A COWBOY LULLABY Comes to the Rubicon Theatre

Rubicon Theatre will present the World Premiere of A COWBOY LULLABY, an original theatrical concert about the truths, myths, lies and legends of the American West, and the poetry of characters with dreams as vast as the open range. This unique production kicks off Rubicon’s 2024/2025 “Dare to Dream” Season and runs from December 4 to December 22, 2024, at Rubicon’s Karyn Jackson Theatre in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District, 1006 E. Main Street.  

Conceived by Rubicon’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, Drama Desk Award nominee JAMES O’NEIL (Lonesome Traveler) and LADCC Award-Winner and Tony-nominee DAN WHEETMAN (It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues), director and music director, respectively, A COWBOY LULLABY promises an exhilarating journey that explores the spirit, songs, and stories of the American West. The cast includes SYLVIE DAVIDSON and TREVOR WHEETMAN, known and loved for their celebrated performances in a wide range of shows at Rubicon including Lonesome Traveler, IDig Rock and Roll Music, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Additional singers and multi-instrumentalists BILL FLORES, DAVE JACKSON, and DAN WHEETMAN bring rich talent and authentic ties to the genre (Flores represents nine generations of Californians and is descended from Mexican vaqueros and Chumash. Together, they bring vibrant voices and perspectives to the songs and stories that shaped the cowboy way of life.

Performance Details

Rubicon’s production of A COWBOY LULLABY begins with low-priced previews December 4-6. There will be a Gala Opening on December 7 (also press night). Opening night tickets include a post-show reception with the cast, creative team and special guests, and a tax-deductible donation to support Rubicon’s education programs. Performances are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Regular ticket prices range from $35 to $94.50 including a $5 processing fee; student tickets are $25 including the $5 processing fee. Other discounts are available for seniors, military and Equity members. For a complete schedule, or to purchase tickets, visit www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900. 

About the Concert: Celebrating the American Frontier through Song and Story

A COWBOY LULLABY weaves a musical journey through the American West, blending familiar cowboy classics with unexpected songs of the era and contemporary songs inspired by the themes of frontier life. Audiences will encounter an array of campfire tunes, cowboy anthems, and soulful ballads, ranging from standards like “Home on the Range” and “Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds,” to songs by Gene Autry, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins and Riders of the Purple Sage, to selections by Gordon Lightfoot, The Eagles, and even “Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles. This dynamic mix of music, combined with original cowboy poetry written and arranged by O'Neil, honors the spirit of the American cowboy while resonating with modern audiences. 

Through this heartfelt celebration, the show explores both well-known and lesser-seen aspects of the West, recognizing the contributions of Mexican vaqueros, Native American influences, and other cultural voices that shaped the frontier. Songs like “The Vaquero Song,” partially sung in Spanish, emphasize this diversity. “Cowboy songs are America’s folk music, rich with themes of freedom and adventure that resonate to this day," says O'Neil. "Our hope is that this show inspires audiences to think about what those ideals mean in today’s world.”

The concert promises a powerful blend of humor, nostalgia, and poignant storytelling, inviting audiences to reflect on the myths, themes, and enduring legacy of the American West. “The myths and legends of the Great American West are embedded in our national psyche,” says O’Neil. “Through song, poetry, and story, we hope A COWBOY LULLABY will capture the sacrifice, the wisdom, the homespun humor, and the expansive sense of possibility that defined that time. Saddle up!”

A Longstanding Creative Partnership: O'Neil and Wheetman Unite Once More

This production marks another chapter in the collaboration between O’Neil and Wheetman, a duo celebrated for their Americana-inspired musical theatre. Their previous work, Lonesome Traveler, explored the roots of American folk music and received critical acclaim. The production originated at Rubicon, played Off-Broadway, receiving a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nomination, and toured nationally. Now, A COWBOY LULLABY takes audiences to a present-day campfire, where performers reflect on ideas of freedom, adventure, and community. "We wanted to capture that unique feeling of sitting around a campfire, connecting through music and story.” 

Wheetman, whose passion for cowboy music has been a driving force behind the production, shares, “With the end of the Civil War and the opening of the West, America’s Pioneer Spirit was reborn in the myth of the Cowboy. With a story so deep and so vast, Jim and I decided to explore how the idea of the cowboy has colored and affected almost every aspect of our lives through music.” 

Wheetman continues, “Hidden in the super hero ethos of today’s culture is the honest, plain-spoken cowboy. Six shooters have turned to lasers, broncos into X-wing fighters, but the story of an individual against the odds remains the same. The music carries us back to a simpler time and takes us from the complications of today to the wide-open spaces.”

About the Cast and Creatives

Sylvie Davidson returns to Rubicon, where she has been previously seen as Saorise in Dark of the Moon, Hallie in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Cordelia in King Lear, and as a musician and singer/songwriter in Lonesome Traveler, Lonesome Traveler: Generations, and I Dig Rock and Roll Music. Sylvie has performed on stages across the country as both an actor and a musician. Favorite regional credits include Inez in the World Premiere musical Troubadour at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the title role in Jane Austen’s Emma at Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Abigail in ACT Theatre’s The Crucible. Most recently, she spent two seasons as a company member at the American Shakespeare Center. This summer, Davidsonwill be playing Viola in Island Stage Left’s production of Twelfth Night on Washington’s picturesque San Juan Island. Sylvie writes and performs music with her husband, Trevor Wheetman, whom she met at Rubicon at the first rehearsal of Lonesome Traveler. www.sylviedavidson.com www.trevorandsylvie.com

David P. Jackson, known for his husky baritone and a breezy insouciance, began his long career as house bassist at The Troubador. He was a cast member of “The Andy Williams TV Show,” is an alum of The New Christy Minstrels, and is uncredited co-composer of “Joy to the World” for Three Dog Night, but credited with “The No No Song” for Ringo Starr.

Dan Wheetman toured in John Denver’s band, recorded with R Crumb, wrote a song for Kermit the Frog, and plays in his band, Marley’s Ghost. (For additional biographical information, see Directors & Co-Creators below.)

Trevor Wheetman first came to Rubicon in 2011 for the premiere of The Lonesome Traveler. He met his wife Sylvie Davidson during that run, and they now have been married for 8 years and have a beautiful baby boy Bucky. Past shows here include Dark of the Moon, A Christmas Carol, Return to The Forbidden Planet, I Dig Rock and Roll Music, King Lear, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence and Lonesome Traveler Generations. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he has a woodshop and a huge garden. 

DIRECTORS & CO-CREATORS

James O’Neil (Director and Co-Creator) is the Writer/Director of Lonesome Traveler: A Journey Down the Rivers and Streams of American Folk (NY Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations), which premiered at Rubicon as a co-production with Laguna Playhouse and then transferred to 59E59 Off-Broadway before touring the nation. Jim’s other Rubicon directing credits include I Dig Rock and Roll Music (Writer/Director); King Lear starring George Ball; Man of La Mancha; Fiddler on the Roof  featuring violin virtuoso Nuvi Mehta as The Fiddler (Indy Award); Jesus Christ Superstar; A Delicate Balance; The Diary of Anne Frank; The Night of the Iguana; A Streetcar Named Desire (Indy Award); Driving Miss Daisy (NAACP Award - Best Direction of a Play); All My Sons (L.A. Ovation Award - Best Production of a Play); Sylvia; and Gem of the Ocean. Under Jim’s artistic leadership, Rubicon accepted the NY Drama Desk Award for The Best is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman, conceived and directed by David Zippel. Other directing credits include The Lion in Winter, The Petrified Forest, Inherit the Wind and regional premieres of A Coupla’ White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. While on staff at Landmark Entertainment Group, Jim directed a multi-million-dollar animatronics/special effects show in Japan, supervising all aspects of production and creative direction for themed attractions in Sanrio’s Harmonyland. 

The design team for A COWBOY LULLABY at Rubicon is as follows: Matthew Herman (Scenic Designer), Nathan W. Scheuer (Lighting & Projection Designer) and Danny Fiandaca (Sound Designer), Hannah Raymond is Production Stage Manager, with Stephanie L. Coltrin serving as Associate Artistic Director/Casting Director.