Theater Group at SBCC Presents ‘Looking Back, Looking Forward’

In order to rise to the challenge of creating meaningful theater during the pandemic, the Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College chose to draw on two of its signature strengths — musicals and its own long and distinguished history. Looking Back, Looking Forward, available through November 7 as a virtual streaming event, offers a generous helping of great Broadway show tunes performed by a remarkably talented cast. Hosts Willie Simpson and Tiffany Story cue up the numbers with snappy Santa Barbara–centric patter, and David Potter provides the musical accompaniment from the keyboard. The results are uniformly splendid; the only hard part of watching this delightful show is how much it will remind you of what we’re missing.

Highlights include familiar standards such as a beautiful “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story sung by Daniel Sabraw, multiple sparkling duets and trios featuring Shannon Saleh, and a great number from Waitress, “She Used to Be Mine,” performed by Miranda Ortega. Katie Laris and the team at SBCC did a wonderful job getting this show together while observing the strictest possible safety protocols. Put it on while you’re at home staying safe yourself and it will make your night. See theatregroupsbcc.com.

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