The Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura announced on Wednesday it will be continuing its Safe-Distance Drive-In Concert Benefit Series with Broadway veterans and beloved Southern California musical icons by hosting the 30th Anniversary Concert of Forever Plaid.
Based on the popular show Forever Plaid created by Stuart Ross and James Raitt, the Company’s 30th Anniversary concert is set to start at 8:00 p.m., and take place from Aug. 3-5 in the parking lot of the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Forever Plaid first premiered Off-Broadway at Steve McGraw’s in the 1989-1990 season. As the third concert in the company’s Safe-Distance Drive-In Concert Benefit Series, Forever Plaid will be following past drive-in performances with Tony Winner Christian Hoff, Travis Cloer and friends from The Jersey Boys and Million Dollar Quartet, and 2 a.m., at the Sands: Samonsky Sings Sinatra.
In order to obey CDC guidelines, attendees will view all concerts from the series safely from their vehicles by using an FM radio transmitter for Audio. Concerts are 75 minutes without intermission and take place on an elevated stage with large LED screens above the stage that display a live-video feed.
“We are grateful to Stuart Ross and these very special and generous talents for taking us on this musical journey down memory lane.” Rubicon Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns said in a statement. “Forever Plaid was a part of our first full season at Rubicon, and we were privileged to have Stuart direct the sequel, Plaid Tidings, as a part of our most recent season. When we were planning the RUBICON GOES RETRO drive-in series, the premise of the original show and the idea of bringing harmony to a discordant world seemed perfect for these troubled times. We know this concert version will be an uplifting and joyous night of music, humor and fun for attendees.”
Forever Plaid continued for four years following its premier Off-Broadway season, where it ran for two years at the Coronet in L.A., and at the West-end in London. Since then, it has been performed throughout the world with its sequel premiering at The Pasadena Playhouse. In 2009, Forever Plaid was made into a motion picture.
According to the Rubicon Theatre Company’s press release, the show is about “four loveable nerds from the 50’s who met in the high school AV club and shared a love of music. They rehearsed in the basement of the local plumbing supply company and dreamed of becoming a close-harmony singing group like their idols The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Low’s and The Crew Cuts. In the hilarious and heartwarming story, the Plaids return to earth to perform the show they never were able to do in life.”
The upcoming performance stars six-time L.A. Ovation Award-winner David Engel, whose Broadway credits include Putting it Together and La Cage aux Folles, Larry Raben (Leo Bloom in The Producers on Broadway), Jason Graae (Grand Night for Singing on Broadway/Forbidden Planet at Rubicon) and Leo Daignault (Avenue Q on Broadway).
In addition, the press release states the Forever Plaid 30th Anniversary Concert will include other popular favorites from the show such as, “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “Route 66,” “Moments to Remember,” “Perfidia,” “Cry,” and “16 Tons.”
Finally, the concert will also include a medley entitled “The Plaids Swing Down Broadway,” with an hilarious homage to The Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd and Cats, performed with Plaid aplomb.
Ticket prices range from $15 to $99.50. For tickets and other information go to www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900.
email: bmackley@newspress.com
