Gerald Sibleyras (Playwright) Acclaimed playwright Gerald Sibleyras was born in 1961 in Paris and his latest play is Le Banc (The Bench). His most notable work is the 2003 Le Vent des Peupliers, which has been translated and produced in countries worldwide including the United Kingdom, Germany, Uruguay and now the United States. The play premiered at the Theetre Montparnasse and received four Moliere nominations including Best Author. Tom Stoppard translated the play into English (Heroes) and it received its West End debut at Wyndham's, directed by Thea Sharrock. The production won the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Future translations and productions are planned for Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Finland, and many other countries. His next play L'Inscription was produced in 2004 in Paris and later in Poland. La Danse de L'Albatros premiered in Paris in 2006. It was the hit of the season starring Pierre Arditi and other productions followed in Belgium, Canada and Italy. Une Heure et Demie de Retard (2005, An Hour and a Half Late) adapted by Mel Smith, was produced in England and toured for several months. In 2003 Un Petit Jeu Sans Consequence (Consequences) was awarded 5 Moliere Awards. The screenplay is in development with Focus Film. As an adaptor into French, Sibleyras's credits include William Nicholson's The Retreat From Moscow (La Retraite de Russie), produced in Paris in January 2007; Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon and Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party. He is currently adapting his play La Danse de L'Albatros for the screen.

Tom Stoppard (Adaptor) Tom worked as a freelance journalist while writing radio plays, a novel (Lord Malquist and Mr. Moon), and the first of his plays to be staged in England, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, winner of the 1968 Tony Award for Best Play. His subsequent plays include The Real Inspector Hound, After Magritte, Jumpers, Travesties (Tony Award), Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (with André Previn), Night and Day, The Real Thing (Tony Award), Hapgood, Arcadia (Olivier Award, New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and Tony Award nomination), Indian Ink, and The Invention of Love. The 2006 American premiere of Stoppard's trilogy, The Coast of Utopia, at Lincoln Center won seven Tony Awards. Rock 'n' Roll, his most recent play, premiered at London's Royal Court Theatre in June 2006 and on Broadway in November 2007. Stoppard's translations and adaptations include Lorca's House of Bernarda Alba, Nestroy's On the Razzle, Václav Havel's Largo Desolato, Rough Crossing (based on Ferenc Molnár's Play in the Castle), and Gérald Sibleyras' Heroes. He has written screenplays for Despair, The Romantic Englishwoman (coauthor), The Human Factor, Brazil (coauthor), Empire of the Sun, The Russia House, Billy Bathgate, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (which he also directed and which won the Prix d'Or for best film at the 1990 Venice Film Festival), Shakespeare in Love (Golden Globe and Academy Awards, with coauthor Marc Norman), Enigma, and The Bourne Ultimatum. Stoppard received a knighthood in 1997.

Jonathan McMurtry (Phillippe) Jonathan has a half century affiliation at San Diego's Old Globe where is is an "Associate Artist", with over 200 productions to his credit. He has coached Shakespeare for the Old Globe's MFA program. He has also coached Shakespeare's 37 plays. Among his many acting awards, Jonathan especially treasures the 2008 "Craig Noel Lifetime Achievement In the Theatre Award" for his service in San Diego and outlying communities. Heroes is his 8th assignment with North Coast REP. He has appeared in leading roles at major regional theatres across the U.S.A. And Canada. Films include: Beautiful Joe with Sharon Stone, Best Laid Plans with Reese Witherspoon, Little Nikita with Sydney Poitier and Point Blank with Lee Marvin (to name a few). TV credits include: Guest starring roles on Cheers, Frazier, Almost Perfect, Eli Stone and most recently Modern Family. McMurtry is a proud graduate of England's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He lives in Vista, CA with his wife, Terri and their daughter , Coral.

Ray Reinhardt (Henri) Ray has appeared on Broadway in A Flea in Her Ear and in Tiny Alice with Sir John Gielgud. He was a founding company member of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco where he worked for 29 years in various plays including leading roles in Desire Under the Elms, The Visit, The Miser, Sleuth and Cyrano de Bergerac. His television and film credits include The Hunt for Red October, Hill Street Blues, Star Trek Voyager and The Next Generation, LA Law, The Golden Girls, and General Hospital. He is delighted to be making his first appearance here at North Coast Rep.

Ken Ruta (Gustave) Actor/Director/Teacher Ken Ruta, longtime Associate Artist of San Diego's Old Globe was a founding-company member of Minneapolis' Tyrone Guthrie Theatre (over 30 productions), San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre (over 60 productions) and Cincinnati's Playhouse-In-The-Park, besides enjoying a quarter century association with the Arizona Theatre Company. He has served with the country's leading Resident theatres and opera companies as well as appearing in the Broadway productions of Inherit the Wind, Separate Tables, Duel of Angles, Ross, The Three Sisters and The Elephant Man plus a National Tour of Oscar Wilde: Diversions and Delights. Having performed in all the media, he maintains a "first time/last time" love for the words of Shakespeare, Shaw, Chekov, Williams, Wilder and Tom Stoppard, spoken to a "live" audience.

David Ellenstein* (Director) Born into a theatrical family, David has worked in theatres across the country. Before joining North Coast Rep in 2003 he served as Artistic Director for the Los Angeles Repertory Company and the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company (AJTC). A veteran of over 200 theatrical productions, directorial favorites include:

North Coast Rep – My Name is Asher Lev, The Drawer Boy, Becky's New Car, Ghosts, The Tempest, Talley's Folly, Over the Tavern, Old Wicked Songs, The Dresser, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Madagascar, A Shayna Maidel, The Honky Tonk Angels, Rashomon, A Moon for the Misbegotten; Tuesdays With Morrie; Collected Stories; Halpern and Johnson; Romeo and Juliet; Amy's View; Einstein Comes Through (also co-author); The Chosen; A Life in the Theatre; Story Theatre and Charley's Aunt. Coconut Grove Playhouse - Sonia Flew starring Lucy Arnaz; Halpern and Johnson starring Hal Linden and Brian Murray. Papermill Playhouse - The Chosen starring Theodore Bikel and John Lloyd Young. Portland Stage - Halpern and Johnson. Renaissance Theatre - Long Day's Journey Into Night. Actor's Theatre of Phoenix - Rabbit Hole. Alabama Shakespeare Festival - Rocket City (world premiere) and Honky Tonk Angels. Laguna Playhouse - Alexandros (world premiere). Southwest Shakespeare Company - Cyrano de Bergerac. AJTC - Awake and Sing. Meadow Brook Theatre - A Christmas Carol. Pirate Playhouse - Old Wicked Songs and Talley's Folly. Kingsmen Shakespeare - Hamlet. Portland Rep - Conversations With My Father and Gaslamp Quarter Theatre - A Shayna Maidel.

Favorite roles as an actor include Matt in Talley's Folly at North Coast Rep, title roles in Hamlet at Los Angeles Theatre Center and Los Angeles Repertory Company; Richard III at California Shakespeare Festival; Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Laguna Playhouse; Calisto in The Illusion and Harker in Dracula at the Arizona Theatre Company; Jonathan in Sight Unseen at North Coast Rep and Portland Repertory Theatre.

Film and television credits include over three dozen roles including Star Trek IV, The Practice, Foul Play, Christine Cromwell, Renegade, Eight is Enough, and General Hospital. David has also been guest faculty for numerous universities including California State Northridge, Cal Arts, and Shakespeare workshops privately. David lives with his beautiful wife Denise and their amazing sons Jamie and Will.

Marty Burnett (Scenic Design) Designs for North Coast Rep are the last 135 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 Lend Me A Tenor, Five Course Love, 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.

Chris Luessmann (Sound Design) Chris' favorite NCR designs include: Dracula and A Christmas Carol, for which he won Patté Awards, King O' the Moon, Gee's Bend, Over the Tavern, Jaques Brel..., The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Baby, and Voice of the Prairie. Off-Broadway: The Third Story. Miracle Theatre Productions: Das Barbecu, Too Old for the Chorus, and Forbidden Broadway SVU. Moonlight Stage Productions: Les Miserables, Little Shop of Horrors, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Magic Fire, Moon Over Buffalo. La Jolla Playhouse: Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. Scripps Ranch Theatre: Red Herring. UCSD: Angels in America, Full Circle, Eurydice, Labyrinth of Desire, Cabaret, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, and The Skin of Our Teeth. Chris holds a BA in Theatre from UCLA, and an MFA in Theatre from UC San Diego.

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

Aaron Rumley* (Stage Manager) North Coast Repertory Theatre: Lend Me A Tenor, My Name is Asher Lev, The Drawer Boy, Becky's New Car, Voice of the Prairie, Ghosts, Glorious!, Talley's Folly, Over the Tavern, Rabbit Hole, The Dresser, Don't Dress for Dinner, Madagascar, Mornings at Seven, String of Pearls, Dracula, Rashomon, Wit, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Leading Ladies, Collected Stories, Halpern & Johnson, Romeo and Juliet, The Bungler, The Chosen, A Life in the Theatre and The Rainmaker. North Carolina Theatre: Talley's Folly, Picnic, The Miser and On Golden Pond. Aaron received a B.A. in Theatre from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and is the production manager at the North Coast Repertory Theatre. Aaron is a Member of Actors' Equity.

Crew
Cindy Khoury (Production Assistant) Credits: NCRT: 5 Course Love, My Name is Asher Lev, King O' The Moon, Drawer Boy. Other credits include: Snapshots (Pico Playhouse), Bye Bye Birdie (San Diego Musical Theater) A Streetcar Named Desire, Wole Soyinka's Samarkand, Conference of the Birds (Moscow Art Theater), Damn Yankees (Reprise). Cindy holds an M.F.A from UC Irvine.

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