Summer Education Instructors and Administrators

Joseph Fuqua

(Education Director/Director of “Henry V”) is founder of Rubicon’s Fearless Shakespeare program, now in its eleventh year. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, his Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Brighton Beach Memoirs and 110 in the Shade at Lincoln Center. Regionally, Joseph has appeared at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Dallas Theatre Center and opposite Mary Jo Catlett at Ensemble Theatre. On television, Joseph guest starred in “The X-Files,” “The Profiler,” “Brooklyn South,” “The Pretender,” “Chicago Hope,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” and “Becker.” Film credits include J.E.B. Stuart in “Gettysburg” opposite Martin Sheen, a role he reprised in “Gods and Generals.” In 2000, Joseph joined Rubicon Theatre as the first company member. Roles at Rubicon include the title role in Hamlet (Indy Award), The Boys Next Door (Indy Award), The Rainmaker (Robby Award and Rep Award), All My Sons (Ovation Award), Bruce Wagner in Conviction, Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Marshal Johnson in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Pap in Big River, and, Thomas Allen in Dark of the Moon.

Seryozha “Sasha” La Porte

(Education Associate/Director of “The Addams Family”) is an actor, musician, and lucid dreamer who hails from the land of Russia. After being adopted and coming to America, he immediately took to the stage. Seryozha is an alumnus of Rubicon’s Summer Education Programs (Shakespeare/Musical Theatre), Ventura College (Psychology/Theatre), and of the Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts (PCPA). On top of working as the new education associate at Rubicon Theatre, he also works as an actor on the stage and in film/television. Some of his hobbies include playing fiddle, piano, tennis, and creating/editing videos. Seryozha’s mission in life is to help people rediscover their imaginations.

Miriam Arichea

(Music Director for “Pippin” and Kids for Kids) is pleased to return for her eighth summer with Rubicon Theatre Company’s summer youth productions after a 5-year hiatus.  Longtime Rubicon goers may recall Miriam’s work on Beauty and the Beast (2014), West Side Story (2015), On the Town (2017) and numerous Kids for Kids benefit concerts. Miriam also founded and directed the Rubicon Harmonix, a small, elite group of singers who performed regularly at community events, including notable Rubicon benefits such as Ticket to Ride (2016) and Out of the Ashes (2018). Miriam is known locally for her performances as a concert pianist and soloist.  She has performed with the Ventura College Symphony and San Luis Obispo Chamber Orchestra, and appears every season with the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (CHICO).  Miriam is a frequent collaborator with local musicians in venues such as the Ojai Arts Centre, the Ventura Music Festival, and studio and school recitals. A lawyer by training, Miriam received her undergraduate and law degrees at Duke University.  She is part of the writs and appeals unit in the Ventura County District Attorney’s office, which granted her a leave of absence in order to work at Rubicon this summer.  Miriam is also a credentialed teacher and is on staff at Ventura High School, where she teaches mock trial and choir. Miriam and her husband Jeff Brackett have three adult children, Josh, Arielle, and Daniel, all of whom are alumni of Rubicon Theatre’s youth programs. 

Jesse Graham

(Choreographer for “The Addams Family”/Recipient of the 2023 Rising Star Award) is honored to be working at Rubicon Theatre again, this time on the other side of the footlights as a choreographer. On the Rubicon mainstage, Jesse has appeared in Return to the Forbidden Planet, Merrily We Roll Along, My Fair Lady and A Christmas Carol. In recent years, he has worked up and down the West Coast of California with companies such as PCPA Theatre Company, The Solvang Festival Theater, Sierra Repertory Theater, The Great American Melodrama, and La Mirada, to name a few. Most recently, he played Danny Zuko in Grease at the Givens Theatre in North Carolina. Aside from his love for theatre, Jesse is an avid surfer, and he records, writes, and produces his own music and releases it on Spotify and Apple Music under artist name “SESPE”. @jessegrah_. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Louis Lotorto

(Verse Coach/Dramaturge/Assistant Director for “Henry V”) is thrilled to be collaborating with Joseph Fuqua again for his fourth summer season with Fearless Shakespeare! Louis has acted professionally for over 32 years, including work at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland; Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. (Helen Hayes Award Nominee); and the California Shakespeare Festival. He has performed in 20 Shakespeare plays, including Rubicon’s production of King Lear as the Fool.

Carolanne Marano

(Director of Musical Theatre Program/Director and Choreographer for “Pippin”) is an accomplished and sought-after director, choreographer, and teacher. A member of Actors Equity, she has been a professional dancer/actor for 30 years, performing in countless productions and tours nationally and internationally. As a director/choreographer, Carolanne has choreographed for Rubicon Theatre Company’s mainstage and youth programs; Cape Fear Regional Theatre; and University of North Carolina, Pembroke’s Theatre Program, as well as, A Night in Paris A Go-Go with Belinda Carlisle/ Rufus Wainwright New Year’s Eve show for the LA Philharmonic; George Cadbury Hall, UK; Downey Civic Light Opera, Ashland High School; and the film “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X.” Currently a Guest Director/Choreographer/Stage Dance Instructor at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, Carolanne previously taught Musical Theatre at The University of Southern Oregon, University of Worcester, UK, and Pineapple Dance Studio in London, England. Carolanne and her husband Dr. Jonathan Drahos founded the Uprising Theatre Company in 1999 and The Shakespeare in the Pines Festival in 2017. They make their home in the Village of Pinehurst.

Julia Donlon

(Summer Production Manager/Company Manager) was born and raised in Oxnard, California, and graduated from Pepperdine University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Production Design with an emphasis in Stage Management. She spent the years following doing theatre onboard a cruise ship in New Zealand, Ventura County, and around L.A. She is beyond honored to be the Production and Company Manager for Rubicon Theatre’s 25th Season. Previous credits include Almost, Maine, In the Heights and Dark of the Moon (Rubicon Theatre); Calvin Berger (The Colony Theatre); Accommodation (Odyssey Theatre); and The Abode (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). While working at Rubicon, she is also the in-house Stage Manager for Broadway@The Bourbon Room in Hollywood.