SeeCalifornia.com

Ramona, a hugely successful outdoor play that has taken place in a Hemet canyon at the base of the San Jacinto mountains annually since 1923 , offers the right mix of excitement and drama for women, men and even kids. Many scenes are performed up on the hillside, on trails and clearings, though most of the action happens close to the audience in the bowl area. Nature is the setting in which real horses kick up dust on the trail and the blue-sky backdrops are real.  Ramona, the heroine of the fictional play, is part Scot, part American Indian, who faces discrimination throughout her life. Fittingly, the play takes place on the very land that once was occupied by the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians. They were forced onto a nearby reservation. In 2012 their  Soboba Foundation was a key sponsor of the 90th season of Ramona, America’s longest running outdoor drama. A member of the Soboba Tribal Council said it’s important that the public know the history of Southern California as it pertains to the Native American community, the missionaries and the white settlers. The Ramona play depicts just that in a very emotional and realistic manner. Ramona takes place on weekends April 20 – May 5, 2013.

Did you know that Raquel Welch (shown in this black & white photo) played the part of Ramona in 1959 at the age of 19? She was called Raquel Tejada.  Read more…>