LONESOME TRAVELER nominated for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical Tom Dugan nominated for Outstanding Solo Performance in WIESENTHAL

(Ventura, CA) – At a ceremony on Monday at the Manhattan Friar's Club, Broadway stars Raul Esparza and Katie Finneran announced nominations for the New York Outer Critics' Circle Awards. Two productions from Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura were among the nominees. LONESOME TRAVELER, written and directed by Rubicon founder James O'Neil received a nomination for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical, and WIESENTHAL, written and performed by Tom Dugan and directed by Rubicon Artistic Associate Jenny Sullivan received a nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance. The first production was presented in New York by Off-Broadway Across America at 59E59 Theatres; the latter was produced with Daryl Roth Productions at The Acorn Theatre.

Ojai Playwrights Conference honors Gordon Davidson and Judy Ovitz
In a "Town & Country" Soiree on May 2

Ojai, CA – The Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC) launches its 18th season with a benefit gala themed "Town & Country" on Saturday, May 2, 3:00 pm, in Ojai, CA. Honoring Gordon Davidson for his decades of leadership in new play development in Los Angeles, and Judy Ovitz, an invaluable patron of the arts and OPC leader, the Benefit helps to fund the development of compelling new works for the American theatre.

 UCSB Arts & Lectures announces Malala Yousafzai: An Afternoon with the 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate, featuring a rare appearance by the world-renowned advocate for girls’ education, Saturday, June 27 at 3:00 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street, in Santa Barbara. An audience Q-and-A will follow the presentation.

Tickets will go on sale in a phased rollout. Currently enrolled UCSB students can purchase tickets on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. (available online or in person at the A&L ticket office). Arts & Lectures’ Producers Circle members can purchase tickets on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. (available by phone at 805-893-3535 or in person at the A&L ticket office). Arts & Lectures’ Circle of Friends members and Arts & Lectures’ series subscribers can purchase tickets on Monday, March 30 (available by phone at 805-893-3535 or in person at the A&L ticket office). Tickets are available to the general public on Monday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. (available online, by phone at 805-893-3535, or in person at the A&L ticket office.)

(VENTURA, Calif.) – The streets of the city of Ventura’s historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District will transform into a mecca of artistic expression for the 21^st ArtWalk Ventura event the weekend of July 19-20.

The two-day Southern California art tradition will highlight the diverse works of more than 700 regional artists, exhibiting paintings to sculpture to performance art. This year’s Artist of Distinction is Paul Lindhard of Art City Studios.

After an extensive international search, the Southwest Florida Symphony chose five finalists, including Kabaretti, for the position of Music Director and Conductor. Maestro Kabaretti was ultimately chosen through polling the Southwest Florida Symphony’s musicians, through audience polls and recommendations made by the selection committee and Symphony administrative staff. The Southwest Florida Symphony feels strongly that the organization will benefit from Maestro Kabaretti’s international and regional orchestra experience, forward thinking and strong artistic leadership.

(VENTURA COUNTY, Calif.) ArtWalk Ventura, an annual two-day tradition of Ventura’s thriving arts community, which returns for its 21^st year July 19-20, has announced renowned sculptor, Paul Lindhard, as this year’s Artist of Distinction.

Lindhard’s career as a working sculptor spans more than 40 years and has evolved through woodcarving and bronze casting into a reverence for and fascination with stone, his principal medium for the past 25 years. He creates large and monumental sculptures, many of which that have been showcased in museums and galleries throughout the United States.