.  The Upstart Crows have proven that they can produce quality theatre, and will be interested to see what the company does next.  I recommend checking their website for future shows.

Just off the Calgrove exit on the 5 Freeway, at 24255 The Old Road, is sleepy Towsley Canyon Park. Upon entering through the old wooden gates, there are two abandoned, earthquake damaged buildings and the remnants of what were once animal stalls. A thick layer of natural debris, leaves and branches cover the ground just opposite the dirt parking lot where those setting off on one of the beautiful trails of the canyon must first enter. This façade of decay, however, is soon to change, as the abandoned park will be Shakespeare‟s new home for the summer.

The Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival will have the honor of moving its annual “Shakespeare in the Park” performances to Towsley Canyon. Sets, lights, sound, actors and audience members will fill Towsley Canyon Park for three weekends in July with performances of The Tempest, directed by Mark McQuown.

“It is a wonderful location, and I believe that it is brimming with potential,” says David Stears, the executive director of the company. “This park is at the gateway to our community and a perfect location to hold events and festivals.”

Working with the City of Santa Clarita, as well as dozens of local businesses and volunteers, the Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival is clearing away years of debris and creating a temporary performance space for the production. The area not only needs to be cleared and leveled for audience seating, but will also have power brought in to allow for lights and sound, as well fencing for security. The Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival is reaching out to the community to make this project a reality.

“This new location will allow the festival to grow, and perhaps give other groups and festivals a new venue in our community”, says Stears. “Someday there may even be an amphitheatre.”

The Tempest opens July 17th, and runs Saturday and Sunday nights through August 1st. Towsley Canyon is easily accessible from all local freeways at 24255 The Old Road; exit Calgrove from the 5 Freeway. All performances are free, open to the public, and suitable for all ages. Bring the family and a blanket for an evening of fine performance and fare.

For more information about Shakespeare in the Park, or the company, please contact the Executive Director, David Stears at (661) 513-3538. Or at davidstears@scshakespearefest.org. For detailed directions to Towsley Canyon Park or information about the company, visit our website at: scshakespearefest.org or facebook.com/SCShakespeareFest

Towsley Canyon before the Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival.

Pericles, 2009

Penned by two of Broadway’s newest voices in Georgia Stitt and David Kirshenbaum, “Sing Me a Happy Song” is a contemporary musical revue about finding your heart in material times. With songs about modern-day relationships, searching for yourself on the Internet, striving to have everything but never having enough, love, family and your gay best friend, this five-character show is at once comic and poignant, smart and silly, emotional and timely.

The workshop production of “Sing Me a Happy Song” is being presented by the PAC and the COC theatre department, with student actors cast from the college’s course Theatre 193: Summer Theatre Workshop.

Performances will take place 8 p.m., Friday, July 9, and 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Saturday, July 10, in the PAC Black Box Theatre. General admission tickets are $15.

“Providing our students with the opportunity to participate in performing arts-based events like the Festival of New American Musicals is definitely one of our missions at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center,” said Adam Philipson, PAC managing director. “Working with Georgia and David to help shape their piece and debut it in our community is a great honor for us all.”

Running throughout the spring and summer months, the Festival of New American Musicals celebrates the return of the American musical by showcasing full productions, staged readings, concerts, master classes and other performance-based events in conjunction with performance arts organizations in cities across Southern California.

“With a cast of 28 talented singers and actors, the show will have a full and vibrant sound and promises to be one of the most exciting productions to be seen at COC,” said Andrea Slominski, COC adjunct theatre instructor and director of the production. “I encourage anyone who loves musical theatre to buy tickets now, as this show will sell out quickly.”

The PAC/COC theatre department workshop production of “Sing Me a Happy Song” is part of the college’s ongoing 40th Anniversary celebration.

To purchase tickets to “Sing Me a Happy Song” please call the PAC box office at (661) 362-5304 or visit www.canyonsPAC.com.

To learn more about the Festival of New American Musicals visit www.lafestival.org.

CINDERELLA

The Santa Clarita Ballet Company will present a sophisticated restaging of their original full-length ballet Cinderella. This well-known and beloved fairy tale is set to dance as one legendary lost slipper becomes a pointe shoe and the Prince’s ball becomes a dream of waltzing motion.

Breathtaking scenery and costuming provide a stunning backdrop to tell the story of Cinderella through ballet. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s rich and complex score, we will feature Company dancers accompanied by six guest artists. Among the professional dancers in this program is one of Santa Clarita Ballet Company’s accomplished alumni, Season Winquest who recently performed in Los Angeles at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with the Joffrey Ballet in their version of Cinderella. The audience is in for a real treat as we are very pleased to have Ms. Winquest on stage with us again.

This production is not one to be missed, and is an invaluable opportunity to experience an elite level of artistry equal to performances usually only found in greater metropolitan theaters.  This ballet will be highly engaging to audiences of all ages and ranges of experience with ballet.

SNOW WHITE
Sunday, June 13th, 2010
at 2:00 & 7:00pm

The Santa Clarita Ballet Company’s debut of Snow White an original, full-length ballet. This elaborate production will feature younger Company dancers and students from the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy. Beautifully designed costumes and enchanting sets will complement original choreography by Ms. Pam Sosa who previously choreographed SCBC’s original work for Alice in Wonderland in 2008.

Set to prominent compositions from the renowned ballet Faust, audiences of all ages will enjoy the story of Snow White told through the artistry of ballet. Amusing woodland creatures will scamper about as the lovely princess engages seven whimsical dwarfs in merriment and adventure.

Pricing and location information after the jump!

Presented at: College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center
26455 Rockwell Canyon – Santa Clarita, CA 91355
SEATING CHART

Tickets on sale May 1st
Ticket Prices:
Adults: $28, $26
Children under 10: $24
Seniors 65 & over: $24

Please call: 661 251-0366
or visit our box office at:
26798 Oak Ave.
Santa Clarita 91351

Monday-Thursday 3:00pm-6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm

Free admission unless noted otherwise. Programs are subject to change.
For more events, go to: http://www.calarts.edu/events.

Partch: Even Wild Horses @ REDCAT
Jun 2-3 2010 8:30 pm
REDCAT: Outfitted with an amazing array of custom-built microtonal instruments, the ensemble directed by John Schneider continues its ongoing survey of the profound music of Harry Partch. The group’s performances at REDCAT this year include Partch’s Even Wild Horses–Dance Music for an Absent Drama and Cloud Chamber, his friend and fellow maverick Lou Harrison’s Canticle #3, the West Coast debut of Anne LeBaron’s Southern Ephemera, and Madeline Tourtelot’s Rotate the Body in All Its Planes.
See: http://www.redcat.org/event/partch-0 ($)

CAP/ArtsCOOL Program Screening @ REDCAT
Jun 4 2010 10 am
REDCAT: Students from 5 continuation high schools throughout Los Angeles present new short videos and animations made in the CAP/ArtsCOOL Program’s digital media classes. The program is a collaboration between CAP and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
See: http://www.redcat.org/event/capartscool

Dance Camera West @ REDCAT
Jun 4 2010 8 pm
Jun 5 2010 6 pm & 8 pm
REDCAT: Focusing on the intersection of choreography and cinematography, the annual Dance Camera West festival offers a rich selection of some of the most thrilling dance for camera and dance media works made around the world today. The festival returns to REDCAT with all-new programs of experimental shorts as part of its monthlong celebration of dance film at venues across Los Angeles.
See: http://www.redcat.org/event/dance-camera-west-1 ($)

CAP/Sony Pictures Media Arts Program Screening @ REDCAT
Jun 5 2010 2 pm
REDCAT: Middle and high school students in the CAP/Sony Pictures Media Arts Program present a slate of animation and new media works.
See: http://www.redcat.org/event/capsony-pictures

Never Very Far Apart @ REDCAT
Continuing through Jun 27 2010
Tue-Sun noon-6 pm or intermission
Closed Mondays
REDCAT: The group exhibition Never Very Far Apart brings together six projects that cross the poetic and political ground between the individual and the group; the local and the global; this moment in time and that place in history. Through performance, moving image, painting and printed matter, these artists explore distance as both border and bridge—considering how a finite position may parallel or intersect with seemingly disparate places or distant times.
See: http://www.redcat.org/exhibition/never-very-far-apart

When lovers cross with mischievous sprites in a magical forest, nothing is how it appears. Deliciously dark and entertaining, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will presents an intoxicating blend of mortals, mechanicals and faeries — all thrown together in one place at one time.

With a plotline resembling a modern day soap opera or reality dating show, along with a cast of some of Shakespeare’s most popular characters, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” has been hailed for centuries as one of the world’s greatest romantic comedies.

“‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is a feast for the eyes and the ears! This is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible plays, and our interpretation will be appropriate for all ages,” said Paul Wickline, chair of the college’s theatre department.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will run:

·     8 p.m. Friday, May 21
·     2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 22
·     2 p.m., Sunday, May 23.

All performances will be held on the PAC main stage. General admission is $10 or $5 for COC students and seniors.

The College of the Canyons theatre department’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is part of the college’s ongoing 40th Anniversary celebration.

To purchase tickets to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” please call the PAC box office at (661) 362-5304 or visit www.canyonsPAC.com.

The Repertory East Playhouse proudly presents the musical-comedy The Wedding Singer as part of its 2010 Main Stage season, Sponsored by Friedman and Thompson and Co.

The Wedding Singer, takes us back to 1985 where rock-star wannabe Robbie Heart is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. He’s the life of the party, until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. With a brand new score that pays loving homage to the pop songs of the 1980′s, The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room.

“Our Managing Director, Mikee Schwinn and I have been waiting for two years to produce and direct this musical together, and it’s finally coming to our stage!” says Artistic Director, Ovington Michael Owston.  “It’s going to be a great production, and it’s sure to sell out, so people need to order their tickets early.”

The Wedding Singer opens on Friday, May 21, with an Opening Night Gala at 7:00pm and curtain at 8:00pm. Opening Night Gala is sponsored by Forester Landscaping with food sponsored by RSVP Catering and wine by Engelmann Cellars. OPENING NIGHT IS SOLD OUT!

Mix and mingle with other patrons of The REP before the show in the Hydeaway Lounge: the Rep’s cool, new, full-service cocktail lounge. The Hydeaway Lounge opens one hour before every performance, and is the perfect place to meet new friends and enjoy a cocktail before the show.

The REP will host post show discussions immediately following each Sunday Matinee. Join the cast and crew for an intimate discussion about the process of creating live theatre.

The Wedding Singer will run through June 19. Show times are Friday and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. This show will SELL OUT!

Advanced reservations are highly recommended. Tickets are $19 for Adults and $17 for students and seniors. Group rates are available. For tickets, purchase online at www.repeastplayhouse.org or call 661-288-0000. The Repertory East Playhouse is located at 24266 Main Street in Newhall, CA. 91321.