EXCERPTS FROM: In honor of Music Academy of the West's Vocal Dept. Director Marilyn Horne's 80th birthday, a wonderful production of Bizet's perennial favorite Carmen, set in 1800s California. Lit Moon Theatre Company's The Cherry Orchard was at once spare and lavish, and given a Lit Moon twist of quirk. State Street Ballet's Fall productions: Bill Soleau's steamy Tango Rain, and Sheherazade, conceived by managing Director Tim Mikel and choreographed by former SSB dancer Autumn Eckman. Out of the Box Theater Company's production of the daring musical Bare, about the consequences of coming out in a Catholic school. Opera Santa Barbara's Rigoletto had everything in place for a grand production of one of the greatest of Verdi's tragic masterpieces.