In this Issue:
- Just 7 More Chances! See a New Incarnation of Lonesome Traveler, subtitled Generations, Stars The Folk Legacy Trio and Brings Together Three Generations of Singer/Songwriters.
- The “People’s” Music at Rubicon. Read all about the Long Tradition of Folk Music at Rubicon.
- Sign Up Now! Free Spanish Dance Classes and Vocal Coaching Before Start Wednesday Before Auditions for Our Fall Production of In the Heights. No Experience Required – Just a Passion to Perform.
- Volunteer Help and In-Kind Donations Needed. Can you help with any of the projects or items on this list?
- Summer Fun for the Whole Family! Shows with Young People for Young People. Tickets Now on Sale for Sally Sells Sea Shells at Rubicon and As You Like It, Moana, Jr. and Mama Mia! Outside at Villanova.
A New Incarnation of Lonesome Traveler
Rubicon Artistic Director Emeritus James O’Neil has come up with a new version of what audiences far and wide now think of as Lonesome Traveler.
James O’Neil – Director of Lonesome Traveler
How is this new concert different from previous productions?
This is a contemporary theatrical concert rather than a musical play about the history of folk music (as was the first Lonesome Traveler.) LT: Generations brings together three generations of artists sharing different styles and genres that are considered folk in a joyous musical event celebrating the unifying power of song.
This concert features the dynamic vocals and awe-inspiring instrumental talents of three icons of folk who call themselves THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO. They are…Lifetime Grammy Award-winners GEORGE GROVE (formerly with THE KINGSTON TRIO for more than 40 years) and RICK DOUGHERTY (with both The Kingston Trio and THE LIMELITERS); as well and JERRY SIGGINS (best known as the lead singer of THE DIAMONDS).
The Folk Legacy Trio appears in Lonesome Traveler for the first time in this new concert. Each of these three men are legendary folk performers of many years formerly with The Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds
These legendary performers are joined onstage by favorite singer/songwriter/musicians from Lonesome Traveler and I Dig Rock ‘n Roll Music SYLVIE DAVIDSON and TREVOR WHEETMAN.
Sylvie Davidson and Trevor Wheetman are one of a number of special Rubicon romance stories. They met at the first rehearsal of the original production of Lonesome Traveler a decade ago. They have since married and collaborated on original songs, a CD and a beautiful baby boy named Bucky
Audiences will also have a chance to see the real ANDREW HUBER on bass and vocals. Andrew killed it with guitar and vocals and his character work as the delightfully nerdy Cookie in Return to the Forbidden Planet at Rubicon as Cookie.
Andrew Huber (far right) in Return to the Forbidden Planet at Rubicon Photo by Jeanne Tanner
ALEXCIA THOMPSON joins the company from Detroit, where she recently appeared in Jelly’s Last Jam. A graduate of Howard University, Alexcia is a gorgeously talented young, fresh talent we are thrilled to introduce to Rubicon audiences.
Alexcia as Anita in Jelly’s Last Jam at Theatre Latte’ da. Photo by Dan Norton.
What isn’t different from earlier versions of Lonesome Traveler?
In this new concert, audiences will once again have an opportunity the opportunity to sing along to some of your favorite folk songs, including “MTA,” “City of New Orleans,” “Early Morning Rain,” “Teach Your Children,” “Country Roads,” “California Dreamin’,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and more!
To read more about the performers and the artistic team, click here.
To order tickets, click here.
“People’s” Music at Rubicon
American folk music began during the country’s founding. As immigrants arrived from Europe, Africa and other continents, they adapted songs and created new lyrics from ballads and spirituals that had been passed down through multiple generations. It was acoustic or sung acapella, often simple in structure, and often a form of oral storytelling. It has often been called “the people’s music,” and the word folk may be derived from “volk” which mean’s “people” or “nation” in several languages.
In the context of American history, folk music has morphed and changed over time. How it is defined remains elusive (even to its practitioners – Pete Seeger famously avoided answering the question when it was posed to him throughout his life). Various scholars include roots music, bluegrass, railroad songs, protest songs and anthems, cowboy songs, story songs or ballads, gospel, and more. “Three chords and the truth” is a definition that has been applied to both folk music and country.
Rubicon Theatre Company’s first foray into folk music began just over a decade ago. Rubicon’s Artistic Director Jim O’Neil, had a passion for the music he learned at his father’s knee and wanted to pay homage to the senior James with a show about the history of the genre. (Jim’s father had first come to California from the Midwest with his own father in the ‘30s as a result of The Dust Bowl, and he especially related to Woody Guthrie’s songs about the plight of the common man during the Great Depression.)
To learn more about the origins of Lonesome Traveler and the history of folk music at Rubicon, click here.
Sign Up Now! Free Spanish Dance Classes and Vocal Coaching for Local Artists in Preparation for Auditions for our Fall Production of In the Heights.
Have you ever wanted to audition for a professional theatre company? Have you dreamed of singing on stage or sharing your dance abilities? Now is your chance! No experience is necessary – just raw talent and a passion to perform.
Starting today, Wednesday, June 22, 2022, and continuing Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. through July 23, Rubicon is offering FREE community workshops in dance, voice and performance for individuals interested in auditioning for the company’s fall production of In the Heights.
The musical play In the Heights, from the creators of Hamilton, takes place in Washington Heights, New York. Workshops are especially geared to the Latinx community but may be attended by anyone who would enjoy participating. The workshops take place at the Rubicon Theatre Warehouse at 1595 Walter Street, Unit 6, in Ventura. Registration is strongly encouraged.
To learn more about the production and the workshops, click here.
To register for the training, click here.
Volunteer Help and In-Kind Donations Needed. Can you help with any of the projects or items on this list?
Coming back from the pandemic continues to be a challenge for us. We have often said to ourselves of late that it feels like we are in start-up mode again, but with higher expectations of ourselves and our organization. Expenses have substantially increased – most especially related to artist housing and transportation, and we continue to work with very limited staff resources as we work to ensure that our audiences are comfortable returning to live theatre. Here are a few of the big-picture volunteer needs:
- Bookkeeping. We are looking or a qualified individual, perhaps a retired accountant or bookkeeper, to help us two or three half-days a week.
- Housing Coordinator/Real Estate Attorney. We are looking for an individual who is willing to go out into the community to help us find low-cost or traded temporary housing for directors, designers and actors. This would involve meeting with hotel manager’s and property owners or managers within a 10-mile radius of the theatre. Alternatively, we are looking to work with a developer to put together an outside investment group to purchase an apartment or other multi-unit housing and a real estate attorney who might help us form a private/non-profit partnership.
- Secretarial Support. Are you a retired Executive Assistant or someone with a few hours a day to give? We are looking for help with filing and organizing. In order to reduce and manage our expenses, we also are hoping for help with the following in-kind donations.
- Airline Miles. With our summer programs and the upcoming large-scale, large-cast production of In the Heights, we need help to bring in artists from New York and from Puerto Rico and Columbia. Airline miles are urgently needed.
- Airport Transportation. If you enjoy driving, we are looking for individuals to pick up artists and also take them back to LAX at the end of the show. We are looking for drivers for this Sunday and Monday for our summer director and for the Lonesome Traveler: Generations cast. For those who are willing to drive but would like to be reimbursed for gas, that is also a possibility.
- Cars and Trucks. If you have an old-but-reliable automobile you are willing to donate to Rubicon for a tax-donation, we are looking for transportation for incoming artists. We are also looking for a truck to be driven by our Technical Director to transport sets, lights, etc. It may also be possible to loan a car you are not using for a month or two if you would put the driver on your insurance.
Please call us at (805) 667-2912, ext. 280 or 246; or e-mail Bev or Karyl Lynn if you can help with any of the above: bward@rubicontheatre.org or klburns@rubicontheatre.org.
Summer Fun for the Whole Family! Shows with Young People for Young People. Tickets Now on Sale for Sally Sells Sea Shells at Rubicon and As You Like It, Moana, Jr. and Mama Mia! Outside at Villanova.
Rehearsals are starting and tickets are now on sale for our 2022 Summer Youth Season. We are thankful to The Jack Oakie Foundation, Dr. Jeanne P. Adams, Anonymous, Barbara Meister, and Loretta and Mike Merewether for supporting young artists and making this summer fun possible!
If you and your children or grandchildren would like to come see the programs, click here to read a description of the shows and find out the age range of those performing! Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for young people 12 and under.
Sally Sells Sea Shells, performed by your youngest campers, takes place on July 2 at the theatre, while As You Like It (July 14-16), Disney’s Moana, Jr. (July 22-24) and Mamma Mia! (August 5-14) are all offered under the stars at Villanova Prep in Ojai. Bring a picnic, come early, and enjoy theatre under the stars!
For tickets, click here.