Rubicon Theatre to Present SONGS FROM THE WEST AND BEYOND Benefit Concert

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced a benefit concert this Sunday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. called SONGS FROM THE WEST AND BEYOND, which will feature Nashville based singer/songwriters SYLVIE DAVIDSON and TREVOR WHEETMAN (currently appearing in the cast of Rubicon's acclaimed American premiere production of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE).

Davidson plays the sassy saloon owner Hallie Jackson, who is torn between her affections for two men in LIBERTY VALANCE. Wheetman has been hailed for his work on LIBERTY VALANCE as Music Director, Composer and Musician. Davidson and Wheetman together composed the final number in the show, a classic hymn based on Sonnet 71.

Davidson and Wheetman met for the first time at the first rehearsal for LONESOME TRAVELER back in 2009, traveled with the show to Laguna Playhouse, back to Rubicon and Off-Broadway. They have made a name for themselves performing mostly original Americana songs, and are inspired by Country, Blues and Folk music. The duo will be joined onstage Sunday night by special guests from the Rubicon casts of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, LONESOME TRAVELER and THE RAINMAKER and friends.

SPECIAL GUESTS:

GREGORY HARRISON, who besides his many dramatic credits on TV and film, is Broadway veteran of the musicals STEEL PEER, FOLLIES and the National Tour of CHICAGO), will sing and play guitar in the concert; as willJEFF KOBER, who sings and performs regularly when not appearing on television shows and film. Harrison and Kober play cowboy Bert Barricune and the villain Liberty Valance, respectively in the current Rubicon production.

LONESOME TRAVELER veterans JUSTINE BENNETT, NICHOLAS MONGIARDO-COOPER and JAMIE DRAKE will also participate in the concert. Bennett opened the production at Rubicon and continued with the show through the Rubicon and Laguna Playhouse runs. She most recently completed a European tour with Adam Cohen. Drake, a longtime friend of Bennett's stepped into the Joan Baez/Judy Collins track in the Off-Broadway run of LONESOME TRAVELER to great acclaim. Mongiardo-Cooper recently closed the production of The Rothchildsby Sheldon Harnick in New York, followed by a run in Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Great Nome Gold Rush at North Coast Rep in San Diego. He was in the original and New York casts of LONESOME TRAVELER.

Other artists to appear on Sunday evening include Ojai residents JOHN BENNETT PERRY from the cast of THE RAINMAKER, joined by DAVID BOWICK of Los Angeles (a regular at Brennan's in Ventura), and Ojai residentsJACK JOBES and BOB JONES, mainstays in the Ventura County music scene.

Tickets for SONGS FROM THE WEST AND BEYOND are only $20 in advance; $30 at the door. The house will open at 6:30 p.m. before the show for audience members to come onstage to the "Prairie Belle Saloon bar"(the set for THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE). Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks will be available for purchase. All net proceeds from the concert go towards artist salaries at Rubicon. For tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or online at www.rubicontheatre.org.