JOSEPH'S NEXT RTC MAINSTAGE APPEARANCE IS AS SHERIFF RICHARD SCHMIDT/CHARLIE THE COOK/JUDGE (voiceover)/BANK GUY/JOE IN "BONNIE & CLYDE", WHICH PLAYS APRIL 30 - MAY 18, 2025 AT RTC. SEE MY JOSEPH THEATRE PAGE FOR DETAILS AND PERFORMANCE DATES!!!
JOSEPH ALSO HAS HIS OWN PERSONAL, OFFICIAL WEBSITE. YOU CAN FIND IT HERE!!!
You can also find Joseph on Facebook HERE!!!
And you can find Joseph on YouTube HERE!!!!!!
And you can find Joseph on Twitter HERE!!!
And you can find Joseph on Instagram HERE!!!
THE LATEST NEWS!!!!!
UPDATE 9/17/19 FROM RTC'S FACEBOOK PAGE
UPDATE 6/29/19 FROM JOSEPH'S FACEBOOK PAGE
UPDATE 2/8/16 FROM JOSEPH'S FACEBOOK PAGE
Joseph announced about 12:30AM this morning on his Facebook page that he is on a new Home Design TV Show called "The Decorator"! He's part of a team of home designers! See his post below (click on the picture for a link):
Merle DiVita is Nurse Ratched and a sheet-covered Joseph Fuqua is McMurphy in the 2010 Dramatic Dames Calendar’s February depiction of the play “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.” Organized as a fundraiser for Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, it features members of the volunteer auxiliary Grandes Dames.
With a passion for the arts, some give their all in new calendars
Prodded by stripped-to-the-bone budgets, supporters of the arts in Ventura County have taken off the gloves — and the shirts, pants and assorted unmentionables — to help. The results are two calendars for 2010 that feature local residents posing in the buff.
The Dramatic Dames Calendar is the inaugural effort of the Grandes Dames, the volunteer auxiliary of the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura.
It features members of the fundraising group wearing little more than smiles and carefully placed props as they interpret scenes from plays staged by the professional theater troupe.
Photo courtesy of Jeanne Tanner Photography
Merle DiVita is Nurse Ratched and a sheet-covered Joseph Fuqua is McMurphy in the 2010 Dramatic Dames Calendar’s February depiction of the play “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.” Organized as a fundraiser for Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, it features members of the volunteer auxiliary Grandes Dames.
“A couple of years ago, we did a cookbook of the Grandes Dames’ favorite recipes. Last year, the project was cases of wine with show posters as the labels. This just seemed like a fun way to continue the theme,” said Grandes Dames President Wendy Gillett.
The Men of Ojai Calendar for 2010 is an all-new version of one last produced in 2007, said Demitri Corbin, director of what is now called the Ojai Calendar Project.
“In the beginning, it was a protest, a way of bringing awareness to the need for the city of Ojai to reinstate the arts grants it had discontinued during an earlier financial crisis,” he said.
But the inspiration to actually create the black-and-white calendar of images by photographer Attasalina Dews was a lot more colorful than that sounds, Corbin admitted.
“I was at Movino Wine Bar one night and asked some friends, ‘Would you pose nude for a good cause?’ And people said, ‘Sure!’ A few weeks passed and I forgot about it. Then a friend asked, ‘What’s going to happen with the calendar, man?’”
The selection of models was more complicated than merely finding local men willing to show some skin, he said.
Volunteers were asked to fill out an application listing their interests, then to undergo face-to-face interviews with Corbin on the topic of the calendar theme, which this year is “freedom.”
Finalists then were selected by the cheekily named Council of Fabulousness, a group of women with ties to the arts in Ventura County.
“It’s not just about looks; it’s about who makes real contributions to the community,” said Corbin.
This year, the project comes full circle with the inclusion of Movino manager and Ojai Art Center Theater producer Billy Wilds, who is featured striking what is, for the calendar, a rare indoors pose: reading on his couch at home.
In the spirit of the 2003 Helen Mirren film “Calendar Girls,” women willing to appear in the Dramatic Dames project were asked to put their names into a bucket for selection by drawing. Winners of the drawing were then paired with what Gillett considered “iconic” plays from Rubicon’s history.
They include former Ventura Mayor Rosa Lee Measures in a depiction of the William Inge play “Bus Stop,” certified financial planner Merle DiVita as Nurse Ratched from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and octogenarian Realtor Helen Yunker — her hair loosened from its usual bun — as Blanche DuBois in a tableau from “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
The calendar’s images were shot on the Rubicon stage by photographer Jeanne Tanner during a single, busy week in October, between performances of “Daddy Long Legs.” The women did their own hair and makeup and in some cases brought their props.
“When you see them, you really get the sense that these are gorgeous, confident women who felt the importance of taking it off for charity,” said Gillett. “We loved doing it, and would consider doing it again.”
Daring calendar duo
Dramatic Dames 2010: The calendar produced by the Grandes Dames as a fundraiser for Rubicon Theatre Co. in Ventura will debut at the group’s luncheon and boutique from 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Oxnard, 600 E. Esplanade Drive. It also is available by calling Rubicon development coordinator Amber Landis at 667-2912, ext. 237. Cost is $20 for advance orders, $25 after Dec. 7.
A Special Message from
Rubicon Acting Company Member Joseph Fuqua
I was told by mother early in life that I was a nester. After re-arranging the furniture and making a tent with blankets and sheets, I’d put my stuffed animals (and any living furry things) into my tent and arrange them in a wee circle. Then I’d crawl in and stay for hours. Mother was right, I was a nester.
“I seek myself through what I have,” I am told is my motto – my astrological motto. I am a Taurus. Evidently a Taurus “collects; acquires.”
Every personal object that touches us – that graces our homes – our walls – our kitchens or hallways represents who we are: what makes us happy; what makes us feel at “home”; what gives us a sense of history, what triggers our imagination.
I have been acquiring things since kindergarten – but only things that are…good. My idea of “good”, mind you.
Actors use beautiful things, sometimes, as props – or as extensions of character. We respond to our surroundings. We create stories about the painting on the wall, the umbrella stand, the candelabra, the books – how they came to be a part of this eccentric, wonderful household and what they mean to us.
When Jenny asked me to “dress” Gary Wissman’s set for You Can’t Take It With You, I was excited to put my nesting instincts to artistic use. When I went looking, I searched for things that were at the heart of this special play and that would represent the unique spirit of the Sycamore family. Things that have souls and are – I think – special.
Come to our auction and see what speaks to you. Think of your Bohemian daughter, your kooky aunt, or your neighbor with the exquisite taste in antiques. Give some of these great special things as gifts.
Dressing this set for You Can’t Take It With You has filed me with admiration. Admiration for things made by hand or decorated by hand or used by hands. My hope is that the “things” for sale in the You CAN take It With You auction may charm you.
I enjoyed acquiring them. They are soulful.
Joseph Fuqua
Rubicon Company Member
More about the Auction:
Tax Deductions - All proceeds from this auction will go to benefit Rubicon Theatre Company. Tax Deductions are available on bids that exceed the listed value of an item. The amount of a tax deduction would be the difference of the winning bid from the listed value.
Absentee Bids – You can bid on an item without attending personally by submitting an “absentee bid” email to Mychele Dee at mdee@rubicontheatre.org. Absentee Bid emails must be received by 5:00 p.m. on December 19, 2007.
Please be sure to include the following information:
1. In the subject line put the words “Absentee Bid”
2. Include your Name, Address and phone number
3. Include your top bid and the item number.
A representative will contact you if you win the auction item on December 20, 2007 to finalize your transaction.
Adjustment policy – By law every thing sold at AUCTION is “AS-IS, WHERE-IS” with all benefits and faults included.
Item descriptions were created to give you a best attempt at describing what is being sold, however it is not a guarantee. You are the final judge as to whether or not the description is right or wrong. Please contact Christina Burck if you wish to see an item in person prior to the auction. She can be reached at 805-667-2912 ext 244 or via email at cburck@rubicontheatre.org.
HAMLET
UPDATE 5/20/07 - HAMLET AWARDED 4 INDYS!!!
Karyl Lynn Burns, Joseph Fuqua, and Jenny Sullivan with the four awards Rubicon won for Hamlet.
Joseph Fuqua, cool in shades, won for his performance of the lead role in Rubicon’s Hamlet.
On Monday, May 21st Rubicon Theatre Company was honored to receive seven awards at the Indy Awards presentation at Center Stage Theatre in Santa Barbara. Critics and columnists from The Independent, the Santa Barbara News-Press, Backstage West and the L.A. Times who live in the Tri-Counties area presented awards to performers, directors and technicians based on achievement sans categories and nominees. The 13-year old awards ceremony was hosted by the area’s weekly arts and entertainment paper, The Independent.
Rubicon’s seven honorees this year included: James O’Neil, for his direction of The Diary of Anne Frank, Jenny Sullivan, for her direction of Hamlet; Conor Lovett, for his performance in The Good Thief; Bruce Weitz, for his performance in The Diary of Anne Frank; James O’Neil, Alison Brie and Joseph Fuqua, for their performances in Hamlet.
Hamlet, the 2nd Shakespeare piece offered by Rubicon Theatre in a decade of work, garnered many accolades for Rubicon Theatre’s first company member: “How noble in reason and faculties is actor Joseph Fuqua.” – Los Angeles Times
TWELVE ANGRY JURORS (a.k.a.: Twelve Angry Men")
Inaugural production for RTC's "Show of Justice" Event
Ventura's Rubicon Theatre Company has announced plans to producea stage version of Twelve Angry Jurors, starring local attorneys and judges. Maybe even you. The fundraising project is modeled after annual events throughout the country involving judges and lawyers in play productions. Proceeds will be used to renovate the company's historic building and create an endowment.
Company co-founder and director James O'Neil held a news conference to announce reading auditions on June 26-28 for performances on June 4-6. Court of Appeal Justice Steve Perren and Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge George Esken will be involved in the production, which may have multiple casts, depending upon how many people audition.
The local Ventura and Santa Barbara Bars need only supply the actors, as O'Neil says the theatre will provide professional set, lighting, sound and costume designers. One of the company's leading actors, Joseph Fuqua, will direct. Fuqua also directed Rubicon's production of J For J.
This version of Reginald Rose's play Twelve Angry Men, will include roles for both men and women. The play was made famous by Sydney Lumet's 1957 film version featuring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb.
Rubicon Theatre Company is the region's premier professional theatre company. O'Neil, a native of Santa Barbara, and Karyl Lynn Burns founded the company in 1998. In just seven seasons the company has become the rising star of West Coast theatres. Luminaries such as Ed Asner, George Ball, Stacy Keach, Michael Learned, Amanda McBroom, Linda Purl and Efrem and Stephanie Zimbalist have worked with the company. Jack Lemmon and John Ritter both made their final stage appearances with Rubicon.
Contact the Rubicon Theatre Company for tickets, and informational packet or to schedule an audition (807) 667-2900.
According to a press release issued May 18, the production will be an annual fundraising event for the Rubicon Theatre Company. "The cost for 'Show of Justice' participants ... will be $500 per person and a commitment to buy or sell 25 tickets for $85 to the shows. The organization hopes to net $50,000 in the first year."
Contacts: James O’Neil (805) 667-2900, ext. 228
or Karyl Lynn Burns (805) 667-2900, ext. 224
PRESS INFORMATION
ATTN: Local and Regional News/Life/Arts Editors
For Immediate Release: May 18, 2005
Local Attorneys and Supreme Court Justice’s Wife “Subpoenaed” to “Give Testimony”
at Ventura’s Former County Courthouse:
Rubicon Theatre Company Announces “Show of Justice”
Ventura , CA-- Today at noon , in the former Ventura County Courthouse ( Ventura ’s City Hall), Santa Barbara and Ventura County legal professionals, a Supreme Court Justice’s wife and other expert witnesses were “subpoenaed” to “give testimony.”
Local legal heavyweights from the bench and the bar were in attendance, including Frederick H. Bysshe, George Eskin, William Peck; Don Hurley, President of the Ventura County Bar Association; Tom Henshaw, President of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association; Jim Herman, Past President of the State Bar Association; Dennis Jones, a Board Member of the Ventura Trial Lawyers Association and a Partner at Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Schneider; Jerry Oshinsky, a partner with Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky; and Al Vargas, an attorney with Lascher & Lascher and Editor of Citation Magazine.
Celebrity Linda Purl, who played Sarah Novelli, the wife of a Supreme Court Justice on the series “First Monday,” and attorney Charlene Matlock on “Matlock,” appeared as an expert witness. Rosa Lee Measures, former Deputy Mayor of the City of Ventura and Rubicon Honorary Chair, served as special defender of the public good.
The event included a swearing in, opening and closing statements, selection of jurors and some serious pleading. The case was made in less than 30 minutes. It was open and shut.
Was this a juicy legal battle reenacted for Court TV? No! It was a press conference announcing a new annual fundraising event for Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura ’s non-profit professional theatre company.
Members of the legal profession came together in the San Buenaventura City Hall Council Chambers ( Ventura ’s former County Courthouse ), to lend their support to an idea that has “precedent” at other theatre companies in the U.S. and Canada – an event Rubicon will call “Show of Justice.”
About Show of Justice
“Show of Justice,” according to Rubicon’s Founding Artistic Directors James O’Neil and Karyl Lynn Burns, will give area attorneys and judges an opportunity to test their dramatic skills in a community production on Rubicon’s stage, while also making a direct contribution to Rubicon’s programming. Participants will pay or raise a base fee to participate, and also purchase or sell at least 25 tickets. Auditions will be held and the production will be rehearsed over a several-month period at intervals in spread out the time commitment of the participants. The production will be offered with full costumes, lights, set and sound on Rubicon’s stage, and each performance will be followed by a reception at an area restaurant or hotel for audience members and participants.
The first annual “Show of Justice” is slated for November 4 thru 6 at Rubicon Theatre Company’s intimate 200-seat home in Ventura , located at 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel and Main ). Auditions for the show will take place June 26, 27and 28 at the theatre. Those interested in auditioning may call Chris Rennolds at (805) 667-2900, ext. 225.
Testimony from Attorneys and Supreme Court Justice’s Wife
At today’s press conference, the “testimony” included comments about Rubicon ’s impact on the region by Measures and Jones, who described Rubicon ’s “importance to the cultural, educational and economic life of the region.” Measures stressed that Rubicon has reached more than 165,000 individuals with more than 40 stellar productions in just seven seasons. Jones, whose daughter participated in Rubicon ’s education programs, spoke to the company’s extensive commitment to outreach, through after-school and weekend classes and programs for area students; partnerships with the Boys and Girls Clubs and the City to serve at-risk youth; and summer musical theatre camps.
Purl, an actress with Broadway and Off-Broadway credits in addition to her film and television roles, served as an “expert witness.” Purl spoke from her own experiences at Rubicon , where she portrayed Blanche Dubois in the Company’s recent critically acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire. (Purl also played Regina in The Little Foxes, and starred opposite Stacy Keach in Rubicon ’s production of Love Letters.) She has worked on and off-Broadway as well. Purl will serve as Artistic Director of a soon-to-be-announced international theatre festival Rubicon is planning for the company’s 10th Anniversary.
Purl made a case for the arts in general, and theatre, specifically, as prevention for society’s ills, stressing its importance in fostering a deeper, personal understanding of belief systems and cultures different from our own.
The “pleading” came from Rubicon’s Managing Director Norbert Tan, who explained the Company’s financial structure. According to Tan, Rubicon, like the majority of non-profit theatres in the country, makes less than half the costs of operation from ticket sales – even with many sold-out houses. “More than $1.3 million of Rubicon’s annual budget must be raised through contributions, grants, sponsorships and fundraising events such as ‘Show of Justice,’ he commented.
The cost for “Show of Justice” participants, said Tan, will be $500 per person and a commitment to buy or sell 25 tickets for $85 each to the shows. The organization hopes to net $50,000 in the first year.
Show of Justice Director
This year’s “Show of Justice” director will be Joseph Fuqua, one of Rubicon ’s leading actors and director of RTC’s production of J for J, written by and featuring Jenny Sullivan and starring Jeff Kober and the late John Ritter. Fuqua won last year’s Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for his work in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. An MFA graduate of Yale School of Drama, Mr. Fuqua has also been the recipient of Indie, Rep and Robby Awards. He has appeared on and off-Broadway. Other roles at Rubicon include The Little Foxes with Linda Purl, The Rainmaker with Stephanie Zimbalist and Art with Cliff DeYoung and Bruce Weitz. He will appear this summer at RTC in Tuesday’s with Morrie opposite Harold Gould.
Inaugural Show
Pending final rights approval, the first “Show of Justice” production will be Twelve Angry Jurors, a version of Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose. Set in New York in 1957, the play is a taut drama set in a jury room in 1957 during a capital murder case. In the play, eleven of twelve jurors gathered believe the defendant is guilty; one juror believes there is “reasonable doubt” – to the frustration of his colleagues. During the heated deliberations, each juror must come to terms with his or her own preconceptions and assumptions and the legal system itself is examined. The play went on to become an Academy Award-winning film produced by Henry Fonda and starring Fonda and Lee J. Cobb.
About Rubicon
Rubicon Theatre Company is the region’s premier professional theatre company. O’Neil, a third-generation Santa Barbaran, and Karyl Lynn Burns, founded the Company in Ventura in 1998. In just seven seasons, the company has become the rising star of West Coast theatres. Luminaries such as Ed Asner, George Ball, David Birney, Susan Clark, Cliff DeYoung, Bonnie Franklin, Larry Hagman, Michael Learned, Amanda McBroom, Tony Franciosa, Joe Spano, Bruce Weitz and Efrem and Stephanie Zimbalist have worked with the company. Jack Lemmon made his final stage appearances with Rubicon.
Rubicon was nominated for 20 Ovation Awards in 2004, more than any other individual theatre in Southern California . The company won the coveted award for “Best Production,” for its revival of All My Sons. Rubicon has also received Santa Barbara Indy Awards, Ventura County
Rep Awards, Robby Awards, Garland Awards, and O’Neil recently won the Southern California NAACP Award for Best Director in an Equity Theatre.
Rubicon presents a mainstage season of comedies, dramas and musicals in an intimate 200-seat former church in Ventura ’s Downtown Cultural District. The company is governed by a prominent board of social and civic leaders and administrated by Burns and O’Neil along with Managing Director Norbert Tan, who joined Rubicon two years ago from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In the past twelve months, Rubicon has put a down payment on the 200-seat former church where the company has performed, and launched a capital campaign to renovate the theatre and create a cash reserve and endowment.
Further Information
For information about sponsorship of “Show of Justice,” audition information, or to purchase tickets, please call Rubicon Theatre Company at (805) 667-2900, ext. 225.
---###---
Karyl Lynn Burns
Producing Artistic Director
Rubicon Theatre Company
1006 E. Main Street
Suite 300
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 667-2900, ext. 24
(805) 667-2903 Fax
OF TIME AND TIDE
Plays-in-Progress June 21 - June 29, 2003. This reading program of new plays in development in June includes "American Menu" by New York-based playwright Don Glenn; "Mating Dance of the Werewolf" by Mark Stein (who also authored "Relativity and "At Long Last Leo"); and "Of Time and Tide" by Sean Cullen. Directors for the program are Jenny Sullivan, Steven Schipper (Artistic Director of Manitoba Theatre Center in Canada), and Joseph Fuqua, respectively. Tickets are $10 per reading; $25 for the series. Patron tickets, with special seating and an invitation to a private party with the artists, are $100, and include a $65 tax-deductible contribution to Rubicon's new works program.
** UPDATE 6/16/03 **
Received this e-mil from Karyl Lynn Burns today, via the Rubicon-Patrons Yahoogroups list. Here's the info on the entire program, including Joseph's play:
Dear Rubicon Patron:
Please join us the next two weekends for an important event. Rubicon Theatre Company presents dynamic readings of new plays-in-progress by established and up-and-coming playwrights, with remarkable actors and directors such as Hattie Winson ("Becker"), CCH Pounder ("E.R.") and others.
Don't miss this chance to actually participate in the process of developing new American plays! Each play will be read once the first weekend. Rubicon's Artistic Directors will then lead a discussion with the audience about the play's characters, plot, thru-line, themes, etc.
Based on the insights of the audience, and comments from the actors and directors, the playwrights will rework scenes or sections of dialogue. Then the plays will be read again the second weekend.
Each reading is only $10 general admission; or attend as many readings as you like for only $35 (Festival pass)! Mention this e-mail and save $2 per ticket.
Special patron tickets are available at $100, and include a private welcome cocktail party with the playwrights and actors hosted by Harriet and Harold Friedman this Thursday and reserved tickets (upon request).
Call (805) 667-2900.
Below are excerpts from the press release. We hope to see you there...
RUBICON PREMIERES "PLAYS-IN-PROGRESS" FESTIVAL
OVER NEXT TWO WEEKS WITH FOUR PLAYS
THAT PROVIDE INSIDE LOOK AT THE CREATIVE PROCESS
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
MATING DANCE OF THE WEREWOLF by Mark Stein
Directed by Stephen Schipper Saturday, June 21 at 2 pm & Saturday, June 28 at 7 pm
Sparked by primal attraction, a police officer and a striking young woman embark on a passionate affair. That is, until their mating dance unleashes feelings in her that he cannot begin to understand. Ken thinks he's found 'the one'; Abby says she's a werewolf. When one of his colleagues on the force ends up dead, Ken must face the possibility that the murderer may be closer than he thinks. The world premiere of Mark Stein's suspenseful, funny and sexy cop thriller is co-produced with Manitoba Theatre Centre and directed by Manitoba's Artistic Director Steven Schipper.
Playwright MARK STEIN is an award-winning author whose works have premiered or been produced at South Coast Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, George Street Playhouse, the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and other prestigious regional theatres. He has written screenplays and made-for-television movies for Steve Martin, John Ritter and others. Mark is currently based on Washington D.C., where he resides with his wife Arlene (cousin of Oxnard resident and Rubicon subscriber Harriet Friedman) and two children. MATING DANCE OF THE WEREWOLF is being co-produced by Manitoba Theatre Centre (MTC) and Rubicon Theatre Company in Winnipeg next April and May under the direction of MTC's Artistic Director Steven Schipper.
***
AMERICAN MENU by Don Wilson Glenn
Directed by Jenny Sullivan Saturday, June 21 at 7 pm & Saturday, June 28 at 2 pm
It's 1964; a small town in Texas. Five black women work in the "pressure-cooker" kitchen of a diner that only serves whites. Isolated for hours at a time in their drudgery, with the service bell reminding them of their menial positions, they laugh, they dream, they rage, they offer comfort, and ultimately, they draw strength from each other--to choose from a broader American menu than that their time and circumstances has offered. HATTIE WINSTON and CCH POUNDER are cast.
DON WILSON GLENN is an up-and-coming young playwright based in New York City. AMERICAN MENU is his first produced play. It is currently being produced off-off-Broadway and has received tremendous critical acclaim, including three AUDELCO AWARDS. This presentation is the first professional reading of the play on the West Coast. AMERICAN MENU is in part based on Glenn's mother's life, and is the first play in a trilogy about her experiences entitled THE COLLARD GREEN SISTERS.
***
OF TIME AND TIDE by Sean Cullen Directed by Joseph Fuqua
Sunday, June 22 at 2 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 2 pm
Set during the Korean War, this gripping dramatic story opens with a Baltimore blue-collar family mourning the loss of their oldest son. This non-linear play ebbs and flows through time, building in intensity as it draws to a tender and painful final moment - perhaps the only moment of tenderness in the life of an unlucky but loved young man. In the vein of John Osborne, this rich piece is filled with stormy, vulnerable characters that hide their true feelings in lies and fierce tidal waves of anger. The cast includes SEAN CULLEN, CHUCK O'NEIL, LAUREL LYLE and others.
SEAN CULLEN's OF TIME AND TIDE has previously been given readings at the Huntington Theatre (Boston), the Old Globe Theatre (San Diego) and in Manhattan at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen's first script CITY HIGH: "INITIATION," a television pilot for a dramatic series co-created with Charles Schultz, was a finalist at the New Harmony Project. Cullen made his Broadway acting debut in the Tony-Award winning JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, adapted and directed by Richard Nelson. Most recently, he appeared Off-Broadway in Mr. Nelson's THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA (featuring Corin Redgrave), at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen is currently at work in New York on the establishment of the American National Theatre at Ground Zero.
***
THE UNHINGED: A DREAD & DREKFEST AT THE BED & BREAKFAST ON A PROMONTORY BY A STORMY SEA by Tony Abatemarco
Directed by Tony Abatemarco Sunday, June 22 at 7 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 7 pm
Inspired by the late Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatre Company, THE UNHINGED is a clever comedy/mystery set in a bed and breakfast on an island off the coast of Cape Cod. In the production, two male actors play a variety of wild characters ranging from a young chambermaid to an ex-nun to a hunchbacked policeman. TONY ABATEMARCO and JOHN FLECK are cast.
TONY ABATEMARCO is a Los Angeles-ased director, actor and writer. He directed Julie Harris in LUCIFER'S CHILD on Broadway and for A & E. In addition, he was the first Artistic Director of the Jacques D'Amboise National Dance Institute in Los Angeles. His most recent original one-man show, COLOGNE, has received critical acclaim Off-Broadway and at Santa Fe Stages. Abatemarco has won numerous awards in L.A., including an Ovation Award for Lead Performance for Charles Ludlam's THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. e is the recipient of two NEA Fellowships, and was founding director of The Accident Theatre and The Night House. In addition to his New York credits, he has directed at Pasadena Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Sante Fe Stages and Arena Stage. Last year, he appeared in five feature films including "I Am Sam," and has guest starred on more than three dozen television shows, including "The Division," "Leap of Faith," "The District," "Frazier," "Profiler" and "E.R."
ABOUT RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY
Rubicon Theatre Company is Ventura's non-profit professional theatre company. Founded in 1998 by James O'Neil and Karyl Lynn Burns, the mission of the company is to present a diverse season of classic and contemporary comedies, dramas and musicals for the entertainment, enrichment and education of residents of, and visitors to, the region. Rubicon Theatre Company performs in the intimate 200-seat Laurel, a renovated church originally built in the 1920s. Rubicon has declared the "anchor" of Ventura's new Downtown Cultural District by City Council proclamation. Since its inception, Rubicon Theatre Company has played to more than 120,000 individuals and 20,000 students.
For tickets to Rubicon Theatre Company's "Plays-in-Progress" Festival, call (805) 667-2900.OF TIME AND TIDE by Sean Cullen Directed by Joseph Fuqua
Sunday, June 22 at 2 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 2 pm
Set during the Korean War, this gripping dramatic story opens with a Baltimore blue-collar family mourning the loss of their oldest son. This non-linear play ebbs and flows through time, building in intensity as it draws to a tender and painful final moment - perhaps the only moment of tenderness in the life of an unlucky but loved young man. In the vein of John Osborne, this rich piece is filled with stormy, vulnerable characters that hide their true feelings in lies and fierce tidal waves of anger. The cast includes SEAN CULLEN, CHUCK O'NEIL, LAUREL LYLE and others.
SEAN CULLEN's OF TIME AND TIDE has previously been given readings at the Huntington Theatre (Boston), the Old Globe Theatre (San Diego) and in Manhattan at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen's first script CITY HIGH: "INITIATION," a television pilot for a dramatic series co-created with Charles Schultz, was a finalist at the New Harmony Project. Cullen made his Broadway acting debut in the Tony-Award winning JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, adapted and directed by Richard Nelson. Most recently, he appeared Off-Broadway in Mr. Nelson's THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA (featuring Corin Redgrave), at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen is currently at work in New York on the establishment of the American National Theatre at Ground Zero.
***
THE UNHINGED: A DREAD & DREKFEST AT THE BED & BREAKFAST ON A PROMONTORY BY A STORMY SEA by Tony Abatemarco
Directed by Tony Abatemarco Sunday, June 22 at 7 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 7 pm
Inspired by the late Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatre Company, THE UNHINGED is a clever comedy/mystery set in a bed and breakfast on an island off the coast of Cape Cod. In the production, two male actors play a variety of wild characters ranging from a young chambermaid to an ex-nun to a hunchbacked policeman. TONY ABATEMARCO and JOHN FLECK are cast.
TONY ABATEMARCO is a Los Angeles-ased director, actor and writer. He directed Julie Harris in LUCIFER'S CHILD on Broadway and for A & E. In addition, he was the first Artistic Director of the Jacques D'Amboise National Dance Institute in Los Angeles. His most recent original one-man show, COLOGNE, has received critical acclaim Off-Broadway and at Santa Fe Stages. Abatemarco has won numerous awards in L.A., including an Ovation Award for Lead Performance for Charles Ludlam's THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. e is the recipient of two NEA Fellowships, and was founding director of The Accident Theatre and The Night House. In addition to his New York credits, he has directed at Pasadena Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Sante Fe Stages and Arena Stage. Last year, he appeared in five feature films including "I Am Sam," and has guest starred on more than three dozen television shows, including "The Division," "Leap of Faith," "The District," "Frazier," "Profiler" and "E.R."
ABOUT RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY
Rubicon Theatre Company is Ventura's non-profit professional theatre company. Founded in 1998 by James O'Neil and Karyl Lynn Burns, the mission of the company is to present a diverse season of classic and contemporary comedies, dramas and musicals for the entertainment, enrichment and education of residents of, and visitors to, the region. Rubicon Theatre Company performs in the intimate 200-seat Laurel, a renovated church originally built in the 1920s. Rubicon has declared the "anchor" of Ventura's new Downtown Cultural District by City Council proclamation. Since its inception, Rubicon Theatre Company has played to more than 120,000 individuals and 20,000 students.
For tickets to Rubicon Theatre Company's "Plays-in-Progress" Festival, call (805) 667-2900.
Here is a link to the 6/19/03 InsideVC.com (Ventura County Star) article on "Plays-in-Progress" entitled: "Rubicon is hone sweet home for playwrights":
"Of Time and Tide" by New York City writer-actor Sean Cullen will be read 2 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. June 29. Joseph Fuqua, who has starred in numerous Rubicon productions, will direct.
The nonlinear play, which ebbs and flows through time, is a dramatic story about a Baltimore blue-collar family mourning the death of their son in the Korean War. In the vein of John Osborne, the piece is filled with stormy, vulnerable characters who hide their feelings in lies and anger.
Here is a link to the 6/23/03 Santa Barbara News-Press' article entitled: "Onstage: New Plays". Again, this is only an abstract. You have to subscribe even to read an article published on the same day for this newspaper. I don't subscribe, so, no article:
Abstract: "...The Rubicon Theatre Company will present "Plays in Progress," a series of readings of new plays, over the next two weekends at the Laurel Theatre, 1006 E. Main St. in Ventura. Mark Stein's "Mating Dance of the Werewolf," to be read at 2 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. June 28, concerns a woman who fears her police-officer b..."
Staged readings of four new plays. "Mating Dance of the Werewolf" by Mark Stein; "American Menu" by Don Wilson Glenn, "Of Time and Tide" by Sean Cullen, "The Unhinged: A Dread & Drekfest at the Bed & Breakfast on a Promontory By a Stormy Sea" by Tony Abatemarco.
Through Jun. 29
Sat., 2 and 7 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 7 p.m. Call for play schedule.
RUBICON PREMIERES "PLAYS IN PROGRESS" FESTIVAL OVER NEXT TWO WEEKS WITH FOUR PLAYS THAT PROVDIE INSIDE LOOK AT THE CREATIVE PROCESS
· "Plays-in-Progress" Festival Runs Weekends of June 21-22 and June 28-29
· Audience to Meet the Playwrights, Directors and Actors, Gain Insight into the Creative Process and Participate in the Development of New Plays
· Presented by Rubicon Theatre Company at The Laurel
Ventura, California, June 4, 2003 - This season marks the debut of Rubicon Theatre Company's "Plays-in-Progress," a series of readings of four extraordinary new plays. Rubicon's intimate setting allows audiences to converse with the playwrights, directors and actors -- and actually participate in the process of developing and refining new plays.
Four new plays will be read on two weekends: June 21-22 and June 28-29. Each play will be read once the first weekend and once the second weekend. Playwrights will be in residence in Ventura for a week to rewrite, rework and refine the pieces. As a result, the works will evolve and change during the festival, allowing audiences insight into the process of creating new works for the American stage.
An open Plays-in-Progress Festival Ticket package is available for $35, allowing audience members to attend an unlimited number of readings. Individual readings are priced at $10. Patron Passes at $100 include admission to all events, an exclusive invitation to the VIP welcome reception hosted by Harriet and Harold Friedman, reserved seats upon request and a tax-deductible contribution to Rubicon's New Play Development program. Tickets are available by phone at (805) 667-2900 or at the box office, 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel Street Entrance), Ventura, CA 93001.
"PLAYS IN PROGRESS" PROGRAM SCHEDULE
MATING DANCE OF THE WEREWOLF by Mark Stein
Directed by Stephen Schipper
Saturday, June 21 at 2 pm & Saturday, June 28 at 7 pm
Sparked by primal attraction, a police officer and a striking young woman embark on a passionate affair. That is, until their mating dance unleashes feelings in her that he cannot begin to understand. Ken thinks he's found 'the one'; Abby says she's a werewolf. When one of his colleagues on the force ends up dead, Ken must face the possibility that the murderer may be closer than he thinks. The world premiere of Mark Stein's suspenseful, funny and sexy cop thriller is co-produced with Manitoba Theatre Centre and directed by Manitoba's Artistic Director Steven Schipper.
MARK STEIN is an award-winning playwright whose works have premiered or been produced at South Coast Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, George Street Playhouse, the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and other prestigious regional theatres. He has written screenplays and made-for-television movies for Steve Martin, John Ritter and others. Mark is currently based on Washington D.C., where he resides with his wife Arlene (cousin of Oxnard resident and Rubicon subscriber Harriet Friedman) and two children. MATING DANCE OF THE WEREWOLF is being co-produced by Manitoba Theatre Centre (MTC) and Rubicon Theatre Company in Winnipeg next April and May under the direction of MTC's Artistic Director Steven Schipper. It will be mounted in Ventura during Rubicon's 2004-2005 season.
AMERICAN MENU by Don Wilson Glenn
Directed by Jenny Sullivan
Saturday, June 21 at 7 pm & Saturday, June 28 at 2 pm
It's 1964; a small town in Texas. Five black women work in the "pressure-cooker" kitchen of a diner that only serves whites. Isolated for hours at a time in their drudgery, with the service bell reminding them of their menial positions, they laugh, they dream, they rage, they offer comfort, and ultimately, they draw strength from each other--to choose from a broader American menu than that their time and circumstances has offered. HATTIE WINSTON and CCH POUNDER are cast.
DON WILSON GLENN is an up-and-coming young playwright based in New York City. AMERICAN MENU is his first produced play. It is currently being produced off-off-Broadway and has received tremendous critical acclaim, including three AUDELCO AWARDS. This presentation is the first professional reading of the play on the West Coast. AMERICAN MENU is in part based on Glenn's mother's life, and is the first play in a trilogy about her experiences entitled THE COLLARD GREEN SISTERS.
OF TIME AND TIDE by Sean Cullen
Directed by Joseph Fuqua
Sunday, June 22 at 2 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 2 pm Set during the Korean War, this gripping dramatic story opens with a Baltimore blue-collar family mourning the loss of their oldest son. This non-linear play ebbs and flows through time, building in intensity as it draws to a tender and painful final moment - perhaps the only moment of tenderness in the life of an unlucky but loved young man. In the vein of John Osborne, this rich piece is filled with stormy, vulnerable characters that hide their true feelings in lies and fierce tidal waves of anger. CHUCK O'NEIL, LAUREL LYLE and others are cast.
SEAN CULLEN's OF TIME AND TIDE has previously been given readings at the Huntington Theatre (Boston), the Old Globe Theatre (San Diego) and in Manhattan at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen's first script CITY HIGH: "INITIATION," a television pilot for a dramatic series co-created with Charles Schultz, was a finalist at the New Harmony Project. Cullen made his Broadway acting debut in the Tony-Award winning JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, adapted and directed by Richard Nelson. Most recently, he appeared Off-Broadway in Mr. Nelson's THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA (featuring Corin Redgrave), at Theatre for a New Audience. Cullen is currently at work in New York on the establishment of the American National Theatre at Ground Zero.
THE UNHINGED: A DREAD & DREKFEST AT THE BED & BREAKFAST ON A PROMONTORY BY A STORMY SEA by Tony Abatemarco
Directed by Tony Abatemarco
Sunday, June 22 at 7 pm & Sunday, June 29 at 7 pm
Inspired by the late Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatre Company, THE UNHINGED is a clever comedy/mystery set in a bed and breakfast on an island off the coast of Cape Cod. In the production, two male actors play a variety of wild characters ranging from a young chambermaid to an ex-nun to a hunchbacked policeman. TONY ABATEMARCO and JOHN FLECK are cast.
TONY ABATEMARCO is a Los Angeles-ased director, actor and writer. He directed JulieHarris in LUCIFER'S CHILD on Broadway and for A & E. In addition, he was the first Artistic Director of the Jacques D'Amboise National Dance Institute in Los Angeles. His most recent original one-man show, COLOGNE, has received critical acclaim Off-Broadway and at Santa Fe Stages. Abatemarco has won numerous awards in L.A., including an Ovation Award for Lead Performance for Charles Ludlam's THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. e is the recipient of two NEA Fellowships, and was founding director of The Accident Theatre and The Night House. In addition to his New York credits, he has directed at Pasadena Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Sante Fe Stages and Arena Stage. Last year, he appeared in five feature films including "I Am Sam," and has guest starred on more than three dozen television shows, including "The Division," "Leap of Faith," "The District," "Frazier," "Profiler" and "E.R."
ABOUT RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY
Rubicon Theatre Company is Ventura's non-profit professional theatre company. Founded in 1998 by James O'Neil and Karyl Lynn Burns, the mission of the company is to present a diverse season of classic and contemporary comedies, dramas and musicals for the entertainment, enrichment and education of residents of, and visitors to, the region. Rubicon Theatre Company performs in the intimate 200-seat Laurel, a renovated church originally built in the 1920s. Rubicon has declared the "anchor" of Ventura's new Downtown Cultural District by City Council proclamation. Since its inception, Rubicon Theatre Company has played to more than 120,000 individuals and 20,000 students.
"BardWalk turned out great, although we all wereexhausted. We had about 500 people attending theevent. Joseph of course was there :-) Together withHarold (i.e.: Harold Gould and Joseph are in "Old Wicked Songs" through 5/19/02. See #8 in this section, and Joseph's bio page). I think people had a really good time, andthe kids got lovely t-shirts and a very nice volume ofThe Complete Works of Shakespeare. I think it was avery very nice present to them."
What is "BardWalk"? Well, as defined on the website:
"BardWalk is a 10K Walkathon and Rockin' Renaissance celebration. Participants walk, run, rollerblade, bike or .... along the boardwalk at San Buenaventura State Beach to raise funds for Shakespeare in the Schools and other Education Outreach programs provided by Rubicon Theatre, our region's non-profit professional theatre company. The event begins with aerobic warm-ups and inspiration, and ends with food, drink, awards, music and merriment and more!"
Check out the website (URL posted below). I highlyrecommend that if Bardwalk becomes an annual happening, any of you who can be there consider participating in this event to help a reallygood cause!
"Camarillo girl wins BardWalk Contest": http://www.insidevc.com/vcs/ve/article/0,1375,VCS_251_1113394,00.html NOTE: Both this article and the one directly above this one include information about Rubicon's "Mother's Day Candlelight Walk For Peace", which were held on May 12th at 7PM, culminating in an event promoting peace at Laurel and Santa Clara streets in downtown Ventura.
JforJ
Photo courtesy of Rod Latham and The Rubicon Theatre Co.
The cast of J for J
(left to right):
John Ritter as John Sullivan
Jeff Kober as Barry Sullivan
Jenny Sullivan as Jenny Sullivan (herself)
Here is a brief synopsis, as it was listed on the Rubicon Theatre Website:
"Barry Sullivan was a Broadway and Hollywood star from the Golden Age. He was also a father who longed for a perfect son. In this exquisitely crafted play, he admonishes his children, Brother Johnny and Sister Jenny, to take care of each other – “J for J.” But over time, it becomes clear that Brother Johnny is slow – incapable of taking care of himself or anyone else. Jenny Sullivan has created a stunning piece of theatre from the journal she discovered after her father’s death. In it, she explores the ache and anger of “not being enough”; the awful, awesome need to be responsible for another person’s physical and emotional well-being; and the strange, sweet surprise of being loved in return. Directed by Joseph Fuqua."
Some further information has been printed about Joseph's project: "J for J":
A quick link which appeared in the 10/12/01 edition of InsideVC, under : "TGIF On Stage":
Rubicon Theatre Company opens its fourth season with the world premiere of Jenny Sullivan's "J for J," a play based on letters written by her father, actor Barry Sullivan, and discovered after his death. Ex-"Three's Company" star John Ritter, along with Jeff Kober and Sullivan herself, will star in the drama, which opens Wednesday and runs through Nov. 4 at the Laurel Theatre, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Performances 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays and 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $23 for previews and matinees, $28 Wednesday and Thursday evenings, $33 Fridays and $38 Saturday evenings, with discounts available for seniors. Opening night gala on Oct. 20 is $130. Call 667-2900 or visit the Web site at www.rubicontheatre.org. (BTW: The show is 95 minutes long - and is performed without an intermission.)
An info listing in the 10/13/01 LA Times Calendarlive:
John Ritter heads the cast in the world premiere of Jenny Sullivan's journey of remembrance, reconciliation and renewal, based on the journal of her father, the late actor Barry Sullivan. Mature audiences.
A new article in the 10/19/01 issue of Inside VC, entitled: "Changes in Direction" talks with the cast of "J for J" and explains the change in Joseph's status as director of the show:
"...Directorial responsibilities instead went to fellow Rubicon veteran Joseph Fuqua, who was anxious to show what he could do on the other side of the stage curtain after playing a public defender in "Murder in the First," a would-be golf pro in "The Boys Next Door" and a simple-minded farmer in "The Rainmaker."
Then, just weeks into rehearsals and discussions about how best to integrate family photographs and Barry Sullivan's film clips into the live theater performance, Fuqua got some very good news: He'd been cast opposite Robert Duvall in "Gods & Generals," a prequel to the 1993 movie "Gettysburg."
Trouble was, filming was to begin almost immediately. On the East Coast.
"That was the only thing that would have tempted me away," Fuqua says during a phone call from his family home in Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., where he is on a break from reprising his "Gettysburg" role as Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart.
"Jenny has directed me in five plays; this was my chance to tell her what to do," he adds with a laugh. (Fuqua is instead listed as associate director of "J for J.")..."
"J for J"
John Ritter, Jeff Kober and Jenny Sullivan star in Rubicon Theatre Company's world premiere staging of Sullivan's play based on letters written by her father, actor Barry Sullivan. Involves some on-stage smoking. Performances 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 7 p.m. Sundays, with matinees at 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 4 at the Laurel Theatre, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. $21-$38. Star-studded gala opening performance, 7 p.m. Oct. 20, will be followed by a 40s theme party benefiting Therapeutic Living Centers for the Blind, $150 per person. 805-667-2900 or www.rubicontheatre.org.
"J for J": 8 p.m., Laurel Theatre, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Rubicon Theatre opens its fourth season with a "dramatic journey of remembrance, reconciliation and renewal" written by Jenny Sullivan and based on the journal she discovered after the death of her actor father, Barry Sullivan. "Three's Company" icon and Emmy-winning actor John Ritter stars, along with Jeff Kober ("China Beach") and Sullivan. Preview tonight at 8 p.m. Opens with a 1940s-style gala Saturday night at 7 p.m. Runs through Nov. 4 with performances at 2 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $23 for preview, $23-$38 for regular shows, $150 for the opening-night gala. 805-667-2900.
Another article in the 10/21/01 edition of the LA Times, entitled: "Drawing On A Brother's Insight", features an interview with cast members John Ritter and Jenny Sullivan (who is also the playwright):
"...Perhaps theater is one way to survive this period, to usher ourselves into a world of the arts where our spirits can be lifted, our souls renewed and our sense that what was once considered normal will some day return.
We tried last week, my wife and I attending a Wednesday night performance of "J for J" by the Rubicon Theater Company at the Laurel Theatre in downtown Ventura. (Conflict of interest admission: On a personal and professional basis, we are supporters of the Rubicon.)
The one-act play stars Jenny Sullivan, who also wrote it. She plays herself in the story of her family, including father-actor Barry Sullivan and her retarded brother, Johnny. The story of one long, sleepless night moves from joy to chance to fond remembrance. It is a family in turmoil, in denial, in crisis, in anger and finally in peace.
But this is not a theater review.
"J for J" is but one of dozens of fine choices in theater, music, dance, museums, poetry readings and films ("Corky Romano" and "13 Ghosts" notwithstanding). You should choose to attend one or two...."
UPDATE - 11/18/01-
I received an e-mail from Karyl Lynn Burns (klburns1@aol.com) (Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director of RTC), in response to my question about Joseph's availability for "Old Wicked Songs" and his status change in "J for J". Here's her exciting news:
Hi Cindi:
Oh yes, Joseph will be in "Old Wicked Songs." He wraps the film (Gods and Generals) December 20and will be back the first week in January. He didn't get to direct "J forJ" but did get to see it 3 or 4 times and will be directing a reading of itin New York. Then the show may go forward here in Los Angeles, too. We're really excited about it.
UPDATE - 2/27/02
I received the latest issue of "Crossings" from Karyl Lynn Burns (Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director of RTC), which includes a section she has titled:
"Jumping for Joy about J for J":
"Crossings"
News from Rubicon Theatre Company
(Edited E-Mail Version Vol. 4; 02/26/01)
"2. "J FOR J" JOURNEYS TO L.A. "J FOR J" MAKES ITS LOS ANGELES DEBUT ON ST.PATRICK'S DAY AT THE COURT IN LOS ANGELES, PRESENTED BY 11TH HOUR PRODUCTIONSIN ASSOCIATION WITH RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY.
We're "J for J" (jumpin' for joy!) about J FOR J, which recently had itsworld premiere at Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, opens with the originalcast Jenny Sullivan, Jeff Kober and Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actorJohn Ritter on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, in Los Angeles at the CourtTheatre, 722 N. La Cienega.
J FOR J is a poetic and powerful story about a daughter's emotional journeyafter the death of her father. In this autobiographical drama, JennySullivan discovers a journal that her father, Hollywood film and stage actorBarry Sullivan started when her brother Johnny was born. He continues theentries after Jenny's birth, ending always with the words, "Remember Johnny,you must take care of your sister Jenny - it's J for J."But over time, it becomes clear that Brother Johnny is "slow", incapable oftaking care of himself or anyone else. In this literate and lovinglyconceived story, Sullivan explores the ache and anger of "not being enough";the awesome, awful responsibility of being responsible for someone else'sbrother's physical and emotional well-being; and the strange, sweet surpriseof being loved at an unexpected moment.
J FOR J is presented by 11th Hour Productions in association with Rubicon.The production manager is Kathleen Parsons. Set design is by Hugh Landwehr;lights by Dana Kilgore; sound by Catasonic. Joseph Fuqua directs. Manythanks to Kathi O'Donohue and Jon Lawrence Rivera for their exquisite workhere during the initial run!
J FOR J has a limited run and begins previews March 14th at The CourtTheatre, 722 N. La Cienega in Los Angeles (between Santa Monica and Melrose).The production generally runs Thursdays through Sundays through April 21.Call the box office at (805) 667-2900 for specific days, show times andprices.
3. Join us for a Rubicon fund-raising tour to see J FOR J in Los Angeles. Ifyou are interested to see the re-writes and follow the progress of the show,we invite you to join us for the opening and St. Patrick's Day party onSunday, March 17. Tickets are $150 and include round-trip transportation viamotor coach from Rubicon (departing at 5:00 p.m. for a 7:00 p.m. show), a
gourmet box dinner, and the party afterwards hosted by John Bennett Perry andMatthew Perry. Don't miss it! -- the show, bagpipes, food and fun! Ofyour ticket price, $60 is a tax-deductible contribution to Rubicon."
INFO ON J FOR J'S LA RUN:
J FOR J:Following its premiere last year by Ventura's Rubicon Theatre Co., Jenny Sullivan's autobiographical play will star Sullivan, John Ritter and Jeff Kober in a production directed by Joseph Fuqua, through April 21 at The Court Theatre, 722 N. La Cienega, Los Angeles. $26-$75. 667-2900 or (866) J4J-TKTS.
As noted in the link to the Ventura County, CA Community Theatre Site article entitled: "Ventura's Rubicon Theatre Company Received Two Theatre LA "Ovation" Nominations" (link below): RTC received a Santa Barbara Indie Award, which went to John Ritter for his performance in this production. (See also the full article on my homepage under the link to RTC):
With the sudden death of John Ritter on 9/11/03, of a torn aorta, the road for "J FOR J" has come to an end, at least for the moment. It has also forced a possible change in plans for RTC's 2005 season. Here is a link to the 9/13/03 Insidevc.com article on RTC and John, entitled: "Ritter more than just funny guy, friends say", which even mentions Joseph:
Actor John Ritter, who died Thursday at age 54, appeared in the play "J for J" in 2001 at Ventura's Laurel Theatre. Ritter was best known for work in the sitcom "Three's Company." He was currently starring in the sitcom "8 Simple Rules ... For Dating My Teenage Daughter."RELATED STORIES Actor of 'Three's Company' fame dies of heart problem at age 54
Actor John Ritter, who died Thursday at age 54, had a winking sense of humor made famous by his portrayal of faux-gay horn-dog Jack Tripper on television's "Three's Company."
But he also was the sort of guy who would give you the purple designer suit coat off his back.
Karyl Lynn Burns, producing director and co-founder of the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, saw the star do just that in March, when he and wife Amy Yasbeck were in town to see the troupe's production of "Dancing at Lughnasa." After the show, Ritter waited at the theater to meet up with longtime friend Jenny Sullivan, who directed the play, and with members of the cast, including Joseph Fuqua.
"Joseph said, 'Hey! Nice jacket!' and John took it off right there and gave it to him," Burns said Friday. "He wouldn't take it back."
It was not the first time Ritter shared his talents, sartorial or otherwise, on the Rubicon's behalf. Nor was it supposed to be his last.
According to Burns, Ritter had discussed starring in the Rubicon's proposed 2005 mounting of the dark comedy "Fuddy Meers" with his son Jason, 23, in the cast. But first, Ritter was thinking of giving a reading of the play later this year as a fund-raiser for the Rubicon, which is attempting to buy The Laurel theater. The former church in which the company presents its shows is on the market for $1.5 million.
Either way, "Fuddy Meers" was to have marked Ritter's return to the Ventura stage. In October 2001, he starred in Rubicon's world-premiere mounting of "J for J," Sullivan's autobiographical play based on letters written by her father, the film actor Barry Sullivan, to her older brother, John, before it was discovered the boy was not just "slow" but developmentally disabled.
In a 2001 interview with The Star, Ritter was open about his very personal reasons for doing the play. As the son of Western film star and musician Tex Ritter and the sibling of someone who has cerebral palsy, he said, "I identify with it. My father is famous, too. I have a brother who is handicapped. We are the younger sister and younger brother who are helping to take care of an older brother -- and in that way you take on the role of the older sibling, the protector."
Ritter's critically acclaimed portrayal of Sullivan's "brother Johnny" was very much at odds with his carefree public persona, a fact that only highlighted his talents as an actor, Burns said.
"I think most of the world knew him as an incredible comic actor; we got to see the deep rivers of his serious dramatic talent."
Ritter, praised by Burns and others as a man who made friends for life, so supported Sullivan's "J for J" that he appeared in a Los Angeles production of the play last year even as he began shooting his new ABC sitcom, "8 Simple Rules ... For Dating My Teenage Daughter."
Kaley Cuoco, a 17-year-old Thousand Oaks resident and Camarillo native, has starred with Ritter in "8 Simple Rules," playing Bridget, the older daughter of Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy.
Gary Cuoco, Kaley's father, said Friday that she was too upset to take any calls about Ritter.
"He was a very close friend. He cared very much about her, and the feeling was mutual. He was almost like a second father," Gary Cuoco said.
In an interview in May, Kaley Cuoco said everything about the TV show, including her friendship with Ritter, exceeded her expectations.
She said Ritter acted like a father to her even when the cameras weren't rolling.
Just like her real-life parents, Ritter would express concern about her clothes, telling her to wear a jacket if he didn't think her clothes were enough to cover her up.
One episode of "8 Simple Rules" last season spoofed "Three's Company," the 1977-84 ABC sitcom that made Ritter famous. Paul dreamed about the show and, in the dream, Ritter played Mr. Roper, the landlord. Cuoco played "Chrissy" Snow, Suzanne Somers' character.
In May, Cuoco said she felt like she was working every day with Jack Tripper. In that role and others, Ritter showed his knack for characterizations and physical comedy, including his wacky pratfalls.
Ritter's comedy wasn't limited to the physical. During his 2001 interview with The Star, Ritter told an impossible-to-verify tale about living in Ventura's Pierpont neighborhood in the late 1970s, when "Three's Company" was still in the midst of its original run on ABC.
Inspired by the show's theme song to "come and knock on our door," Ritter said, a member of the Hells Angels walked up to his house and did just that. When Ritter opened the door, he said, the visitor asked for Chrissy.
Rather than set the biker straight, Ritter did his part to further blur the line between fantasy and reality.
"I gave him Suzanne's address," Ritter said, "and then I got out of there."
Was he kidding? Was there an element of truth to the story? With Ritter, you never really knew for sure.
"He could spin a yarn beautifully," Burns said.
-- Staff writer Dave Mason contributed to this story.
UPDATE 6/22/02:
A story entitled: "Teen wins arts scholarship" in the 6/17/02 InsideVC.com talks about the first scholarship awarded by the San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts, and Joseph serving on the panel which selected the scholarship winner:
"An 11th-grader at Foothill Technology High School has won the first scholarship in a new program funded by the San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts.
Adan Jimenez, 16, won the $750 scholarship to attend a weeklong film-making workshop at Brooks Institute's Ventura campus.
Jimenez was chosen from a field of five students in the Ventura Unified School District. The applicants were chosen by principals of the district's five high schools, who each nominated a top student interested in film and video, officials said. A panel made up of writer Sally Davis, actor Joseph Fuqua and multimedia instructor Terry Wieser picked the winner.
The San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts supports local arts organizations and promotes arts education programs for youth.
UPDATE 3/3/03:
I received this e-mail from Karyl Lynn Burns today. This can make anyone wish they were in Ventura, CA tonight, can't it?
Monday, March 3, 2003
Dear Patrons:
Find out how to get the most out of your subscription!
Tonight we invite you to our first ever "Meet Your Seat" event at the theatre (as mentioned in the recent brochure mailing!)
Join us at 6:00 p.m. for the following:
* A brief history of Rubicon with James O'Neil
* Information on our mission and goals with Karyl Lynn Burns
* Your benefits as a subscriber
* Information about various volunteer opportunities or club memberships
* Rubicon's spring and summer class schedule for kids
*A chance to meet all of the Rubicon staff and Rubicon's first company member Joseph Fuqua (who has appeared in 6 Rubicon productions)
*The world of the current play and live program notes
and MORE!
While you're here, we'll be happy to personally assist you with tickets or seat exchanges or provide you with any personal attention or information. We'd also like to get feedback from you about the types of shows you enjoy, how we're doing from a service standpoint, etc.
We hope to see you this evening.
Karyl Lynn Burns
Executive Director
Rubicon Theatre Company
P.S. If you are not currently a subscriber and would just like to hear more about the benefits of subscribing and and ask questions in person, please feel free to join.
Joseph Fuqua, Jenny Sullivan
