Rubicon's Musical Theatre Camp Presents ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, Now thru 8/12

Rubicon's Summer Youth Theatre programs continue with the much anticipated Musical Theatre Camp production. Last Summer's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was honored with an Indy Award from the Santa Barbara Independent for Musical Direction by John Enrico Douglas. This Summer, Douglas Joins the artistic team again for Once On This Island, a highly original and theatrical Caribbean fairy tale.

Director, BrIan McDonald, chose to do Once On this Island in celebration of the Rubicon Education & Outreach department's ten year anniversary, as it was the very first production the Musical Theatre Camp did when he founded the program in 2002. "As a professional theatre company," says McDonald, "I believed it was important that Rubicon's classes focused on the education and nurturing of students who were seeking to pursue a career in the performing arts. However, it became quite clear to me that, in truth, the importance of an arts education has very little to do with the nurturing of future talent in the arts as it does with development of skills like reading comprehension, critical thinking, creative development and social interaction. Without a doubt, arts programs like the ones offered at Rubicon are changing lives in ways that no other form of study can."

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is directed by BrIan McDonald with musical direction by John Enrico Douglas and choreography by Carolanne Marano, and features book by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on "My Love, My Love" by Rosa Guy.

CAST: Natalie Bouton, Madeline Gambon, Natalie Graham, Rebecca Graham, Michael Hernandez, Olivia Jones, Kendall Kincaid, Seryozha La Porte, Macaria Martinez, Sierra McWaters, Miranda Mize, Jacob Mizraji, Kelyla Nelson, Jessica New, Josh Ranck, Stefany Gabriella, Claire Winch and Katherine Reaves.

This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale The Little Mermaid garnered eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score. In almost non-stop song and dance, the show tells the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who rescues and falls in love with Daniel, a wealthy boy from the other side of her island. When Daniel is returned to his people, the fantastical gods who rule the island guide Ti Moune on a quest to test the strength of her love against the powerful forces of prejudice, hatred and death.

BrIan McDonald (Rubicon Education and Outreach Director) most recently directed Rubicon Theatre's production of MASTER HAROLD…AND THE BOYS which was an LA Times Critics Pick and Ovation Recommendation, and received several Santa Barbara Independent Awards. Other Rubicon directing credits include Bus Stop (nominated for an L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play), Forever Plaid and A Rubicon Family Christmas. Before moving to California, Brian appeared in the National Tours of Miss Saigon and Forever Plaid, and appeared in performances at Denver Center, Theatre Virginia, The Lyric Stage, La Mirada Performing Arts Center, Center Theatre Group, Pasadena Playhouse, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center and Rubicon Theatre Company. Brian received an LA Weekly award for Best Supporting Actor as Gaveston in Circle X's production of Brecht's Edward II and is the recipient of the Ventura Mayor's Arts Award, the Phi Delta Kappa Community Partnership Award and two Honorary Service Awards from the California State PTA. Brian has been on staff at Rubicon since 2002 and served as Production Manager and Associate Producer before becoming the Company's first Education and Outreach Director. He is the founder and program director of Rubicon's Summer Youth Program, which offer training intensives in Musical Theatre, Drama and Technical Theatre. Brian is a B.F.A. graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theatre.

JOHN ENRICO DOUGLAS (Musical Director) Since retiring from the legal profession, John has served as musical director and/or pianist for scores of Broadway musicals and revues at Santa Barbara area high schools, and youth, community and professional theatre companies, including PCPA and Circle Bar B Dinner Theater. He was music director for last year's summer hit at Rubicon, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. So far this year he has served as music director for BigStage's Hairspray at the Lobero Theater, Animal Farm at Westmont College, 42nd Street at Goleta Valley Junior HS and the west coast high school premiere of Disney's Tarzan at Dos Pueblos HS. John's credits as a songwriter/composer include two shows at Santa Barbara High School (Village Fable, 2008 and Pinocchio, 2009), six shows with City at Peace at Center Stage Theater (2007-2012), and a show at PVAC summer camp (2005). He is in his sixth year as adjunct music instructor at Westmont, where he directs the jazz band and teaches piano, and is in his seventh year as director of the GVJHS jazz bands. John is on staff in the Santa Barbara City College music department, and on faculty at SBCC adult ed. He recently arranged and orchestrated production numbers for the grand opening gala of the renovated Garvin Theater at SBCC. Performing credits include tours with the Pointer Sisters, Donald O'Connor and Eddie Fisher, and shows with Aretha Franklin and Dizzy Gillespie, among others.

CAROLANNE MARANO (Choreographer) has been a professional dancer for the past 25 years. During that time she has been training and performing throughout the country with San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet West, Metropolitan Ballet and Dance Foundation of Kansas. Along with her extensive Ballet experience, she is also trained in Jazz and Musical Theatre. A member of Actors Equity, she most recently performed as Nellie Forbush in Downey Civic Light Opera's South Pacific and at the Hollywood Bowl with Reba McIntire in South Pacific. She has also performed in such shows as Man Of LaMancha (Gypsy Dancer, Rubicon Theatre), Evita (Tango Dancer, Taiwan Tour), Gypsy (Louise), Sweet Charity (Nickie), Can-Can (Claudine) and West Side Story (Anita). As a choreographer her most recent work was the Belinda Carlisle/ Rufus Wainwright "A Night in Paris A Go-Go" New Year's Eve show for the LA Philharmonic at Disney Hall. Carolanne has choreographed numerous musicals including West Side Story, Music Man and The Boyfriend. Her choreography for Studio 1 has won numerous awards. Carolanne choreographed the independent film "The Ghastly Love of Johnny X." Recently she has been living in London, England where she has been teaching at Pineapple Dance Studio.

Performance Schedule: Tonight, August 8 at 7 pm, August 9 at 2 pm & 8 pm, August 10 at 8 pm, August 11 at 2 pm & 8 pm, August 12 at 2 pm & 7 pm

Tickets: Adults: $20 | $25 at door. Kids: 12 & under: $15 | $20 at door. Tickets may be purchased in person through the Rubicon Theatre Box Office, located at 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel entrance). To charge by phone, call (805) 667-2900. Or visit Rubicon online at www.rubicontheatre.org. Twenty-four-hour-a-day ticketing is available online, thanks to a grant from the Irvine Foundation Regional Arts Initiative.

 

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