Rehearsals are underway at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre, for The World Goes ‘Round. It is a musical revue which celebrates the timeless songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb.
"They brought the world Cabaret, particularly, among many other shows," explained the show’s director Wren T Brown.
"This show is really terribly human. It really, really is a deep examination of the human condition in all the ways that that really expresses itself. There is great sadness in this show. There's great ennui and poignancy, but there also is tremendous moments of hilarity in it and real, real fun. And I've encouraged the company to lean into the joy, I've encouraged them to have as their protest joy," said Brown.
He says the production features a lot of unforgettable favorites.
"You've heard, of course, New York, New York. You've heard All That Jazz. You've heard Money Makes The World Go Round. I mean, so there's so many songs that are so tuneful that you've heard across the years that have been performed by the likes of so many of the brilliant, brilliant people we know....Frank Sinatra...Liza Minnelli, Joel Gray and countless others have given the world just some of the most spectacular readings of these lyrics and these songs that the world has ever heard," said Brown.
It’s a homecoming for Broadway star Andrew Samonsky, who comes from Ventura.
"I am born and raised. My parents still live in the same house here and went to a high school down the street," said Samonsky.
He says his parents are supportive of his Broadway career.
"You know, it's crazy...I almost went to law school and I was pursuing music and I said, 'Dad, I think I want to be an attorney instead'. And he said, 'Andrew, what about the music?' I was like, 'Isn't this conversation supposed to go the other way?' "
"So they've always been so supportive. They're they're like a fan club, the whole community. I mean, it's always nice to come home," he said.
Of the show, Samonsky said, "There's something about Kander and Ebb that they kind of dial into the more complexities of the human experience. They're not just the love songs. They're songs about maybe a troubled marriage. They're songs about unrequited love. Love that was there that's disappeared and songs about lust and the kind of joy and yet dangers of that feeling".
"It's never simple with them, which is correct because I don't think the human experience is simple. There's so many layers. We can feel joy and grief at the same time. We can lust after that person and want to get as far away from them as possible at the same time, you know? So I think that's what makes them so brilliant," said Samonsky.
The World Goes 'Round runs at the Rubicon Theatre of Ventura until December 23.
