Nena del Valle Cram (with guitar) and Susanita del Valle at Rancho Camulos in 1888. Photo by Charles Fletcher Lummis.
Six years ago the Rancho Camulos Museum, a National Historic Landmark, forged an historic partnership with the Ramona Outdoor Play, which has been performed in Hemet since 1923.
On Sept. 7, 2013, performances by the core cast and dancers from the play “Ramona” – the California Official Outdoor Play – will again highlight the annual “Ramona Days” from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Rancho Camulos Museum in Piru.
Helen Hunt Jackson’s 1884 classic California novel, “Ramona,” will come to life at the “Home of Ramona” in a festival celebrating all things Ramona.
In addition to watching vignettes from the play (at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.), visitors will be able to view the 1910 Mary Pickford movie which was filmed on location at Camulos; see unique memorabilia and historic displays; experience living history; and attend presentations by Ramona experts such as Ramona pageant historian Phil Brigandi and film maker Hugh Munro Neely.
Mary Pickford in the title role (with Henry B. Walthall as Allesandro) in D.W. Griffith’s production of “Ramona,” shot over two days in 1910 at Rancho Camulos in the Santa Clara River Valley.
Linda “La Matadora” Andrade of Saki Flamenco and her dancers will be back by popular demand to provide both thrilling flamenco performances and an opportunity to learn the art of flamenco.
Check the website, www.ranchocamulos.org, for details of this year’s program, which will include more presentations on general California history as well as participation by museums and historical groups from this area.
Food, music, a used book sale, art and craft sales and demonstrations, original artwork by local artists, museum and garden tours, free children’s activities and more will be available. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume for a fun experience of living history.
An excellent video of the 2009 event that was filmed for Roger Martin’s “Out and about” series can be viewed here: http://scvtv.com/html/outabout245.html.
In order to encourage wide community participation, admission fees are reasonable, with advance tickets available for $7, and gate admission $10. Children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets can now be purchased in person at the museum gift shop during regular tour hours, via email at info@ranchocamulos.org, or by phone at 805-521-1501, for pickup at will call.
Vendor, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are also available for this unique event. All proceeds benefit the historical preservation, restoration and educational efforts of this 501c3 nonprofit museum.
Rancho Camulos is located on Highway 126, two miles east of Piru and 10 miles west of the I-5 Newhall Ranch Road exit.
For more information visit ranchocamulos.org.
Sept. 7: Hemet's 'Ramona' Players Perform at Camulos
