BY CARY GINELL
As each year comes to a close, we like to look back at some of the highlights of the past year in musical theater and plays in Ventura County. 2016 was the fourth year in which VC On Stage presented more interviews and profiles with Ventura County talent than any other publication, print or online. In addition to reviewing dozens of shows throughout Ventura County, we also got to know a number of performers and folks behind the scenes, who were happy to talk about their craft. Some of our interviews were with people who just arrived on the Ventura County scene; others have been here for years. Here is a list – in alphabetical order – of the 49 talented individuals we found especially interesting in 2016. To revisit any of these articles, it’s only an easy click away, using our Page 1 search bar (type your query into the box with the magnifying glass on the right side of our home page).
Beth Alison Actress: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Talia Asseraf Actress: Hamlet (Curtain Call Youth Theatre)
Siena Avila Actress: A Christmas Carol (Thousand Oaks Repertory Company), The Sorcerer (Ventura
County Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Julie Alice Auxier Actress: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Louis Baker Actor: Ragtime (Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Katherine Bottoms Actress: Peter and the Starcatcher (Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Kristen Bramson Actress: Phantom of the Opera (Moorpark High School)
Isa Briones Actress: Evita (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
David Colville Actor: The Wizard of Oz (Conejo Players Theatre)
Juan Carlos Cantu Actor: In the Heights (Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)
Sandra Cantu Actress: In the Heights (Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)
Tatiana Cantu Actress: In the Heights (Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)
Molly Ann Cunningham Actress: Hamlet (Curtain Call Youth Theatre)
Matthew Dailey Actor: Jersey Boys (Theater League)
Leah Dalrymple Actress: The Drowsy Chaperone (California Lutheran University)
Jonathan Drahos Director (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Scott Dreier Actor/Creator: Doris & Me (Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)
Ryan Driscoll Actor: Children of Eden (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Joshua Finkel Director/Founder (Creative Combustion Acting Studio), Actor: Parade (Panic!
Productions)
Michael Fischer Actor/Director: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (YA4Ever)
Joseph Fuqua Director: Twelfth Night (Fearless Shakespeare Program at the Rubicon Theatre Company)
Marc Baron Ginsburg Actor: Evita (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Nick Glaab Actor (Newbury Park High School)
Parker Harris Actor: The Fantasticks (Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)
Katy Jarvis Actress: The Fantasticks (Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)
Meghan Jones Actress: Ragtime (Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Michael Kennedy Actor: The Little Mermaid (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Kimberley Kiley Stage Manager: Ragtime (Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Michelle Lane Actress: Next to Normal (Pico Playhouse)
Bart Leininger Incoming Chair, Board of Directors (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Lyrissa Leininger Actress: The Little Mermaid (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Janelle Loren Actress: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Brian McDonald Director: In the Heights (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Marissa Margolis Actress (Westlake Elementary School)
Malissa Marlow Actress: The Drowsy Chaperone (California Lutheran University)
Harrison Meloeny Actor: Next to Normal (Pico Playhouse)
Steve Perren Actor: Parade (Panic! Productions)
John Pillsbury Co-Founder (Ventura County Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Rebecca Pillsbury Co-Founder (Ventura County Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Jared Price Actor: The Wizard of Oz (Conejo Players Theatre)
Larry Raben Director: The Little Mermaid (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Kevin Repich Actor: The Drowsy Chaperone (California Lutheran University)
Landen Starkman Actor (Calabasas High School)
Jenny Sullivan Director: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Natalia Vivino Actress: Children of Eden (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Beverly Ward Actress: Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Kirby Ward Actor: Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance (Rubicon Theatre Company)
Lewis Wilkenfeld Artistic Director (Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Kristen Wisneski Actress (Thousand Oaks High School)
Next week, we’ll announce the 4th Annual Vee-Cee Awards for performance excellence. Stay tuned!!
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