THE KIWANIS OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY presents its fourth annual “;Improv Comes to Santa Maria”; benefit show featuring Mission Improvable July 19 at the Minerva Club, Santa Maria. Cost is $20. Info: 886-8355.
SKY WORLD POETRY SERIES presents poet Larry Harris of Redding, at 3 p.m., Saturday, July 26 at Cafe; Monet, 1555 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. Info: 720-6687 or tobola@verizon.net.
IMPROVISATIONAL HUMOR CLASS meets Mondays at the Santa Maria Town Center mall’s second-floor community room to teach theater games, comedy concepts, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?-style games from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Info: 886-8355.
BE INFORMED is a public access program looking for television production crew volunteers. The show will be taped every other Monday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Info: 937-6575 or 598-3511.
WORTH THE DRIVE
PCPA THEATERFEST presents its production of the musical Ragtime through July 26 at the Marian Theatre, Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria. Info: 922-8313 or pcpa.org.
VALLEY COMMUNITY THEATRE’s second Summer Actors’ Workshop will take place from 10 a.m.to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 in the Fireside Room at Bethania Church in Solvang. Cost is $20. Info: 686-5830.
KELRIK PRODUCTIONS presents its production of The Wizard of Oz through July 20 at the Spanos Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Cal Poly, SLO. Cost is $22.50 to $27.50. Info: 756-ARTS or pacslo.org.
THE SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE THEATRE GROUP presents its production of the Neil Simon comedy Rumors through July 26 in the Garvin Theatre on the Santa Barbara City College West Campus. Info: 965-5935.
THE GREAT AMERICAN MELODRAMA presents its production of Showdown at Slick Rock Ranch, followed by a musical vaudeville review through Sept. 20. A Witless Rogue shows at the melodrama along with a vaudeville review July 10 through Sept. 21. The Great American Melodrama is located on Highway 1, Oceano. Info: 489-2499 or americanmelodrama.com.
SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE, hosted by Steve Key, will feature Devin Wallace at 7 p.m. July 19 at Shepherd’s Table, 151 N. 7th St., Grover Beach. Guest performers include Paul Hobbs and Ish Moreno from Santa Maria, Pat Hull from Chico, SLO rock trio Each Passing Day, singer-drummer JoanMarie, and Grover Beach’s own Stephendipity. No cover charge, all ages welcome.
PCPA THEATERFEST presents Godspell through July 27 at the Solvang Festival Theatre, Solvang. The Heart’s Desire performs in repertory with Godspell at the Solvang Festival Theatre through July 26. Info: 922-8313 or pcpa.org.
MURDER IN MIND PRODUCTIONS presents its comical murder mystery/dinner theater, Pirates of Pirate’s Cove, Sundays at 5 p.m. through Aug. 31 at the Spyglass Inn Restaurant, 2703 Spyglass Drive, Shell Beach. Cost is $48.95. Info: 489-3875 or murderinmind.com.
THE CACHUMA LAKE NATURE CENTER presents its Evening Fireside Program Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. running through summer at the Nature Center’s Fireside Theater, Cachuma Lake. Cost is $8 for parking. Info: 688-4515
CENTRAL COAST PLAYERS presents an evening of comedy with local comedians at 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, every Saturday. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Refreshments are available. Admission is $5 at the door. Info: 543-0639.
THE CENTRAL COAST FOLLIES will hold auditions for children to perform in their sixth annual benefit for Parkinson’s research on July 27 at 2 p.m. at Dellos Dance Studio, 1030 Huston, in Grover Beach. Performance dates are October 9, 10, 11, and 12. Info: 474-1525.
THE PEWTER PLAYHOUSE presents “;The Belle of Amherst”; by William Luce on weekends through July 27. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 3 p.m. at the Playhouse, 824 Main St., in Cambria. Cost: $19 regular/$16 seniors, with a reduced price of $14 for Friday evenings and $12 for students at all shows. Info: 927-3877.
This article appears in Jul 17-24, 2008.