Count me among the smitten Groffies (IYKYK; if you don’t, see bit.ly/4emK5sg) who eagerly await an evening of song and conversation with Broadway’s Tony Award–winning leading man Jonathan Groff on Monday, April 27. Moderated by his Glee co-star, Santa Barbara’s own Jane Lynch, the soiree at the Rosewood Miramar Beach is a fundraiser to support UCSB Arts & Lectures’ Access for ALL arts education program, serving 30,000 students and community members throughout Santa Barbara County each season.
Fresh from his acclaimed performance in the Bobby Darin musical Just in Time and his Tony-winning turn in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, the irresistibly charming Groff lights up the room with heart, humor, and irresistible artistry. One of Broadway’s most honored and in-demand leading men, Groff is known to millions as the royally hilarious, scene-stealing King George III in Hamilton, as well as for standout work in Spring Awakening, Mindhunter, Frozen and more. And yes, he had an early role on Glee, as the bad boy love interest of Lea Michele and lead vocalist of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline.
The event’s beneficiary, Access for ALL, is the umbrella title for Arts & Lectures’ education and community programs. Their K-12 programs include Arts Adventures, an annual series of field trips to the Arlington and Granada theaters that offer opportunities for local students to see notable artists and thinkers of our time. In the Arts Up-Close residency program, artists and speakers move into classrooms for workshops, Q&As and assemblies.
In addition, UCSB students enjoy substantial discounts on tickets or free admission to Arts & Lectures events throughout the year. And artists and speakers engaged by Arts & Lectures provide UCSB students with master classes, workshops, Q&A sessions and classroom visits. Through the Thematic Learning Initiative, public workshops, book signings, post-event talkbacks, salon-style discussions, and collaborations with local partner organizations, Arts & Lectures connects its dynamic programming with the life of the community.
Also part of Access for ALL is ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara!, which brings people together to share the rich cultural heritage of Latin America, serving students and community members throughout Santa Barbara County. Created in 2006 out of a commitment to arts access for all, Viva works with dozens of local partners to present high-quality touring artists — Grammy winners and recognized cultural ambassadors — who share their knowledge, passion, and commitment. Schools, neighborhood spaces and community centers come alive in these free programs for youth and families.
For more information about this special benefit event and A&L’s education initiatives, contact Heather Silva, Managing Director of Development, at heather.silva@artsandlectures.ucsb.edu, (805) 893-3755.
