NPR podcaster featured at Ojai Literary Salon
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- Published: Friday, 22 March 2019 09:20

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Paddy Hirsch
Paddy Hirsch, an author, journalist, broadcaster and former British Royal Marines officer, will be the featured speaker at next Ojai Art Center Literary Branch Salon on March 25 at 7 p.m. in the gallery at the Ojai Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai.
Hirsch works for NPR, where he edits and appears on “The Indicator from Planet Money,” a daily business and economics podcast. He will talk on how he used his journalist background and applied it to his approach to writing fiction.
‘Crazy for You!’ Nordhoff musical an ensemble of fun
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- Published: Friday, 15 March 2019 09:20

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Cast of “Crazy for You!” during dress rehearsal. The Nordhoff High School musical will be performed this last weekend on Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m. at Matilija Junior High School Auditorium, 703 El Paseo Road, Ojai.
Review: Last weekend to catch show
Linda Harmon, Special to the Ojai Valley News
Nordhoff High School’s production,”Crazy for You!” is a musical treat for the cynic in all of us. It’s a sweet comic romp, wrapped around a gentle lampoon of the standard Broadway musical romance under the deft direction of Marty Babayco. It combines the “boy meets girl, let’s put on a show” conceit of an early Mickey Rooney movie. But, by giving our intellect enough room to poke fun at the plot, it allows the audience to relax, have fun and enjoy the spectacle.
Ojai City Gallery features Childress
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- Published: Friday, 15 March 2019 09:17

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Gayel Childress, “Ojai River Bottom,” mixed media painting.
Gayel Childress will be the featured artist at The Ojai City Gallery and with a companion show at The Ojai Valley Museum March 18 through May 31.
In this exhibit, “Ojai Landscape Through the Eye of the Artist,” Childress showcases her expressive and innovative use of color while combining several media to capture the spirit of Ojai. Her substantial body of work ranges widely from landscape to figurative and from still life to abstract, but always includes a touch of whimsy that gives her work a sense of the mythical.
Lobel: Have camera, will travel to Kent Hall
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- Published: Friday, 15 March 2019 09:14

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"Snowy Sunday Morning" by Sharon Lobel
The Ojai Photography Community will host award-winning travel photographer Sharon Lobel in a presentation entitled “All About Travel Photography and More” on March 19 at 7 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai. The The Ojai Photography Community welcomes the public to attend these free events.
Ojai’s 3rd Friday bound to evoke ‘inner force’
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- Published: Friday, 15 March 2019 09:10

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“Floating Lena” pastel painting by Lynn Byrne Simon.
Ojai’s Third Friday downtown stroll Friday, March 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will again include Ojai Valley Artists’ Gallery, Human Arts Gallery and the Ojai Valley Museum as well as restaurants and shops in and around the Ojai Arcade. This is the monthly free event offering conversations with local artists, light refreshments and live music at many venues. OVA Gallery will highlight the work of jeweler Laura Giordano, painter Lynn Byrne Simon and ceramicist Julie Wellings. Music will be provided by local favorite Patricia Cardinali.
McKay shines as matriarch in ‘Night Must Fall’
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 11:07

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Sindy McKay plays Mrs. Bramson in the Ojai Art Center production, “Night Must Fall,” which has its last run March 8 through 10.
Emmy award-winning writer Sindy McKay plays the role of Mrs. Bramson in the Ojai Art Center Theater production of “Night Must Fall,” which comes to a close with the last three shows this weekend. McKay has quite the acting résumé, performing in plays all over Ventura County.
Praise for ‘Crazy for You’
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 11:04

Photo by Mary M Long
The cast of “Crazy for You” goes crazy over Director Marty Babayco, anticipating this opening weekend, after many months of rehearsals to show the Ojai community “a world where people spontaneously break out into song,” said Jem Ruf, who plays the lead role of Bobby Childs and who does that in real life, too. The play is now open and runs Thursdays through Sundays through March 17.
John Hankins, Special to the Ojai Valley News
“Crazy for You” is a Gershwin Best Musical that soars to the genre’s pinnacle, and the Nordhoff High students are right up there: excited, proud, grateful and hard work rewarded. The cast crew are simply crazy about it, especially now that it’s open to the public through March 17.
Just ask them.
Guy Webster’s studio open through March
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 11:02
The late Guy Webster’s studio will be open for visitation through March on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. at 416 Bryant Circle, Unit D.
Webster’s photos of rock icons and famous actors and models will be for sale and limited signed prints are available. The signed prints are the last ones ever to be signed by Webster. Webster was an acclaimed photographer who captured iconic photos of celebrities and shot album covers for The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Doors, among others. His work has been entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Webster passed away on Feb. 5 at age 79. His life of photography and adventure will be memorialized March 23 at 2 p.m. at Oak Grove School, 220 W. Lomita Ave., Ojai.
For more information about visiting the studio, call 805-680-3587.
Featured artist for March: Cindy Pitou Burton
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 11:01

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Photograph of mushrooms by Cindy Pitou Burton
Photographer Cindy Pitou Burton will be showing new work as part of the Ojai Studio Artists Second Saturday Tour on March 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “I’m displaying powerful photographs of the fires and aftermath, but turning again to daily life in its smaller detail,” she says. “Subjects vary from a grape and vineyard series to water scenes from my travels, a mix of photojournalism and fine art using various printing choices.” The tour also features seven more OSA artists, all with East End studios: Richard Amend, Susan Stinsmuehlen Amend, Wyatt Amend, Sherry Loehr, Marta Nelson, Devin Oatway and Sylvia Raz. The tour is free and self-guided. Visit http://www.ojaistudioartists.org for a tour map and more information.
Sumeau performance at Beato Center March 9
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 10:57

Photo by Eric Peterson
Band members of Sumeau
SUMEAU (pronounced sumo), a Southern California band with a distinctive sound, will perform March 9 at 7 p.m. at The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road. Tickets are $12.
Founded by Chris Sousa ("Su") and Kat Primeau ("meau"), the Los Angeles-based indie pop band creates melodic mantras reminiscent of ’60s psychedelia and surreal soundscapes of surprising simplicity and scope.
Auditions for Villanova Prep’s spring musical
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2019 10:53
Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai will hold auditions Wednesday, March 13, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the school for its April 11 through 14 performance of “The Music Man.”
Auditions are for the role of Winthrop and five to 10 extras. Boys ages 10 to 13 may audition for the role of Winthrop. Girls and boys ages 10 to 14 are welcome to audition for roles as singing extras. Students should prepare one minute of a song to sing, either a cappella or with a backing track.
To schedule an audition, for more information, or if you cannot attend the auditions on March 13, contact Sloan Hoffmann at 805-646-1464, extension 220, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (Be sure to spell Hoffmann with 2 Ns or your email will not go through.)