Step backstage with the folks behind the Great American Melodrama in preparation for its 50th anniversary celebration later this summer. Since 1975, the Oceano theater has brought talent from near and far to its stage, and the venue has managed to not only stay afloat but to thrive, thanks to its property investments and its snack bar. No joke—those nachos, beers, and popcorn fund the payroll. Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood talks with the Melodrama’s owners, managers, and mainstays for this week’s cover story [6]
Also this week, read about the former Orcutt business owner’s sentencing for defrauding senior citizens [3]; an Indigenous artist who illustrates her Mexican heritage [16]; and the citrusy margaritas and more at Pour Decisions in Lompoc [20]
HELP SUPPORT OUR MISSION
Beth Siegling (left) and Annaliese Chambers (right) are among the stars of the Great American Melodrama’s production of Less Miserable, onstage now through June 14.
•Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) recognized the Immigrant Legal Defense Center as the California Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 37 on May 21. This recognition was part of the Legislature’s annual California Nonprofits Day, a statewide effort honoring the vital role that nonprofit organizations play in California communities, according to Hart’s office. Founded in Santa Barbara County, the Immigrant Legal Defense Center provides pro bono legal services to immigrants facing deportation, while ensuring that no one stands alone in immigration court. Through advocacy, direct representation, and civil rights education, Immigrant Legal Defense Center promotes equal access to justice and helps individuals and families navigate an often-intimidating legal system with dignity.
“The Immigrant Legal Defense Center is a vital part of our community’s support network,” Hart said in a statement. “Their commitment to justice, fairness, and dignity for all reflects the very best of what nonprofit service can be. I’m proud to honor Immigrant Legal Defense Center for their exceptional work and unwavering advocacy on behalf of immigrant families.” Julissa Peña , executive director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Center, said that the nonprofit is “deeply honored to receive this recognition” from Hart. “We believe that every family deserves safety, every child deserves stability, and every person deserves to be treated with dignity, regardless of where they were born. This work is not possible without the trust of the communities we serve and the support of leaders like Assemblymember Hart who stand with us in the fight for justice,” Peña stated. “This recognition strengthens our resolve to keep showing up, to keep defending, and to keep believing in a future where fairness and compassion lead the way.” Recognizing the essential role nonprofits play in delivering frontline services, Hart authored AB 1039—a bill aimed at improving equity in state grantmaking. If enacted, AB 1039 would require all funding opportunities listed on grants.ca.gov to offer up to 25 percent in advance payments on approved contracts and grants, reducing financial barriers that often prevent nonprofits from launching critical services, according to Hart’s office.
• On May 22, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) released a statement in response to the House of Representatives’ passage of the Republican reconciliation bill. The bill contains extreme and unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, his office said. The proposal demands slashing at least $880 billion from programs under the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is “impossible without devastating cuts to Medicaid,” according to Carbajal’s office. The budget also mandates about $300 billion in cuts to programs under the House Agriculture Committee. “Today, House Republicans passed their heartless bill to rip away health care and food assistance from millions of Americans—working families, seniors, children, and veterans—to give big tax breaks to billionaires,” Carbajal said in the May 22 statement. “As the bill heads to the Senate, Democrats will continue to stand up for the American people because our values are clear: we protect health care, support working families, and champion a fair and just America.”
• Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) issued a statement on May 22 in response to the deadly shooting involving two staff members of the Israeli Embassy outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. “My heart is with the families and loved ones of the two Israeli Embassy workers whose lives were tragically taken in Washington, D.C.,” Addis stated. “This type of violence is always wrong. … The alarming rise of antisemitism cannot go unanswered. We must take this seriously and work to root out antisemitism and hate everywhere it exists.” m
Orcutt investment pro sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding elderly clients
Convicted of stealing more than $2.2 million over the course of seven years, a former financial advisor based in Orcutt will face a prison sentence of more than three times the amount her attorney argued for.
On May 19, U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II sentenced Julie Darrah to serve 121 months—a little more than 10 years—in federal prison for defrauding past investors, many of whom were elderly or in end-of-life care at the time, between 2016 and 2023.
Her confinement begins on Aug. 19, according to court documents. Darrah pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in March while free on a $50,000 bond. Prior to Wright’s recent ruling, Darrah’s attorney, Edward Robinson, sought a 36-month sentence.
The judge ultimately agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry Quinn’s recommendation of 121 months.
“This is a heart-wrenching, devastating case, and there is no happy ending. [Darrah] deserves a lengthy prison sentence and no mercy from this court,” Quinn wrote in a memorandum.
“She preyed on elderly victims’ desire for human connection, convincing them they could trust her like a daughter, and she then abused that trust and stole their money.”
With a former office on Clark Avenue in Old Town Orcutt, Darrah’s investment advisory business, Vivid Financial Management Inc., was the starting point of her scheme, according to court documents.
After obtaining control of some of the firm’s clients’ assets, Darrah liquidated her victims’ security holdings and transferred the proceeds to her own separate accounts, according to court records. She also convinced some victims to sign documents that either made her the trustee or a signatory on their bank accounts or gave her power of attorney over certain brokerage accounts.
In Darrah’s defense, attorney Robinson argued that his client had “compelling mitigating personal history and characteristics” that impacted her “behavior in this case,” he stated in court documents.
“Her desperate need for maternal affirmance created the opportunity for this crime,” Robinson wrote. “Appearing before this court is a 52-yearold woman with no criminal history who suffered terrible abuse at the hands of her mother. … As a child, Ms. Darrah’s mother resented her. Her mother’s choosing alcohol and men over her, highlighted by the cruelty and abandonment, certainly affected Ms. Darrah and had some causal connection to this case.”
Robinson stated that Darrah is “deeply remorseful for her behavior,” and has actively been
selling “most of her assets in an effort to make restitution to the elderly victims.”
The attorney noted in a May 6 memorandum that there is currenlty more than $1 million set aside for restitution.
The Sun reached out to Darrah’s attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinn for additional comments but didn’t receive responses before press time.
According to court documents, Darrah used money she stole from clients to pay personal expenses, buy “luxury vehicles,” and help fund various business ventures. She was a former coowner of coffee shop Cups and Crumbs, now under new ownership, and permanently closed deli The Homestead, both in Orcutt.
In 2020, Darrah’s investment advisory firm won the Sun’s Best of Northern Santa Barbara County poll in the category of Best Financial Planner/ Accountant.
“Everything we do is built around creating a positive experience for our clients,” Darrah said in an August 2020 statement. “It truly is an honor to have the community vote your business as the best.”
Judge Wright will schedule a restitution hearing on a later date, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
—Caleb Wiseblood
Santa Barbara Supervisors prepare for next potential pandemic
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to prepare for the next pandemic on May 20.
In response to the 2024-25 Santa Barbara County grand jury’s March 10 report that identified a need for the county Health Department to develop a proactive approach to the next potential epidemic, board members Laura Capps, Roy Lee, and Joan Hartmann—the only members in attendance—all voted to support pandemic preparations at the meeting.
“Another epidemic in Santa Barbara County is not merely a possibility—it is an inevitability,” the grand jury wrote in its report, titled “Is The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department Prepared for the Next Epidemic?”
“The emergence of new infectious agents that may cause devastating outbreaks is occurring at an alarming rate. The 2024-2025 grand jury has identified shortcomings in Santa Barbara County’s readiness for a new epidemic,” the report states.
“Our county must adopt a proactive approach to preparedness.”
Public Health Director Dr. Mouhanad Hammami said the department actively monitors global, national, and statewide viral variants for trends, risks, and mutations that could potentially cause the next outbreak. He said the Health Department also receives biweekly updates from the California Department of Public Health
[CDPH] on emerging threats.
It may not be feasible to develop a response plan for every known bacteria and virus existing in the world, but the county department has policies in place to address some specific pathogens like anthrax or hepatitis A, Hammami said.
He said that Public Health Officer Doctor Henning Ansorg meets biweekly with Theiagen Genomics to discuss the genetic makeup of disease-causing organisms in California and with the CDPH’s Clinical Laboratory Technology Advisory Committee to analyze forecasts of potential emerging viruses.
Last June, the Public Health Department implemented a countywide infectious disease emergency response plan with a tiered-risk profile for known pathogens of concern, Hammami said.
“The [infectious disease emergency response] plan is flexible and scalable to meet the needs of multiple pathogens,” he said during the supervisors’ meeting. “We also have a mass dispensing plan for vaccinations, prophylaxis, and testing and a continuity of operations plan that ensures sustainable operations during a disaster or disease outbreak.”
The Health Department uses surveillance tools like the California Immunization Registry for monitoring circulating diseases, but Santa Barbara County residents would benefit from more comprehensive software to detect potential epidemic risks earlier, Hammami said.
So, per the grand jury’s recommendation, the Health Department will join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Syndromic Surveillance Program, hopefully before the end of the year, Hammami said, giving the county access to a much more extensive database to monitor public health threats.
He said Santa Barbara also has an infectious disease task team representing each hospital in Santa Barbara County that meets quarterly to discuss epidemic preparedness.
“Additionally, we coordinate and lead the Santa Barbara County Disaster Healthcare Partners Coalition, which meets monthly to incorporate infectious disease preparedness topics,” Hammami said.
“Looking in the rearview mirror on COVID,” board chairwoman 2nd District Supervisor Capps said she was concerned that “so much disarray at the top of the CDC” might affect Santa Barbara’s local public health system.
County Health Officer Ansorg said the CDC continues funding wastewater testing and its National Syndromic Surveillance Program remains robust, despite disputes between leaders and federal politicians that have been appearing in national news.
“I’m hopeful that it will continue in the same fashion, but we’re always prepared to pivot and go more regional,” Ansorg said. “Believe it or not, even our state health department has a lot of red tape and is much, much slower than we sometimes would need to be.”
Ansorg said he’s trying to develop an approach to communicating with counties throughout the region about viruses spreading.
“Potential pandemic viruses don’t care about county limitations,” he said. “If it’s in Ventura or Los Angeles, it’s here. We have to collaborate with those counties, and we do.”
—Reece Coren
Planned Parenthood’s Central Coast workers approve strike
Planned Parenthood clinics in Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, and Oxnard are poised to stop services until management improves labor practices contributing to high turnover rates.
“We’ve heard a few different things from staff who have quit recently,” Planned Parenthood staff physician Mike Solemar said. “Some of the most
HOMETOWN FELON: Clark Avenue in Old Town Orcutt (pictured) was home to three of Julie Darrah’s business ventures. On May 19, a federal judge sentenced the former Orcutt business owner and financial advisor to 10 years in prison for wire fraud. Two of Darrah’s businesses are permanently closed, while one recently reopened under new ownership after a two-year closure.
common reasons are that they don’t feel listened to by their supervisors, that they don’t feel adequately compensated for the hard work that they do, especially working evenings and weekend shifts.”
Solemar’s home clinic is in Ventura, but he travels to most of Planned Parenthood California Central Coast’s six locations. His work includes providing vasectomies in SLO and soon in Santa Maria and abortions in Thousand Oaks.
The decision to strike germinated from an internal informational town hall about a strike vote organized earlier in May. An email to union members—front-line health care workers— containing an electronic ballot followed. A week later, results showed that 91 percent of 98 union members voted to strike.
“That’s essentially all of our members that are not on maternity leave or on some other form of leave,” Solemar said.
A strike vote doesn’t immediately guarantee a strike but authorizes the bargaining team to call for one. The workers haven’t yet set a date for the strike, and services at the Central Coast clinics were active as of May 27.
“When a date is set, we will give a minimum 10-day notice before the actual day or days of the strike,” union spokesperson Tom Parker told the Sun via email. “We do have another bargaining session on May 29, so it’s possible that new news will come out of that meeting.”
Allegedly dissatisfied with management, several Planned Parenthood employees have reportedly quit to accept jobs with better workplace conditions and stronger health insurance. As a result, Central Coast clinics have become shortstaffed, according to Solemar, who’s also the program director for gender-affirming care.
Recently, he saw a patient who came to their appointment upset because they had a three-week gap in their hormone therapy.
“We were booked out four weeks, and so they
had to wait and ended up with a gap in their hormones,” Solemar said. “It is very distressing, and it undoes a lot of the work they had done in their transition, and I was very frustrated, because I pride myself on providing high-quality care.”
He said he wants Planned Parenthood management to bargain in good faith so that turnover rates can be reduced and patients get the care they deserve. While the full list of demands is being ironed out, Solemar added that workers are advocating to receive higher extra pay for evening and weekend shifts.
A May 12 press release stated that Planned Parenthood’s leadership has ignored calls to bargain in good faith, forcing workers to take action. But the Central Coast region’s president and CEO, Jenna Tosh, disagreed in a statement sent to the Sun. Tosh said that Planned Parenthood has participated in more than a dozen bargaining sessions with the union.
“Throughout those sessions, we have maintained a respectful and productive working relationship, which has allowed us to make great progress,” Tosh said. “In fact, we have reached tentative agreements on 15 items.”
Tosh said that leadership learned through social media that the union decided to conduct a strike authorization vote. She added that the union hasn’t issued the written 10-day strike notice yet, which is required before a health care strike.
According to Tosh, Planned Parent California Central Coast’s clinics have better turnover rates compared to industry standards.
“We are transparent about our hours when hiring and consider our full schedule when determining base pay,” Tosh said. “Additionally, our contract proposal includes 12 percent to 17 percent in pay raises over the three years of the contract, as well as an increase in minimum wage, differential pay for employees who float to different centers and cover shifts.” m
—Bulbul Rajagopal
Joseph Nunez, M.D.
Shane Rostermundt, D.O.
Michele Kielty, D.O.
Ryan Leachman,
’Built differently’
Samantha McDonald graduates Righetti High School and Allan Hancock College simultaneously
BY REECE COREN
Samantha McDonald was 13 years old when the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm, forcing schools across the United States to pivot from in-person to virtual learning sessions. Then a seventh grader, Samantha suddenly discovered she had a lot of free time for the first time in her young life.
Most kids that age would use the time to sleep or play video games. Or they’d scroll social media or look for a show to stream.
Not Samantha.
An older friend wanted to take a class at Allan Hancock College, so Samantha asked her parents if she could too. After getting approval from them and Hancock administration, Samantha enrolled in Dance 101, even though her friend ended up not taking the class.
“I had so much fun,” she said. “I asked my mom if I could take another one, and then it just kept going from there.”
On May 20, Samantha turned 18. On June 12, she will graduate from Ernest Righetti High School at the top of her class with a 4.7 GPA. On May 23, she graduated from Hancock with associate degrees in math and science, arts and humanities, and behavioral sciences.
Dubbed “baby Sammy” by classmates at Hancock, Samantha is also involved in so many clubs, she said she sometimes has to write their names down just to remember them. Some of the organizations she’s involved with at Righetti include the California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society, Early Academic Outreach Program, Key Club, and ASTRA—a community service organization.
This year, along with playing varsity tennis, working as a ranch hand, and riding horses competitively, Samantha is also an Elks Rodeo Queen candidate, fundraising for Children’s Resource and Referral of Santa Barbara County to provide basic needs for foster children from newborns to teenagers. This upcoming fall,
Samantha will attend the University of San Francisco to study nursing, a calling she found while caring for her grandmother.
When she was 10, Samantha joined Vineyard 4-H, a youth development organization. She raised chickens and lambs as one of several projects for which she volunteered.
So when she got to Righetti and joined Future Farmers of America, Samantha was already prepared for the requirement to raise another lamb.
“Raising a lamb is a lot of fun,” she said. “You get to learn about time management, responsibility, and taking care of something other than yourself.”
She doesn’t just raise lambs. Since she was in eighth grade, Samantha has also been raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, another passion she developed during the pandemic.
“I get these puppies when they’re 8 weeks, and I have them until they’re about 16 months old—that’s when they go back to San Rafael for their formal guide work training,” Samantha said. “During the time I have them, it’s my job to make sure they have proper socialization, good house manners, and basic obedience skills.”
On May 4, Samantha’s fourth and most recent puppy, Etienne, returned to San Rafael for formal guide work training.
Holding back tears, Samantha’s mother, Mandy, said she was incredibly proud of her daughter for becoming a leader and role model at such a young age. She said Samantha’s 16-year-old brother and 15-year-old sister now both take college courses at Hancock, thanks to their big sister’s inspiration.
“I was nothing like that in high school,” Mandy said. “I don’t know what [my husband and I] did, but I’ll take it.”
On top of everything else, Samantha always ensures she devotes enough energy to her two special-needs cats, Malti and Rollo.
“I don’t know how I’ve gotten so lucky to be able to say she’s my daughter,” Mandy said. “From day one, she was just built differently.”
She added that she’s aware some adults will say that Samantha’s missed out on her youth.
“In Sam’s case, … I don’t feel like she’s missed out,” Mandy said, “and, more importantly, she doesn’t feel like she’s missed out.”
Highlight
• Hollister Ranch will hold a family beach day for Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center members on May 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A free shuttle service will depart from the Dunes Center around 9 a.m. Bring the kids to enjoy an exciting day of fun in the sun. This private beach day is exclusively for Dunes Center members and their families. The center is located at 1065 Guadalupe St. Call (805) 343-2455 for more information. Learn more about the Hollister Ranch Preserve, located in Gaviota, at hollisterranch.org. m
SAM’S LAMB: Samantha McDonald, 18, poses with a lamb she raised for FFA, a passion she developed at the age of 10.
Party like it’s 1975
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Flanked by unmarked gravestones, vampire coffins, and headless mannequins, scenic carpenter Martin Ramirez stands inside a two-story building on the north end of the Great American Melodrama’s parking lot.
He’s one of the employees who breathes fresh life into the theater’s archive department on a regular basis. His workspace across from the theater preserves oodles of props, costumes, and custom-built set components. Some are as old and kooky as the Oceano staple itself.
On the eve of the theater’s 50th anniversary, Ramirez took on the recent task of completing some new set backgrounds in preparation for How the West Was Really Won. The show opens on June 20.
“It’s really surreal seeing this stuff come to life on stage,” Ramirez said as he sanded a wooden silhouette of a cactus before moving on to some saloon-style shutters.
Just around the corner from Ramirez’s woodworking area,
there’s cowboy hats, boots, and other period-appropriate attire that screams yeehaw for the upcoming show’s performers to adorn. Upstairs, there’s a stash of prop pistols and rifles to pull from, Melodrama artistic director Johnny Keating said.
“Basically, you need horses and guns,” Keating said, adding that they are some of the mainstays that the Melodrama’s fanbase looks forward to year after year. Each season usually includes at least one Western, with heroic gunslingers to cheer for and conniving villains to boo and hiss at.
When Keating first worked for the Melodrama as an actor in 2008, he saw a motto written in marker somewhere backstage that sums up the theater’s endgame each night: “A hot dog in every hand and a laugh per minute.”
Since its first run during the summer of 1975, the Melodrama has been a haven for anyone craving a night of family-friendly cabaret with a hot dog or two— and maybe some nachos and popcorn—paired with a cold beer or soda.
Co-founder Anet Carlin said that the snack bar was there from the beginning.
of things had to go right to reach this milestone, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted.
“It is unbelievable how hard it is to open a theater,” said Carlin, who also co-founded Templeton’s Blazing Horse Feathers, a shortlived venture she essentially described as a Melodrama clone.
The Templeton venue opened in 1991 but closed within two years after the space Carlin and her partners rented came under new ownership.
“Somebody bought the building, and we didn’t have the right kind of lease,” Carlin said. “So they just threw us out.”
When Carlin and Schlenker came across the Oceano property they wanted for the Melodrama, they entered a lease as renters in the early ’70s. But the duo was eventually able to split the cost of buying the land, Carlin said.
In 1988, Schlenker and his wife, Lynne, became the sole owners of the Melodrama when Carlin sold her share. Like Carlin, Lynne isn’t sure what the Melodrama’s future would have been if its founders had decided to continue paying rent on the site for all this time.
“I think it was a wise investment,” Lynne said.
The Melodrama’s stewards have faced similar crossroads over the years where they decided to embrace investments rather than stick with the status quo. Luckily, time has shown those risks weren’t in vain, said Lynne, whose quirky and thriving theater once reimagined Mamma Mia! as a love story between a Pismo clam and a seagull.
Chewing the scenery
Perched on a towering platform, a large-scale dragon keeps a watchful eye over the Melodrama’s treasure trove of costumes and stage props inside the venue’s neighboring building.
Prop figures and busts of horses and other animals keep the lone dragon company, but Melodrama managing director Stacy Halvorsen suggested that there may have been multiple dragons guarding the two-story facility at some point.
“I need to stop bringing stray dragons home,” Halvorsen said with a laugh.
In the grand scheme of the Melodrama’s history, this storage building is a fairly new development.
After decades of renting space about a mile from the theater for storage, Lynne and her husband decided it would pay off in the long run to develop a 12,000-square-foot structure on the property they already owned.
“It cost $1.5 million [to build], but it’s worth way more than that now,” Lynne said.
Prior to the facility’s completion in 2018, the Melodrama’s owners paid monthly rent for three storage units on Pike Street in Oceano. Those fees weren’t the only periodic costs attached to this arrangement, Halvorsen explained.
“In between shows, they had to rent U-Hauls and haul everything over, back and forth,” Halvorsen said. “The props and the costumes and the scenics.”
“We had this real old refrigerator from the ’30s, and you could get four barrels of beer in there,” Carlin recalled. “I bought a popcorn machine, and one by one we added more food. And everything would sell.”
Carlin and fellow cofounder John Schlenker’s decision to serve food and drinks right out of the gate wasn’t about making extra cash. That revenue literally keeps the theater afloat, Carlin explained.
“The concessions pay payroll. Not the admission,” Carlin said. “The admission is covering the cost of operating— creating the scenery and paying all the auxiliary people that have to deal with that. And then the bar covers payroll.”
Reflecting on the Melodrama’s 50th year in business, Carlin said that a lot
BETWEEN THE LINES: In the Great American Melodrama’s rehearsal space, different colored tape patterns on the floor correspond to walls, curtains, and other barriers at the theater’s main stage, artistic director Johnny Keating said.
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
HORSING AROUND: During a typical work week, Johnny Keating, the Great American Melodrama’s artistic director, has access to a virtually endless number of stage props, masks, costumes, witches’ broomsticks, regular broomsticks, and giant baseball bats.
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: In 2018, the Melodrama spent more than $1 million to construct a two-story building to store its various props, costumes, set decorations, and archives, and serve as a new rehearsal space for performers.
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
Having a separate building dedicated to the Melodrama’s behind-the-scenes action came with non-monetary benefits as well, especially for the company’s performers and dance choreographers, artistic director Keating said.
On the building’s second level, there’s a large patch of floorspace—seemingly vacant from a distance, minus one piano—that stands out from the rest of the facility, which is crowded with countless antique store-style aisles of props and clothes.
A closer look at the clutterless area reveals different colored tape marking various outlines along the floor. This specific space is reserved for show rehearsals, and the tape mimics certain barriers that correspond to the Melodrama’s main stage.
In the past, Melodrama actors relied solely on the main stage for practiced run-throughs, Halvorsen said.
“[Actors] used to rehearse on the stage during the day, and then the show was there at night, so the stage manager was having to move everything on and off the stage,” she explained.
“We never saw daylight,” Keating added. Plus, there are big wide windows in the current space for natural sunlight, something the Melodrama’s main stage can’t offer, Keating said.
The neighboring building’s rehearsal area also has ample space to move large rolling mirrors whenever needed, which especially helps with dance numbers. The reflections make it easier for a show’s choreographer to keep track of everyone in the ensemble, and the dancers to keep track of themselves too.
“The rolling mirrors are killer for choreography,” Keating said. “They just make the choreography so much cleaner.”
Talent scouting
Like many artists the Melodrama attracts, Keating is a California transplant. His career’s colored with performing arts gigs in Arizona, Florida, Washington, and other states.
After relocating from Minnesota to Oceano in 2008 to act in his first Melodrama show, he became fast friends with his peers at the company offstage, partly thanks to their living situation.
The Melodrama’s inclusive housing, offered as part of the company’s contracts with actors and creative team members since the theater’s inception, allows artists traveling from afar to jump right into a production’s rehearsal period without worrying about finding a place to stay.
From the Melodrama’s beginning, the company’s lodging options have always been within walking distance of the theater, since a lot of out-of-area talent would fly or bus in “without cars,” Melodrama co-owner Lynne said.
Lynne and her husband currently own two properties—a fivebedroom house and a three-bedroom condo—they’ve designated to house Melodrama employees.
During the theater’s early years, however, the couple rented a handful of different spots in Oceano where they offered housing to employees. Staying on brand with an optimistic and costeffective outlook, the pair bought the three-bedroom condo about 30 years ago. Less than a decade later, they purchased the five-bedroom house.
Between the two properties, Melodrama managing director Halvorsen said that local talent also regularly use the company’s housing.
Some Melodrama regulars have taken advantage of the option periodically over several years, and they’ve experienced different iterations of either household—comparing it to different seasons of a reality show. Billy Breed is one such actor.
Born and raised in West Virginia, Breed lent his acting and dancing skills to theaters in New York, Tennessee, and other states before first stepping onto the Great American Melodrama’s stage in the late ’90s.
After a few shows with the company, he ventured to Illinois. But he couldn’t get the Central Coast out of his head and returned about five years later to work with the Melodrama again.
“They’re like a theatrical family, and a very unique theater in what they do,” said Breed, a recognizable face for anyone who’s been to a Melodrama, PCPA, or SLO REP show in the past two decades.
Later this summer, Breed will join other notable figures in the Melodrama’s pantheon to begin rehearsals for the theater’s 50th anniversary celebration, described as a song, dance, and comedy showcase with selected
highlights from past years’ productions. Performances open on Aug. 8 and will run through Sept. 20.
The people Breed’s collaborated with and befriended via the local theater community are a big part of what’s kept him here for so long, he said. But what really drew him back to the area after living in Chicago wasn’t related to theater at all, Breed admitted.
“Chicago is a great working actors’ town. But I thought, ‘I cannot stand these winters,’” Breed said with a laugh.
Channeling that chilly attitude comes in handy whenever Breed gets to play Ebenezer Scrooge, the role he’s most frequently reprised during his time with the Melodrama, as part of the theater’s annual winter production, The Holiday Extravaganza
If Breed ever gets a real-life visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past, it might take him back to Christmas Eve 2008. He was staying in the same cast house as Keating at the time.
“We had a lovely dinner, and all of us brought our mattresses into the living room like a sleepover and had a fire in the fireplace,” Keating recalled. “We all had waffles in the morning. That’s a really clean, sweet version of all the wild times we had there.”
Keating said that the Melodrama’s newest actors, many in their 20s or 30s, seem “much more subdued” than past generations who’ve used the housing. Melodrama managing director Halvorsen agreed.
“They’re not drinkers or real big partiers,” Halvorsen said. “The only problems that come up are like, ‘Oh, we need another controller to play Mario Kart.’”
One day before rehearsals started for the theater’s current production, a spoof of Les Misérables aptly named Less Miserable (onstage now through June 14), first-time Melodrama actor Madeline Gambon unpacked her belongings in the cast house she’s staying at.
“It’s been really lovely so far. We’re all cool with each other,” said Gambon, originally from Ventura County. “It’s very nice because I like being able to come home and know that I’ll be able to hibernate in my space of need or that we can all hang out. We’ll chill in our rooms but we’re willing to chill with each other.”
Gambon’s first impression of the Melodrama once her work on Less Miserable began was: “This place is a well-oiled machine.” Keating hired Gambon for the Melodrama after meeting her through the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions program, which was also Breed’s gateway into the Melodrama back in 1998.
Another thing Gambon and Breed have in common is they’re not immune to snack bar cravings after most shows.
“I’ll just snack on whatever’s available at the end of the night,” Gambon said. “There tends to be a couple baked potatoes, and nacho cheese, and the chips.” m
Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood is grabbing extra jalapeños. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
SANDING THE SALOON: Scenic carpenter Martin Ramirez recently worked on new set components for the Melodrama’s upcoming production of How the West Was Really Won
PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
KNEE SLAPPING: The Great American Melodrama’s current production of Less Miserable marked actor Madeline Gambon’s first time working with the company.
COURTESY PHOTO BY JENNIFER “Z” ZORNOW
WHERE THERE’S A BILL: Billy Breed has performed in dozens of Great American Melodrama productions and vaudeville revues over the past two-plus decades. He’s worked with the local theater on and off since 1998.
COURTESY PHOTO BY JENNIFER “Z” ZORNOW
What’s your favorite type of summer fun?
43% Anything in the arts—festivals, plays, concerts, etc.
29% Everything related to food and drink.
14% Family vacations!
14% All the outdoor adventures—hiking, biking, surfing, beaches, etc.!
7 Votes
Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
Northern Santa Barbara County’s News & Entertainment Weekly 801 S Broadway Suite 3 Santa Maria, CA 93454
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Cold War stories
Reflections on the team spirit that fuels the Air Force
BY RON FINK
Old guys like me like to tell “war stories” about their military service, stories you never heard about on the news; I am no different.
Like hundreds of thousands of military members, in 1976 I was chosen to serve a oneyear “remote” tour of duty—that means that you don’t take your family with you, only your uniforms and very few personal items.
Located 200 miles west of Elmendorf Air Force Base (aka the Fort) in Anchorage, Alaska, Sparrevohn Air Force Station defined “remote.” There was no commercial radio, television, or daily newspapers, very few visitors, and there are no towns nearby. About 65 men called this place home for a year.
There was a lower camp with a gravel runway, large power plant and warehouse to store needed supplies. The top camp housed the radars that monitored the skies for incoming enemy aircraft.
This site and many others like it are gone now, replaced by newer, less laborintensive technologies.
My phone rang about 6 a.m. on Christmas morning, waking me out of a sound sleep. One of my duties was the airfield manager, so I shook my head to clear it up a little bit and answered the phone.
It was the operations center, and the guy on the other end told me to get the airfield ready because a C-130 would be landing as soon as we were ready to pick up a guy who had a severe medical emergency.
So now I realized where the Doc had been the night before; he had been tending a very sick man whose gall stones had broken and were causing him some excruciating pain.
He needed to be taken to the Fort for an
WRITE NOW! We want to know what you think about everything. Send your 250-word letter to Sun Letters, 801 S Broadway Suite 3, Santa Maria, CA 93454. You can also fax it (1-805-546-8641) or e-mail it (letters@santamariasun.com). All letters must include a name, address, and phone number for verification purposes; may be edited for space or clarity; and will be posted to santamariasun.com.
stipulated that rescue planes didn’t haul freight. This meant that several people who had counted on having Christmas day off were now pressed into service to help some fellow airmen on a remote site.
Several hours later, the runway was finally ready, the aircraft landed. The back door opened, and we offloaded several pallets of mail, packages, and cargo.
Over 20 years, I had eaten Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners in many chow halls around the world, but this one was very special. The air crew joined us, and as we all ate, the commander thanked them profusely for bringing us the mail and we all gave them a big hand.
Like hundreds of thousands of military members, in 1976 I was chosen to serve a one-year ‘remote’ tour of duty—that means that you don’t take your family with you, only your uniforms and very few personal items.
It was the Christmas season, and the Alaskan weather had prevented any aircraft from landing for nearly two weeks. So we hadn’t got any mail or supplies; nothing came in and nothing went out.
So here it was Christmas Eve; everyone was down in the dumps, but we all got together for an impromptu party at the little club. Well, one drink led to another and soon it was getting late and off to our rooms we went: no Santa and no reindeer.
“Doc” was the site medic, and I didn’t notice him at the party; he didn’t drink but he always hung out with the rest of the guys. Much like the paramedics of today, this guy was connected to the hospital at the Fort and could get his medical orders from the doctor on duty at any hour of the day or night.
emergency operation as soon as possible.
The cooks were busy preparing our Christmas spread and when they heard what was going on, they quickly put together a breakfast and several thermoses of coffee for the bulldozer operators who were clearing snow and ice from the runway.
Our commander and first sergeant sprang into action and got on the phone to the Fort: Could they bring some mail with them?
After some haggling with the rescue aircraft operations center, our commander contacted the Rescue Squadron commander and when he heard our story, he gave the order to bring several pallets of waiting cargo including our mail out with them.
This wasn’t how things usually worked; regulations
The poor mail clerk was swamped; a few good men were recruited to help him sort all the mail, and in short order the guys were opening weeks-old letters, and stale home-baked goodies were being passed out on both lower and upper camps.
The military has many rules and regulations, but this time senior leadership seemed willing to be flexible and allow freight to be put on a rescue aircraft. This was the kind of spirit that made me proud to be in the Air Force; it was one huge team, no one forgot we were out here, and they would pull out all the stops to take care of us if we got sick so far from civilization. m
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@ santamariasun.com.
Support a state law that helps those living in an insurance gap
I’ve been living with kidney failure since 2019. Like so many Californians, I’ve faced more than just one diagnosis—diabetes, high blood pressure, gastroparesis, gout—and even the amputation of my foot due to sepsis. Dialysis, an intensive treatment done three times per week to keep me alive, has permanently affected my life.
But I’ve fought every step of the way to stay strong and keep pursuing my goals. I returned to school at age 37, majoring in nutrition and dietetics to learn how food could help heal my body. I plan on pursuing another degree in sociology as well.
Unfortunately, thousands of Californians under 65 living with kidney failure like me face unnecessary financial distress as well. I’m advocating for them because Medicare alone doesn’t cover all of our dialysis expenses. I rely on Medi-Cal, but the thousands of people who don’t qualify need affordable “Medigap” plans to help supplement Medicare.
California does not guarantee affordable Medigap for dialysis patients who are under the age of 65, and that must change. No one should be forced to choose between staying healthy and staying financially afloat.
That’s why I’m urging my lawmakers, Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh (R-Yucaipa) and Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), to support SB 242. This bill would finally allow Californians under 65 with kidney failure to buy Medigap coverage—bringing critical protections to those already fighting for their lives.
Eliseo Morales Santa Maria
Eat, prey, love
Attorney Kerry Quinn wrote in a memorandum.
Even as a fully fledged bird, I need a mother every now and again. Sometimes I miss the comfort of a sheltering wing; sometimes I just need to be reminded of what’s right and what’s wrong. But needing someone to fill that mama-shaped hole in my heart is no excuse for going all cuckoo on some lovely starlings or sparrows.
Former Orcutt business owner Julie Darrah owned a coffee shop and deli in Old Town Orcutt and ran Vivid Financial Management. It was through that financial company that she bilked her clients of more than $2.2 million between 2016 and 2023. Some of those clients were elderly or on end-of-life care.
Darrah, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, recently got sentenced for her crimes, something her attorney tried to attribute to her lack of a mother figure.
“Her desperate need for maternal affirmance created the opportunity for this crime,” wrote Darrah’s attorney, Edward Robinson. He sought a three-year sentence for his client.
“Appearing before this court is a 52-year-old woman with no criminal history who suffered terrible abuse at the hands of her mother. … As a child, Ms. Darrah’s mother resented her. Her mother’s choosing alcohol and men over her, highlighted by the cruelty and abandonment, certainly affected Ms. Darrah and had some causal connection to this case.”
But instead of forming otherwise healthy relationships with wise women, Darrah “preyed on elderly victims’ desire for human connection, convincing them they could trust her like a daughter, and she then abused that trust and stole their money,” Assistant U.S.
U.S. District Court Judge Otis D. Wright II sentenced her to the maximum sentence sought of just more than 10 years in prison.
“This is a heart-wrenching, devastating case, and there is no happy ending. [Darrah] deserves a lengthy prison sentence and no mercy from this court,” Quinn wrote.
In what sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller, Darrah would get control of some of her clients’ assets, liquidate her victims’ security holdings, and transfer the proceeds to her own separate accounts, according to court records. She also convinced victims to sign documents that either made her the trustee or a signatory on their bank accounts or gave her power of attorney.
Yes, it’s sad and unjust that her mother allegedly abandoned her and didn’t give her the opportunities or possessions she wanted. But that’s no excuse for stealing a mother-figure’s money and using it to buy “luxury vehicles” and help fund business ventures. She was a former co-owner of coffee shop Cups and Crumbs, now under new ownership, and permanently closed deli The Homestead, both in Orcutt.
In a sad bit of irony, also out of a movie plot, Darrah’s investment advisory firm was voted the Best Financial Planner/Accountant in the Sun’s 2020 readers poll.
remove weddings add: summer guide book by: 5/16 pub: 5/22 BOOK
She sold a lie, stole more than money from her clients, and apparently was pretty good at it. Until she wasn’t. m
The Canary will take a cup of justice with a shot of indignation. Send your latte art to canary@ santamariasun.com.
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 5
Photo by: Andy Samarasena
Hot Stuff
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE
CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. (805) 928-7799. Kleindancesarts.com. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN
DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
VALLEY ART GALLERY: ROTATING
DISPLAYS Featured artists of Santa Maria’s Valley Art Gallery frequently display their works at the airport. Check website for details on monthly exhibits and full list of the gallery’s artists. ongoing valleygallery.org. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
EARTH PIGMENTS AND NATURAL
PAINTS WORKSHOP
Learn how to identify rocks suitable for paint, as well as the best practices for collecting respectfully and turning stones into pigments. June 8 1-3 p.m. $65. calnatureartmuseum.org. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.
GALLERY LOS OLIVOS SPECIAL ARTIST SHOWS MONTHLY Head to Gallery Los Olivos for monthly featured artist exhibits from April to the end of June. See work from artists Patti Robbins, Terri Tabor, Carol Talley, Morgan Green, and Susan Kounanis. Get more info at the link. 1st of every month, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 30 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. THE KISS MOVIE SCREENING Don’t miss the screening of the award-winning Danish film The Kiss at Elverhoj Museum of History and Art. The event will begin with a reception featuring local wines and Danish hors d’oeuvres, followed by a pre-screening discussion with World Wide Motion Pictures president/CEO Paul D. Hancock and Allan Hancock College professor Chris Hite. Get more info and purchase tickets at the link. May 31 6-8 p.m. $40. elverhoj.org/. Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang, (805) 686-1211.
PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT VEGA VINEYARD AND FARM If you are looking for something unique to do in Santa Barbara County Wine Country, Vega Vineyard and Farm in Buellton has got you covered. Enjoy an afternoon of wine and paints. June 8 , 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Vega Vineyard and Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton.
YOSEMITE: SANCTUARY IN STONE A solo exhibition by award-winning nature and landscape photographer William Neill. Through Sept. 1 California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, calnatureartmuseum.org.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using
a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach. LESS MISERABLE A spoof of one of the most beloved musicals of all time. Through June 14 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
MEAN GIRLS: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION
Presented by Coastal Performing Arts Foundation. May 30, 7-9 p.m., May 31 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. and June 1 2-4 p.m. (805) 4899444. clarkcenter.org/shows/cpaf-meangirls/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
NEW PLAY FESTIVAL Presented by Arroyo Grande High School Theatre Company. May 31, 7-9 p.m. General admission $17; senior $14; student $12. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/aghs-new-playfestival/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
SNOW WHITE AND LA BAYADERE
Presented by Everybody Can DANCE and Santa Maria Civic Ballet. June 7 7-9 p.m. and June 8 3-5 p.m. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/ecd-snow-white-labayadere/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA
Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
ALL AGES SCULPTING WITH JOHN ROULLARD John a retired school teacher who patiently guides potters of all ages to sculpt and work on details and design. Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com.
ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam Cre is a pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio time for potters. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
ART AFTER DARK Art After Dark features an art opening of world-class artists. Refreshments will be served. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. through March 7 Free. slocountyarts.org/art-after-dark. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART
CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing (805) 8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
DATE NIGHT POTTERY Bring your date and throw a cup on the pottery wheel. Next, texture a clay slab and press into
HEARTS AT WAR
The award-winning Danish film, The Kiss, will be screening at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art on Saturday, May 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. The film, directed by Academy Award winner Billie August, is set against the backdrop of 1913 Denmark at the start of World War I. The event will begin with a reception, featuring local wines and Danish hors d’oeuvres. A pre-screening discussion will follow, with Paul D. Hancock, president and CEO of World Wide Motion Pictures, and Chris Hite, an Allan Hancock College professor and filmmaker/historian. Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased at elverhoj.org.
a form creating a personalized piece. Guest are welcome to bring drinks; venue provides aprons. Pieces are fired, glazed, and ready in two weeks. Saturdays, 6-7:30 p.m. $140. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
DEANNA BARAHONA California artist Deanna Barahona’s work centers her lived experiences, identity, and personal objects in intimate and domestic spaces through the creation of sculpture, and installation. June 6 -Aug. 31 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/deannabarahona/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
ESTEBAN CABEZA DE BACA: REMEMBERING THE FUTURE Ranging from 2015 to 2024, the eleven paintings in the gallery explore issues of belonging and identity, activism, and joy and celebration. Through June 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKSHOP: LARGE PLATTER CLASS Fun for all ages. Instructors will guide you in creating large platters and decorating them. Create pieces together for your home. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $50. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
FIRST FRIDAYS Visit SLOMA on the first Friday of each month for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by regional winery partners. Admission is free and open to the public. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 5438562. sloma.org/events/first-fridays/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
FLEISCHER CARTOONS Join for a special showcase of the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons on the big screen! There will also be a Q&A with Max Fleischer’s granddaughter, Jane Fleischer Reed. May 31 7-9 p.m. $12. slofilmcenter.eventive.org.
Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St, San Luis Obispo.
FRIENDS OF THE ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY ART AUCTION The first ever art auction fundraiser for Friends of the AG Library is now live. Includes work by local artist Ellen November. Every 30 days, 9 a.m.
Various. (310) 384-6912. app.galabid.com/ aglibrary/items. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. (805) 441-8257. Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.
NOTES FOR TOMORROW Features artworks from around the world, brought together to reflect on a new global reality ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through June 1, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/notes-fortomorrow/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SATURDAY FAMILY POTTERY CLASS This family-friendly open studio time is a wonderful window for any level or age. Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN With charm, wit, and heart, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends in the Peanuts gang. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through June 29 $20-$37. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 786-2440, slorep.org/.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER CATHY RUSS Russ’ distinctive and evocative streetscape and landscape photography captures unique moments from her many global travels, exhibited inside Gallery at Marina Square. May 30 -June 29 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
—Angie Stevens
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN GEISNAES
FIBER AND TEXTILES BY DEBBIE
GEDAYLOO Gedayloo’s richly textured and touchable fiber, felt, and mixed media art depicts dimensional landscapes and objects. May 29 -June 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
IMAGINATIVE CERAMICS BY ANNE
GRANNIS Grannis’ imaginative and hilariously precise sculptural ceramics merge human and animal forms with whimsical storytelling. May 30 -June 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
ANDROID PHONE CLASS First Thursday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, (805) 937-9750.
CASUAL CRAFTERNOON: PIPE CLEANER
JELLYFISH LIGHT Light up your space with a fun pipe cleaner jellyfish that has fairy lights. This workshop is free, and all materials are provided. Registration is required. June 7 3-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994 ext.8562. cityofsantamaria.org/ services/departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
CENTRAL COAST CORVETTE CLUB Open to Corvette owners and enthusiasts. First Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. Free. (805) 934-3948. Home Motors, 1313 E. Main St., Santa Maria.
FAMILY TOOLS+ FamilyTools+ is geared towards parents of youth, ages 5 to 18, with ADHD, autism, Tourette’s to focus
on the needs of neurodiverse youth. Get more info at the link. Thursdays, 12-1 p.m. through July 1 Free. (805) 770-1593. youthwell.org/groups. Online (Santa Barbara County), Visit website, Countywide.
FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.
FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/. Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
HOLOCAUST AWARENESS: PREVENTING HISTORY FROM REPEATING ITSELF Learn about the Holocaust: how it happened, why it happened, who was responsible for it, and how to keep it from happening again. June 1 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Temple Beth El, 1501 E. Alvin Ave., Santa Maria, (805) 928-2118.
HOPE AFTER DARK: 8TH ANNUAL DRAG SHOW DJ Suz will deliver the music, while wine will be provided by Presqu’ile Winery, coffee by Deltina Coffee, and food by Kekas and Tubby Cravings. Get tickets and more info at the link. June 7, 7 p.m. $45. my805tix.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
TASTE OF SUMMER
The Los Olivos Rotary Club presents its 19th annual Jazz and Olive Festival on Saturday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Lavinia Campbell Park. Spend the afternoon tasting wine and delicious foods while strolling throughf the Santa Ynez Valley. Live jazz will be performed by The Alan Satchwell Quintet. Tickets are available at jazzandolivefestival.org.
MISSION HOPE’S NATIONAL CANCER
SURVIVORS’ DAY CELEBRATION Dignity Health’s Mission Hope Cancer Center will be hosting a free National Cancer Survivors’ Day celebration in Santa Maria. June 1 , 12-4 p.m. (805) 219-4673. facebook. com/marianmedicalcenter/. Mission Hope Cancer Center, 1325 East Church St., Santa Maria.
SANTA MARIA ELKS RODEO AND PARADE Check the rodeo’s website for a full lineup of its events this year. May 28June 1. elksrec.com/. Elks Event Center, 4040 Highway 101, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
19TH ANNUAL LOS OLIVOS JAZZ AND OLIVE FESTIVAL Spend the afternoon tasting wine and delicious olive-themed dishes, while strolling in the Santa Ynez Valley. The Alan Satchwell Quintet will perform live jazz. Get tickets and more information now at the link. June 7 1-4 p.m. $100. jazzandolivefestival.org/. Lavinia Campbell Park, 2398 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms into a celebration and showcase of local artists during this monthly event, which features live music, art, exciting exhibitions, performances, and a variety of unique vendors. First Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H & I St., Lompoc.
THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This event is for the whole family. There will be vendors selling their wears, music, facepainting, and some kind of food booth. Come out and spend part of your Saturday supporting local vendors. First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Vandenberg Village Community Services District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, Lompoc, (805) 291-6370. WILDFIRE EVACUATION AND SURVIVAL WORKSHOP This workshop will empower our community with the knowledge to make critical decisions during real life wildfire evacuations. The event will be in the Little Theater. May 31 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (805) 220-9037. sbfiresafecouncil.org/events/. Cabrillo High School, 4350 Constellation Rd., Lompoc.
WOMEN’S FIRE CAMP The Allan Hancock College Fire Technology invites women between the ages of 15 and 25 to attend this Women’s Fire Camp. Get more info at the link. May 31 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (805) 922-6966. hancockcollege.edu. Lompoc Valley Center Allan Hancock College, One Hancock Dr., Lompoc.
WORRIED ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY? Lompoc Indivisible invites the community to a timely and urgent forum focused on protecting the senior social safety net from proposed federal budget cuts. May 31 1:30-3:30 p.m. Free. (949) 6064419. indivisiblelompoc.org/. Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center, 1120 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions
Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
BODY FUSION/EXERCISE AND FITNESS CLASS Do something good for yourself and stay fit for outdoor sports, while enhancing flexibility, strengthening your core to prevent lower back issues, improving your posture through yoga, and more. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. (970) 710-1412. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach, avilabeachcc.com.
DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing (805) 619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 dropin; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes and enriches your life. An outdoor class overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.
QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY
Balance your mind, body, and spirit with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This is geared towards all fitness levels and ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach.
SURF LESSONS ALL SUMMER LONG
Learn to surf with Sandbar Surf School. All equipment is provided, including a surfboard, wetsuit, and leash. You must pre-register. Through Aug. 31, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $60. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com. Addie Street Surfer Parking Lot, Addie Street, Pismo Beach.
WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS
Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. (805) 481-6399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. (559) 9059274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays,
CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN
TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:30-11:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.
EXPLORE TANGO DISCOVERY CLASS
Discover the beauty, connection, and rhythm of tango in this 2-hour class.
Perfect for new or experienced dancers, no partner required. May 31 , 6-8 p.m. $30. Nexus SLO Ballroom D.C. (Inside the SLO Public Market), 3845 S. Higuera St. #B-1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.
GARDEN FOUNDER WALK AND TALK
Walk and talk with Eve Vigil in the Botanical Garden each month on the first Wednesday. Free garden tour with paid admission to the Garden. Free for members. No need to RSVP, just show up and enjoy. First Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free with $5 Garden Entry. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT
GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
tickets and more info at the link. June 7, 8 p.m. $9. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
WATERFRONT MARKET MORRO BAY
Enjoy the summer market, showcasing over 30 local vendors. Get more info at the link. May 31 , 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and June 1 , 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (805) 402-9437. Giovanni’s Fish Market, 1001 Front St., Morro Bay.
NORTH SLO COUNTY
CONSCIOUS FEST AT THE SUNKEN GARDENS Head to this local holistic, spiritual, and wellness festival, for a day of soul-nourishing experiences. Live music and community classes will be available, along with sacred ceremonies, mindful vendors, and alcohol-free celebration. RSVP at the link. May 31 , 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Sunken Gardens, 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero.
FOOD & DRINK
LGBTQ+ FED THERAPIST LEAD
SUPPORT GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A pro-recovery group offering space to those seeking peer support, all stages of ED recovery. We understand recovery isn’t linear and judgment-free support is crucial. Share, listen, and be part of a community building up each other. First Wednesday of every month, 7-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
SLO GREEK FESTIVAL With live music, dance performances and lessons, authentic Greek food, and more. May 31 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and June 1 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $2 admission. (805) 546-8337. greekfestivalslo.com. Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.
SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+
AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
THAT’S SO DRAG DANCE PARTY AND DOCUMENTARY PREMIER Join the dance party and documentary premiere of That’s So Drag –– an electrifying night honoring the art, beauty, and power of drag. Get
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO Featured vendors in the series include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays (805) 922-1468. costadeorowines.com. Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria. FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866. PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO
TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head
Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. (805) 819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.
The Central Coast Conscious Community presents the Conscious Fest on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sunken Gardens in Atascadero. The day will be filled with nourishing experiences, community classes, vendors, live music, and sacred ceremonies. More information can be found at my805tix.com.
—A.S.
MUSIC
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
FREE JAZZ CONCERT AT THE SM TOWN
CENTER MALL Central City Swing, a 17-piece band featuring the Central Coast’s best musicians, are set to perform a family-friendly concert of jazz and swing tunes at the mall’s Macy’s courtyard. June
3 , 6-7:30 p.m. Free. centralcityswing.com.
Santa Maria Town Center, 142 Town Center East, Santa Maria.
HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
HAPPY HOUR WITH JINEANNE CODERRE
Unwind at golden hour with live music by Jineanne, wine by the glass, and Tri-Tip Sandwiches — easygoing vibes in true Central Coast style. June 6 5-7:30 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8110. presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES WITH RIPTIDE
Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens present “Let’s Go to the Movies,” with vocalists Bob Nations ad Mitch Latting of Riptide. June 8 , 1:30-4 p.m. Free. (775) 813-5186. RiptideBB.com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.
LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO
BUTCHER SHOP Check out live music every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR
Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.
MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY
Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. (805) 925-0464. coelhomusic.com/ Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria. OLD TIME GOSPEL SING-ALONG All are welcome. Call for more details. Last Saturday of every month, 5-6 p.m. (805) 478-6198. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria.
SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
DOUBLEWIDE KINGS Six fairly nice guys.
One big, mean sound. June 8 3-5 p.m. $37. (805) 686-1789. solvangtheaterfest.org/ show-listing. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY WIND ENSEMBLE SUMMER CONCERT Enjoy a great summer concert on the beautiful Skytt Terrace at this family-friendly concert. June 7 2-3 p.m. Free. Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang, (805) 686-1211, elverhoj.org.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS
Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
KARAOKE AT COLD COAST BREWING CO. Pick out a song, bring your friends, and get ready to perform. Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc, (805) 819-0723, coldcoastbrewing.com.
YOUTH OPEN MIC NIGHT A fun, welcoming environment for first time performers and an opportunity for kids and teens to showcase their talent. Prizes awarded every month for Outstanding Performer. Last Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. certainsparks.com/. Certain Sparks Music, 107 S. H St., Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY ARROYO GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR AND BAND: END OF YEAR CONCERT
The AGHS Choir, Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble perform a dynamic program of classical and contemporary pieces, showcasing student talent through rich harmonies. June 2 7-9 p.m. General admission $10; student $5. (805) 4899444. clarkcenter.org/shows/aghs-choirband-end-of-year-concert/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
JULIE KELLY QUARTET
Join vocalist and guitarist Julie Kelly with the Rich Severson Trio for an evening of jazz, brazilian and pop tunes. June 1 , 5-8 p.m. (805) 773-6563. puffersofpismo.com. Puffers of Pismo, 781 Price St., Pismo Beach.
KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY
FILIPINO CAFE
Join for all day, all ages karaoke hosted at SLO County’s only brick and mortar Filipino cafe, Lumpia Bros Cafe. Enjoy karaoke, filipino dishes, acai, and coffee. Tuesdays-Saturdays-6 p.m. through Dec. 31 Free. (805) 202-8473. Lumpia Bros Cafe, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale afterhours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21
and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo. SING A NEW DAY CHORAL CONCERT
SERIES Hear the choral music of Vocal Arts Ensemble as they blend spiritual, folk, and jazz sounds. May 29, 7-9 p.m. $30. (805) 541-6797. vocalarts.org. The Monarch Club at Trilogy Monarch Dunes, 1645 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo.
VOCAL ARTS ENSEMBLE: SING A NEW DAY - NIPOMO Hear the award winning choir live and purchase tickets at the link. May 29 7-9 p.m. $34. my805tix.com. Monarch Resort Art Studio, 1645 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
40TH ANNUAL JAZZ PIANO SHOWCASE
The San Luis Obispo County Jazz Federation is proud to present their 40th Annual Jazz Piano Showcase. Some of the best pianists in the area will perform, including Jim Barnett, Marshall Otwell, Bob Harway, George Garcia, Jamaal Baptiste, Craig Updegrove, and Andrew Sedley. Get tickets now, at the link. June 1 4-6:30 p.m. $45. my805tix.com. Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo.
CAL POLY ARAB MUSIC ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT Concerts feature world-class guest artists and a dance troupe that sets the music in motion with original choreographies. May 31 7:30 p.m. $22 general; $12 students. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
CAL POLY CHOIRS SPRING CONCERT: “THE SACRED VEIL” With PolyPhonics and members of the Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department’s dance program in a performance of Eric Whitacre’s “The Sacred Veil.” June 1 , 3 p.m. $17 and $22 general; $12 students. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/choirs/. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
MOSH FOR AUTISM: A PUNK AND METAL BENEFIT FOR THE CENTRAL COAST AUTISM SPECTRUM CENTER
The local punk community invites you to join in on an afternoon of live music and fundraising for the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center. Get tickets and more info at the link. May 31 3 p.m. $21. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.
SING A NEW DAY CHORAL CONCERT
SERIES Vocal Arts Ensemble presents choral music with spiritual and inspirational songs, jazz, and folk. May 31 , 3-5 p.m. $30. (805) 541-6797. vocalarts.org. Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
SING A NEW DAY CHORALE CONCERT
SERIES Vocal Arts Ensemble choral concert will perform two hours of spiritual music with jazz and folk notes. Hear them live at the First Presbyterian Church of SLO. June 1 , 3-5 p.m. $30. (805) 541-6797. vocalarts.org. First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St., San Luis
Obispo. m
Omar Velasco, Antonio Barret, Nydia Gonzalez, Velvet Binx
Restaurant & Music Club, Santa Barbara
ARTS BRIEFS
Lompoc starts summer with family-friendly movie nights
The city of Lompoc’s Parks and Recreation Division will host three free movies for community members throughout the summer at Ryon Memorial Park.
Beginning with Moana 2 on Saturday, June 14, the Parks and Recreation Division will welcome families around 8 p.m. for a night of cinema under the stars. The division will screen Dog Man on July 12 before concluding its trio of movie nights with Minecraft on Aug. 2.
Parks and Recreation encourages those attending to bring low-back chairs, blankets, and snacks. The event will be family-friendly, meaning vaping, smoking, and consuming alcohol won’t be allowed. The department also asks that attendees leave pets at home.
Since it was founded in 1945, the Lompoc Parks and Recreation Division has worked to promote positive social behavior among youth, teens, and adults of all ages. For more information, call (805) 736-1261 or visit the department online at cityoflompoc.com/parks_rec.
Fossemalle Dance Studio dancers
perform An Invitation to Dance
Fossemalle Dance Studio’s Santa Ynez Valley Performing Arts Company will host its 36th season of An Invitation to Dance at the Santa Ynez Valley High School Little Theater. Under the direction of Christine Fossemalle, students will perform on June 18, 20, and 21 starting at 7 p.m. each night. Guests will be treated to three nights of elegant ballet, fun jazz, and trendy hip-hop as they take in the unique choreography.
Black tutus with white leggings, suit jackets with ties matching the skirts, and flat hats and sweatpants are just some of the outfits the dancers have donned in the past.
For veteran dancer Annika Hecker, June’s performance will be her final one after 13 years with the company and dance studio, according to press materials.
Tickets are only available at the Fossemalle Dance Studio in Santa Ynez. For more information, call (805) 688-8494. m
‘Fue sin querer queriendo’
Indigenous Artist Helen Yanez blends Purépecha heritage with Michoacán experience to highlight Mexican culture
BY REECE COREN
Helen Yanez said she was always the kid walking around with a coloring book when she was little. In class, instead of taking notes, she would doodle in the margins of her notebooks. Even today, whenever she needs to write something down at work, she tries to make sure she always has her bright pink pen on hand.
Now 24, Yanez is a full-time artist and professional illustrator. Yanez said she uses her art to display her people as human beings, resisting forces from the current political climate seeking to strip them of their humanity.
“I follow the methodology of art that has been written through books, but, as an artist, you almost get like an itch,” Yanez said. “When I view my different sketches, I have to move things around to scratch that itch in my head. When I move certain things and play with color, texture, finally, that itch disappears.”
No two of Yanez’s illustrations are the same. Each one introduces a unique design style with a mix of colors.
The pastel colors of her Frida Kahlo piece complement the high contrast between the purples and yellows in her Selena QuintanillaPérez drawing. The nighttime scene featuring flickering candles at a Día de los Muertos altar juxtaposes the poster she illustrated for Art After Dark showing a farmworker who’s supposed to be a male version of the Virgin Mary passing through a strawberry field.
As someone who grew up studying contemporary European styles and viewing art through that lens, Yanez said she tries to decolonize art through her illustrations.
“We view U.S. history as the real history and Indigenous American history as something on the side,” she said. “I want people to see that Indigenous art is art on its own. It’s not just an elective or a little branch of European art.”
On May 30, Yanez will host Nuestra Lotería,
a public exhibition showcasing the artwork of 220 students from Ernest Righetti and Santa Maria high schools at the Santa Maria Fairpark.
Yanez also serves as the arts program manager for Corazón del Pueblo, a cultural and creative arts nonprofit located at 120 E. Jones St. in Santa Maria
“We use art as an ounce of prevention, rather than a pound of cure,” she said.
As an Indigenous artist, Yanez tries to bring her culture’s collective approach of coming together as a community to the art world.
Along with illustrating a cover for a booklet telling musicians what notes they need to play for Mexican Christmas songs, Yanez also designed a mural for Mexican boutique store Novedades Mexicanas and an album cover for Los Tranquilos.
Last year, she created a piece of wall art for Orgullo Wine in Santa Ynez that’s half a print depicting El Chavo del Ocho star Roberto Gómez Bolaños, aka Chespirito, the subject of the recent HBO Max drama Chesperito: Not really on purpose, and half a wine barrel emerging from the wall. Just like the HBO drama’s title, the phrase at the top of Yanez’s wall art, “fue sin querer queriendo,” is a famous saying from the ’70s sitcom that Yanez said roughly translates to “it was an accident, but not an accident.”
Always proud to show off her heritage, Yanez makes sure she looks the part. She said her clay earrings came from Chumash-based Xochipilli Jewelry and her huipil, a traditional Indigenous tunic, from vendors at local fairs.
“People are like, ‘Why are you wearing that? It’s not Cinco de Mayo,’” Yanez said. “This is what I grew up wearing. I like it. I look good in it.”
Yanez urged critics both within and outside of her culture who tell her to assimilate to remember that it’s OK to be a “little on the side.”
“I can dress differently, but I’ll still have my thick, long hair. I’ll still have my brown skin. That cannot be assimilated,” she said. “I just embrace it. And I feel comfortable doing it—with myself and my art.”
Yanez said she was able to handle the sting from inconsiderate and unempathetic Instagram comments after the 805 Immigrant Coalition opted to repaint on canvas her Welcome to Santa Maria illustration. That painting depicts a light-skinned ICE agent arresting a darkerskinned man with a butterfly on his shoulder in a strawberry field.
She said she was eating dinner at Panera Bread when she got the news that a local community member was arrested by ICE agents, inspiring her to create the illustration.
“They were about to close,” Yanez said. “I just felt that itch that I needed to showcase this. I did it in 20 minutes.”
She said she hopes her more controversial pieces like the Welcome to Santa Maria one help critics realize that her community is “in survival mode” and consider demonstrating more empathy.
“I did this because I work with a lot of youth, and every morning they fear their parents might go through this on their way to work or back home. For me, that was essential to showcase,” Yanez said. “As an artist, I love making pretty art. I love making colorful art. But I also think it’s my duty as an artist to illustrate the current reality I and the people I love are going through.” m
Send Staff Writer Reece Coren your original art at rcoren@santamariasun.com.
PHOTO COURESY OF DENNIS SMITHERMAN
ART WITH A PURPOSE: Helen Yanez poses with her controversial Welcome to Santa Maria illustration. She said she completed the initial drawing in 20 minutes while eating dinner at Panera Bread after learning a local community member was arrested by ICE. PHOTO
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY
COURTESY ILLUSTRATION BY HELEN YANEZ
HONORING HER HERITAGE: Designed to depict her personal definition of the Tree of Life, Yanez’s illustration of her grandmother, Maria de La Luz, at age 20 is on display at the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard.
COURTESY ILLUSTRATION BY HELEN YANEZ
DEPICTING MODERN RESILLIENCY: Yanez also illustrates issues Mexican women face today. She said she was happy to hear that many people saw their mothers in her drawing of her mother, Sandra, masked up harvesting strawberries with a yellow halo behind her.
Explore
Ocean’s Wonders on Stearns Wharf!
Going for broke
Christopher McQuarrie helms this part 2 to Dead Reckoning (2023), where Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his Impossible Missions Force must save the world from the artificial intelligence known as the Entity, which is taking control of the world’s nuclear weapons. As soon as the Entity is able to move from the Internet to its hiding place—a secure digital bunker in South Africa—it will launch a nuclear Armageddon. Hunt and his team must retrieve the Entity’s source code from a sunken Russian sub and use the “poison pill”—malware designed by Luther (Ving Rhames)—to destroy the Entity before it’s too late. (169 min.)
Glen: If you’ve never seen any of the previous Mission: Impossible films dating back to the 1996 original, never fear. You can enjoy Final Reckoning as the pure cinematic spectacle that it is. However, if you’re a fan of the franchise, you’ll be rewarded with lots of references, flashbacks, and callbacks to previous films. It’s a truly epic installment with incredible action sequences and stunts. The two big set pieces are a super tense scene of Hunt diving the sub wreck and a mindboggling biplane aerial scene as Hunt retrieves the source
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
What’s it rated? PG-13
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Apple TV+
code from the Entity’s former henchman, Gabriel (Esai Morales), who hopes to control the Entity himself. Naturally, every point of the impossible operation is seconds away from failure. The film is bloated, over the top, and bigger in every way—exactly what you’d expect from a franchise’s final entry. (Though is it? Ka-ching!)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE— THE FINAL RECKONING
What’s it rated? PG-13
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande
Anna: It seems pretty wild to me that someone would walk into this film with no prior viewings of the previous six and a half, but you’re right—you could still have fun with this spectacle of a film. The sub scene and the aerial scene played the mind-bending trick of turning your eyes’ perspective on its head. It was dizzying to say the least. The first film came out when I was a kid. I loved it then and I love it now. While Cruise can be someone I watch begrudgingly, the dude knows how to make a film. He’s got that movie star magic that holds your attention on the big screen. At almost three hours, this film is certainly a commitment, but one that’s worth it if you’re in the mood for some high flying, over-the-top action. Hunt’s quest is to save humanity, and in this film, he’s more introspective than ever about the ripple effects of past actions and choices. This film
brings the crew together for one final mission, and we get a few new fun characters too. Well, one is actually an old character, but with a new life that we get to catch up on. I’m a sucker for these films for some reason, and I’m clearly not alone—this franchise has been a beast over the last 29 years.
Glen: Certainly one reason for the franchise’s success is its choice of directors. The great Brian De Palma directed the 1996 original. Hong Kong action auteur John Woo helmed the second. Then-rising Hollywood whiz kid J.J. Abrams headed the third. Brad Bird
directed four. McQuarrie directed the rest of the series, and I honestly can’t believe this is the end.
Anna: The franchise certainly shows the money behind it. It’s slick and big, and mindboggling in its budget. I can’t use the word “spectacle” enough with this one. If it truly is the final film of the franchise, they went out with a bang. m
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
Guy Ritchie (The Covenant Sherlock Holmes) directs James Vanderbilt’s ( Zodiac The Amazing Spider-Man) screenplay about estranged siblings—Luke (John Krasinski) and Charlotte Purdue (Natalie Portman)— who reunite to seek the legendary Fountain of Youth. I usually enjoy these fantasy adventure movies. Think Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Mummy (1999), National Treasure (2004), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010). Just fun popcorn movies. And the talent involved in this one? Guy Ritchie is a masterful director of kinetic action and (usually) sly humor. James Vanderbilt is a talented screenwriter who can usually conjure both tension and emotion. Leads Krasinski and Portman—and co-stars such as Domhnall Gleeson, Stanley Tucci, and Eiza González— comprise a solid cast. Locales include Thailand, England, Austria, and Egypt. This thing should have been a slam dunk!
and Charlotte Purdue (Natalie Portman) team up to search for a legendary myth, in Fountain of Youth, streaming on Apple TV+.
Instead, it’s a snooze. Ritchie’s handy with action sequences, but most of the story vacillates between ridiculous and perfunctory as the team finds clues in famous paintings to locate the fountain. I never connected with or cared for the
characters. Aside from a few chuckles, the film is unfunny and wholly forgettable, which is probably a good thing. I don’t want this clunker rolling around in my head. (125 min.) —Glen
FRED & ROSE WEST: A BRITISH HORROR STORY
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Fred and Rose—you may know their names well or not at all, but once you know their story, you’ll never forget them. The murderous British couple looked as normal as could be, but behind the Sears portrait studio photos was horrifying darkness. Terrorizing women and girls for more than 20 years, the two worked as a gruesome team to capture and torture their victims.
They were arrested in 1994, so it wouldn’t seem that a ton of new info would be popping up, but new recordings reveal an even deeper dive into the mind of these depraved killers. While past narrative puts Fred in the driver’s seat, as the truth unfolds, we learn that Rose wasn’t a passive participant—she plotted and schemed some of the awful acts the couple performed.
Spanning three episodes and slowly unfolding the well-known story alongside new revelations, this series is a bingeable breeze to watch for true-crime fans. If you don’t know the Wests’ story, this one is a real bummer, so proceed with caution. Their former home is known as the “House of Horrors” for good reason: The
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THE IMF: (Left to right) Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), and Grace (Hayley Atwell) team up to save the world, in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, screening in local theaters.
horrors held inside are disgusting and terrifying. (three approximately one-hour episodes.) m
ADVENTURERS: Esme (Liza González) and sibling Luke (John Krasinski)
KILLER COUPLE: Uncovered audiotapes reveal new details in a tragic serial killing case, in Fred & Rose West: A British Horror Story, streaming on Netflix.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Share tasty tips! Send tidbits on everything food and drink to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
Cocktails and conversations
Lompoc’s Pour Decisions blends a leisurely atmosphere with zesty margaritas
BY REECE COREN
I
t’s happy hour in Lompoc. You’re thirsty for a drink—and maybe some socialization. You want to listen to classic hits that aren’t too loud and hang out at a bar that isn’t so fast-paced you’ll be overwhelmed.
Try Pour Decisions.
Located at 724 E. Ocean Ave., the former home of DJ’s Saloon, Pour Decisions is not your average loud and
crowded cocktail bar.
After purchasing the title last July, Magana Ventures owner Antonio Magana spent six months renovating the space before he reopened it as Pour Decisions at the start of this year.
Magana said Pour Decisions’ current No. 1 seller is the espresso martini. But customers also like a beverage his business partner and wife, Veronica, came up with called the Boss
Lady, an old fashioned with agave. Specializing in citrus, Pour Decisions is famous for its margaritas, which include freshly squeezed lime juice, Magana said. He said customers also love the bar’s lemon drops.
On special occasions, Pour Decisions will also have food for hungry customers. Magana said it served tacos for Cinco de Mayo and will serve hamburgers and hot dogs for July 4.
Magana, who also owns Lompoc’s Old Town Kitchen & Bar, said he worked hard to create an atmosphere where people can be free to unwind while still feeling safe and comfortable.
“Pour Decisions has a friendly and uplifting atmosphere,” manager Vanessa Martin said. “When you walk
and signature espresso martinis. The cocktail bar shares information about upcoming events on Facebook under the name Pour Decisions or on Instagram @pourdecisionslompoc. For more information, call (805) 972-3107.
A brief story, fifty-five words or less, with a headline no longer than seven words.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTONIO MAGANA
NICE TO MEET YA MARGARITA: Pour Decisions offers cocktails with a side of conversations. Owner Antonio Magana encouraged thirsty adults to come in and try the bar’s signature margaritas, made with freshly squeezed limes instead of lemons.
PHOTO BY
ENJOY THE ATMOSPHERE: Pour Decisions owner Antonio Magana said he tried to create an environment that welcomes, rather than intimidates, local drinkers. The music isn’t too loud to
bartenders
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTONIO MAGANA
ESPRESS–OH WOW: Pour Decisions’ espresso martini is customers’ current favorite choice, according to Magana.
Camp Willy Wonka!
Come explore the whimsical and musical world of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka! These weeklong skill-building camps will give children and teens the opportunity to sing, dance, and build social connection through play. Using theatre games, movement, and music, campers will explore the fundamentals of musical theatre while challenging their imaginations and growing in confidence.
Work directly with current PCPA performers!
No experience
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CANDY KIDS: Ages: 8-12: June 16 - June 21, 9AM - 12PM
Calling all music makers and dreamers of dreams! This camp will explore the basics of musical theatre--Singing, dancing, and acting--while focusing on the importance of teamwork as we tell the story of Charlie and the many colorful characters of the Chocolate Factory!
TEATRO PCPA: Ages: 8-12: June 23 - June 28, 9AM - 2PM
Teatro PCPA, offered in partnership with Artists Ink, emphasizes Spanish language, Latino culture, and its intersection with theatre. Students will learn a variety of theatre-related skills to help tell their stories, build confidence, and find their voice. Campers will work together to collectively create a piece that reflects their own interests and stories. A healthy meal will be provided daily to Teatro PCPA students. Cost of camp: $30
PURE IMAGINATION: Ages: 13-18: July 14 - July 19, 9AM - 12PM
If you want to view paradise, simply join this camp and view it! Pure Imagination will explore the basics of musical theatre and ensemble building while challenging its teen participants to embody characters and songs from Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka. Cost of camp: $250
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Join us for a final-day showcase--each camp ends with an invited sharing for family and friends!
Winning Images
through the door, you’re always greeted with a smile.”
As someone who returned to the Central Coast during the pandemic, Martin said being so welcomed back into the community she was born in makes her feel at home. She said she appreciates how customers’ reciprocate Pour Decisions’ welcoming approach when talking to staff.
Pour Decisions is a bar where people can hear each other talking without having to scream over live music, Magana said.
“We kind of did a hybrid between a lounge and an upscale bar,” he said. “People can let loose and have a good time, and it’s not too overwhelming or fast-paced.”
The only caveat, Magana said, is Fridays and Saturdays when Pour Decisions hosts DJs.
“We usually try to play a little bit more of the old-school,” he said. “We do ’80s night, but we also do country, Latin, and other nights. We don’t necessarily want to just focus on one theme. We’re always trying to keep things fresh.”
Along with a billiards league hosted on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, Pour Decisions also has a TouchTunes jukebox machine that allows customers to queue up songs through an app on their phones, Magana said.
Magana said the deck renovations have been an especially huge hit. At night, the deck provides the perfect spot for a second to step away and refresh with some outside air. During the day, the
horizon provides a view of the mountains and countryside.
The deck has plenty of clean seating and shady hideouts for those looking for relief from the summer sun. People love it so much that Magana said he even rents it out for events like birthdays and graduations.
In the future, Magana said, Pour Decisions will host karaoke every other Wednesday night. He said he hopes to also host lotería, or Mexican bingo, nights.
“We are not trying to reach one particular group,” Magana said. “We welcome everybody. Everyone is welcome to come try us out and make some poor decisions.” m
Tell Staff Writer Reece Coren about your poor decisions at rcoren@santamariasun.com.
LOOK AT THAT VIEW: Owner Antonio Magana said he spent six months renovating DJ’s Saloon to turn it into Pour Decisions cocktail bar. The new back deck, which Magana rents out for private parties, offers a breathtaking view of the mountain landscape and plenty of comfortable seating.
