Norm Lewis Headline Rubicon Theatre Company's 25th Year Benefit Concert

Rubicon Theatre Company will begin its 25th year with a "Starry Soiree" celebration headlined by Emmy, Tony, Grammy and SAG Award Nominee Norm Lewis. At the October 8th event, attendees will be treated to a concert of musical theatre hits sung by Lewis, Broadway's first African-American "Phantom" and one of the most celebrated artists of stage and screen. Along with pre-show wine and hors d'œuvres, silent auction (including 10 spots at an exclusive luncheon with Mr. Lewis), and a post-concert talkback with the Broadway Star, audience members will be providing generous philanthropic support to the Rubicon as it heads into the final year of its first quarter century.

The concert will take place in the garden of a local arts champion with Rubicon staff members Kirby and Beverly Ward serving as celebration hosts. The silent auction of experiential packages opens for online bidding on September 23rd and will close at the event. The festivities begin at 6:00 PM with candlelight tours of the historic 1929 home and final auction bidding; concert by Norm Lewis at 6:45 PM; talkback with Norm at approximately 8:00 PM.

ABOUT Norm Lewis

Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and SAG Award nominee, Norm Lewis, recently starred in Spike Lee's critically acclaimed, "Da 5 Bloods," and in the groundbreaking FX series, "Pose." Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring in ABC's newest series, "Women of The Movement," and offscreen, his voice can be heard in the latest season of Apple TV's animated series, "Central Park." He was also seen as 'Caiaphas' in the award-winning NBC television special, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!," alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper.

Mr. Lewis returned to Broadway in the Fall of 2021, starring in Chicken and Biscuits at the Circle In The Square Theatre. He previously appeared in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island and as "Sweeney Todd" in the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Barrow Street Theatre, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance. In May of 2014, he made history as The Phantom of the Opera's first African American Phantom on Broadway. He has been seen on PBS in the "Live From Lincoln Center" productions of Showboat with Vanessa Williams and Norm Lewis: Who Am I?, New Year's Eve: A Gershwin Celebration with Diane Reeves, as well as American Voices with Renée Fleming and the PBS Specials First You Dream - The Music of Kander & Ebb and Ella Wishes You A Swingin' Christmas. He can be seen recurring in the VH1 series, "Daytime Divas," also alongside Vanessa Williams. His additional television credits include "Law & Order," "Dr. Death," "Mrs. America," "Better Things," "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Bull," "Chicago Med," "Gotham," "The Blacklist," and "Blue Bloods," as well as in his recurring role as Senator Edison Davis on the hit drama "Scandal."

Mr. Lewis is a proud founding member of Black Theatre United, an organization which stands together to help protect Black people, Black talent and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in theatre and communities across the country. He received Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for his performance as "Porgy" in the Broadway production ofThe Gershwins' Porgy & Bess. Other Broadway credits include Sondheim on Sondheim, The Little Mermaid, Les Misérables, Chicago, Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show, Miss Saigon, and The Who's Tommy. In London's West End he has appeared as Javert in Les Misérables and Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Concert, which aired on PBS.

Off-Broadway Mr. Lewis has performed in Dessa Rose (Drama Desk nomination, AUDELCO Award), Shakespeare in the Park's The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Drama League nomination), Captains Courageous, and A New Brain. His regional credits include "Porgy" in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (A.R.T.), Ragtime, Dreamgirls (with Jennifer Holliday), First You Dream, Sweeney Todd, and The Fantasticks.

His additional film credits include Christmas In Tune (starring opposite Reba McEntire), Magnum Opus, Winter's Tale, Sex and the City 2, Confidences, and Preaching to the Choir.

Norm's albums "The Norm Lewis Christmas Album" & "This is The Life" can be found on Amazon.com as well as cdbaby.com.

ABOUT Rubicon Theatre Company

Rubicon Theatre Company has been described as "the rising star of the Southern California cultural constellation." The not-for-profit professional regional has reached more than 480,000 attendees and 45,000 students. Rubicon serves area residents and visitors with innovative productions of classic and contemporary plays, as well as a wide array of educational programs and events. Acclaimed by critics and industry professionals, the company has received the L.A. Drama Critics Margaret Harford Special Award for "Sustained Excellence," a Drama Desk Award for the Off-Broadway production of The Best is Yet To Come and has won more than 20 Ovation Awards from the L.A. Stage Alliance.

Before the pandemic, Rubicon transferred three shows to New York (Wiesenthal - Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations; Lonesome Traveler - Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations; and Daddy Long Legs (Drama Desk Award). Rubicon has welcomed a steady stream of high-profile national and international actors and directors, including Bruno and Odiseo Birchir, Susan Clark, Dana Delaney, Conchata Ferrell, Bonnie Franklin, Harold Gould, Joel Grey, Larry Hagman, Bill Irwin, Stacy Keach, Jack Lemmon, Amanda McBroom, Ted Neeley, Paul Provenza, Linda Purl, Rondi Reed, John Ritter,

Joe Spano, Bruce Weitz, Lillias White and others. Company members are George Ball, Joseph Fuqua and Jenny Sullivan.

Based in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean, Rubicon resides in a 185-seat historic church built in the 1920s. In this renovated historic landmark, audience members are never further than 10 rows from the stage on the main floor. (The balcony, which seats twenty, is available for private parties or corporate groups.) True to the company's name and the vision of artistic directors Karyl Lynn Burns and James O'Neil, Rubicon has created an environment where commitment and risk are encouraged, and where artists are nurtured and respected. As a result, the company has gained a reputation for invigorating interpretations of the classics and for supporting the development of new works. Rubicon presents at least one World Premiere each season, as well as readings of works-in-progress.

Deeply rooted in the region it serves, Rubicon offers extensive outreach programs, including daytime matinees for high school students, after-school and weekend programs for at-risk youth, and summer musical theatre, drama and technical camps. More than 45,000 students have benefited.

A board of directors of prominent social and civic leaders governs Rubicon under the leadership of Doug Halter. The company is also supported by an advisory group of regional ambassadors and a volunteer auxiliary of 50 members.

The $300 ticket includes a $250 tax-deductible donation to support artistic and educational programming at Rubicon. For more information call Rubicon Guest Services at (805)667-2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org. Press contact: Beverly Ward (805)667-2912, Ext. 280 For more information about Rubicon Theatre Company, or to purchase tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or go to www.rubicontheatre.org. The theatre is located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District.

Photo credit: Peter Hurley

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