About
At New Art City Theatre, playwrights, composers and lyricists come from across the nation to develop their new work. Through a series of live readings and workshops, Ventura audiences get the unique and exciting opportunity to peek behind the curtain and witness the birth of theatre in the making.
MISSION
To forge a new path to opportunity for artists who create theatre. By giving equal access to diverse voices, and inviting a broader audience to join us, we aspire to elevate all that is compelling about original theatre and its ability to promote unity, inspire curiosity and provide joy.
HISTORY
Winter of 2018 – NACT Founders Kirby Ward and Beverly Ward present a table reading of their new musical in a Ventura living room. The enthusiastic audience ask “When’s the next reading?”
Spring of 2022 – The Wards present a second living room reading, followed by a large scale table reading in a Los Angeles rehearsal studio. Guests from the 2018 reading eagerly requested an invitation. Knowing from personal experience how limited the opportunities are for playwrights to present early or mid-process work, an idea for a new works company is sparked.
March, 2023 – NACT officially launches with a table reading of Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime. Attended by 100+ community members, the event is proof-of-concept for the residents of Ventura and a new theatre is born.
April, 2024 – The inaugural new works festival is held at the Museum of Ventura County. Six hundred attendees enjoy nine events over four days, featuring four brand new plays.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Beverly and Kirby Ward have been married since the ‘80s and each have decades of professional theatre experience. Their history of artistic collaboration spans nearly 40 years, beginning shortly after wedlock when they toured the country in Sugar Babies starring Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller. They’ve performed on Broadway and the West End in London, and in numerous National Tours. Their writing projects have taken them all over the United States and abroad. In the theatre industry, they’re known for high artistic standards, commitment to a collaborative workplace, and a desire to produce work that leaves audiences craving more.
BEVERLY Ward
Co-Artistic Director
After spending decades on stages across the U.S. and abroad, in 2006, Bev (she/her) turned her sights to writing. She first wrote the score for an adaptation of His Girl Friday, teaming on the concept and book with husband Kirby Ward. Next, they collaborated on an original musical titled Dancing As Fast As We Can which was invited to participate in the 2009 NYFringe Festival. In 2012, Bev was invited to participate in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Writers Workshop. While at BMI, she selected the Oscar Wilde short story, Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, for her next adaptation. Once again, she enlisted husband Kirby to musicalize Wilde’s tale of a misguided, love-sick Lord. Lord Arthur (now entitled Sunday After Next) has been presented in reading format at; The Wilton Playshop, at the York Theatre Off-Broadway, as one of five new musicals at The Village Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in Issaquah, Washington, in London’s West End at the From Page To Stage new works festival, in 2020 as part of Rubicon Theatre Company’s Plays-in-Progress series, and most recently for audiences at New art City Theatre. As an actress, Bev’s Broadway credits include Epic Proportions and Anastasia. Her National Tour credits include, Sugar Babies, Crazy For You (Helen Hayes nominee for Best Actress in a Touring Production), Show Boat and Billy Elliott. Bev’s first solo EP, The Noble House of Pancake, was released in early 2016.
KIRBY Ward
Co-Artistic Director
Kirby Ward (he/him) is an international actor, writer, director and choreographer. Kirby was the original Bobby Child in the West End premier of Crazy For You, a performance that garnered him an Olivier Award nomination, an album, and a chance to meet the Queen. He oversaw both the Korean Premiere of the show and at the Academy of Drama in Beijing, China. Some of his writing credits include the American TV show “Wake Rattle & Roll” and the cartoon show “Monster Tails.” He’s a co-creator of the stage musical The Gypsy King, which was presented at the Village Theatre in Issaquah, Washington in 2010. His original short film, “Down in the Mouth,” which he wrote, directed and edited, received the Best Short Film award at the Kent Film Festival in Connecticut and was featured in four other national and international film festivals including the Los Angeles Shorts film festival in 2007. Broadway credits include Show Boat, Woman of the Year and Never Gonna Dance. He’s helmed theatre events on four continents and has directed and choreographed large and small scale stage productions of She Loves Me (L.A. Times Critic’s Pick), Grease, Singin’ In The Rain, Big River (San Diego Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, L.A. Times Critic’s Pick), Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fiddler on the Roof, Sugar Babies, Dames At Sea, Crazy For You, Me & My Girl, and Return to the Forbidden Planet, to name a few.
Board Of Directors
In addition to Kirby Ward and Beverly Ward, the New Art City Theatre’s six-person Board is comprised of a former Disney CTI/CTO, an executive fundraiser with 20 years of experience in the non-profit world, and two active community volunteers, each with extensive experience in either fundraising or non-profit administration.
JULIE HAMANN
Julie’s love of theatre began in her father’s ballet studio in New Orleans, where she performed in numerous productions before studying Musical Theatre Performance at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She was a performer with the Walt Disney Company across the U.S. and on cruise ships, and as a Special Events Performer at Tokyo Disneyland. In New York she landed a recurring role on “As the World Turns.” Her film debut came in Cat People alongside Malcolm McDowell. Now based in Ojai, Julie has been an actor and choreographer for OPAT, Nordhoff High School, and other local organizations. In 2017, Rotary recognized Julie as an Ojai Living Treasure.
Anne Paul King
Anne Paul King (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Ventura College Foundation. She has been in the non-profit sector for 30 years at both local and national levels. At her core, she is a fundraiser and a change agent. In 2019, she was named Association Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fundraiser of the Year for the Ventura and Santa Barbara County Chapter in California.
JEFFREY LAMBERT
Jeffrey Lambert serves as Chief Executive Officer for the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura. Before that, Jeff served as Chief Operating Officer of the Ventura County Community Foundation and as Community Development Director for the City of Oxnard and City of Ventura. Jeffrey has a proven track record as a public servant through his career and is recognized as a Certified Planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Jeffrey previously owned his planning and government consulting firm, served as Community Development Director for the City of Santa Clarita and as the Land Use Manager for Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Jeffrey served on the national Board of the American Planning Association (APA) and was President of the California Chapter of APA.
Neal Lassila
Neal Lassila is a seasoned executive who has held key leadership positions in enterprise level roles. During his 24-year tenure with The Walt Disney Company, he led the global technology strategic plan and re-launch of The Disney Stores and integration with DisneyStore.com establishing the Omni-Channel strategy for Disney. Neal also worked as part of the start up leadership team launching new location-based concepts including ESPN Zone, Disney Quest, and Disney Consumer Products including Licensing.
Sandy Lassila
Sandy Lassila is a long-time devoted mother, wife and community volunteer with diverse skills and strengths. In 1998, Sandy became a key fundraiser for Blessed Kateri Church in Santa Clarita. Through her efforts and team spirit, Sandy helped raise millions of dollars to bring a vision into reality for this church.
Judith Russo
Judy has been a life-long supporter of the arts. Her education background transitioned to running a startup in Silicon Valley that did discovery work for the legal and medical industries. She has participated with many non-profit organizations in Seattle including Lake Washington School District, Village Theatre and Second Story Repertory. She served as Chair for Rubicon Theatre’s Education and Outreach in 2013, as well as Talent Coordinator for VUSD Festival of Talent. In 2019, Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (CHICO) brought Judy on board as Administrative Director. She currently serves on the Ensemble Theatre Company’s Education and Outreach Committee.
Honorary Board
The NACT Honorary Board includes noted industry professionals who are longtime peers and friends of the founders. These show-business luminaries are lending their good names to help NACT achieve success.
John Cariani is an actor and playwright. He’s appeared on and off Broadway, at regional theaters across the country, and in several films and television shows. He’s been nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Fiddler on the Roof, but most people know him for his roles on TV’s Law & Order (Forensics Tech Beck), The Onion News Network (Reporter Michael Falk), and Numb3rs (Professor Otto Bahnoff). Mr. Cariani is the author of Almost, Maine, one of the most produced plays in the Samuel French library.
Norm Lewis is an Emmy, Tony, and SAG Award nominee who recently starred in Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed, “Da 5 Bloods,” and in the groundbreaking FX series, “Pose.”In May of 2014, he made history as the first African American Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Mr. Lewis is a proud founding member of Black Theatre United, an organization which stands together to help protect Black people, Black talent and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in theatre and communities across the country.
Brian Stokes Mitchell was dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times. This Tony Award-winning actor has enjoyed a career that spans more than 40 years in Broadway, television, film, recordings and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. Mr. Mitchell received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime.
Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thirty novels. Her books have been translated into thirty-four languages in thirty-five countries. Picoult’s two Young Adult novels, Between The Lines and Off The Page, co-written with her daughter Samantha Van Leer, premiered Off-Broadway in Summer 2021. She is also the co-librettist of the musical Breathe, and of the musical adaptation of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which will play at the Coventry Belgrade and the Leicester Curve in the fall of 2023.
DIVERSITY. EQUITY. INCLUSION.
At New Art City Theatre, we take the term “equitable access” seriously. We are committed to fair and transparent hiring practices, and we actively work to make every component of our programming and process accessible to as many artists, theatre practitioners, and audience members as possible. We are dedicated to making a difference where we can.
Financials
New Art City Theatre is committed to financial transparency. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at info@newartcitytheatre.org.