Author: Media Director

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Mars Fuller

Hey people! It’s Mars. You may know me as Mariah, or “one of the Tobins”. Any way you want to refer to me works… as long as there is kindness in your heart! I have been around the community for as long as I’ve been breathing but didn’t really branch out of my home theatre/school until my twenties. I’ve only done a handful of projects at Conejo… but I’ve loved every minute of it! For a long time, I was scared to death of getting myself out there and I had forgotten just how important being a part of theatre was to me. I am so grateful to have been welcomed into such a beautiful community.

My first memory with Conejo Players is my elementary school shuttling us to see Bugsy Malone Jr… I was just happy to get out of school for the day. In 2010, my mom took me to see Kiss Me Kate after we did Taming of the Shrew with our Summer Classics in the Park. The show played in winter, it was FREEZING. By the end of the first act the audience had scooted ourselves to the middle of the room like penguins huddling for warmth. The second act opens with ‘Too Darn Hot’… we all got a great laugh. I got a chance to watch my mom in a couple shows and fell in love with the people, passion, and art that Conejo inspired. It took me a couple of years after, but I finally got an in! In 2019 I came back from college after a not-so-great year and got an opportunity to work backstage on Avenue Q, I sang a little (very scary!) in the 2021 Backwards Broadway Concert and then I stage managed Hotbed Hotel in 2025.

I didn’t have a clue what I would do next. I stage managed Annie at another theatre but promised myself that the next time my name was in a program, I would be on stage. One day, my wife Kaitlin and I were talking, and she mentioned me trying out for Steel Magnolias. I’ve been in love with the show since I was a little girl watching my mom play Ouiser along with all her friends. I had convinced myself there wasn’t a chance in the world that I would be selected for a show like this, but when your wife is telling you to audition… you listen. The auditions and callbacks were swarmed with so much talent. But thank goodness I checked my phone that night in the Taco Bell drive-thru! Two things came to mind. On one hand, I’m Shelby in this amazing show surrounded by amazing people! On the other hand, I’ve got a lot of learning to do! I think one of the most challenging parts about a show like this is making sure it’s real. Because it is. This story has been told many times but lived a thousand more.

I am forever grateful to be a part of such a beautiful story surrounded by beautiful people. I am grateful for my family and my wife who encourage and support me no matter what. I am grateful to the community and for everyone I haven’t gotten to meet yet.

Learn more about Steel Magnolias and get your tickets here!

Posted on

The Conejo Players Youth Improv Team is Back!

Conejo Players Youth Improv team is celebrating its second birthday with a show this Sunday, June 21! Established in 2024, the team has performed in three successful shows and two comedy festivals. Audiences love their energy, creativity and great sense of humor.

During rehearsals, members of the team play many different games. We asked some team members to tell us about their favorite game and why. We think their answers will help you get to know these wonderful kids better!

Lyra Eriksen
My favorite improv game is the one where there are three people in the scene and one person has a script and that’s all they can use to talk, this game really pushes me, I love the challenge of making the player’s lines fit the story, and it’s really fun when they say something totally out of left field!

Hatch Ricci
My favorite game is “Four Corners” because it is challenging but also entertaining. It requires a lot of focus to perform since it involves keeping track of a lot of details and people, but the payoff of creating a complex, hilarious story is worth it.

Even Trafican
I love any game where the whole team plays (like “Fly in my Soup”) because I like the enjoyment of bringing everyone together where we can all work off each other’s ideas.

Thomas Strang
“Press Conference” because it’s really fun and we get to be creative.

Layna Trafican
My favorite improv game that we’ve done so far has been the one where there are two investigators and a suspect and you had to hint to them who, what, and why and if the two investigators can’t think of something, someone else goes “ring ring” and they can “call” with a hint. I love this one because it feels the most challenging and fun.

Caelan Anderson
My favorite game is “Four Corners”, specifically with four people. I like this game because not only does it require you to be paying attention, it forces you to remember where you were in a scene and pick up from that same spot, a challenge that is only amplified when everybody is a part of two scenes.

Ava Paolini
“Expert Interview”, which involves two people. Those two people can shine while it’s their turn. I also love it because it allows our imagination to take off as we act out our characters.

Oliver Strang
The game where you go through the alphabet and everybody has to name something starting with that letter and I like it because all of the responses people have are very funny and sometimes unexpected!

Ethan Purdy
It’s called Interview. It’s my favorite because it really challenges our improv skills.

Come watch the funniest kids you know this Sunday, June 21, 2026 at 6pm! Tickets are on sale.

Posted on

Tony Award-Winning Avenue Q Returns to Conejo Players Theatre

The Tony Award-winning musical comedy Avenue Q returns to Conejo Players Theatre this June after a successful 2019 run. The laugh-out-loud, puppet-filled production runs June 5–28, 2026, in Thousand Oaks.

Returning by popular demand after its successful 2019 run, the musical tells the story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that, although the residents seem nice, it’s clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. 

Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Avenue Q is a place where puppets are friends, monsters are good, and life lessons are learned.

“This show is funny, it’s a bit naughty, and it teaches a lot of valuable lessons,” co-director Beth Eslick shared. “In 2019, when Conejo Players first produced Avenue Q (directed by Jeremy Zeller), I was fully invested. I was thrilled with how well the show did and how much the audience loved it. It was heartbreaking to hear people say (after the very short two-weekend run) that they hadn’t gotten a chance to see it. I’m glad CPT gets to share the zaniness of Avenue Q with our patrons again!”

Despite its puppet cast, Avenue Q contains mature themes and language and is recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.

“It’s not just shock value for the sake of it. It’s really about learning to laugh at life, embrace uncertainty, and realize that nobody truly has everything figured out, especially as a young adult navigating major life changes,” cast member Livian Coverdale, who brings one of the Bad Idea Bears to life, shared. “The heart of the show is how grounded and relatable the characters are in contrast to their silly appearances and inappropriate humor.”

Fellow cast member Tony Cellucci, who portrays the puppet Rod, agrees, “This show is admirable not just for its wacky humor, but for how grounded in reality it is. For a musical with a handful of puppets, it bursts at the seams with humanity.”

The only returning cast member from 2019 is Sahai Lara, who reprises the role of famed child actor Gary Coleman. “Returning to Avenue Q feels like such a full-circle moment for me! I feel like I can relate to the show on a deeper level now. I’ve created my own little “avenue” of friends to experience the best and worst parts of life with.” 

Everyone is welcome to visit this neighborhood! Avenue Q runs June 5 through June 28, 2026 at Conejo Players Theatre. Tickets are available at conejoplayers.org or through the Conejo Players box office.

Avenue Q is produced by Kristin Krause, directed by Beth Eslick and Jim Diderrich, choreographed by Layla Ulrich, and music directed by Scott Donohue. Starring Andrew Landecker, Natalie Chavez, Jack Rogers, Tony Cellucci, Charles Woodson Parker, Francesca Barletta, Darian Calderon, Keziah Ann Apostol, Sahai Lara, Livian Coverdale, and R. Shane Bingham.

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Sahai Lara

Before the opening night of Avenue Q, Conejo Players’ next musical, we are talking with one of the actresses of the show, Sahai Lara. We have seen Sahai in many CPT productions, including RENT and Sweeney Todd, and also enjoyed her directorial work on The Mountaintop and The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee.

Now Sahai is reprising her role as Gary Coleman in Avenue Q.

How did you find Conejo Players?
I first heard about Conejo Players Theater when I moved to the valley from the Glendale area in 2019. I was in my first year of college, and I hadn’t performed with a community theater since my move to California from Connecticut. But then I saw a Backstage.com posting for Sweeney Todd at a theater in Thousand Oaks and it grabbed my attention. I walked into the theater for my audition and all of my nerves melted away. Everyone made me feel like I was already a part of the community, even though they didn’t know me yet.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time at CPT?
There are so many to choose from, but I think that my favorite memory is working backstage for High School Musical. I love that we’re given the opportunities to work in different areas of the theater, and being able to work backstage and watch the shows from a different perspective gives me so much joy.

What does CPT mean to you?
To me, Conejo means community. It’s a place where people from all different walks of life can leave their day at the door and just collaborate to make something wondrous.

Please tell us about Avenue Q, the show you are working on now.
I am currently reprising my role as “Gary Coleman” in CPT’s upcoming production of Avenue Q! I feel so privileged to be able to play this role again and use the experience that I’ve gained since seven years ago. Through this experience, I’ve been able to meet so many new and talented actors that I’m proud to say are now my friends.

Avenue Q opens at Conejo Players Theatre on June 5, 2026.

Posted on

Review of Anne of Green Gables

Our first youth show of 2026 got a glowing review in the VC Reporter.

Tim Pompey from the VC Reporter Joined us on opening night and reviewed the show; “This is an extremely mobile production. Throughout the play, tables and benches move on casters, walls rotate, cast members parade as flora and fauna, umbrellas serve as wheels, and the same cast plays multiple roles (including the horse that draws the carriage). It gives the play a visual and imaginative energy… If you love the book or the TV series, you won’t be disappointed with this production. It’s sweet, funny, nostalgic and, with Anne (with an E) at the center, quite adorable.”

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Paul Babb & Scott Quintard

On May 17th you will have a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with a new play presented by our Readers Theatre program. We are talking with Paul Babb and Scott Quintard, Honorary Life members, wonderful actors, and producers of CPT’s Readers Theatre program.

Can you please tell us why you picked Underdog: The Other Other Brontë?
We chose Underdog: The Other Other Brontë by Sarah Gordon because it is exactly the kind of new writing, we are passionate about with Conejo Players Readers Theatre. It is fresh, fearless storytelling that takes a historical scenario and makes it feel urgent and utterly alive for a modern audience. The script is a revelation in how it peels back the mythology of the Brontë sisters to expose the raw, complex power dynamics between three extraordinarily gifted women, each fighting for space, recognition, and creative voice within the same walls. What moves us most is how Gordon uses this very specific sisterhood to illuminate something far broader and enduringly relevant: the way brilliant women throughout history have been forced to shrink, compete, and survive in the long shadow of male expectation and authority. It is a story told with wit, intelligence, and real emotional bite, and that combination is precisely what great theatre should do.

Please tell us about your rehearsal process.
Because this is a reading rather than a fully staged production, we are liberated from the hours that typically go into blocking, set and staging logistics, etc. The best part of that of that is, even though our entire rehearsal period runs only eight to ten sessions, we typically get to do far more character development work than most full productions ever allow. Every rehearsal is about story and character — who the characters are, what they want, and how that drives the story.

Also, we have to mention University Village and their Life Enrichment Director, Holly Butler. They have been extraordinarily generous providing us with rehearsal space. It is a wonderful partnership, and it culminates in something genuinely special: on our final rehearsal night, before we ever set foot in the theatre, we perform a “dress rehearsal” for the residents of the facility.

Do you have some funny moments that have happened during rehearsals?
Readers Theatre exists to push boundaries; to bring bold, challenging, sometimes uncomfortable writing to the stage and trust that audiences can handle it. And we have learned that Conejo Players audiences are more than up for it. One of the most amusing moments has been pushing those boundaries with our dress rehearsal audience at University Village (a much older crowd). We have exposed them to Grand Horizons (which features an extended discussion about sex toys) and Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight (which has, let’s say, very vividly verbalized sexual content). Each time, we braced ourselves a little. And each time, they surprised us by absolutely loving it.

What are the challenges of staging a Readers Theatre production?
The biggest challenge is resisting the urge to keep adding. There is always a temptation to bring in a costume piece here, a prop there, a little more staging, etc. And before you know it you are pushing a reading toward a full production. It comes from a good place; directors and actors want to serve the story, and the instinct is to reach for familiar tools. But Readers Theatre teaches you to put those tools down. The discipline is learning to trust the story, trust the script, and trust the actors’ ability to bring it fully to life with their voices and their presence. When you do that, something remarkable happens: the audience’s imagination fills in everything else, and often more powerfully than any set or costume ever
could.

What would you like to say to your audience?
If you love theatre that is fresh, modern, and unafraid to push boundaries, then Readers Theatre is for you. Come ready to think, laugh, to squirm a little, and to be moved. Underdog: The Other Other Brontë is exactly the kind of bold, vital new piece that reminds you why live theatre matters.

Learn more about the Conejo Players Readers Theatre.

Posted on

Press Coverage: Anne of Green Gables

Broadway World: ANNE OF GREEN GABLES Will Be Presented By Conejo Players

“This production is different from most in that it relies entirely on actor creativity,” director Judy Diderrich shared. “Rather than a direct play of the book, it is about a classroom of students telling, and acting out, the story. Students act out not only the characters, but also the scenery, furniture and transportation. Whatever the story calls for, the students need to become.”

Conejo Vally Guide: Conejo Players Presents Anne of Green Gables May 1 to May 10

“Audiences follow Anne as she navigates school, friendship, and growing up in this charming coming-of-age story.”

Posted on

Reviews of Legally Blonde the Musical

Critics are raving about our production of Legally Blonde! Check out reviews on The Joyous Living blog and in the VC Reporter.

The Joyous Living came to see the show and gave it high praise, listing the show as a “must-see in 2026”; “If you’re looking for a lively, fun, and heartwarming theatre experience in Thousand Oaks, Legally Blonde at Conejo Players delivers all that and more. This community theatre production brings the story of Elle Woods to life with humor, charm, and polished performances that will leave you smiling. ”

Tim Pompey from the VC Reporter came to opening night and reviewed the show; “So it’s spring, and you’re looking for something cheerful to entertain you? How about bright, bouncy, upbeat? Something like “Legally Blonde” (based on the motion picture, reimagined for the stage as a musical) now showing at the Conejo Players Theatre. We’re talking a double-shot-of-espresso kind of upbeat. ”

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Andrew “Argyle” Ceco

We met this friendly smiling face during rehearsals of Lend Me a Tenor, the first show of 2026 season. He came and immediately won us over because he was so interested to learn, help, and be involved. He said: how can I help?, and you all know, these words are beautiful music for people who work on a show.

Now Andrew (affectionally known as Argyle!) is working with the Legally Blonde costume team and he loves it! He is very busy, but had a few minutes to answer some questions for us:

Why did you choose to work with costumes?
I already knew that I wanted to support the theater, since I’ve been watching the shows here for years. When I saw there was a call for volunteers, I wanted to try something completely new. I love learning new things!

What’s your first impression of CPT?
No other theater feels quite as authentic to me as CPT. That’s what always pulled me back, show after show. And that’s what made me want to sign up to help out!

Your first show was Lend Me a Tenor. What was most difficult for you?
Difficult? Well, everyone is just way too nice and charming here, how am I supposed to get any work done?! Really, everyone has been so patient with me learning a new skill, and that acceptance and kindness in our community has made the whole experience just feel easy.

Please tell us about your team work for Legally Blonde.
I’m being trained by the incredible Beth Eslick, and working on a team of absolutely incredible designers, directors, creators, and masterminds. I’m constantly astounded by the attention to detail, let alone the passion that’s gone into this play. Getting to know the entire cast and crew has been an honor and delight.

Posted on

Reviews of Lend Me A Tenor

Our 2026 season opening play, Lend Me A Tenor, is a hit with the critics! Check out these reviews:

The Joyous Living reviewed the show positively saying; “This is community theatre doing what it does best- bringing people together for shared laughter.”

Tim Pompey of the VC Reporter joined us on opening night; “Conejo Players Theatre presents a mashup of sex, identity confusion and clowns, all baked into a single night of hilarity… the chaos is well-timed and pretty darn funny.”

Cary Ginell of The Acorn praises Lend Me A Tenor, “It’s all about pace, timing and the actors’ ability to play their roles just short of overplaying them, and CPT’s production, under John Eslick’s skilled direction, does just that with a fine cast of talented actors… A great exclamation point to the evening is the post-curtain “megamix,” in which the cast pantomimes, at breakneck speed, the play’s key plot elements in a New York minute, set to the final galop from Jacques Ibert’s suite Divertissement.”

Ventura Breeze gives the play a very positive review; “Now on stage at the Conejo Players Theatre in Thousand Oaks is a barrel of laughs mixed with Italian opera, physical hijinks… The play is well directed by John Eslick who is also credited with the beautiful set design.”