SeeCalifornia.com

The San Pedro Theatre Club-Full of  Spirit and Spunk 

By C. MacDonald

SAN PEDRO, CALIF. — The San Pedro Theatre Club is sensational! It has a lot of  spirit and spunk which deserves your attention. Run by former award-winning Civic Light Opera producer James Blackman, this group offers incredibly good performances in a new, intimate, 78-seat, patron-friendly theatre, appropriately located on South Pacific (between 6th and 7th).

The resilient Blackman is not only rebuilding his company of top-notch crew and talent but his theatre as well. With encouragement from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and a lot of volunteer help, he has miraculously transformed a 1920s-type, high ceiling warehouse into a very comfortable, fun theatre with soul. Seen and unseen talent have created a very friendly, feeling of involvement between the audience and entertainers.

I recently saw their production, “On The Road to Baby Jane,” a hilarious, well-acted comedy about the making of a film, “Baby Jane,” which features the rivalry between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Blackman, the executive producer and artistic director, said he created this show by “calling in favors and getting people to volunteer their talents.”

The high quality scenes feature conflict, humor and romance, superbly presented by the well-projected acting talents of Mary Margaret Steele (Bette), John Downey III (Joan), Giovanni Quijano (Director), Mary Ross (Writer), Michelle Morris (Mattie), Jaclyn Frani (Karen) and the rest of the team.

The audience, sitting in high back, plush seats, thoroughly enjoyed the excitement, frequently breaking out in laughter and applause. They especially enjoyed Blackman’s folksy, chuckling “Curtain Talks” before the show and intermission.

The theatre company really maximized stage effect, allowing the riveted audience to easily view several things happening at once–both in the center and on the sides simultaneously.

You must go see this magical place, which has been passionately transformed into a thoroughly enjoyable theatre from its ambiance to its acting. Find out more at TheSanPedroTheatreClub.com.