Jennifer Leigh Warren to Perform at Rubicon Theatre Company's DINE & DELIGHT Fundraising Dinner

Rubicon Theatre will present "DINE & DELIGHT" a private Winemaker’s Dinner hosted by WATER’S EDGE RESTAURANT on the Ventura Harbor featuring a 5-course menu (see below) created by award-winning Executive Chef ALEX MONTOYA, with wine pairings from one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated vintners, CAYMUS VINEYARDS. Guests will enjoy a live musical performance by Broadway veteran and Rubicon artist Jennifer Leigh Warren (Big Riverand Marie Christine on Broadway, Dark of the Moon and Lonesome Traveler at Rubicon) during the main course. Plus, there will be a live auction at the end of the evening for a chance to win a trip for two to the wine country.

 

The event takes place on Tuesday, July 25th at 5:30 pm. This exceptional culinary event promises an evening of exquisite flavors, delightful wine pairings, live musical entertainment, and an opportunity to support the artistic and educational programs of Rubicon. 

 

Tickets are $225 per person, which includes a $70 tax-deductible donation to Rubicon Theatre, and proceeds benefit Rubicon Theatre Company’s upcoming 25th Anniversary Season. Limited seats are available. For tickets, more information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.rubicontheatre.org/dine-delight-2023 or contact Rubicon Development Coordinator Araceli Aggarwal by email aaggarwal@rubicontheatrecompany.org or phone (805) 667-2912, ext. 246.

 

More on the Event

"DINE & DELIGHT" promises to be an unforgettable epicurean experience, showcasing the remarkable talents of award-winning Chef Alex Montoya. Known for his culinary artistry and for breaking traditional boundaries, Montoya is celebrated for thinking outside the box to create unique and flavorful dishes. Montoya prides himself on locally sourcing ingredients to provide the freshest products while supporting Ventura’s local fishermen, farmers and ranchers. Each course will be expertly paired with exquisite wines from the renowned Caymus Vineyards. This perfect harmony of flavors will elevate the dining experience, delighting wine enthusiasts and food connoisseurs alike, leaving them talking about the evening long after the final glass of wine is served.

 

“This event is a wonderful opportunity for our team to showcase the essence of local Southern California cuisine perfectly curated to present what I like to call an elevated comfort experience,” says Montoya. 

 

“We are absolutely thrilled to host this dinner to benefit our long-time community partner Rubicon Theatre Company,” continues Montoya. “Together, blending our culinary and artistic talents, we will create an unforgettable fusion of flavors and entertainment, setting the stage for a dining experience that captivates all the senses.”

 

Water’s Edge is located in the Ventura Harbor, with large picture windows on three sides of the restaurant.  Audiences will enjoy sunset during the meal in this spectacular setting.  

 

Adding to the enchanting ambiance of the evening, Jennifer Leigh Warren, who originated roles in New York in Big River and Little Shop of Horrors, will perform a short concert during the main course accompanied by Gerald Sternbach. Warren’s powerful and charismatic talents have thrilled Rubicon audiences over the years, in productions including Lonesome Traveler, Women Beyond Borders, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and cabaret events. In April, she wowed theatregoers as Conjur Woman in the developmental World Premiere of Dark of the Moon, the largest production to hit the Rubicon stage. She is an Ovation Award winner and has also been the recipient of Backstage and BroadwayWorld Awards.

 

By attending “Dine & Delight,” guests are directly contributing to the growth and success of Rubicon’s artistic and educational initiatives, enabling the theatre to continue inspiring and enriching the Ventura County community through the transformative power of theatre. 

 

Says Rubicon Board President Doug Halter, “Guests will not only savor the local culinary delights, but also enjoy musical entertainment, creating an immersive experience that celebrates the intersection of gourmet cuisine, exceptional wines, and the arts.”

 

Here is a glimpse of the delectable menu for the evening (special dietary needs and restrictions will be accommodated with advance notice):

 

-DINE & DELIGHT SUMMER WINEMAKER’S DINNER MENU-

 

Hors D’oeuvre

OYSTER DELIGHT

Apple Pearls, Gin & Raspberry Tonic

Emmolo Sparkling #6

 

Appetizer

SWEET & SOUR PORK BELLY

Crispy Braised Pork Belly with Sweet & Sour Sauce,

Caramelized Cauliflower Mousse, Grilled Corn Salsa

Caymus Conundrum White or Caymus The Walking Fool Suisun

 

First Entrée

MANGO HALIBUT AGUACHILE

Citrus Beet Cured Halibut with Mango Pearls, Pickled Cucumber,

Green Leche de Tigre, Avocado, Orange Gelee, Cilantro & Blue Corn Chips

Caymus Mer Soleil Chardonnay Reserve, Santa Lucia Highlands

 

Second Entrée

GRILLED KOREAN SHORT RIB

with Purple Potato Puree & Sauteed Grilled Pineapple Slaw

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa

 

Dessert

APPLE TARTE TATIN

Local Sea Salt with

Oatmeal Raisin Butterscotch Cookie Crumble & Chai Whipped Cream

Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc

 

 

Tickets for the Water's Edge Dinner Series: Dine & Delight are priced at $225 per person. This includes a $70 tax-deductible donation to Rubicon Theatre, and proceeds from the event will benefit Rubicon Theatre Company’s upcoming 25th Anniversary Season. Limited seats are available. Please RSVP by July 17. To reserve your seat and learn more about this remarkable event and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.rubicontheatre.org/dine-delight-2023 or contact Araceli Aggarwal by email at aaggarwal@rubicontheatrecompany.org or phone at (805) 667-2900.

 

 

ABOUT Rubicon Theatre Company

Rubicon Theatre Company has been described as “the rising star of the Southern California cultural constellation.” The not-for-profit professional regional theatre has reached more than 500,000 attendees and 52,000 students. Rubicon serves area residents and visitors with innovative productions of classic and contemporary plays, as well as a wide array of educational programs and events. Acclaimed by critics and industry professionals, the company has received the L.A. Drama Critics’ Margaret Harford Award for “Sustained Excellence,” Drama Desk Awards for the Off-Broadway productions of The Best is Yet to Come and Daddy Long Legs, and won more than 20 Ovation Awards. 

 

Just prior to the pandemic, Rubicon transferred three shows to New York (Wiesenthal – Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations; Lonesome Traveler – Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations; and Daddy Long Legs (Drama Desk Award). Rubicon has welcomed a steady stream of high-profile actors and directors to the stage, including BRUNO and ODISEO BIRCHIR, SUSAN CLARK, Dana Delaney, Conchata Ferrell, Bonnie Franklin, Harold Gould, Joel Grey, Larry Hagman, Bill Irwin, Stacy Keach, Jack Lemmon, Amanda McBroom, Ted Neeley, Paul Provenza, Linda Purl, Rondi Reed, John Ritter, Joe Spano, Bruce Weitz, Lillias White and others. Company members are George Ball, Joseph Fuqua and Jenny Sullivan. 

 

Based in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean, Rubicon resides in a 185-seat historic church built in the 1920s. In this renovated historic landmark, audience members are never further than 10 rows from the stage on the main floor. (The balcony, which seats twenty, is available for private parties or corporate groups.) 

 

True to the company’s name and the vision of artistic directors Karyl Lynn Burns and JAMES O’NEIL, Rubicon has created an environment where commitment and risk are encouraged, and where artists are nurtured and respected. As a result, the company has gained a reputation for invigorating interpretations of the classics and for supporting the development of new works. Rubicon presents at least one World Premiere each season, as well as readings of works-in-progress.

 

Deeply rooted in the region it serves, Rubicon offers extensive outreach programs, including daytime matinees for high school students, after-school and weekend programs for at-risk youth, and summer musical theatre, drama and technical camps.

 

A board of directors of prominent social and civic leaders governs Rubicon under the leadership of DOUG HALTER. The company is also supported by an advisory group of regional ambassadors and a volunteer auxiliary.

 

For more information about Rubicon Theatre Company, or to purchase tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or go to www.rubicontheatre.org. The theatre is located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District.