10/11 Season

By Gregg Coffin

Gregg's musicals (Right Next To Me, Five Course Love, Convenience, The Daly News, Cinderella, A Christmas Carol) and over 100 incidental scores have beenproduced Off-Broadway and throughout the U.S., Canada and
Seoul, South Korea, including The Minetta Lane Theatre, The
Duke on 42nd Street, the John Houseman Theatre (NYC), The
ChungMu Art Hall (Seoul), The Stratford Festival of Canada, The National Arts Centre of Canada, Canadian Stage Company, The Tarragon Theatre (Canada), Denver Center Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Geva Theatre Center, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Human Race Theatre, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Stages Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, B Street Theatre, PCPA TheatreFest, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Rogue Music Theatre, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Studio Arena, Circle Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Actor's Playhouse at the Miracle Mile, Red Barn Theatre, InterAct Theatre, International City Theatre, California Shakespeare Festival, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, and Sacramento Theatre Company. His incidental music for Slavs! at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto won Canada's 2001 Dora Award (Toronto's Tony). He is the recipient of numerous NEA Creativity Grants. Mr. Coffin was raised in Yarmouth, Maine. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Southern Methodist University. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., the American Federation of Musicians Local 12 and Actor's Equity. www.greggcoffin.com.

Kevin B. McGlynn* (Matt, Gino, Klaus, Guillermo, Clutch) Kevin is a native of Medford, MA and a graduate of the Boston Conservatory. He has toured through San Diego with the 1st National Tours of Kiss Me Kate and All Shook Up and was also seen at the Theatre in Olde Town in Forbidden Broadway. Many thanks to family and friends for their constant love and support especially Mom and Dad, Happy 90th Birthday MOM!

Kristen Mengelkoch* (Barbie, Sofia, Gretchen, Rosalinda, Kitty) Kristen happily joins the company of Five Course Love following appearances in NCRT productions of I Love You Because, Tomfoolery, L5Y & The Nerd.  Currently residing in NYC, Off-Broadway she has performed in editions of Forbidden Broadway and NEWSical the Musical.  Regionally she has appeared at Geva Theatre Center (in Five Course Love), Gateway Playhouse, SCRT, as well as with Miracle Theatre Productions, Moonlight and The Welk.  She can be heard on the recording of FB Goes to Rehab and seen in an episode of Veronica Mars. She is a proud graduate of SDSU’s MFA Program for Musical Theatre.  Love and Thanks to David, Rick, Steven and Bethany as well as my greatly talented friends Omri and Kevin!  Love always to Jonathan.  www.kristenmengelkoch.com

Omri Schein* (Dean, Carlo, Heimlich, Ernesto, Pops) Omri returns to NCRT after a lengthy turn with the European tour of Grease as both Roger and Eugene. Previously at NCRT: Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee and Boyd in The Big Bang. Locally he was seen in Beauty and The Beast and Seussical at Moonlight Stage Productions and in When Pigs Fly at Diversionary. Omri played multiple characters in the Southern flavored Off-Broadway musical The People Vs. Mona and can also be heard on the York Theatre cast recording. Regionally, Omri was seen in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Dear World, amongst others. Omri is also a lyricist/book-writer and is excited for his new theatre company The Contemporary Traditionalists, dedicated to promoting new musicals to premiere this coming fall in New York City. Omri holds an MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University. For more information www.omri-schein.com

Gracie Lee Brown (Female Understudy) This is Gracie's first time working with North Coast Repertory Theatre and she is honored to be a part of such a talented group of people. Gracie is a San Diego native and graduated from San Diego State University this May with a B.A. in Theatre Performance. She most recently played the role of Loud Stone in SDSU's production of Eurydice. Other SDSU credits include Paradise Hotel (Angelique), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Titania), Clean House (Lane), Good Person of Szechwan (Second God), and Musical of Musical's: The Musical (Fraulein Abby), directed by none other than Rick Simas himself. Other San Diego credits: Onstage Playhouse: Arsenic and Old Lace (Elaine), Spotlight Theatre Arts Rep: Little Women (Aunt March). You can also hear Gracie on the original cast recording of A Room Full of Strangers, a song cycle with Music/ Lyrics/ Book by Thomas Hodges, soon to be available on iTunes.

Musicians:

Steven Withers (Keyboards, Synthesizer Programming) See Musical Director bio

Jon Wat (Bass) Jon just graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Theatre Performance but has also been a musician for most of his life. He has played bass for Rent and Fame for Scripps Ranch Performing Arts, written and performed bass parts for The Good Person of Szechwan and A Midsummer Night's Dream at San Diego State University and is thrilled to make his debut at North Coast Repertory Theatre.

Tom Versen (Percussion) North Coast Rep: Back to I Love You Because, Bacharach and David, Jacques Brel, San Diego Rep: Six Women with Brain Death, Always Patsy Cline, Menopause the Musical, Lamb's Theatre: Boomers, The Secret Garden, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Off Broadway: Suds. Thanks to all of you who support the arts, and special thanks to my friends and family. Enjoy the show…

Rick Simas (Director) North Coast Repertory Theatre: The Fantasticks, No Way to Treat a Lady, The Big Bang, I Love You Because, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Previously, he directed Good News; No, No, Nanette; Promises, Promises and the West Coast premiere of Smile, which collectively won 13 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards. Other directing credits include the West Coast premiere of Goblin Market at UC Berkeley, and the East Coast premiere of The Death of Meyerhold at the Studio Theatre. At San Diego State University, he directed Triumph of Love, Bat Boy, Honk! and Zombie Prom, which collectively won 8 Patté Awards. At SDSU, he also directed the San Diego premieres of A New Brain and The Musical of Musicals, and the Southern California premiere of A Man of No Importance. At the Poway Center for the Arts, he directed Master Class; at Diversionary Theatre, the San Diego premiere of When Pigs Fly; and at the Old Globe Theatre, he assisted Tina Landau on the West Coast premiere of Floyd Collins. At the University of Judaism, he directed Jerry Herman's Milk and Honey, and created a series of successful cabarets and concerts, including From Berlin to Brooks: How Jews Made Broadway; Berlin, Bernstein and Bock: Boychiks on Broadway; and Richard Rodgers: A Centennial Celebration. Rick holds a Ph.D. in Dramatic Art from UC Berkeley and has been a faculty member of the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York. For the past 19 years, he has taught in San Diego State University's MFA Musical Theatre Program—currently the only such graduate program of its kind in the country.

Steven Withers (Music Director, synth programmer, keyboards) Steven Withers, a native of San Diego, graduated from Point Loma High School in 1978. He studied composition and piano performance on full honor scholarship at the University of Cincinnati's College/Conservatory of Music for five years before beginning his professional career. In the 1990's Mr. Withers accompanied the stellar cast of Forever Plaid in their record-breaking run at the Theater in Old Town. In 1998 he toured with Michael Crawford in Mr. Crawford's 36 city national tour solo show, playing keyboards with the on-stage 41-piece orchestra. After playing in the bands for both Jane Eyre (La Jolla Playhouse) and The Full Monty (Old Globe) Mr. Withers lived in Manhattan (2000-2004) where he played keyboards for both those Tony nominated shows, and recorded the Jane Eyre Original Broadway Cast Album. Since returning to San Diego in 2004, Steven has been Music Director for shows at North Coast Repertory Theatre (The Big Bang, Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well…, I Love You Because, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,) was the Associate Music Director/pianist for Plaid Tidings (Old Globe) and programmed/played the keyboards for Paul Gordon's Emma (Old Globe.) Steven is legally (finally!) married to Marc d'Hondt, his partner of 18 years.

Bethany Elkin (Assistant Director/Choreographer) Recently played the role of Meg March in Little Women at San Diego State University and Lois/Dance Captain for San Diego Musical Theatre's production of A Chorus Line. She served as Associate Director/Choreographer and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be in A Christmas Carol at Gateway Playhouse. She also choreographed A Grand Night for Singing at SDSU. Last summer she served as Associate Director/Choreographer to Bob Durkin on I Love a Piano at Gateway Playhouse. Bethany has worked as an associate choreographer to Broadway Director and Choreographer Donald Saddler and Broadway Choreographer Larry Fuller. Bethany is an alumni and adjunct professor at Marymount Manhattan College. She is currently attending the MFA Musical Theatre Program at SDSU.

Marty Burnett (Scenic Design) Designs for North Coast Rep are the last 133 shows. Mr. Burnett has designed sets for the Union Plaza, Sahara, and Hacienda Hotels and Casinos in Las Vegas; Harrahs Lake Tahoe; The Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ; The Grand Hotel in Anaheim; and The Drury Lane in Chicago.
Mr. Burnett is the resident designer and technical director at North Coast Rep.

Matt Novotny (Light Design) Matthew recently designed the lighting for My Name is Asher Lev, King O' the Moon, Ghosts, Glorious, I Love You Because, Old Wicked Songs, Rabbit Hole, Shipwrecked!, The Dresser, Don't Dress for Dinner, Mornings at Seven, Baby and Rashomon at North Coast Rep. He's currently the Director of Production for Lyric Opera San Diego. Lighting designs include: Iolanthe, The Merry Widow, The King and I, Countess Maritza, and The Mikado. San Diego: Das Barbecu, The Wiz, West Side Story and Rumors. Regional: Yankee Doodle Dandy (Seattle), Noises Off! (Boston), The Game, (Washington DC) and Primal Twang, a guitar concert featuring six Grammy-winning artists. Matthew holds a BA in Technical Theatre from San Diego State University, and an MFA from Boston University.

John Klicman (Sound Design)

 

Renetta Lloyd (Costume Design) Renetta is excited to be working again with North Coast Rep. Other costuming credits include shows with Moonlight Stage Productions, Mira Costa College, Carlsbad Community Theatre, Encore Youth Theatre, and several other groups around the area. When not costuming, Renetta keeps her hands busy with other creative projects including, most recently, creating a line of baby girl clothes. She would like to thank her wonderful family and hubby for their constant support. Enjoy the show!

John Finkbiner (Scenic Artist) John has been a member of the NCR staff for nearly two years. His favorite shows are Halpern and Johnson, SHIPWRECKED!, The Dresser and Jacques Brel. John received his BA degree at UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television in 1991. John is also an accomplished singer/songwriter and performs with his band, The Stereotypes. His music has been featured on Showtime's Californication, Fox's Bones and NBC's Knight Rider, among others. John lives with his wife Judi and his son John Gibson in Leucadia, plus Ilene and Jerry (the NCR mascots). www.johnfinkbiner.com

Annie Bornhurst (Props and Set Dressing) North Coast Repertory Theatre:
My Name is Asher Lev, King O' the Moon, The Drawer Boy, Gee's Bend, Becky's New Car, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Voice of the Prairie, Ghosts, Little Women, Glorious!, A Christmas Carol, Talley's Folley, I Love You Because, Don't Dress for Dinner, Over the Tavern, Old Wicked Songs, Rabbit Hole. Actors Circle Theatre: The View from Here. The Sanford Meisner Center: Frankie and Johnny, Babes and Brides.

Elizabeth Stephens* (Stage Manager) Elizabeth is pleased to be returning to NCR. She recently stage managed the Old Globe Theatre's productions of Life of Riley and Plaid Tidings – A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid. She has stage managed locally for La Jolla Playhouse and Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company. Ms. Stephens was the Production Stage Manager for the San Diego Symphony for four years. She has also stage managed for Pasadena Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company and The Acting Company.

Cindy Khoury (Production Assistant) North Coast Rep: The Drawer Boy, King O’ the Moon, My name is Asher Lev.  UC Irvine Credits: Cyrano deBergerac, The Laramie Project, Into the Woods, Physical Graffiti, Dance Escape, Trial By Jury.  Snapshots (Pico Playhouse), Bye Bye Birdie (San Diego Musical Theater), A Streetcar Named Desire, Conference of the Birds (Moscow Art Theater), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cry Havoc. Cindy holds an M.F.A in stage management from UC Irvine.

 

Coming soon!