"Voices of Old Conejo" Living History Performances at Stagecoach Inn Museum Newbury Park Sept 23, 24, 30 and Oct 1, 2023

Brand new production - Voices of Old Conejo “In the Movies.” See how Hollywood used our valley on screen. You will watch snippets of scenes from several films and television shows filmed in the Conejo Valley now portrayed by the Museum Theater Players. Enjoy an evening on the Grand Lawn and try your hand at matching the 13 movies and television shows with their titles. See you at the movies! Come casually and dress warmly.

Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 4pm and 7:30pm, September 23, 24, 30, and October 1

Members: $15; Non-Members: $20

Tickets available at stagecoachinnmuseum.com or the gate.

Stagecoach Inn Museum, 51 S. Ventu Park Rd., Newbury Park

Butterflies Alive! Exhibit at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Open May 27 to September 4, 2023

Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History opens its popular summer exhibit Butterflies Alive! on Saturday, May 27th.

Guests are invited to walk through a serene garden while nearly 1,000 live butterflies flutter freely around them. Various butterfly species cycle through the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion during the summer, so no two visits are the same.

The exhibit is included in admission and open Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Last entry into the pavilion is at 4:00 PM. Reservations are recommended at sbnature.org/tickets.

The Museum is also offering volunteer opportunities to guide guests through the unique experience. Adults who are able to commit to one 2.5-hour shift per week are encouraged to apply at sbnature.org/volunteer. Bilingual English/Spanish speakers and those available to volunteer on weekends are especially helpful in sharing this community favorite with the public.

About the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Powered by Science. Inspired by Nature. Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is a private, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. The Museum seeks to connect people to nature for the betterment of both, and prides itself on being naturally different. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

"We Are Porsche" Exhibit Opens at the Petersen Automotive Museum on April 16th

Porsche will mark its 75th anniversary with a once-in-a-lifetime collection of vehicles at the Petersen Automotive Museum. In collaboration with Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) “We Are Porsche” opens to the public on April 16 and focuses on how influential figures in the U.S. helped transform Porsche from a builder of niche sports cars to a cultural phenomenon over the past 75 years.

In all, the exhibit will comprise more than 40 exceptional vehicles on the museum’s first and second floor, including:

• The 1953 550 Spyder raced by Betty Shutes and Ken Miles

• The 1958 Carrera GT Speedster raced by Bruce Jennings, which became the winningest Carrera GT Speedster in history

• The original "Outlaw Porsche," Dean Jeffries’ custom 1957 356 Carrera

• Porsche's first and only Formula 1 racer, Dan Gurney’s 1962 Porsche 804, which claimed Porsche's only two Formula 1 victories

• The Herbert Brundage/Brumos 1973 911 2.8 RSR driven by Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood, which won both the IMSA and Trans Am championships

• The 1973 917/30 Can-Am Spyder driven by Mark Donohue, one of the most powerful and successful race cars of its era

• Steve McQueen’s 1976 911 Turbo

• Porsches showcased in Hollywood blockbusters “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” and beginning in October, “Cars”

The exhibit will also highlight the stories of people who have contributed to Porsche’s pervasive popularity, including the likes of Patrick Dempsey, Steve McQueen, Dan Gurney, Hurley Haywood, Ken Miles, "The Spyder Women" (Betty Shutes, Ruth Levy and Denise McCluggage), Patrick Long, Rod Emory and Daniel Arsham.

“We Are Porsche,” which runs through April 2024, will feature a rotation of vehicles during its tenure and a variety of events and activations at the Petersen.

For more information about “We Are Porsche,” visit petersen.org/porsche. For more information on the Petersen Automotive Museum, visit petersen.org.

About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $19.95 for general admission adults, $17.95 for seniors, $12.95 for children ages 12 to 17 and $10.95 for children ages 4 to 11. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.

Arsham Auto Motive Exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum Opens February 25th

The automotive and art scenes will converge with the Petersen Automotive Museum’s new exhibition “Arsham Auto Motive”, a collection of vehicle sculptures and posters created by renowned interdisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham.

Opening to the public on February 25 in the Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery, this contemporary showcase will provide a time capsule of automotive history. Arsham’s personal passion for cars and fascination with archeology takes form through the presentation of four full-scale vehicles in his signature “eroded” fictional archeological technique.

Daniel Arsham crafts objects which investigate ideas of history, symbology and pop culture through the selection of vehicles featured in notable Hollywood films. Presented in geological materials, these familiar objects act as remnants of the present through the eyes of future audiences, providing an alternative lens to some of the world’s most prominent OEMs.

On display in “Arsham Auto Motive” are the Eroded 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback, 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster, 2018 Eroded Ferrari and 2022 Blue Calcite Eroded Porsche 911. Unlike their namesakes, these sculptures consist of elements like selenite, quartz, pyrite and volcanic ash to manifest an unearthed effect. Additional exhibit highlights are the never-before-seen Selenite Eroded BMW Poster, Amethyst Eroded Porsche 911 Poster, and Ash and Pyrite Eroded Mustang Poster.

“I’m excited to share my work with the city of Los Angeles and its vast community of car enthusiasts,” said Arsham. “Automotive design is in a constant state of evolution and this exhibition strives to reflect both its origins and future.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and a recipient of the Gelman Trust Fellowship Award in 2003, Arsham’s fictional archeology aesthetic combines the influence of multiple eras and spans sculpture, architecture, interior design, drawing, film, stage and fashion. In addition to his work exhibited throughout the U.S., France, UK and Greece, Arsham co-founded the architecture practice Snarkitecture with Alex Mustonen and recently launched his fashion brand, Objects IV Life, following high-profile collaborations with Dior, Adidas, Tiffany, UNIQLO and RIMOWA.

“Having previously exhibited Keith Haring and Andy Warhol’s work, it is evident that pop culture and the automotive sector make for an exciting, crowd-pleasing combination,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Daniel Arsham’s talent makes a strong case that cars can inspire artistic creations while also serving as art pieces themselves.”

Arsham and the museum will also release an exclusive line of merchandise available for purchase at the Petersen and via their online store. "Arsham Auto Motive" is supported by Perrotin and the Library Street Collective.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit www.Petersen.org/arsham.

The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves Photographs by Dan Merkel at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Opens January 26th

Continuing its celebration of coastal living, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) presents The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves, an exhibit featuring more than 35 photographs of lighthouses and waves by the renowned and Emmy Award-winning surfing photographer and videographer Dan Merkel. The lighthouse photographs include images of lighthouses from near and far—from Cape Elizabeth and Cape Hatteras on the East Coast and Point Loma and Point Pinos on the West to Portugal and Australia. The images are accompanied by Dan’s breath-taking photos capturing waves throughout the world. Beginning on Thursday, January 26, the exhibit will be on view in SBMM’s Gallery and Munger Theater through August 27, 2023.

Legendary water and surfing photographer and videographer Dan Merkel has recently returned to still photography, often shooting panoramic landscape images, mostly travel shots and often taken near the ocean. Speaking of his work and how this exhibit came to be, SBMM curator Emily Falke said, “I first met Dan Merkel when he joined Shaun Tomson for an event at the museum and provided a few of his remarkable photos for sale. I was particularly interested in seeing his U.S. lighthouse photos as SBMM is the home of the Pt. Conception Lighthouse lens and has a comprehensive exhibit about the lens, lighthouses, and lighthouse keepers. I looked at panoramic images of Dan’s lighthouses and was mesmerized by how mood provoking the images are. Dan waits for the exact moment to shoot the photo. The lighting is spot on, and he is looking to evoke emotion of a ‘place’ in the world of lighthouses. He waits for just the right light, formation of clouds during predawn or sunset.”

About Dan Merkel
Dan Merkel began his career just taking pictures of his friends. When he was hired to work for various surfing magazines in the early 70s, surfing was just being recognized as a sport with international competitions and professional surfers, such as Shaun Tomson. Being an experienced surfer himself, Merkel was able to get in the middle of the action with his cameras, which gave his images more immediacy and energy. In order to do this, Merkel designed much of his own waterproof housing that protected his equipment and allowed him to follow focus. Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 1990s, Merkel switched his focus to commercial cinematography and became an Emmy-winning filmmaker working on classic surfing films including Free Ride, Big Wednesday, Endless Summer II, and many others.

According to 1977 World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson, whose recent book The Surfer and the Sage featured Dan’s images, “Dan Merkel is one of the surfing world’s most acclaimed and courageous action photographers. Combining a unique eye for composition in exceptionally dangerous situations, Dan captured some of the most intense moments of his subjects’ lives, artistically freezing and sharing each in the maelstrom of one thousandth of a second increments. Dan reveled in capturing beauty in the impact zone, the most violent area in the ocean. Whether he is doing still photography, music videos, commercials or commercial films, Merkel brings the same level of perfectionism and ambition that has propelled him throughout his long career.”

Merkel licenses his images through AFrame Media and markets his prints online at https://www.photoprintingpros.com/collections/dan-merkel-photography. Many of his images also appear on his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/danmerkelmedia/about.
The Lure of Lighthouses and Dancing Waves exhibit is made possible thanks to the generous support of Frederic and Nancy Golden, George H. and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation, Mimi Michaelis, The June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust, Thomas and Charmaine Rogers, Shaun and Carla Tomson, and Wood-Claeyssens Foundation. Following this exhibition, The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves, will become part of SBMM's permanent collection and available on loan to other museums.

About SBMM
Founded in 2000 inside the harbor’s historic Waterfront Center Building (formerly the Naval Reserve Building), the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum creates exhibits and hands-on, educational experiences that celebrate more than 13,000 years of maritime history in our region—from Chumash culture to today’s surfing scenes and environmental movements. Nearly 8,000 square feet of gallery space showcase special presentations and changing displays culled from the museum’s artifact collection, all dedicated to instilling love and respect for our Santa Barbara Channel, for the people who make their living on its waters, and for the abundant marine life that calls these waters home.

SBMM is located at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara. Visit sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 for details.

sbmm.org/santa-barbara-event/dan-merkel-at-sbmm

Petersen Automotive Museum to Host In-Depth Tesla Exhibition Opens November 20th

2019 Tesla Cybertruck Prototype

The Petersen’s Automotive Museum’s newest exhibit offers an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of Tesla. “Inside Tesla: Supercharging the Electric Revolution” explores the company’s history, from early inspiration and humble beginnings, to its rise as a world leader in electric vehicles and clean energy technology.

Gathering the most comprehensive collection of Tesla products to date, the exhibit features everything from early concept vehicles to rarely seen prototypes and world-record-breaking production vehicles.

Beyond vehicles, attendees will enjoy a wealth of information and displays that tell the story of Tesla’s energy ecosystem, manufacturing automation, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving expertise, among others, plus one-off projects with SpaceX, The Boring Company and Hyperloop.

“Tesla has revolutionized the automotive, EV, technology, and manufacturing spaces within a relatively short time span, begetting the question, ‘How did they do that?’” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “This exhibit strives to be a holistic walk-through of how the brand became a global phenomenon and further details what lies ahead.”

The exhibit will open to the public on November 20 in the Mullin Family Grand Salon and Phillip Sarofim Porte Cochere on the museum’s first floor.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit Petersen.org/tesla.

About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles. Admission prices are $19 for general admission adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.

Youth Musical Theatre Presents Frozen Jr. at King Gillette Ranch November 18-20, 2022

Youth Musical Theatre’s production of FROZEN JR. opens on Friday, November

18 in the theater at King Gillette Ranch, located at 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas!

The enchanting modern classic from Disney is ready to be performed by our talented cast & crew! Frozen JR. is based on the 2018 Broadway musical, and brings Elsa, Anna, and the magical land of Arendelle to life, onstage. The show features all of the memorable songs from the animated film plus five new songs written for the Broadway production.

A story of true love and acceptance between sisters, Frozen JR. expands upon the emotional relationship and journey between Princesses Anna and Elsa. When faced with danger, the two discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. With a cast of beloved characters and loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen JR. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart!

Our performances are 7:30pm on November 18 and 19, and 2pm on November 19 and 20.

Tickets go on sale on Sunday, October 16 at 9am. Head to EventBrite for your tickets oday!

The Elite Theatre Company Presents "The Cover of LIFE" in Oxnard October 21 to November 21

The Elite Theatre Company is proud to announce its upcoming production of The Cover of LIFE– a play by R.T. Robinson directed by Patrick T. Rogers. The production runs for five weekends beginning Friday, October 21st, 2022.

Tood, Weetsie, and Sybill are brides in rural Louisiana in 1943. Each married a Cliffert brother. The men are off to war and a local news story about these young wives keeping the home fires burning intrigues Henry Luce. He decides that they belong on the cover of LIFE Magazine and assigns Kate Miller to the story. She has been covering the war in Europe and, though she views doing a “women’s piece” as a career setback, she accepts because it will be her first cover story. Kate spends a week with the Cliffert women, and her haughty urban attitude gives way to sympathy as she begins to understand them while coming face to face with her own powerlessness in a man’s world.

Filled with charm and fun, The Cover of LIFE is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self-worth.

The play itself will run Friday, October 21st with a final performance on Sunday, November 21st. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm with a special Thursday performance on November 17th, at 8pm. Information at www.theelite.org.

The Elite Theater Company is located at 2731 Victoria Ave, Oxnard. Adult admission is $20.00 with discounts for Seniors, Students and Military at $17.00. Groups of 10 or more are at $10.00 each.

The Elite Theatre Company has adjusted its policy regarding COVID safety. While proof of vaccination is no longer required for audience members, we ask for cooperation, and request that unvaccinated audience members wear protective masks while inside the theater building. ALL volunteer staff and crew at the Elite Theatre Company must show proof of vaccination and boosters and will continue to wear masks for the protection of our audiences, staff, and artists. This policy shall remain in effect until further notice.

Please NOTE: Currently, only cash ticket sales at the door! No bills over $20 accepted.

The Elite Theatre Company has been entertaining, educating, and enriching its audience since 1994. After 19 seasons at the Petit Playhouse in Oxnard’s Historic Heritage Square, the theatre company moved to its present, larger venue at Channel Islands Harbor Fisherman’s Wharf at the site of the old Maritime Museum, a facility that elevated The Elite’s ability to produce the highest quality theater in Ventura County on its Main and South stages. The Elite Theatre Company is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, as well as a proud member of the Four-Star Theater Awards Committee and the alliance of Ventura County Theaters.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" in Thousand Oaks November 4-20, 2022

Young Artists Ensemble presents the first installment of its Family Theatre Season production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, directed by Caroline Esposito. Performances are November 4 through 20, 2022, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 at In the Theatre on the Hill at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts

403 West Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks. This show will feature young participants ages 10-19.

When little Lucy Pevensie and her siblings find a mysterious, magical portal deep inside an old wardrobe, they stumble into an incredible adventure! Surrounded by fauns, unicorns, centaurs, talking beavers and more, the children ultimately find themselves assisting the mighty lion Aslan in his battle against the villainous White Witch for the heart and soul of Narnia. This classic tale of good versus evil, and love and courage triumphing over selfishness and fear, will warm even the iciest hearts.

Reserved Seating is $19 for Adults, $16 for Children, Students, & Seniors with $12 Super Friday Discounts available on November 11 and 18. Groups of ten or more receive a discount of 10% if purchased in a single transaction for a single performance (all group sales are final). Tickets can be purchased by calling 805-381-1246 or at www.yaeonline.com. Family Theatre Season Tickets are also available and provide a 25% discount. Masks are strongly recommended but not required.

The 2022-2023 Family Theatre Season continues with DISNEY’S DESCENDANTS: THE MUSICAL performing in February 2023 with special Conejo Theatre For Everyone performances February 24 – 26. Disney’s most infamous villains have all been exiled to the Isle of the Lost where their teenage children have made their parents proud by becoming “Rotten to The Core.” When the Prince of Auredon – son of Beauty and the Beast – decides to offer four “Villain’s Kids” spots at Auredon Prep and a chance at a different path, the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil find themselves with a difficult choice to make – honor their evil parents or help each other forge their own identities.

The Family Theatre Season closes with INTO THE WOODS, performing in May 2023.

When you live next door to an evil witch, don’t take anything from her garden no matter how tasty it looks! Follow four classic fairy tales at once as they intersect and veer off the path in one of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest works. Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and the Baker and his Wife all head into the woods to find their destinies and along the way encounter Charming Princes, Big Bad Wolves, Witches, and Giants. Anything can happen in the woods but finding their way back out again may prove more difficult and require more growing up than they ever imagined.

Young Artists Ensemble is an award-winning theatre company for young people that has received many accolades, including the Encore Statue Award from the City of Thousand Oaks for Excellence in the Arts.

"Roe" by Lisa Loomer at California Lutheran University October 18, 20, 21 in Thousand Oaks

California Lutheran University Department of Theatre Arts and Dance presents a staged reading of "Roe" by Lisa Loomer. The play, which has been produced at several theatres around the country, follows the original Supreme Court case over several decades though the eyes of the original Roe v Wade participants.

October 19,20,21 at 8 PM Preus-Brandt Forum (60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks) on the CLU campus. Tickets are free.

For more information, call (805) 493-3452.

www.callutheran.edu/calendar/event/5550

"Electricidad" at the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center October 13-23

"Electricidad,” an urban Chicano drama set in East Los Angeles, comes to the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center with an all-Latina/Latino student cast. The Theatre Arts department production premieres during Latinx Heritage Month and runs Oct. 13 – 23, with evening performances Thursdays through Saturdays and Sunday matinees.

The Oct. 15 performance will include a meet-and-greet with the cast after the show and free tacos from Epic Taco food truck. The special event coincides with the end of Latinx Heritage month and is sponsored by Moorpark College’s Heritage Month Committee.

Luis Alfaro’s dramatic play is based on “Electra,” the ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles. It follows Electricidad as she intensely mourns the death of her dear father at the hands of her mother, Clemencia. When Electricidad seeks the revenge she deems necessary and just, her desired outcome and its effects shock her and the entire barrio.

Performances will be at 8 p.m., Oct. 13-15 and Oct. 20-22, and 2 p.m., Oct. 16 and 23, on the main stage of the Performing Arts Center on the Moorpark College campus, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark. Tickets are $15 for students and seniors; $20 for adults. Tickets can be purchased through the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center Box Office at (805) 378-1485 or online at moorparkcollege.edu/pac. A 20% discount is available for online orders.

For more details about the show or information on how to be involved, contact Moorpark College Theatre Arts Professor Suzanne Fagan at sfagan@vcccd.edu.

About Moorpark College

Moorpark College Mission

Grounded in equity, social justice, and a students first philosophy, Moorpark College values diverse communities. We empower learners from local, national, and global backgrounds to complete their degree, certificate, transfer, and career education goals. Through innovation and customized student support, our programs are designed to achieve equitable outcomes. Moorpark College is one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District and annually serves more than 14,000 students.

Founded in 1967, Moorpark College is fully accredited and has the highest six-year completion rate within the California Community College System. The Campaign for College Opportunity named Moorpark College a 2020 Champion of Higher Education for the Associate Degree for Transfer Pathway. It is also a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. The college’s signature career/technical programs include nursing, radiologic technology, biotechnology and journalism. The college’s America’s Teaching Zoo is the only associate degree exotic animal training program in the country. To learn more, visit MoorparkCollege.edu or follow @MoorparkCollege on social media.

Thousand Oaks Alliance for the Arts Announces 2022-2023 Season

The Thousand Oaks Alliance for the Arts (TOArts) is proud to announce the current line-up for the 2022-2023 season.

TOArts is the private, non-profit, in-house presenting division of the Bank of America Performing Arts Center. TOArts has a strong tradition of hosting great musicians and artists, which will continue this year with a diverse array of performing arts.

The season line-up includes previously announced shows: The Australian Pink Floyd (August 4), Firefall, Pablo Cruise & Pure Prairie League (August 5), Colbie Caillat (August 26), Elvis Costello & The Imposters (August 28), Disney Jr. Live: Costume Palooza (September 3), Kansas (September 15), Nate Bargatze (September 16), “Weird Al” Yankovic (September 18), The War & Treaty (September 20), Jen Fulwiler (September 23), Jontavious Willis (October 15), Ron Artis II & The Truth (October 21), Edwin McCain (October 22), Belinda Carlisle (November 3), Nikki Glaser (November 11), The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays (December 22), Straight No Chaser (December 28), and Rosanne Cash (February 19).

New this year is the TOArts After Dark Series. These events take place outside at the Stagecoach Inn Museum, audiences bring their own chairs, food and drink and enjoy great music under the stars. Four great musical acts will take place here starting with the Latin Soul group Boogaloo Assassins on September 30, bluegrass group Chicken Wire Empire on October 7, Blues Singer Jontavious Willis on October 15, and the soulful trio Ron Artis II & The Truth on October 21. Shows can be purchased as a series or as single tickets.

Three dance events are included in this year’s season. Internationally renowned Parsons Dance on October 2, Philadelphia’s leading contemporary ballet company BalletX on January 26 and the all-male Argentinian dance/percussion group Malevo on February 17.

New theatre and comedy this year include Penn & Teller on October 7, God is a Scottish Drag Queen on October 28, family show Gazillion Bubble Show on November 12, and Friends! The Musical Parody on February 17 &18.

Diverse music acts include the golden voice of Puddles Pity Party on October 14, classic rock guitarists Dave Mason on October 29, piano sensation Jim Brickman and his holiday show on November 27, Grammy winning band Ozomatli on February 18 and The Queens Cartoonists on March 22 playing music to classical cartoon projections.

For the first time TOArts is offering Spooky Silents: A Silent Film Halloween. The Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra will play the music and sound effects for a screening of Nosferatu on October 27.

The partnership between TOArts and National Geographic Live will continues this season. Photographers and filmmakers David Doubilet & Jennifer Hayes on September 23, Wildlife Photographer, Filipe DeAndrade on November 4, aerospace engineer Tracy Drain on January 27 and Para climber Maureen Beck on May 26. Shows can be purchased as a series or as single tickets.

Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, or through the Bank of America Performing Arts Box Office, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. For more information call 805-449-ARTS (2787) or visit www.bapacthousandoaks.com

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The Peaceful Sea Art Exhibit at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum August 11 to December 31

Continuing its celebration of coastal living, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) is thrilled to present The Peaceful Sea: Paintings by Kevin A. Short, an exhibition featuring more than 30 seascapes and ocean-themed landscapes by the renowned contemporary painter and Santa Barbara native. Thanks to the generous support of Mimi Michaelis, June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust, Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation, the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, and American Rivera Bank, the presentation will be on view to the public from August 11 through December 31, 2022.

Short began his art training with a toy watercolor set and a pile of crayons, drawing on leftover butcher paper in the middle of the kitchen floor. He went on to formally study oil painting at the University of New Mexico, Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Now internationally recognized for his contemporary landscapes of the Pacific Coast, Short is considered a particularly intelligent observer of the ocean who paints the surfing and coastal subcultures using his signature heavy, impressionist brushstrokes and rich, saturated color palettes.

Short grew up along California’s coast. Born in San Diego and raised in Santa Barbara, he developed his love of the ocean through sailing, fishing, and spending long days in the surf. The Peaceful Sea: Paintings by Kevin A. Short presents a selection of the artist’s paintings that capture this lifelong passion. It conjures specific moments in time, both imagined and remembered, and celebrates all the living colors of the sea.

“There is magnetism in looking at glare and the effects of sunlight—something magical and calming that somehow makes our troubles seem smaller and our thinking become clearer,” says Short of his work.

Emily Falke, Director of Collections and Curator at SBMM, says, “Short’s paintings are imbued with narrative and emotion. They chronicle our experiences as a coastal community, depicting all the outdoor joys available to us--paddling, boating, surfing, swimming, just being at the beach—and pay tribute to the beauty of the ocean and the culture that has helped form this part of the world.”

Short’s book TRESTLES (2007, privately printed printed)—which captures the spirit of California’s famous Trestles surfing area and sounds an urgent call for nature conservation in the area—features lavish illustrations of the artist’s paintings and text by Mike Evans. The monograph will be available for purchase at the Maritime Museum’s store.

About the Artist
Kevin A Short’s paintings have been featured on the covers of the Los Angeles Times and the Surfer’s Journal. The Pasadena Museum of California Art (MCA) selected Short’s work, for the landmark exhibition, In The Land of Sunshine, numbering Kevin as one of the California Coast’s most influential narrative painters. Other notable shows of his work have been held at the Irvine Museum in California, the Carnegie Art Museum, and the California Surf Museum, featuring Kevin’s paintings of Pt. San Mateo -Trestles. In addition to these shows, Short’s work is in the permanent collections of the Irvine Museum, the Hilbert Museum, the First Foundation Bank Sprint Nextel Art Collection, US Steel Corporation, and the Scripps Cardiac Center Collection.

Location: 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara

Website: sbmm.org/santa-barbara-event/the-peaceful-sea-kevin-short

Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival Returns to Cal Lutheran Thousand Oaks July 1 to August 7

Twenty-five years after the first Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival was held, and following a two-year pandemic-caused hiatus, the event kicks off its joyous return to California Lutheran University’s Kingsmen Park with performances of one of the Bard’s most popular comedies.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company will perform “As You Like It” at 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from July 1 through 17 on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Warren C. Bowles, who has decades of experience in Shakespearean and contemporary theater throughout the country, presents the play as the festival’s first Black director. He has spent many years working with Mixed Blood Theatre Company in Minneapolis as a director, actor, playwright, stage manager and fight choreographer. Mixed Blood uses theater to disrupt injustices, advance equity, build community and inspire people to create ripple effects of social change.

Like theater groups across the country, Kingsmen Shakespeare Company has been reexamining how it addresses systemic racism. This includes not only the diversity of its casting, but also who is in control of that casting.

“Our company committed itself over the last two years to do better. Warren helped us achieve diverse casting in both plays we are presenting this season.,” said founder and artistic director Michael J. Arndt. “Macbeth” runs July 23 through Aug. 7.

Rosalind, one of Shakespeare’s most iconic female characters, is played by Chloe Baldwin, a former festival apprentice who has appeared in regional productions and on film and television. Seta Wainiqolo, a Cal Lutheran alumnus and former festival intern and apprentice who studied at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, is the nobleman Jacques.

Set in the magical Forest of Arden, “As You Like It” is a wild romantic tale that plays with gender roles, politics and nature. Unlike many other directors, Bowles didn’t feel the need to put a unique spin on one of Shakespeare’s most-produced comedies.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company is the professional theater company of Cal Lutheran. Admission is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older and active military, $15 for students 18 and older with ID, and free for children. Lawn boxes, which accommodate four to six people, are $90 to $110. Online ticketing is available for an additional fee. The grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for pre-show picnicking and entertainment. For more information and tickets, visit kingsmenshakespeare.org or call 805-493-3452.

Conejo Players Theatre Presents "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" July 8-17

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International

Directed by: Sahai Lara

Produced by: Dana Marley-Kolb

PLOT: An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter…one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. Rated PG-13 for language.

PERFORMANCES: July 8 - July 17, 2022. Friday & Saturday at 8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday at 2 p.m.

LOCATION: Conejo Players Theatre 351 So. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks

TICKETS: www.conejoplayers.org or call box office at 805-495-3715

CAST:

Aaron Ellis as Chip Tolentino

Jenna Lay as Logainne Schwarzandgrubeniere

Jack Cleary as Leaf Coneybear

Jacob Coners as William Barfee

Paige Pensivy as Marcy Park

Hannah Saltman as Olive Ostrovsky

Ashley Cherney as Rona Lisa Peretti

Leilani Toone as Vice Principal Panch

Jeremy Matticks as Mitch

and 4 audience volunteers

* At this time of printing, all patrons will need to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours from the time of entry to attend shows at Conejo Players.

Elite Theatre Company Presents "Lobby Hero" in Oxnard July 8 to August 7

The Elite Theatre Company is proud to announce its upcoming production of Lobby Hero – a play by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by Cate Caplin. Lobby Hero runs for five weekends on the Main Stage from July 8, 2022 to August 7, 2022.

When Jeff, a charming young security guard, is drawn into a local murder investigation, loyalties are strained to the breaking point. Jeff’s tightly wound supervisor is called to bear witness in criminal trial involving his troubled brother. Meanwhile, an attractive rookie cop finds she must stand up to her seasoned but morally suspect partner. Truth, honor and duty becomes elusive, and justice proves costly in this comedic and insightful drama.

Cast in order of appearance Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez as Jeff, Herb Hall as William, Bill Walthall as Bill and Rosie Gordon as Dawn.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm with a special Thursday performance on August 4th, at 8pm. Information at www.theelite.org.

The Elite Theater Company is located at 2731 Victoria Ave, Oxnard. Adult admission is $20.00 with discounts for Seniors, Students and Military at $17.00. Groups of 10 or more are at $10.00 each. All proceeds from the Thursday performance will be donated to UNICEF for the children of Ukraine.

Lobby Hero is presented with the approval of Dramatists Play Service, Inc

The Elite Theatre Company, in consultation with other theatrical companies and performance venues in southern California, is adjusting its precautionary policies regarding the ongoing pandemic. To gain entrance to the theatre, all artists, audiences, and staff are required to present a photo ID plus proof of vaccination and booster against COVID-19 or an officially administered negative COVID-19 test (taken within the previous 72 hours). Audience members may choose whether to wear masks; all volunteer staff and crew at The Elite Theatre will continue to wear masks for the protection of our audiences, staff, and artists; this policy shall remain in effect until further notice.

The Elite Theatre Company has been entertaining, educating, and enriching its audience since 1994. After 19 seasons at the Petit Playhouse in Oxnard’s Historic Heritage Square, the theatre company moved to its present, larger venue at Channel Islands Harbor Fisherman’s Wharf at the site of the old Maritime Museum, a facility that elevated The Elite’s ability to produce the highest quality theater in Ventura County on its Main and South stages. The Elite Theatre Company is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, as well as a proud member of the Four-Star Theater Awards Committee and the alliance of Ventura County Theaters.

Channel Islands Maritime Museum to Present Chouinard Arts Exhibition through Early Fall 2022

The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) presents its latest exhibition, “Chouinard Arts.” Original student works of the famed Chouinard Arts Institute will be displayed through the early fall of 2022.

On loan from local collector Ms. Joy Roy, the nine-piece collection brings a wide variety of maritime subjects to life. The pieces are heirlooms of her grandfather, the artist Stan Johnson, who attended Chouinard and traded these small works amongst his classmates more than 80 years ago.

All of the pieces date from the 1930s and include early works by Arthur Beaumont and Millard Sheets, both of whom had long and distinguished art careers. Arthur Beaumont would become a renowned WWII maritime artist, and his depictions of battleships and naval battles were featured in National Geographic Magazine. Beaumont is best known for his later watercolors of ships and harbor scenes. Millard Sheets was one of the earliest of California Scene Painting artists and helped define the art movement. Many of his large-scale building-mounted mosaics from the mid-20th century still exist in Southern California.

Founded in 1921, the Chouinard Art Institute was a leading professional art school in Los Angeles until it was absorbed into CalArts. It was established for the training of fine art practitioners and commercial artists. By the 1930s, the motion picture industry was recruiting Chouinard alumni in increasing numbers for various departments, from art direction to costume design to animation. Many of Walt Disney’s earlier animated films, including Bambi and Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, featured the creative works of several “Chouinardians.”

About the Channel Islands Maritime Museum: Founded in 1991, the Museum’s galleries feature rare and beautiful maritime paintings dating back to the 1600s, world-class models of historic ships, rotating thematic exhibitions, and interactive exhibits. The Museum is open Thursday-Monday from 12 pm to 4 pm. Located at: 3900 Bluefin Circle, Oxnard CA 93035. Admission is: free for members, $7.00 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 youth (ages 6-17 years), free for children age 5 years and under. www.cimmvc.org

Whales are Superheroes! Permanent Exhibit at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Opens April 14th

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM)’s newest permanent exhibit, opening to the public on Thursday, April 14, 2022, shows visitors how whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean and help minimize the impact of climate change. The Whales Are Superheroes! exhibit focuses on whale diversity in the Santa Barbara Channel, climate connections and the role whales play in climate change. Taking its aesthetic inspiration from comics and graphic novels, the exhibit incorporates text panels and drone footage to illustrate how whales are helping to save the environment. Whales Are Superheroes! is also part of a countywide alliance of museums, the Santa Barbara Zoo, and the Botanic Gardens to present programming addressing climate change www.sbmuseumsalliance.org

According to the World Economic Forum, the failure to mitigate and adapt to climate change is among the biggest global risks for our planet, with significant environmental, economic, and health impacts. While international agreements, including both the 1997 Kyoto Protocol2 and the 2015 Paris Agreement3 address global reductions in CO2 emissions, no global efforts have yet considered the importance of the oceans as a carbon sink and the significant ecological role whales play in mitigating climate change.

Whales make a difference by being an important part of the cycle of marine life. First, as they dive down to feed and then surface to breathe, they serve as nutrient pumps moving nutrient rich waters from the sea floor to the surface where they stimulate and fertilize the growth of phytoplankton. Through photosynthesis the phytoplankton convert large amounts of CO2 to oxygen, helping to sustain life all over the planet. Second, whales also migrate every year from nutrient-rich cold water to nutrient-poor warmer waters for breeding and calving, further stimulating nutrient cycling both vertically and horizontally throughout the world’s oceans.

But the story does not stop during the life cycle of a whale. It continues after they die. Whale carcasses are some of the largest forms of organic matter to fall from the ocean’s surface and sink to the deeper depths of the ocean, including here in the Santa Barbara Channel. These are known as whale falls, providing a feast for some 400 odd species. As these whale carcasses sink to the ocean floor, they take with them about 190,000 tons of carbon in their bodies, which is the equivalent of the carbon produced by 80,000 cars per year! These deep oceans are what we call "carbon sinks," because they trap and hold excess carbon from the atmosphere, and therefore help to counteract global warming.

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum invites the community to learn more about our aquatic neighbors and how Whales Are Superheroes! by visiting this new exhibit, along with two new art exhibits, an immersive audio and visual “undersea” experience, and a free Zoom lecture by marine biologist Holly Lohuis.

Whales Are Superheroes! is made possible thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors: Chevron, Dreier Family, Emmett Foundation, Nancy and Frederic Golden, George H. and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation, Hank and Mari Mitchel, June G. Outhwaite Foundation, Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation, Donna Weinstein, and the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation.

www.sbmm.org

Whale-Focused Exhibits and Programs at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum April 14 to July 31

Did you know that whales are superheroes? Whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean and minimize some of the worst impacts of climate change. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) presents a multi-faceted collection of events and programs to inform the community about the many wonders of whales. Kicking off with an unusual immersive experience that allows audiences to see the underwater environment through the eyes of a child, these events and programs range from in-school art and science lessons, children’s and professional’s art exhibits, a new permanent exhibit, and a lecture — all of which are designed to provide something for every member of the community! These related exhibits and programs open at SBMM on April 14, 2022!

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, four exhibits will open to the public beginning April 14, and a free Zoom lecture will take place on April 21. Although their subjects are often similar, each event, artist, and exhibit brings a unique perspective, technique, style, information, and medium to a better understanding of whales and the role they play in mitigating climate change. The various components include:

• “A Whale of a Tale,” a unique multi-sensory immersive experience that highlights the undersea world with life-size reproductions of artwork submitted by local children in grades K-6. This work, combined with the sounds of whales as they sing to each other and dramatic, vivid lighting, recreates the feeling of seeing it all through the eyes of a child. April 14-May 15, 2022.

• Whales Are Superheroes! Saving the Planet One CO2 Molecule at a Time, an exhibit of children’s whale and ocean-related artwork produced in SBMM-led school art and science classes. On display from April 14-July 31, 2022.

• The Wonder of Whales: Two Artists’ Perspectives by John Baran and Kelly Clause, showcases the work of two local artists depicting whales and other marine life in a variety of media. On display from April 14-July 31, 2022.

• Whales Are Superheroes! is a new permanent exhibit that uses creative graphics and incorporates text, images, and drone footage to illustrate how whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean. Opens April 14.

• “Santa Barbara Channel’s Whales and Their Climate Connection” is a free Zoom webinar presentation by renowned marine biologist Holly Lohuis about whales, their influence on the ecology of the ocean and the Santa Barbara Channel, and the status of the application to have the Channel designated an International Whale Heritage Site. April 21, 2022.

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Since 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has featured many artifacts and stories to share the history of the Santa Barbara Channel with more than 40,000 visitors annually and provides year-round experiential maritime history and marine science education for local youth. Featuring the impressive First-Order Fresnel Lighthouse Lens from Point Conception, SBMM's current exhibits explore the History of Oil in Santa Barbara Channel & Chumash Use of Asphaltum, the Honda Disaster, and Wives and Daughters: Keepers of the Light.

SBMM is located at the historic Santa Barbara Harbor at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara. Visit sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 for details.

2022 Speaker Series at the Stagecoach Inn Museum

2022 Speaker Series at the Stagecoach Inn Museum

Join us five 2022 Sunday afternoons to hear authors, historians, archeologists, and entertainers share their knowledge of local history and other fascinating topics.
This exciting and informative speakers’ series offers fun facts on a variety of topics, and engaging entertainment. You may purchase tickets for individual speakers or for the full series at a discounted rate. You won’t want to miss a single one!

Tickets may be purchased for $15 per event for non-members or $10 for members.
To purchase event tickets, visit the specific Speaker Series Event page.

2021-22 Stagecoach Speakers Series (6 Speakers) — Stagecoach Inn Museum
The original Stagecoach Inn, called the Grand Union Hotel, was built in 1876 at the southwest corner of what is now Ventu Park Road and the Ventura Freeway and is now designated City of Thousand Oaks Landmark No. 1.

The Stagecoach Inn Museum welcomes visitors on Wednesday & Saturday from 1:00-4:00 pm for Museum tours. Masks are required for indoor tours. Regular admission is $7 per person; children 5 to 12 are $5 (card or exact cash please). Children under 5 and Conejo Valley Historical Society Members are free. Annual CVHS Family Memberships can be purchased online or at the door for as little as $50.
Stagecoach Inn Museum, 51 S. Ventu Park Rd., Newbury Park 805.498.9441 stagecoachinnmuseum.com

Sunday, January 23: Jeff Maulhardt - Author
Jeff Maulhardt is a fifth generation descendent of the Jacob Maulhardt and Doretta Kohler and the Johannes Borchard and Elizabeth Schwedhelm families. Both families are prominent pioneering families of Ventura County. Jeff has authored 16 local books about the history of Ventura County. He is a retired teacher and founder of The Oxnard Historic Farm Park located on a portion of his family’s original land. His family has lived in this area since 1867.

Sunday, February 27: Connie Korenstein - Researcher & Living History Expert
Connie Korenstein is a retired educator who devotes her time to historic research, tours, living history presentations, historic fashion consulting and community events. She has a collection of historical characters that she has researched and portrays in costume, sometimes solo and sometimes with a cast of other characters. Connieis a docent at Heritage Square and the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard, as well as the Dudley House in Ventura.

Sunday, March 27: John Garofolo - Author
John Garofolo a longtime Ventura County resident and former entertainment industry executive, recently retired as the Coast Guard liaison to the Defense Department. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Garofolo provided security and escorted members of the international media into Iraq during the initial phase of the war. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Dickey Chapelle Under Fire: Photographs by the First Female American War Correspondent Killed in Action.

Sunday, May 22: Jan Pascale- Award Winning SDSA Art Director
Jan Pascale is an American set decorator who has won an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. She has worked on over 50 different TV shows and films since 1982.
She won her Emmy 2001 for the TV show Boston Public.
She was nominated at the 78th Academy Awards in the category of Best Art Direction for George Clooney's 2005 historical drama film Good Night, and Good Luck, of which she shared her nomination with James D. Bissell in 2020 and many more.

Sunday, June 26: Julie Swift - Stagecoach Inn Museum Archeologist & Curator
Julie Swift has extensive experience in the field of archeology. Her research is focused on pre-historic archeology of Ventura County and surrounding regions. She is currently working as a field archeological for a cultural resource management firm and is serving as Curator of Archeology at the Stagecoach Inn Museum. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Archeology and is Past President of the Ventura County Archeology Society.