The California Nature Art Museum (formerly the Wildling Museum) is thrilled to announce a very special celebration in honor of its 25th Anniversary, taking place on Friday, Sept. 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. This milestone event also marks the opening of a powerful new exhibition, “Wild in California,” featuring the work of Santa Barbara artist and museum founder Patti Jacquemain.

The exhibition shines a spotlight on Jacquemain’s mosaics and block prints, which beautifully depict the extraordinary diversity of California’s native wildlife — from mountain lions and condors to foxes and frogs. Known for its unique range of species and ecosystems, California is considered a global biodiversity hotspot, and this exhibition invites viewers to pause and reflect on the natural treasures that surround us. “Wild in California” will be on view from September 20, 2025 through February 22, 2026.

Since it first opened its doors in 2000, The then Wildling Museum has served the local community and tourists from all over the world, sharing the natural beauty found throughout California and beyond by a vast array of artists and their creative visions. Originally founded by Jacquemain, the museum has grown and changed over the years, moving from Los Olivos to Solvang in 2013. Yet one thing remains consistent: its mission. California Nature Art Museum (www.calnatureartmuseum.org) helps the general public understand complex issues of conservation and environmental science through art, by focusing on the amazing beauty and diversity of The Golden State. Using art to connect people to nature is an impactful way to touch hearts and minds. Never has nature been more challenged than it is right now, so expanding the museum’s reach is paramount towards building a sustainable future for us all.

This show includes both woodcut prints and mosaics of all sizes, showcasing the many bioregions and species that contribute to California’s rich biodiversity. When an ecosystem includes many plants and animals, as well as many different species, that space is described as having “high biodiversity.” Worldwide, there are just 36 regions officially designated as terrestrial “biodiversity hotspots.” The California Floristic Province was named a biodiversity hotspot in the 1990s and includes Santa Barbara County. The California Floristic Province stretches along North America’s Pacific Coast and parts of Mexico and supports a number of critically endangered species such as the California condor and red-legged frog. To be named a biodiversity hotspot, an area must contain many species and plant life that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. While the Golden State is famed for its high biodiversity, many ecosystems and species are under threat of habitat destruction due to demand for development and agriculture in California. The museum’s mission is to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education, and Jacquemain’s art provides a way to educate and connect visitors to California’s wild side.

Jacquemain is a prolific artist and passionate conservationist whose creative practice spans over five decades. Trained in printmaking at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Patti developed a distinctive visual language rooted in bold composition and deep reverence for the natural world. Her linoleum block prints and hand-cut mosaics often feature wild animals and native plants, blending fine art with environmental storytelling. In addition to founding the museum in 2000, she also established Mission Creek Studios in Santa Barbara, where she created much of her work and mentored fellow artists as well as the nonprofit Creekspirit Foundation.

Guests are invited to celebrate the museum’s history and mission to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education. The evening will include catered appetizers, the wines of Dierberg and Star Lane wineries, remarks honoring Jacquemain’s legacy, proclamations on the museum’s 25th anniversary by various dignitaries, and an exclusive first look at “Wild in California.” Tickets are $25 per person, and can be purchased by visiting: calnatureartmuseum.org/news/25th-anniversary-members-celebration. Advance registration is recommended as space is limited. Tickets include one free entry into a drawing for a museum gift basket.

“The museum’s 25th anniversary is the perfect moment to revisit the work and vision of Patti Jacquemain,” said CNAM Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate. “Her deep love of California’s wild creatures is evident in every piece, and this exhibition is both a tribute to her and a reminder of the beauty and fragility of our natural world here in the Golden State.”

For more information about the California Nature Art Museum, please visit www.calnatureartmuseum.org.

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Robbie Kaye is creativity in motion. As an artist, composer, classical musician, photographer, and former gymnast, she has never stopped exploring the myriads of ways of bringing beauty into this world. Kaye has performed and composed music for many years in New York and Portland, Oregon, before she transitioned into photography and painting. Kaye’s work has been exhibited internationally in museums and galleries and has been featured in numerous publications such as LensCulture, Lenscratch, Gourmet, and Marie Claire magazines.

Three years ago, Kaye returned to her music roots after receiving a box of her old cassettes and started writing and recording again. She will be performing at Lost Chord Guitars in Solvang on Thursday, Aug. 7, in a Songwriters in the Round event with Arwen Lewis, Toni Land, and Emily Zuzik. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the performance will start at 8 p.m. Lost Chord Guitars is at 1576 Copenhagen Drive, Ste 101, Solvang.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she says her first experience of life consisted of the big city until her parents sent her to summer camp at the age of 5. It was then that she said she took her first breath of fresh air, experienced nature in all its glory, and realized that she was destined to replicate the wonder and beauty she had experienced in those summer months. They were the foundation for her love of art and all the elements of nature.

As a child, she studied gymnastics and was trained in classical piano. After graduating from high school, she attended a college in Georgia because it had a good gymnastics program, and as a gymnast, she wanted to compete collegiately. However, Kaye really didn’t fit into the more-rural area, she said, and quit the gymnastics team. She eventually returned, but an injury derailed her athletic career.

“During spring training, I landed incorrectly and hurt my back,” she said. “Since I couldn’t do gymnastics any longer, I turned to my other love, which was music. I had been classically trained in piano in New York, so I took music courses instead. When I returned to New York for Christmas vacation, I was immediately put into the hospital for back surgery. I had a herniated disc and never returned to school.”

She then applied to Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying jazz and majoring in composition and piano. After a year and a half at Berklee, Kaye returned to Long Island and joined a rock ‘n’ roll band in 1979.

“We made a 45 record, performed in New York City, got on the radio, and, like most bands, we broke up,” she said. “At the ripe age of 22, I moved to Manhattan and pursued a music career by collaborating with other musicians. In the interim, I tried working 9-to-5 jobs, but I just couldn’t handle it for very long.”

In the early 1990s Kaye had her own band, five girls and one guy, called Reverend Tribble & the Angels. Kaye’s journey as a songwriter is rooted in a deep love of music and a dedication to her craft.

“I started writing my own songs when I was 16, when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. It was a means of expressing my sadness at the time, and I continued writing lyrics for my own music,” she continued. “I also had the good fortune of being signed to Warner Chappell Music as a staff songwriter. The following year, one of the songs I co-wrote was for Disney Records, and the following year, the same song was placed in a Disney film.”

A change in her personal life meant a change in location. She got married and moved to Portland, continuing to put out music and playing in her own band. Entering the new millennium Kaye decided to change course and return to school.

“I quit the music scene for the first time in 2000 and went back to school to study creative writing and literature. I continued writing and recording but got out of the business side of it,” she continued. “I moved to the Oregon coast for six months, where I traded music for my room and board. While I was there, I took writing classes through Portland State University in Cannon Beach, Oregon, then moved to Santa Cruz to continue studying and got a job at UC Santa Cruz while attending school there.”

Kaye then moved to Santa Monica and worked for the Dean of Admissions at USC while continuing her studies, taking photography and poetry classes, and then working with one of her professors, California Poet Laureate Carol Muske-Dukes, on a project for the 125th anniversary of USC in 2005.

“We created a poetry/photography book for the occasion focusing on the school’s architecture and landscapes. I pursued a photographic career, and in 2009, I traveled the country interviewing women who were in their 70s and older at their weekly beauty parlor appointments and created a photographic book called ‘Beauty & Wisdom.’”

In 2013, Kaye moved to the Valley, launched her book, and started painting motorcycle tire treads on T-shirts, sweatshirts, and on canvas, selling them in a business she started.

“I continued with my photography and transitioned into abstract expressionism, painting trees for a collection called ‘Naked Trees’ and another called ‘All Dressed Up & Everywhere to Go,’ which can be viewed and purchased at Helen’s Hair Studio in Santa Ynez,” said Kaye.

Kaye’s new single, “Clear Blue Sky,” was released Aug. 5 on Spotify and all listening platforms, and she is presently writing and recording songs for film, TV, and ads. Robbie’s song, “Big Red Truck,” has been played on NPR Radio and national daytime television. She has an art studio in Santa Ynez, and is continuing to be a creative force of nature.

For more information, visit www.robbiekaye.com or email robbie@robbiekaye.com.

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By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Robbie Kaye is creativity in motion. As an artist, composer, classical musician, photographer, and former gymnast, she has never stopped exploring the myriads of ways of bringing beauty into this world. Kaye has performed and composed music for many years in New York and Portland, Oregon, before she transitioned into photography and painting. Kaye’s work has been exhibited internationally in museums and galleries and has been featured in numerous publications such as LensCulture, Lenscratch, Gourmet, and Marie Claire magazines. She has a permanent exhibit at the University of California, some pieces of which have been stolen. Her work is also in the hands of private collectors throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Three years ago, Kaye returned to her music roots after receiving a box of her old cassettes and started writing and recording again. She will be performing at Lost Chord Guitars in Solvang on Thursday, Aug. 7, in a Songwriters in the Round event with Arwen Lewis, Toni Land, and Emily Zuzik. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the performance will start at 8 p.m. Lost Chord Guitars is at 1576 Copenhagen Drive, Ste 101, Solvang.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she says her first experience of life consisted of tall buildings and cement parks until her parents sent her to summer camp at the age of 5. It was then that she said she took her first breath of fresh air, experienced nature in all its glory, and realized that she was destined to replicate the wonder and beauty she had experienced in those summer months. They were the foundation for her love of art and all the elements of nature.

As a child, she studied gymnastics and was trained in classical piano. After graduating from high school, she attended a college in Georgia because it had a good gymnastics program, and as a gymnast, she wanted to compete collegiately.

“It was a life-changing experience,” she said. “I went from being a popular student in New York to being a social outcast. I quit the gymnastics team because I didn’t feel like I fit in in general. I had a hard time living in a rural setting and in such a different culture. And being a sensitive person didn’t help. I was extraordinarily shy, even to this day, although people I know will laugh at that statement.”

She eventually found her tribe and returned to gymnastics, but competing was no longer in her future.

“During spring training, I landed incorrectly and hurt my back,” she said. “Since I couldn’t do gymnastics any longer, I turned to my other love, which was music. I had been classically trained in piano in New York, so I took music courses instead. When I returned to New York for Christmas vacation, I was immediately put into the hospital for back surgery. I had a herniated disc and never returned to school. Georgia was really character-building, to put it mildly, but I eventually found my niche.”

Instead, she applied to Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying jazz and majoring in composition and piano.

“The first band I was in was a country band where I played piano. It was at a venue called Swampland,” she said.

After a year and a half at Berklee, Kaye returned to Long Island and joined a rock ‘n’ roll band in 1979.

“We made a 45 record, performed in New York City, got on the radio, and, like most bands, we broke up,” she said. “At the ripe age of 22, I moved to Manhattan and pursued a music career by collaborating with other musicians. In the interim, I tried working 9-to-5 jobs, but I just couldn’t handle it for very long. I’d hang in there for four months, and then I had to move on to the next job. I even wrote a song about Manhattan.

“My grandmother wanted me to be a paralegal and go to secretarial school. She would take me shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue and buy me power suits. So, by day I wore a power suit to work, and by night I wore black leather pants, performing in shows in Greenwich Village.”

In the early 1990s Kaye had her own band, five girls and one guy, called Reverend Tribble & the Angels. Kaye’s journey as a songwriter is rooted in a deep love of music and a dedication to her craft.

“I started writing my own songs when I was 16, when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. It was a means of expressing my sadness at the time, and I continued writing lyrics for my own music,” she continued. “I also had the good fortune of being signed to Warner Chappell Music as a staff songwriter. The following year, one of the songs I co-wrote was for Disney Records, and the following year, the same song was placed in a Disney film.”

A change in her personal life meant a change in location.

“I married and moved to Portland, where I recorded a CD called Two Separate Worlds and formed my own group, and as a duo we performed both on the east and west coasts for a few years,” she continued. The marriage didn’t last, but we have remained friends.”

During the millennium Kaye decided to change course and return to school.

“I quit the music scene for the first time in 2000 and went back to school to study creative writing and literature. I continued writing and recording but got out of the business side of it,” she continued. “I moved to the Oregon coast for six months, where I traded music for my room and board. While I was there, I took writing classes through Portland State University in Cannon Beach, Oregon, then moved to Santa Cruz to continue studying and got a job at UC Santa Cruz while attending school there. I then moved to Santa Monica and worked for the Dean of Admissions at USC while continuing my studies. I registered for a new semester at USC and took my first photography and poetry class with the California Poet Laureate, Carol Muske-Dukes who I later collaborated with for the 125th anniversary of USC in 2005. We created a poetry/photography book for the occasion focusing on the school’s architecture and landscapes. I pursued a photographic career, and in 2009 I traveled the country interviewing women who were in their 70s and older at their weekly beauty parlor appointments and created a photographic book called ‘Beauty & Wisdom.’”

In 2013, Kaye moved to the Valley, launched her book, and started painting motorcycle tire treads on T-shirts, sweatshirts, and on canvas, selling them in a business she started. She said it was then that she became interested in resin.

“I continued with my photography and transitioned into abstract expressionism, painting trees for a collection called ‘Naked Trees’ and another called ‘All Dressed Up & Everywhere to Go,’ which can be viewed and purchased at Helen’s Hair Studio in Santa Ynez,” said Kaye.

Kaye’s new single, “Clear Blue Sky,” was released Aug. 5 on Spotify and all listening platforms, and she is presently writing and recording songs for film, TV, and ads.

Over the years, Kaye said she has had the honor of co-writing with remarkable songwriters, including the legendary Doc Pomus, respected hitmaker Clay Mills, multi-award-winning producer Elliott Lanam, Mark Cruz, and Julian Cassia. She has also demonstrated her versatility by scoring the music for two musicals: “Afterlife” by Bob Fenster and “The Continuing Adventures of Anne and Jack” by Josh Goldman. Robbie’s song, “Big Red Truck,” has been played on NPR Radio and national daytime television.

She has since remarried in 2006, has an art studio in Santa Ynez, and is continuing to be a creative force of nature.

For more information, visit www.robbiekaye.com or email robbie@robbiekaye.com.

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Staff Report

On Friday, Aug. 1, NatureTrack Foundation, in partnership with the Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, invites the community to a special summer screening of two remarkable films celebrating nature and the power of connection.

The evening opens with “The Long Kiss,” a charming 2.5-minute animated short by Russian student filmmaker Ivan Khanzhi that follows two river snails in a heartwarming attempt to overcome their natural sluggishness for a chance at love.

The feature film, “Fishpeople” (48 mins), is a stunning documentary presented by Patagonia and directed by local filmmaker Keith Malloy. Winner of Best Feature at the 2018 NatureTrack Film Festival, the film shares the transformative stories of surfers, swimmers, spearfishers, and others whose lives have been changed by their connection to the sea.

This free community event offers a unique opportunity to experience world-class, nature-focused cinema right here in the Santa Ynez Valley. The screening will take place at the Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, located at 2374 Alamo Pintado Ave., in Los Olivos. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the screening begins promptly at 7 p.m. All ages are welcome.

About NatureTrack

NatureTrack Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was founded in 2011 with the mission of connecting people to nature through cost-free, curriculum-aligned outdoor field trips for K–12 students. Based in Santa Barbara County, NatureTrack has since expanded its impact with the Freedom Trax program, which enables wheelchair users to explore beaches and trails with independence and dignity. NatureTrack also produces the NatureTrack Film Festival, celebrating nature through film and fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Learn more at www.naturetrack.org

About Santa Ynez Valley Grange

The Santa Ynez Valley Grange  No. 644 has served as a cornerstone of community life in the Santa Ynez Valley since its founding in 1937.  As part of the national and State Grange organizations the SYV Grange is dedicated to promoting agriculture, education, and community enrichment.  The historic hall hosts a variety of public and private events, bringing people together in the spirit of cooperation, learning, and local culture.

Learn more at www.syvgrange.org

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July’s featured art is sponsored by Face in Water: Swimming and Water Safety Education and includes artwork from Mauricia Martin, Theresa Reilly, Adam Hrehor, Sohia Briseno, Perla Orellana, and Mila Phonthongsy. You can see their original artwork at buellton.art/2025-july-ocean-art-feature/

This project is made possible by Buellton’s Art & Culture Program, the California Nature Art Museum (our nonprofit partner), monthly sponsorships, and the support of the Buellton community.

Go to Buellton.Art to:

• See all of the banners and the original art for each design
• Learn about Buellton’s Arts & Culture Program and see how you or your organization can apply for a grant
• Visit our “Shop the Art” store, where you can purchase the art on posters, magnets, totes, water bottles, and more.

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A sold-out crowd of 300 gathered in boots and fancy hats at the Piocho Ranch on Sunday, June 29, for the 13th annual 2025 Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic.  

Proceeds from the event benefit People Helping People (PHP), the Valley’s lifeline for vulnerable residents in need of food, shelter, medical care, and connection to other critical services. 

Holding an American flag under a bright blue sky with the mountains as a backdrop, Sean Pitts, one of the owners of Happy Canyon Vineyards, kicked off the main match.  “There is no greater honor than to help People Helping People,” announced Pitts. 

Sean and his wife, Jodi Barrack Pitts, and TJ Barrack are longtime supporters of the Classic. The trio took over running the event when a more elaborate version became an organizational burden for the small nonprofit. It has transitioned from an ultra-chic day in the country to a casual event that is pure Valley, bringing together barbecue, wine, and horses. 

“I just am so grateful to them,” PHP Board President Becky Barieau said. “They chose to maintain the continuity and the legacy of the polo event and it still benefits us. It’s a great thing. It’s a really great thing.” 

“It’s about the community that People Helping People supports that are near and dear to our hearts,” Sean Pitts said, noting PHP’s support of ranch and farm laborers. Jodi Barrack Pitts’ family has been part of the Santa Ynez community for well over three decades. She added, “We really love where we live and we want to give back where we live. And we love what they do.” 

Joel Baker, a local high-goal player and national coach, started the Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic with People Helping People in 2012. That relationship is especially meaningful to PHP this year as they just helped facilitate the first residents to move into Polo Village, a beautiful, new, affordable housing complex in Buellton. 

The Polo Village development is built on the very land where the Classic started, a polo field formerly owned by Baker. Forty-nine family members and individuals now have permanent housing at this complex designed for seniors, veterans, and working families, along with PHP support services to ensure they stay in that housing. 

This year members of La Herradura Polo Club run by Memo Gracida, the legendary polo player, took to the field in the Polo Classic to face off in two matches. The lone woman on the Red team, Gina Padilla, scored four of the team’s five goals. Despite her success, the opposing team won, leaving Guille Aguero, Brent Hamill, Jim Mintie, and Matt Thake to lift the celebratory bottles of Happy Canyon wines. 

To learn more about People Helping People go to  syvphp.org, or call (805) 686-0295.

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Included is a fire-roasted gourmet dinner, live music by the Bryan Titus Trio, and “action-packed” live and silent auctions led by Auctioneer Kenny Hollister.

Circle JB Polo Ranch is located at 560 McMurray Road in Buellton, for tickets and more information, visit givebutter.com/c/atterdagharvestparty.

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Comedian Orny Adams will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Solvang Festival Theater. Also, on stage that night opening for Adams will be stand-up comedian Frazer Smith. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Rotary Club of Solvang and Solvang Theaterfest.

“Orny Adams showed up on YouTube when I was watching comedians such as Brian Regan and Kevin Nealon, who have performed at the Solvang Festival Theater in the past,” said Allen Jones, volunteer chair of the Rotary Club of Solvang. “I thought to myself, ‘Orny is really funny. I wonder if he would be willing to come to Solvang?’ I asked my brother-in-law, Brad Mann, who knows all the great comedians, and he knew Orny and thought he would be great – if you could even get him. So Orny’s assistant emailed me back. We spoke. It seems Orny has ties to the Santa Ynez Valley, loves the area, thought we were a good group, and decided to come.”

“He is a very personable and engaging young man, extremely funny, bright, well-versed on life, and our area. Lucky to have him perform,” said Jones. 

“I’m excited to be doing a show in Solvang. In these times, we all need to get out of the house, come together, and laugh! I’ve vacationed there a few times, and I can’t imagine this isn’t going to be anything less than an incredible experience. I hope to see you all there,” said Adams.

According to his bio, Adams has appeared on every late-night television show. His “More Than Loud” comedy special on YouTube has 7 million views. Orny has had one-hour stand-up specials on Netflix, Comedy Central, and Showtime. He has toured all over the world and gives a full-throttle, high-energy show. You may also recognize him from the hit TV show “Teen Wolf” and the movie “Teen Wolf.” Additionally, he has well over a million followers on social media. Adams delivers a powerful, incisive stand-up routine that vacillates between the relevant and the absurd. He attacks what’s wrong with the world and sometimes even what’s wrong with himself. He’s brutally honest, satirical, and his performance is ceaselessly energetic.

One of Adam’s many reviews stated, this one by bestselling author Gavin de Becker, “There’s a growing group of people who have known that Orny is a great comic thinker and performer. We search out his stuff on the internet, we go to his shows, and we send emails around with things he’s said. It’s like we discovered Bob Dylan early and everyone else is just about to.” 

Opening for Adams that night will be Frazer Smith, also known as Frazier Smith. According to Wikipedia, he is an American radio personality, disc jockey, actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. Smith worked in Los Angeles at KROQ-FM from 1976 through 1979, KLOS from 1979 through 1984, KMET 1984 through 1986, KLSX 1986 through 1997, KLOS in 1997, and KRTH in 2002 and back to KLOS a third time until 2020. He has played small roles in films and television shows and was one of the announcers on the TBS music video show Night Tracks from 1986 to 1988 and 1989 to 1991. 

The debut of his manic show on KROQ-FM coincided with that station’s rise playing what was then-new new wave music. Smith is noted for his KROQ-FM simulcasts of the 1978 World Series. He coined the phrase “Too hip, gotta go!” while at KLOS. Smith also hosted the late-night television show called “Rock ‘N’ America,” in 1984. 

Presently, Smith is busy doing podcasts and stand-up comedy, which he’s said is his first love. He’s appeared at the Improv, the Laugh Factory, the Ice House, and the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, among others.

Tickets are $59 for reserved seating. Gates and concessions open at 6 p.m. Bring a jacket or blanket for the chilly evenings, as this is an outdoor theater. Refreshments and light snacks are available for purchase.

Tickets are on sale now at https://solvangtheaterfest.com. 

For more information on Orny Adams, visit www.ornyadams.com/, and for Smith, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frazer_Smith.

Solvang Festival Theater is at 420 2nd St., Solvang.

For more information, call (805) 686-1789 or visit www.solvangfestivaltheater.org

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Practically a California native, Jeszeck has called Lompoc home for many years, drawing constant inspiration from the Central Coast. “Inspiration for creating art is resplendent in this area,” she shared. With over 40 years of artistic exploration, Jeszeck embraces both realism and abstraction, often blending the two in unique and joyful ways.

“I don’t have a particular style or vision — and that’s the way I like it,” Jeszeck said. “I love being a student, always trying new techniques.” A fan of detail and bold color, her ultimate goal is simple: to make the viewer smile.

Jeszeck teaches fluid art on her YouTube channel, Chris Jeszeck Fluid Art and More, and will bring that passion into the gallery with live demonstrations each Saturday at 1 p.m. throughout the exhibit’s run. Visitors can expect a mix of techniques, color, and creativity that highlight the playful and expressive nature of fluid art.

The public is invited to an artist reception on Saturday, July 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Cypress Gallery, located at 119 E Cypress Ave, Lompoc. It’s a chance to meet Jeszeck, experience her work up close, and enjoy an afternoon of community and creativity.

The Lompoc Valley Art Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is dedicated to promoting the arts throughout the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valleys. For more information, visit lompocart.org or follow “Cypress Gallery” on Facebook.

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To open its 80th season, The Theatre Group at SBCC presents Mel Brooks’ hilarious musical “Young Frankenstein.” 

From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation, “The Producers,” comes this monster musical comedy. Mel Brooks, adapts his legendarily funny film “Young Frankenstein” into a stage creation.

The story follows the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”) as he inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced“Eye-gore”), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. “It’s alive!” he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather’s. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes, and hilarity abounds.

Every bit as relevant to audience members who will remember the original as it will be to newcomers, “Young Frankenstein” has all the panache of the screen sensation with a little extra theatrical flair added.

In 1974, Brooks — along with co-writer and star Gene Wilder — created “Young Frankenstein,” a loving parody of theclassic monster movies inspired by Mary Shelley’s novel. Shot in black and white and even using some of the original lab equipment from the 1931 movie, Young Frankenstein mimicked the visual style of old Hollywood horror while transforming it into absurdist comedy. The film earned critical and commercial success, was nominated for an Academy Award, and became a bona fide cult classic.

After having adapted his film, “The Producers,” into a Broadway musical that became a runaway success, Mel Brooks hoped to strike gold again. So, in 2007, he reunited with co-writer Thomas Meehan to bring Young Frankenstein to Broadway where it ran for 484 performances. Ten years later, the musical was significantly revised and restaged for a UK audience and opened in London’s West End to enthusiastic reviews and renewed acclaim.

The cast for The Theatre Group’s version of “Young Frankenstein” is led by Dillon Yuhasz as Frederick Frankenstein, Ryan Beaghler as Igor, and Kate Brody-Adams as Inga. The rest of the cast includes Sean O’Shea as the Monster, Addison Clarke as Elizabeth Benning, Tiffany Story as Frau Blucher, and Michael D’Emidio as Inspector Kemp, as well as Adrian Arias, Mary Bailey, Kevin Doyle, Amanda Elliot, Cynthia Erickson, Odette Finn, Tyler Gilbert, Will Muse, Giavanna Oliff, Margaret Prothero, Stella Reid, Evan Roush, CJ Smith, Logan Smoot, Chiara Stanziano, Naomi Jane Voigt, and Terra Sage Wallin.

The production is directed by Rick Mokler, with Michele Spears as choreographer, and David Potter as musical director.

Performances will be July 9-26, in the Garvin Theatre on SBCC’s West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Drive. Performance times are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday @ 2 p.m. Previews on July 9 and 10 will be at 7:30 p.m.The Sunday, July 13, 2 p.m. performance will be live-captioned for the hearing impaired.

Prices:  

• Previews  are $20 general/$17 seniors and SBCC staff/$10 students, 
• Thursday evening and Sunday matinee are $32 general/$27 seniors and SBCC Staff/$16 students, 
• Friday and Saturday evening are $34 general/$29 seniors and SBCC staff/$19 students.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (805) 965-5935 or online at www.theatregroupsbcc.com

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