Kids for Kids Benefit Concert at Rubicon Set for Today, 8/18

Rubicon wraps up a summer of youth productions with the fourth annual KIDS FOR KIDS BENEFIT CONCERT, a youth produced fundraiser that benefits Rubicon's Education & Outreach. This year the youth producers, directors and performers will present a special tribute to BrIan McDonald, the Education and Outreach Director, who is celebrating his 10 year anniversary with Rubicon.

The concert will include special guest performances including Broadway star of Miss Saigon, DeeDee Magno Hall and a raffle for gift baskets filled with amazing products from local Ventura businesses including J Hair Couture, Hilford Moving and Storage, Wenches and Warriors, Barber Automotive Group, Trader Joes, Silver Trends, We Olive and Rosie Lee Imports.

BrIan McDonald is an award-winning actor and director honored with the Ventura Mayor's Award for Emerging Artist. He joined the Rubicon staff in 2002 as their first Production Manager and Director of Education and currently serves as Associate Producer. He is the founder and program director of Rubicon's Summer Youth Programs which offer theatre training intensives in musical theatre, drama and technical theatre. He earned a Phi Delta Kappa Community Partnership Award and an Honorary Service Award from the California State PTA two years in a row for his directing work in the community raising funds for arts education. Brian offers personal audition coaching and teaches acting at Ventura College. Before moving to the East coast, he appeared in the national tours of Miss Saigon and Forever Plaid, the latter of which he also directed for various regional theaters including Rubicon Theatre Company.

Regionally, he has appeared on the stages of the Denver Center, Theatre Virginia, The Lyric Stage, La Mirada Performing Arts Center, Ensemble Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center and the Ahmanson. Brian's most recent work on stage was in Rubicon's productions of Man of La Mancha and The Importance of Being Earnest. In 2002, LA Weekly honored him with the Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance as Gaveston in the Circle X production of Edward II directed by Michael Michetti. On Television, Brian starred in the award-winning ABC/PBS Afterschool Special "In the Shadow of Love: A Teen AIDS Story" and guest starred on "Gilmore Girls." His work as a director began as assistant to Tony nominated director Christopher Renshaw during his work on Queen: The Musical (a.k.a. We Will Rock You) and the Broadway production of The King and I starring Lou Diamond Philips and Donna Murphy. Other directing credits include Tennessee Williams' Talk to me Like the Rain and Let me Listen, Hooters, Our Town, Little Women, Bye Bye Birdie, HONK!, Babes in Arms, Once on this Island, Schoolhouse Rock, LIVE!, Seussical the Musical, Footloose and Godspell. For Rubicon, Brian directed the world premiere of Hello! My Baby, Bus Stop (5 Ovation nominations including Best Play) and Master Harold… and the boys (nominated for 3 Ovation awards Including Best Play) and earned himself an Independent Award and StageScene LA Award for Best Director. He also conceived and directed the critically acclaimed holiday musical review, A Rubicon Family Christmas. He is a B.F.A. graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theatre and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and Actors' Equity Association.

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