Rubicon Theatre Company to Host Two Family-Friendly Holiday Concerts

Rubicon Theatre Company makes the holidays merry and musical with upcoming concerts for audiences of all ages. The Tiny Tots Holiday Concert and Santa Party takes place on December 19 at 11:00 a.m.; and the Harmonix Holiday Concert is presented on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Performances take place on the mainstage at Rubicon, which is located at the theatre's home located at 1006 E. Main (the corner of Main and Laurel) in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District.

TINY TOTS CONCERT & SANTA PARTY

Rubicon Theatre Company's Tiny Tots Holiday Concert and Santa Party starts with a festive new 30-minute interactive holiday concert intended for toddlers, parents and grandparents. After the concert, audience members are invited to Santa's Wonderland downstairs, where parents may take pictures of their children with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus. Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided by Rubicon education volunteers.

The concert is performed by the Rubicon Harmonix, a talented group of local teens from Rubicon's education programs: Daniel Brackett, Cassidy Craig, Riley Conrad and Miranda Mize from Ventura, Madeline Gambon from Camarillo; and Gus Graham and Jesse Graham from Santa Paula. They are joined on piano by Director Miriam Arichea, winner of the Mayor's Arts Award. The group will perform multi-part arrangements of holiday songs such as "One Little Star," "A Place Called Home," "Jingle Bells," "Feliz Navidad," "Calypso Lullaby" and "Mary, Did you Know?" The program also includes songs where the audience is invited to sing-along, such as ""Frosty the Snowman" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

The ticket prices for the Tiny Tots Concert and Santa Party is $15 per person (inclusive of the handling fee).

RUBICON HARMONIX HOLIDAY CONCERT BENEFITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The Rubicon Harmonix, along with Broadway stars and other special guests from the cast of A Christmas Carol, perform a full 90-minute concert of holiday music on Sunday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the theatre. Members of the extraordinary youth ensemble (formerly the Broadway Juniors) return to the Rubicon stage will offer a diverse program of holiday songs in tight six-part harmony. The evening includes well-known carols, and contemporary holiday songs presented with choreography. Selections include "Christmas Lullaby" by Jason Robert Brown from Songs for a New World, "Silent Night/Away in a Manger," "Promise of Light," "Joy to the World," and others.

According to Rubicon Associate Producer Brian McDonald, "These young people have been singing together for years and are polished performers. They have become popular in our area and have performed at many social and civic clubs, at senior centers, and at the local tree lighting ceremony and other community events.

Broadway veterans scheduled to appear as special guests at the Harmonix Holiday Concert are Joe Spano, Peter Van Norden, Teri Bibb and Jennifer Leigh Warren. Bibb (who played Christine in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, will sing "Ave Maria" by popular request). Warren, whose credits include the original cast of Little Shop of Horrors and Lonesome Traveler Off-Broadway, will sing a special song written for her by composer Roger Miller when she appeared in Big River on Broadway. All four special guests are appearing seven times a week in Rubicon's premiere adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which closes on the matinee on December 20. Harmonix director Miriam Arichea will provide piano accompaniment.

Proceeds from the Rubicon Harmonix Holiday will benefit Rubicon's Education and Outreach programs. Tickets are $35; $50 for a VIP ticket with after-party downstairs.

Tickets may be purchased through the Rubicon Theatre Company website (www.rubicontheatre.org), in person at the box office, or by calling (805) 667-2900.