COWBOY LULLABY World Premiere & More Set for Rubicon Theatre 2024-25 Season

Rubicon Theatre has revealed the schedule for the company's 26th season in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. Rubicon's 2024-2025 six-show season, entitled “DARE TO DREAM,” continues the company's commitment to producing innovative professional dramas, comedies, musicals, and outreach programs for the entertainment, enrichment and education of area residents and visitors. Notably, the new season includes three world premieres and a first-time partnership with The Acting Company in New York. 

Says Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns, “Rubicon Theatre Company's upcoming season celebrates the transformative power of dreams and features a thrilling and diverse lineup of plays and musicals. Each production delves into the ideas, hopes and reveries that shape our lives, from epic journeys and heartfelt stories, to thrilling adventures and poignant tales.” 

Rubicon Board President DOUG HALTER adds, “We are excited to offer a season where dreams take center stage, inspiring us to believe in the impossible and to chase our aspirations with unwavering commitment and determination.”

Rubicon's 26th Season kicks off with A COWBOY LULLABY (Dec. 4 - 22, 2024), a world premiere concert by Drama Desk Award Nominee JAMES O'NEIL and LADCC Award-Winner and Tony Nominee Dan Wheetman about the truths, myths, lies and legends of the American West, and the poetry of characters with dreams as vast as the open range. The second show of the season, TWO TRAINS RUNNING (Jan. 15 - Feb. 2, 2025), by Pulitzer Prize-winner August Wilson, is a soul-stirring drama -- a profound exploration of courage and struggle set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. Directed by Lili-Anne Brown, the story follows the hopes and dreams of nine compelling characters in a Pittsburgh diner. Co-produced with The Acting Company out of New York, TWO TRAINS RUNNING will tech and open at Rubicon before touring the nation in repertory with Shakespeare's A COMEDY OF ERRORS directed by Devin Brain (an add-on to the Rubicon season which will also play in area schools). Poignant and innovative, CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne (Feb. 19 - Mar. 9, 2025), illuminates the infinite possibilities of love and life in the multiverse. Marianne, a quantum physicist, and Roland, a beekeeper, meet by chance at a barbecue. They hit it off, or not. They go home together, or not. Will a love of honey keep them together? Jonathan Fox directs. 

Rubicon's spring offering is the world premiere of CRAZY MAMA: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND MADNESS (Mar. 26 - Apr. 6, 2025), based on award-winning memoir by Ojai resident SHARON Scott Williams. Laced with humor and pathos, this profound play follows a young girl's decades-long dream of reconnecting with the mother she lost to mental illness. One actor plays 16 roles in the play, which will be directed by Golden Globe nominee Anson Williams. Next up is the thrilling musical tale of young lovers during the Depression whose hunger for fame and fortune sets them on a high-stakes collision course with the law. BONNIE & CLYDE (Apr. 30 – May 18, 2025) is an exhilarating tale of love, crime and passion with a book by Ivan Menchell, lyrics by Don Black, and a score that combines rockabilly, blues and gospel by Frank Wildhorn. Scott Schwartz (Jane Eyre and Golda's Balcony on Broadway/Bat Boy and tick…tick…BOOM! Off-Broadway) returns to Rubicon to helm the production. 

The season ends with the developmental premiere of THE EPIC TALE OF HI'IAKA: A NEW HAWAIIAN MUSICAL (Oct. 22 – Nov. 9, 2025) with book, music and lyrics by ROSLYN CATRACCHIA and MacArthur Fellow PATRICK MAKUAKĀNE. Presented with the Tony winning team from Witzend Productions, this spellbinding new musical weaves together an enthralling narrative of love, bravery and the power of the elements. 

New subscribers save 15% off single ticket prices on four-to-six show packages. Other benefits include advance notice of special events, guaranteed seats and flexible exchange privileges. Those who subscribe to Rubicon's DARE TO DREAM Season by September 7 receive a complimentary ticket to the Tony Award-winning musical Once, the final show of Rubicon's 25th Season, for a total savings of up to $135. Sure to be a sell-out, Once has already been extended due to popular demand. With a book by Enda Walsh and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and MARKÉTA IRGLOVÁ, Once follows a street busker who rediscovers his passion for music and his faith in love. The production includes songs from the critically acclaimed film, including the Academy Award-winning song “Falling Slowly.” All subscribers are automatically entered in Rubicon's contest to win a Dream Trip to Hawaii, which includes a week's stay in a luxury condo on Maui, round-trip airfare, and lunch with a Tony Award-Winning producer.

To subscribe, or to purchase individual tickets for Rubicon Theatre Company's DARE TO DREAM Season, visit www.rubicontheatre.org or call Rubicon Guest Services at (805) 667-2900. Tickets may also be purchased at the theatre, located at 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel entrance), from noon to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

 

Further details about the 2024-2025 Season are as follows:

 

A COWBOY LULLABY | World Premiere Theatrical Concert

Dec. 4 – 22, 2024  

Written by James O'Neil and Dan Wheetman  

Directed by James O'Neil

Musical Director and Arrangements by Dan Wheetman

Featuring Sylvie Davidson and Trevor Wheetman  

Saddle up for an unforgettable journey through the heart of the Old West with A Cowboy Lullaby, a captivating concert written by Drama Desk Nominee James O'Neil (Lonesome Traveler) and Tony nominee Dan Wheetman (Ain't Nothin' But the Blues). Immerse yourself in the timeless allure of cowboy culture as our talented singers and instrumentalists weave a rich tapestry of song, story, and frontier spirit. From haunting ballads to foot-stomping anthems, A Cowboy Lullaby celebrates the rugged charm and indomitable spirit of the American cowboy. So grab your hat and join us under the stars for a night of music that will transport you to a place where dreams are as vast as the open range.  

TWO TRAINS RUNNING | Drama   

Jan. 15 – Feb. 2, 2025  

By Pulitzer Prize-Winner August Wilson  

Directed by Lili-Anne Brown  

Produced in Association with The Acting Company of New York  

  Step into the soul-stirring world of Two Trains Running, where the vibrant streets of 1960s Pittsburgh serve as the backdrop for an unforgettable journey of hope, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. Set in a bustling diner, this compelling narrative weaves together the lives of its diverse characters, each grappling with the winds of change sweeping through their community. With powerful storytelling and poignant dialogue, Two Trains Running explores themes of race, identity, and the resilience of human spirit. Rubicon is honored to partner on this production with The Acting Company, which was founded by John Houseman and furthered the careers of artists like Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Jeffrey Wright and Rainn Wilson. 

CONSTELLATIONS | Drama 

Feb. 19 – Mar. 9, 2025

By Nick Payne

Directed by Jonathan Fox

Step into the mesmerizing multiverse of Constellations, a captivating exploration of love, fate, and the infinite possibilities of existence. Delve into the surreal landscape of multiple universes as Marianne and Roland's relationship unfolds in a kaleidoscope of moments, each one branching into alternate realities. As they navigate the twists and turns of their connection, the boundaries between dreams and reality blur, inviting audiences to ponder the profound mysteries of the cosmos and the power of human connection. Join us on this enchanting journey through the stars, where every choice sparks a new constellation of possibilities.

CRAZY MAMA: 

A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND MADNESS | World Premiere Drama

Mar. 26 – Apr. 6, 2025

Written by Sharon Scott Williams

Directed by Golden Globe Nominee Anson Williams

Sharon races home from school a couple days after her 8th birthday to beat her teenaged brother Spikey to the last slice of birthday cake. When she enters the kitchen, she finds her mother wielding a knife. As the Sheriff escorts her mother away, the deputy tells Sharon that her mama is “not right in the head.” Crazy Mama is a one-woman tour-de-force about Sharon's decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness. A testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope, Crazy Mama will leave you breathless, moved, and profoundly inspired.

BONNIE & CLYDE: THE MUSICAL | A New Version of the Tony Nominated Musical

Apr. 30 – May 18, 2025  

Music by Frank Wildhorn and Lyrics by Don Black

Book by Ivan Menchell  

Directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony and Jane Eyre on Broadway/Bat Boy Off-Broadway)  

  Experience an exhilarating tale of love, crime, and passion reimagined in our thrilling new musical production of Bonnie & Clyde. With an unforgettable score by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde) that combines rockabilly, blues and gospel music, this new adaptation brings the gripping story of America's most notorious outlaws to life in a fresh and dynamic way. Join Bonnie and Clyde on their infamous journey through the heartland, as they defy authority, chase their dreams, and ultimately meet their tragic destiny. Don't miss this riveting theatrical event that will leave you on the edge of your seat! 

THE EPIC TALE OF HI'IAKA: 

A NEW HAWAIIAN MUSICAL | Developmental Premiere

Book, Music and Lyrics by Roslyn Catracchia and Patrick Makuakāne

Oct. 22 – Nov. 9, 2025

Production Supervision by Scott Schwartz

Musical Supervision by Brad Haak

Produced in Association with Witzend Productions    

This magical new musical follows the shero's journey of the Hawaiian goddess Hi'iaka, the youngest sister of Pele, weaving together a spellbinding narrative of love and bravery. Audiences will be transported to an enchanted realm where gods and mortals are challenged by the power of the elements. Set against the backdrop of lush landscapes and ancient traditions, this groundbreaking developmental premiere musical comes to Rubicon from the Tony Award-winning producing team of last season's Dark of the Moon. With authentic Hawaiian dance choreographed by MacArthur genius Patrick Makuakāne, this remarkable experience promises a breathtaking fusion of culture, music, and storytelling.    

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