Nostalgic for The Moonlight Amphitheater

Columnist - Theresa Layne

It is with tremendous joy that I share with you my personal favorite theater in all of San Diego, The Moonlight Amphitheater, located in Vista. This theater holds such a special place in my heart because, well, that is where I performed my first leading role as a musical theater actress and where I got my first job after graduating from college as Assistant to the Artistic Director, Kathy Brombacher. I watched her organize, mobilize and create amazing musical theatre with little budget, little staff, but with a huge heart. And that is what makes Moonlight tick…the beat of the hearts of many many local performers, volunteers and a committed city that has supported the theater for over 25 years.

This summer’s musical show lineup is going to knock your socks off! The first show of the season is Oklahoma. Now I know this show has been done and done and done, but there are still a lot of young children that have never seen it, so now is your opportunity to expose them to one of the greatest musicals ever created. Last year I took my boys to see Moonlight’s production of Cats and they were mesmerized. They were 7 and 10 at the time and I wasn’t sure how they would react to the show, but they absolutely LOVED IT!!! Sure was a nice change from movies and video games.

Following Oklahoma is Crazy for You, an upbeat musical about two young people destined to be together…lots of amazing tap dancing …and the beautiful lyrics and music of Ira and George Gershwin!!! You know the songs; “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “I Got Rhythm,” to name a few. Not only will the music and dancing mystify you, but also thoroughly entertain you. The book written by Ken Ludwig, whom I consider one of America’s finest comedic writers living today, will crack you up!!! This is one of those shows that you can’t help falling in love with and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face!!!

This year’s summer season ends with the production of Miss Saigon!!! Wow, what a diverse line-up. This musical tells the story of an Asian woman whom her American lover abandoned. I definitely would not recommend this one for young children, but I would take myself out on a date to enjoy something a bit different than your run of the mill entertainments.

Arrive at the theater early to get our lawn seating location, about 6:30pm. There are about 750 permanent seats, but also 1,400 lawn seating options on the grass. Go with the lawn sea,ting…it is a much better price and they give you a low-back beach chair to sit on. If you come early you can get a GREAT seat. Take a picnic dinner and dine on the lawn with your family before the show. There is also food available at the park as well, but if you are like me and do everything on a budget, take in your own homemade picnic dinner. There is also a “family of four” discount price available…call vistix at 760-724-2110 for details. Hope to see you there!!!

To find out more about my background, visit theresalayne.com