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What do a pirate submarine, a rigged chariot race, a rummy priest, a fallen angel, a lonesome love train and a doomed wedding have in common? Only renowned film maker Sanjay Ratnam knows, and he’s not telling. Yet.

Have faith in the chaos as you become a fly on the wall, delving into the unique and often hilarious workings of the creative process. And if you understand even a little bit of Hindi, you’ll be privy to some special secrets much earlier on than anyone else. Admission includes post-show wine and nibbles reception with the cast.

Join us for the World Premiere of CAST OUT! - ShortBurst Theatre® R.A.W.'s newest production – the first one of the year - crafted and performed by Cynthia Aguirre, Nupur Apte, Justine Beed-Chen, Marty Cohen, Kendall Colletti, Mihir Desai, Siobhan Erin, Christie Evans, Peter Gueracague, Parris Kaspszak, Linda Kohn, Madeleine Lemay, Mara Rothbard, Sergei Stern, Theda Weston, Sylvie Young and Playhouse Associate Director of Adult Education Berkeley Sanjay Written by Evelyn Rudie, directed by Chris DeCarlo. Original music by Sergei Stern.

ShortBurst Theatre® sees professional artists, tyro performers and members of the community at large pool their resources, their time, and their concerns, to create theatre that is relevant on a personal, local and global level, and do it all in a very short span of time, hence the name. “We performed for the State Senate and they built a rec center in our town – and it's all because of you!” Northridge Play Project, Northridge, Ohio.

Over the past 37 years, ShortBurst Theatre® has created 100+ collaborative productions locally, nationally and with companies from 11 countries, many that have later become main stage and touring productions, fostering cultural exchange and understanding and making a tangible difference across the city and around the world. “The performances and collaborations are excellent and very educative. Their work is brilliant!” Fusami Sugimine, Director Global Project, International Human Network, Japan.

Santa Monica Playhouse programs are supported in part by generous grants from the We Are Santa Monica Fund, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission and Playhouse PALS.

Show the beach some love! Join Explore Ecology for a cleanup on the 2nd Sunday of every month at 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at beautiful Arroyo Burro Beach. Meet in front of the Watershed Resource Center (blue building) to sign in.

You are welcome to bring your own cleanup supplies or use ours. Cleanups will be self-guided and can include the beach, the parking lot, or the open spaces surrounding Arroyo Burro.

Be sure to visit the Watershed Resource Center during cleanup hours to see interactive displays about local watersheds from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Participants will receive a coupon for a free cup of chowder from the Santa Barbara Shellfish Co.

Community service volunteer hours are available for this fun outdoor volunteer opportunity.

There’s no need to RSVP- you can just show up. We can’t wait to see you there!

Lunch with a side of inspiration!

Celebrate local eco-heroes at Explore Ecology’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Luncheon at the Cabrillo Pavilion. This uplifting event highlights the next generation of environmental leaders and the educators who guide them.

Join us on Thursday, April 16, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Meet the 2026 award winners, hear their inspiring stories, and honor their positive impact across Santa Barbara County.

Share a delicious meal with community members who care about our planet and who are making the world a better place.

If you’re ready for some good news, join Explore Ecology at this heartwarming event!

The 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine shocked political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. In the prelude to the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukraine an “artificial” nation claiming that it had always been part of Russia. On what basis does he make this claim and what shapes Putin’s broader outlook about the place of Russia in the modern world. NATO and the United States in particular, have so far rejected military interventions and opted instead to use economic leverage in the form of sanctions and weapons supplies over direct action. Yet after four years of heavy fighting, casualties on both sides running into the hundreds of thousands, and billions in Western financial aid, there is still no end in sight. How should we think about the significance of this war, its causes and its meaning for the United States in the current state of world affairs? This course aims to provide attendees with an in-depth analysis of these questions. It offers insights on the roots of Russia’s war on Ukraine, where it stands today, and the consequences of its outcome for the future of American foreign policy.

This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

In this lecture, we will unpack how the media — in national newspapers such as The New York Times and El Universal and through alternative media like Twitter in both in Mexico and the United States — frames and portrays drug-related violence and related issues like gun trafficking. We will examine how drug-related violence and gun trafficking are framed as social problems in Mexico, while “spillover violence” is often portrayed in the U.S. as a moral panic.

This lecture can be attended virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Artificial Intelligence often arrives in our lives wrapped in either hype or fear: Miraculous promises on one side, dystopian nightmares on the other. This lecture takes a different path. We will calmly and thoughtfully explore what AI actually is, what it is not, and why it matters deeply to people over 50—while remaining equally relevant to undergraduates and lifelong learners. The central message is simple: AI is not a replacement for wisdom, but a tool to enhance human enlightenment.

Through stories, demonstrations, graphics, short videos, and carefully chosen quotations from the pioneers of AI, the talk aims to show how AI can enhance creativity, productivity, learning, health, and connection—without surrendering autonomy or dignity. This lecture also endeavors to confront real potential dangers, including: over automation, bias, dependency, misinformation, and loss of meaning. Attendees will leave, hopefully not merely informed, but empowered, amused, and equipped with a practical framework for using AI wisely.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This lecture examines the themes and arguments in Eric Gamino’s Enforcing Order on the Border, exploring how law-enforcement agencies construct, maintain, and justify “order” in the border region. We will analyze the social, political, and historical forces that shape policing practices, the lived experiences of officers and migrants, and the mechanisms through which the border becomes a site of control, conflict, and negotiation. The session highlights how border enforcement reflects broader debates about national security, immigration policy, and state power.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

In his short yet brilliant career of 10 years, Vincent van Gogh created hundreds of works of art and posthumously became one of the most famous Western painters and mainstays of modern art. Through the correspondence with his younger brother, art dealer Theo van Gogh, most of what is known of Vincent's thoughts, hopes, disappointments and struggles, and flashes of inspiration are recorded in the hundreds of letters they exchanged. As we view his work through the lens of his correspondence with his brother, we'll cover his work through his early years, through his focused studies on the South of France, and ultimately his tragic final period.

This lecture can be attended virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This year marks the 130th anniversary of the enthronement of Nikolai II of Russia, the last Tsar in the Romanov dynasty, and the 120th anniversary of the birth of his only son Alexei, the would-be tsar who was ill with hemophilia and later brutally murdered by the Bolsheviks. In this lecture, we’ll take a sweeping look at Russia at the time of the last of the Romanovs and on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution, from the royal family down to peasants, who still constituted the majority of the Russian population despite rapid industrialization and urbanization. The lecture is richly illustrated not only by photographic images but by rare documentary footage of the Romanov family and historical events of that period.

This lecture can be attended virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

While a naval officer’s career is often defined by command at sea, some of the most critical "battles" are fought in the halls of the United Nations, the corridors of the State Department, and the briefing rooms of the White House. This course offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the role of the military diplomat. We will explore the complex art of "uniformed diplomacy," from drafting UN Security Council resolutions on maritime sanctions to the delicate linguistic and cultural nuances required to negotiate a new treaty with the Russian Federation. Through real-world anecdotes—including how a quote from Pushkin broke a diplomatic impasse—we will discuss the challenge of building 50-country coalitions, managing the legal frameworks of seized assets, and providing strategic counsel to the President when the stakes are nothing less than global stability.

This two-part lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.