LONESOME TRAVELER Returns to Rubicon Theatre, 4/24-5/19

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 15th Anniversary Season with the return of Lonesome Traveler, a musical event that takes audiences on a journey down the rivers and streams of American Folk Music -- from the hills of Appalachia to the nightclubs of San Francisco and New York; from the 1920s to the 1960s. Written and directed by Rubicon's Artistic Director James O'Neil, with Musical Direction by Trevor Wheetman, Lonesome Traveler begins April 24 and continues through May 19 at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. Presented in the style of a concert, Lonesome Traveler is performed by nine artists who create musical portraits inspired by folk immortals such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Carter Family, Lead Belly, Cisco Houston, The Almanac Singers, The Weavers, The Kingston Trio, Peter Paul & Mary and others whose music and influence changed American music - and America itself-forever.

The company includes Jennifer Leigh Warren (Big River and Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway), Anthony Manough (The Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway/Rubicon's Songs for a New World), L.A.-based singer/songwriters Justine Bennett and Brendan (B. Willing) James (both mainstays in the Ventura music community and regular performers at Zoey's Café), Sylvie Davidson (a Seattle actress and singer whose credits include work at both ACT and Book-It), second-generation musicians James Webb and Trevor Wheetman, Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (whose recent credits include South Coast Rep, North Coast Rep and Laguna Playhouse), and New York-based actor/musician Justin Flagg (who plays the title character). All of the artists play multiple instruments and sing.

A few of the well-known song titles include "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," "This Land is Your Land," "Deportee," "Talkin' Union," "Goodnight Irene," "Puff, the Magic Dragon," "Mr. Tambourine Man," "We Shall Overcome," "Jamaica Farewell," "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena" and "Maggie's Farm." New songs added for this return engagement include "Turn, Turn, Turn," "The Wabash Cannonball" and others.

In its original engagement at Rubicon, Lonesome Traveler received rave reviews. It was a Critic's Pick in the Los Angeles Times and was described as "a warm, embracing communal experience...a joyous commingling of voices and instruments. Each voice retains its individuality yet twines with others to create a more glorious whole. It is, in a way, an expression of an ideal America." The Santa Barbara Independent dubbed the show "a hit you can believe in." StageHappenings.com said the show was "a rousing bit of entertainment." "Feel-good favorites and thought-provoking calls to action...masterfully performed," wrote the Ventura County Star critic.

Sponsors, Dates, Prices and Special Performances

Lonesome Traveler is sponsored by Janet and Mark Goldenson and co-sponsored by Sheeler Moving & Storage and Harrison Industries. The show previews at Rubicon Theatre on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. with an Opening Gala on Saturday, April 27 at 7:00 p.m. Performances continue through May 19, Wednesdays at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $35 to $59, depending on the day of the week. Tickets for students are $30.
Tickets for Lonesome Traveler 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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