The Curtain Call Youth Theatre group of Ventura County invites you to the closing weekend of Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, directed by Jeff Walach.

The production will take place on the campus of Oxnard College, forum theater, Liberal Arts Building: LA6, located at 4000 South Rose Avenue, Oxnard 93033.

General admission is $13, however tickets for children under 12, seniors, students, and military personal with an I.D. are set at $8.

The schedule for the final weekend of Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, are:

Friday, February 19 @ 8pm
Saturday, February 20 @ 8pm
Sunday, February 21 @2pm

Enjoy the show and thank you for supporting The Curtain Call Youth Theatre.

I was asked to write about what I know best…the theatre in Ventura County.

I have been involved with the Ventura County Theatre Scene for 25 years now and have worked with and/or seen productions from every theatre in this county from professional (those with Equity contracts) to “community” theatre (or as I like to call them “non-union” theatre) to college (there are some really quality college productions with some great up in coming talent) to high school (the same goes for this category as well).  Within this column, I will try and communicate and notify everyone about what is coming up in the area…all of the choices…as well as, when I go to see a production, I will let you know how I feel.  AKA a review.

Pretty simple.

So, for the first column…allow me tell you about an organization that started out from the need for communication.

A few years back, the local theatres were very separate…it was a dark period in our history.  There were overlapping seasons…constant rumors about each other…no accountability…it was dark.  But then, in February of 2007, two people (Leslie Nichols and Frank Malle) had the bright idea to bring the four major “non union” theatres together…sort of a theatrical summit.  From that moment on, the Four Star Theatre Committee has stood for (as their mission statement states): to promote a spirit of camaraderie, cooperation, and mutual respect among theaters; to honor work done by member theaters; and to gather in a social setting at the end of the season to celebrate our successes).

It began with four theatres (hence the name): Camarillo Community Theatre, Elite Theatre in Oxnard, Santa Paula Theatre Center, and the Ojai Arts Center Theatre.  Last year the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark joined.  Next year…who knows.  I have been involved with them for the past two seasons, and hope to continue with them (in some capacity) for the near future.

Each year, the committee produces the Four Star Theatre Awards (usually held at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center).  This awards ceremony is from the previous voting by the committee members of the Four Star (each theatre has 3 representatives).  Three representatives (usually NOT from the same theatre) are assigned a specific theatre to attend, make notes, and at the end of each season, vote on the specific categories to which awards will be given.  Each theatre is competing against itself…rather than “the best of” for the entire community.  It is the “best of” for that particular season at that particular theatre.

It has, so far, brought the theatre community together and has almost cleared up any overlapping seasons and the rumor mill has almost run dry!

At this point in time, the ceremony itself, is held at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center and will be on Sunday evening of January 24, 2010 and is by invitation only.  But this writer hopes that one day we will have a facility large enough to hold (not only) the award recipients and their guests, the theatre boards of directors, press, but also the public who the theatre community would be nothing without.

And…scene!

Onwards and Upwards,
Jeff Wallach
Ventura County Theatre Arts Columnist

Christmas is here and Ventura County has many events to celebrate the festivities with you and your family. Below is a list of just a few of the Christmas events in Ventura County:

Oxnard Christmas Parade:

• Date: Saturday December 5th
• Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
• Location: Downtown Oxnard, parade will start on Wooley Street.
  
• This year’s theme: A Storybook Christmas.

Lighting of Ventura’s Mission Christmas Tree:

• Date: Saturday December 5th
• Time: 5:00pm
• Location: Downtown Ventura, Mission San Buenaventura.
  
• Join 100 Carolers, and all of Downtown Ventura in this amazing Christmas celebration.

Camarillo Hospice Tree of Life Event:

• Date: Saturday December 5th
• Time: 4:00pm
• Location: Constitution Park, on Carmen Drive. 
• Join the rest of Camarillo in singing and lighting this year’s Christmas tree of life.

Winter Bazaar at the Ventura Improve Company:

• Date: Sunday December 6th
• Time: 12:00pm-4:00pm
• Location: 34 North Palm Street in Ventura
• Holiday shopping from many local vendors.

Thousand Oaks Hospice Tree of Life Event:

• Date: Sunday December 6th
• Time: 5:00pm-6:30pm
• Location: Gardens of the World, Thousand Oaks Blvd. 
• Musical entertainment, refreshments, and much more.

Channel Islands Parade of Lights:

• Date: Saturday December 12th
• Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
• Location: Channel Islands harbor
• Daytime festivities start 10:00am at Harbor View Park with snow play for the children.
  

48th Annual Camarillo Christmas Parade:

• Date: Saturday December 12th
• Time: 11:00am
• Location: Parade will start at Las Posas and Temple. 
• Also Join Santa’s Village Holiday Carnival at Camarillo Community Center (Carmen and Burnley) from 8:00am-6:00pm.

14th Annual Bethlehem Experience in Westlake Village:

• Date: Saturday December 12th-Sunday December 13th
  
• Time: 5:00pm-8:30pm
  
• Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 32111 Watergate Road in Westlake Village
• Travel back in time to experience Bethlehem in the first century.

2nd Annual Holiday on the Hills at Reagan Library:

• Date: Sunday December 13th
  
• Time: 5:30pm-9:00pm
  
• Location: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
• Enjoy Christmas around the World Exhibit and a holiday dinner buffet. Reservation is required a week in advance. Please visit the The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library site for more information.

33rd Annual Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights:

• Date: Friday December 18th-Saturday December 19th
  
• Time: 7:00pm
  
• Location: Ventura Harbor Village
• Join the Holiday Tropical Tiki Party with the boat parade of lights and fireworks.

Ventura Harbor Village Winter Wonderland:

• Date: Sunday December 20th
  
• Time: 12:00pm-4:00pm
  
• Location: Ventura Harbor Village
• Music, real reindeer, and much more to celebrate the holidays California style.
  

Most of us look forward to the day where we are surrounded by our loved ones and are given the opportunity to stuff our face as we proclaim our appreciation for life and its generosity.  And then there are some of us who all year long look forward to the day following these festivities.  The day when a different deep-seated hunger called shopping sets in.  The day for bargain hunters and shoppers that we have all come to know as Black Friday.

In Ventura County, like many other areas of the country, shops and shoppers are preparing for a safe, fun, and unforgettable event.  With the current economic conditions store owners are anxious to maximize the likelihood of a positive outcome for 2009’s Black Friday.  Not surprisingly, preparations are underway and like years before there are many bargains to be found by savvy shoppers.

Below is a list for some of the Black Friday deals in Ventura County:

You can print this and take it with you if you like … click on the print symbol at the bottom of this post

Camarillo Premium Outlets:

Black Friday Shopping starts at midnight, 11/27/2009, for the Camarillo Premium Outlets shoppers.

The extended shopping ours are:

• Friday, 11/27, midnight-10:00pm
• Saturday, 11/28, from 8:00am-10:00pm
• Sunday, 11/29, from 9:00am-8:00pm

You may want to check out the events and savings at: Camarillo Premium Outlets.

Pacific View Mall:

The Pacific View Mall, in Ventura, is looking forward to offering Black Friday Shoppers a day of good finds and unbelievable deals.

• Friday, 11/27, from 5:00am-9:00pm
• Saturday, 11/28, from 9:00am-9:00pm
• Sunday, 11/29. from 10:00am-7:00pm

Special Department Store Hours:
Macy’s: 5am – 11pm
Sear’s: 4am – 10pm
JCPenney: 4am – 11pm
Target: 5am – 11pm

For a list of shops and savings please visit: Pacific View Mall.

Simi Valley Town Center:

Simi Valley Town Center invites you to indulge yourself in some spectacular bargains this Black Friday.

• Friday, 11/27, from 8:00am-9:00pm
• Saturday, 11/28, from 9:00am-9:00pm
• Sunday, 11/29. from 10:00am-7:00pm

For a list of shops and savings please visit: Simi Valley Town Center.

The Oaks Mall:

The Oaks Mall will also be opening its doors for an amazing shopping experience for Black Friday bargain hunters.

• Friday, 11/27, from 8:00am-9:00pm
• Saturday, 11/28, from 9:00am-9:00pm
• Sunday, 11/29. from 10:00am-7:00pm

Department Store Hours:

• Macy’s 5am – 11pm
• JCPenney 4am – 11pm
• Nordstrom 8am – 9pm

For a list of shops and savings please visit: The Oaks Mall.

Black Friday Sales in other stores in Ventura County:

Target: Friday 5:00 a.m-10:00pm. (Early Bird Doorbuster ends at Noon)  Saturday: 7:00am-10:00pm

K-Mart: Friday 6:00am-11:00pm. (Early Bird Doorbuster ends at 11am)  Saturday: 7:00am-11:00pm.

Kohl’s:  Friday 4:00am to Midnight.  Saturday: 6:00am -Midnight.

OfficeMax:  Friday 7:00am-10:00pm.  Saturday: 8:00am-10:00pm.

Staples:  Friday 6:00am-9:00pm. (Doorbuster ends at 10:00am).

Best Buy:  Friday 5:00am-10:00pm. (DoorBuster will be handed out to anyone in line 2 hours before the store opens at 5am)

WalMart:  Friday 5:00am-11:00pm. (Doorbuster ends at 11:00am)

Sears:  Friday 4:00am-10:00pm. (Early Bird Doorbuster ends at Noon)  Saturday: 8:00am-10:00pm

Meanwhile if you feel like shopping for a home in Ventura County feel free to contact me, Mana Tulberg: (805) 443-8898.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving and a prosperous Black Friday.

First VCTweetUp By @Marco_Parc

As I become more involved in Social Media and our community I am amazed by the number of people in Ventura County who use social media as a tool to communicate, do business, network with colleagues, and many other reasons. Last month, I had the opportunity to meet a few of these amazing social media users in an event set up by yours truly.  We called the event VC TweetUp.

TweetUps are not a new phenomenon.  I have attended a few TweetUps before, but never one in Ventura County.  The meeting was set up as a venue for us to meet each other face-to-face and enjoy some good old-fashioned human interaction.

As the holidays get closer, it’s time again that old and new friends meet once more to enjoy each others’ company and get to know our fellow Ventura County social media users even better.

You Are Officially Invited To Our First TweetMas:

_{(Tweet-Up + ChristMas = TweetMas)}

No matter your skill level or what tools you use in social media, we would love for you to join us for an opportunity to meet some amazing Ventura County people.

Date: December 18, 2009

Location: JJ Brewsky’s. 2433 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo, CA – (805) 482-5249

Time: 6:30pm-whenever you get tired or miss you computer too much

Please RSVP: You can RSVP on TweetVite Or on Facebook.

Hope you can join us.

This Halloween there are lots of freakish activities for Ventura County residents to enjoy.  The hunted houses are all set to compete with each other in scaring the living out of their visitors.  This year if you are planning on getting terrorized why not have some fun being scared as you help a local charity.

The Somis Food Pantry’s Haunted House invites you to a free haunting as long as you donate non-perishable food items to the Pantry.  The haunting starts at sundown until 11:00pm.

So if this Halloween you are in a mood to be a tortured charitable soul show up at 1885 Brittany Park Road in Santa Rosa Valley.

Dates: October 23, 24, 25, 30, and 31 from sundown until 11:00pm.

This Saturday September 19, 2009 join thousands of volunteers in Ventura County to be a part of the 25th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day.  Between 9:00am-Noon volunteers all over California will help to protect and care for our beautiful coast and its waterway environments.

According to vccoastcleanup.org, last year, 2008, in Ventura County 2,777 people volunteered and cleaned up 13,904 pounds of debris from our Ventura County beaches and waterways.

In order to participate in this State-wide event you will need to pre-register with your local Ventura County Coastal Cleanup Planner, or simply show up at any of the drop-in sites listed below.

Please remember to wear comfortable shoes, clothes, a hat, and plenty of sunscreen.

Source: California Coastal Commission

It is an annual tradition for our family to visit one or two farms in Ventura County for their great Pumpkin Patches.  This year we visited the amazing Underwood Family Farm in Moorpark and took the Pumpkinliner train from Fillmore to the ICHABOG pumpkin patch.
I personally loved the corn maze at the Underwood Family Farm. Getting to the haystack pyramid at the center of Underwood Family Farm’s challenging corn maze almost seemed impossible. Once you get to the center of this corn maze, make sure to climb to the top to enjoy the beauty and serenity of Underwood Farm.

The Pumpkinliner train ride to ICHABOG pumpkin patch was an adventurous ride. It was a warm, sunny day and we sat on one of the train’s open air cars.  The whole experience of boarding the train and waving to the motorists stopped at the crossings is a fantastic way to enjoy the beauty of the Santa Clara River Valley in Ventura County.

It was at the ICHABOG pumpkin patch that we met Doug Goodreau, an amazing pumpkin artist.  Here are some of Doug’s great art works.

More of Doug’s pumpkins.

On October 8, 2008, Ventura County students, parents, and teachers are encouraged to join the rest of the country on National Walk to School Day.

In 1997 the very first walk to school day was organized in the city of Chicago by the Partnership for a Walkable America. Today, all 50 states participate in the National Walk to School Day.

In Ventura County, many schools have signed up to join the rest of the nation on this annual event.

If you were looking for a chance to start a healthier life style, help the environment, and/or time to bond with your children, National Walk to School Day just provided you with the best opportunity for all three.

List of Ventura County Schools Participating in National Walk to School Day:

Camarillo:

• Los Primeros School of Science and Art
• Dos Caminos School
• Las Colinas Middle School
• Camarillo Heights Elementary School
• La Mariposa Elementary School
• Rancho Rosal School
• Las Posas Elementary School
• Tierra Linda Elementary School
• El Desconso Elementary School
• Monte Vista Middle School

Fillmore:

• Fillmore High School
• Fillmore Community High School
• Fillmore Middle School
• Mountain Vista Elementary
• Piru Elementary
• San Cayetano Elementary
• Sespe Elementary

Thousand Oaks:

• Meadows Elementary School

And on this National Walk to School Day or any day if you happen to see a house you wish to preview just remember to call your Ventura County Realtor, Mana Tulberg: (805) 443-8898.

VENTURA COUNTY FIREWORKS!

Celebrate the 4^th of July fireworks around Ventura County at one or more of these family friendly locations. Fireworks start at dusk, before 9:00pm.

Camarillo – At Adolfo Camarillo High School. For further information, please call (805)484-4383 or 484-8388 ext.395.

Conejo Valley – View from Oaks Mall. For further information, please call (805)370-0035.

Fillmore – Fillmore High School. For further information, please call (805)524-0351.

Moorpark – on JULY 3rd! – Arroyo Vista Park. For further information, please call (805)517-6300.

Ojai – Nordhoff High School Stadium. For further information, please call (805)646-8126 or 646-4295.

Oxnard – Fireworks by the Sea at Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard. For further information, please call (805)985-4852 or 983-6118.

Santa Paula- Harding Park, Santa Paula. For further information, please call (805)933-4226.

Simi Valley – New location — Rancho Santa Suzana Park. For further information, please call (805)526-3900.

Ventura – Ventura College. For further information, please call (805)654-6400 or 654-7800.