Oceanside Theatre Company Springs into Fun with a Full Calendar of Events in April

(Oceanside) March 22, 2023 – From portraiture at the gallery to a homecoming show for San Diego’s poet laureate, Oceanside Theatre Company offers a vast array of arts events at the historic Brooks Theater. 

April Fools’ Nerd Comedy

Saturday, April 1 at 8 PM

Get ready to laugh your way into April Fools’ Day with the hilarious Rob Haze! Haze is a master of blending his nerdy interests with his comedic talent, making him a must-see act for anyone who loves all things geeky. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, he is a writer/performer on Sherman’s Showcase on IFC. His stand up has been featured on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show, Comedy Central, and Viceland. Haze’s previous credits also include the Sneaker Sketch show Sneak This on B/R Kicks. In 2019, Haze released his stand up album, Haze-o-pedia and has been hosting The Inconsistent Podcast with Rob Haze since 2022. His quick wit and clever punchlines will keep you on the edge of your seat, and his infectious energy will have you grinning from ear to ear. Tickets are available for $25 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900.

The Brooks Gallery: Face 2 Face: Portraits and Self-Portraits 

Artist Open House – Friday, April 7 from 5-8 PM

Exhibit – Wednesday, March 29 – May 1
“Face 2 Face: Portraits and Self-Portraits” will be on exhibit March 29 – May 1 and feature 39 pieces by 24 different artists including Anne Phillips, Edwin Felieu, Brandon Pase, Laurie Batter, Rhya Cawley, Sharman Slye, Michelle Lubin, Neda Olomi, Adriyana and Alex Nichols. Due to the increasing popularity of the gallery, this is the first time Brooks Theater Gallery Curator Carol Naegele has had to close submission entries. When she first took over the gallery in 2018, she was lucky to receive 10-12 entries, this time around she closed submissions after 48 artist entries. Among the exhibiting artists is Alex Nichols, an artist with autism who has displayed his work in the past for “Dancing Lessons,” a play in which the lead character had autism. One of the exceptional pieces that is part of this month’s show is Through the Looking Glass, a 3′ x 2′ mosaic of colored stained glass by Luz Helena Thompson valued at $18,000. The artist open house on April 7 from 5-8 pm will feature an artist demonstration, live music by Giacoletti Music Students and Teachers, light refreshments and mini-tours of the theater. Tours take visitors through the costume and prop room, the Tech Loft, the main stage, the makeup room, the studio, and the shop, while discussing some of the history and mystery of the Brooks Theater. All are welcome. For more information visit OceansideTheatre.org.

Mad Strange Presents

Saturday, April 15 at 8 PM
Mad Strange returns for an all female lineup with a DJ, four musical acts and several vendors in the theater lobby. Tickets are available for $25 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900. For more information visit OceansideTheatre.org.

Living Will: Lederer on Shakespeare

Friday, April 21 at 7 PM

Richard Lederer returns to OTC for a night of Shakespeare. In honor of William Shakespeare’s birthday, Union-Tribune language columnist Lederer will demonstrate through excerpts from the Bard’s plays and sonnets that Shakespeare is alive and well and living robustly in San Diego. A special guest will perform two Shakespeare monologues to help illustrate the brilliance of the great dramatist. Lederer will also be auctioning off “Poker 101” and “Lederer on Language” presentations. Tickets are available for $25 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900.

Daring Greatly

Saturday, April 22 at 8 PM

Nominated for ”Best Rock Artist” at the San Diego Music Awards, Daring Greatly blends multiple genres including soul, rock, and Americana into a vibrant master class performance rich with incredible vocal harmonies and passion. Inspired by Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” and the writings of Brene Brown who authored a book with the same name, Daring Greatly consists of Canadian natives and lead vocalists Patrick and Liam Croome, drummer Brayden Tario, Lake Elsinore native David Mills on electric guitar, and Matt Spatol on bass. Each live performance is a dynamic and energetic experience, with the band’s tight harmonies and impressive instrumentals leaving audiences mesmerized. Tickets are available for $30-$100 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900.

Homecoming with Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez

Thursday, April 27 at 7 PM

San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez comes home to Oceanside on Thursday, April 27 at 7 PM to share his work in the city where he grew up. A graduate of El Camino High School and proud alumnus of Oceanside public schools, Magabo Perez is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Ethnic Studies at CSU San Marcos. Much of his work stems from his experience growing up in Oceanside as a Filipino-American and child of immigrants. His readings at Oceanside Theatre Company draw from his two hybrid collections of poetry and prose: Phenomenology of Superhero and This is for the mostless. Accompanied by up to three local poets, Perez will combine storytelling and poetry to connect to his community and audiences, and end the program with a question and answer session moderated by a local community leader. Tickets are available for $10-$20 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900.

Shane Hall Presents Circa 94

Friday, April 28 at 8 PM

Shane Hall partners with Blake Dean from the band Mrs. Henry to perform an intimate acoustic tribute to the sounds of the 90s. This era shaped their young lives and heavily influenced their music trajectory. Come see, feel, and hear a journey back to the 90s as performed and narrated conversationally Blake and Shane style. The program will include the music of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Radiohead, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and more. Tickets are available for $35-$100 online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-433-8900.

About Oceanside Theatre Company

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC), the resident professional theater company operating the Historic Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside, is a focal point of the Oceanside California Cultural District (OCCD). OTC’s mission is to produce professional theatrical, visual art, and musical productions for the entertainment and enrichment of the community, present educational opportunities in the arts for children and adults, and provide a safe, state-of-the-art public venue for expansion of artistic endeavors in North San Diego County and greater Southern California. OTC produces a four-show mainstage theater season in the 198-seat venue, as well as a Music Series, play readings and various other events in the adjacent black box theater, Studio 219. An important part of OTC’s mission is inspiring and sharing the arts with local youth through the Youth Theater Arts Program, which includes Summer Theater Camps and Youth Theater Arts Outreach in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Oceanside during the school year. To learn more visit www.oceansidetheatre.org.

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For interviews: 

Leann Garms, Public Relations, 214-289-3563, lgarms@oceansidetheatre.org 

Meg Pierce, Marketing Manager, 619-453-5344, meg@oceansidetheatre.org