Personal Stories Perpetuates in Cyberspace

Despite complications from COVID-19, Personal Stories, Center Stage Theater’s popular series that features local authors and actors performing true first-person stories drawn from their own lives never actually went on hiatus. Sure, the PS performances were put on hold, but auditions and coaching continued in hopes that the theater would soon be reopening post-pandemic. Now that the virus’ increasing spread has pushed things back, Personal Stories has, like so many other entertainment endeavors, moved online.

There are, so far, five video offerings, each comprising four or five stories – with topics as up to date as online dating in the pandemic – performed by actors on stage at the black box theater, filmed COVID-safely without an audience. They can be viewed at will through August 31 over Vimeo, with the link and password provided for a minimum $10 contribution to help the theater survive going dark for, so far, more than four months. Three are already viewable, while Installment No. 4 is set to debut on July 27, and features nonfiction stories by Peter Fox, Laurie Lindop, Meredith McMinn, Marylove Thralls, and Susan Keller, the Montecito resident who is the founder/artistic director of Santa Barbara Revels. August 3 brings Group 5, with true tales from Lisa Gates, Leslie Paxton, Linda Stewart-Oaten, and Jonathan Young.

CST is also planning videos of other events due later August and September, including live dance and theater performances that will also be filmed at the theater sans audiences and following the Film/Video/Music production guidelines. They’ll also be viewable via pay-per-view through the website. Visit www.CenterStageTheater.org.