BWW Spotlight Series: Meet Kathleen Rubin Whose Musical Theatre Background Led Her to The Angel City Chorale and Directing on L.A. Stages

Kathleen Rubin (KR): My background is originally in opera, although my first love was musical theatre. I studied in New York and Italy, but when I developed serious vocal problems, I returned from Italy and eventually ended up in Los Angeles. Ironically, an opera friend of mine told me about Gary Imhoff's Musical Artists Workshop and that changed everything for me. At one point in his workshop, Gary told me I should direct and I unceremoniously told him he was nuts! But shortly after that, I had the opportunity to help a friend who was mounting a one man show. I volunteered to work with him so he could memorize the piece and through that process, I ended up directing "Did You Do Your Homework?" which was written and performed by Aaron Braxton and turned into the longest running solo show at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

From the success of that show I was introduced to Bob Colleary, a successful TV writer, who had a play he'd written that he wanted produced. I directed that show, "Cannibals" at the Zephyr in 2010, and two other Bob Colleary originals, "Addition By Subtraction" at El Centro in 2011 and "Happy Face/Sad Face" at the Lillian in 2013. All three were great casts and wonderful experiences, especially the collaboration with Bob! That's really how I got started directing.

(SB) "Happy Face/Sad Face" was one of the first shows I reviewed for Broadway World in 2013. /los-angeles/article/Review-HAPPY-FACE-SAD-FACE-Makes-Clever-and-Thought-Provoking-Premiere-at-Elephant-Stages-Lillian-Theatre-20130125

What production(s) were you involved with when word went out it needed to immediately be either postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

(KR): I was in discussions about mounting a 10th anniversary production of "It's Just My Life" for the Fall, a first-person storytelling piece I conceived and have been directing for the last 10 years. It started in my living room as a workshop and went from there to the YWCA Santa Monica then to the Ice House, Hollywood Fringe Festival, The Lyric, the Electric Lodge and various other locations throughout the city. We were in the very early stages of the 10th anniversary discussions, so we're now rethinking how to do it, perhaps virtually since it would be fairly simple to do as each piece is a personal monologue that could be shot at home and then edited.

(SB): What future productions on your schedule are also affected by the shutdown?

(KR): I have a couple other projects that are still in development, which are moving forward. But again, they were not yet scheduled for production. I guess in that way we're lucky as we have the luxury to hone them without a deadline!

(SB): How are you keeping the Arts alive while at home by using social media or other online sites?

(KR): I've been watching a lot of performances from the Met, PBS and other groups, local and global. It's a great opportunity to see performances from all over, and I am also catching up on Netflix and Amazon Prime favorites.

I'm also a member of Angel City Chorale and we just released a video of a wonderful choral piece by Christopher Tin called "Sogno di Volare" (Dream of Flight). It was quite an undertaking shooting quarantine videos!!! But it was a great way for everyone in the choir to interact since we can't be together in person these days. Check it out on You Tube: https://youtu.be/Bbu9sjCgBbg

(SB): I have attended many of The Angel City Chorale concerts here in Los Angeles and was thrilled when they made it to the "America's Got Talent" semifinal round in 2018.

What thoughts would you like to share with the rest of the L.A. Theatre community while we are all leaving the Ghostlight on and promising to return back to the stage soon?

(KR): I saw this posted on Facebook and I think it's a good little tidbit for everyone in the artistic community to keep in mind. "Just a reminder that Shakespeare was quarantined for the plague when he wrote King Lear. No pressure!" Greatness can come from the worst of circumstances!!!!

Please visit our website at www.its-just-my-life.com, or contact me at itsjustmylifeshow@gmail.com. We're on Facebook, Instagram and twitter, too! And please look for the 10th Anniversary "It's Just My Life" in one format or another this Fall.