NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE REPRISES MUSIC-LADEN FAVORITE
2 PIANOS 4 HANDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Starring Jefferson McDonald & Matthew McGloin
By Ted Dykstra & Richard Greenblatt
Performances Beginning Friday, December 15, 2023
Running Through Sunday, December 31, 2023
Directed by Tom Frey

Solana Beach, Calif. – By popular demand, North Coast Repertory Theatre is bringing back the joyful family pleasing 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS to brighten the holiday season. Get ready for an interlude of riotous laughter as Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin take us on a musical comedic journey about their would-be careers as concert pianists. The talented duo trade stories about piano lessons, pushy parents and eccentric teachers while playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel. This entertaining, crowd-pleasing show not only hits all the right notes, it tickles the ivories and your funny bone. Tickets will be flying out the door, so reserve yours early to avoid disappointment. 

Tom Frey directs Jefferson McDonald* and Matthew McGloin.* The design team includes Marty Burnett (Resident Scenic Designer) and Matthew Novotny (Light Design), and Ian Scot (Projection Design). Vernon Willet* is the Production Stage Manager.

*The actor or stage manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.

2 PIANOS 4 HANDS performances begin Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 pm. Final performance is Sunday, December 31, 2023, at 2 pm. The show runs Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Added Wednesday matinees on December 20 and December 23. There is no evening performance, Sunday Dec. 24, 2023. Tickets are $64. Seniors, students and military are entitled to a $3 discount per ticket. Call 858-481-1055, or visit www.northcoastrep.org to purchase tickets.

BIOS:

TED DYKSTRA (Co-Creator / Original Co-Director) started playing piano at age six, and peaked at age twelve, when he had a particularly memorable string of firsts competing in the Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival. His acting career began at a young age in St Albert, Alberta, playing the 2nd Bird in Once Upon a Clothesline, but his breakout role was Bilbo Baggins in his school’s grade 8 production of The Hobbit. Since then, he has gone on to play leading roles on every major stage in Canada, often combining his musical skills in such roles as: Mozart in Amadeus; Cale Blackwell, a character based on Jerry Lee Lewis, in Fire (seven Canadian theatres); Shostakovitch in Master Class (Manitoba Theatre Centre); Glenn Gould in An Evening with Glenn Gould (National Arts Centre); Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Crow’s Theatre); and Cousin Kevin in The Who’s Tommy (Mirvish Productions); and school children around the world know him as Bach in the film Bach’s Fight for Freedom. He also wrote and composed the acclaimed musical Evangeline, which was produced at The Charlottetown Festival and The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. Other favorite acting roles include the title role in Hamlet (Theatre Calgary); For Soulpepper Theatre: Teach in American Buffalo, Daffyd Llewelyn in A Chorus of Disapproval and Yuri in his own adaptation of Tolstoy’s The Kreutzer Sonata; for Stratford: title role in Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Ariel in The Tempest; as well as three seasons of leading roles for The Shaw Festival. Most recently Ted portrayed Scrooge in The Citadel Theatre’s landmark new production of A Christmas Carol, a role he originated and has played for three seasons in a row. In 2000, he turned his attention to directing, and since has directed many award-winning shows in Toronto and across the country. He has also directed 2P4H across America and in Australia and Hong Kong. In 2014, Ted and his wife Diana Bentley founded The Coal Mine Theatre in Toronto’s East End, and it has become the most successful indie theatre in the country, garnering its artists a staggering 29 Dora nominations in 6 seasons. He regularly directs and acts there. He has appeared in dozens of films and TV shows and most recently was a regular on Season 6 of “The Expanse.” He is also the voice of Dad Tiger on “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” He is also a Founding Member of Soulpepper Theatre and in the award department he has received 6 Doras (acting, musical direction, producing), a Gemini (acting), a Sterling (musical direction), a Merritt (directing) and a Chalmers (writing). He is the proud father of Theo, Rosie and Henry. He loves playing and watching tennis. Oh, and Go Oilers!

RICHARD GREENBLATT (Co-Creator /Original Co-Director) is an actor, director, writer, and musician who has been a professional theatre artist for the last 49 years. He was born in Montréal and studied piano for 10 years with the late Professor Dorothy Morton of the McGill Conservatory of Music. He studied theatre at Dawson College before pursuing his acting training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. Upon graduating, he worked at Leeds Playhouse for a season, returning to Canada in 1975. Since then, he has performed in theatres in Toronto, across Canada, and abroad, playing such diverse roles as Henry David Thoreau, Spinoza, and Sam Goldwyn, as well as in feature films, television and radio.  Other favorite roles include: The Fool in King Lear, Creon in Antigone, The Concierge in The Gladstone Variations, Galbraith in Essay, Cadman in I Call Myself Princess, and touring to Galway, Ireland, as The Father in Enda Walsh’s Bedbound. He has directed well over 130 productions for theatres across the country – the vast majority being original and/or Canadian works – including: plays by George F. Walker, Judith Thompson, Jason Sherman, Adam Pettle, Diane Flacks, Shirley Cheechoo, Michael Healey, Julie Tepperman, and Rob Fothergill, amongst numerous others. Classical works he has directed include plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Shaw, Brecht and Shepard, amongst many others. As a writer, he wrote or co-wrote: Soft Pedaling, 2 Pianos 4 Hands, Sibs, The Theory of Relatives, i.d., Letters from Lehrer, Care, and Athabasca. 2 Pianos 4 Hands has played on five continents and in over 150 cities since it opened at the Tarragon Theatre in April 1996. Greenblatt himself has performed the play with co-creator Ted Dykstra over 1,000 times across Canada, and in New York City, Washington D.C., London, U.K., and Tokyo.  A mentor and teacher to young talent, he has taught acting, directing and play creation at most of the theatre training institutions in Canada, including Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Alberta, George Brown College, Humber College, and the National Theatre School of Canada. He has also directed the premieres of numerous groundbreaking and award-winning plays for young audiences, including Seesaw; Mirror Game; Misha; Danny, King of the Basement; Wrecked; The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh and Kindness. Since the Covid Pandemic, he has “pivoted” to being an author. In 2021, his book Text and Context, The Operative Word was published by J.G. Shillingford Press, and his memoir, “Two of the Best in the Neighborhood, An Anecdotal History of 2 Pianos 4 Hands,” has just been released, and is on sale at J Gordon Shillingford Publishing! His third writing/performing collaboration with Diane Flacks, “Pals,” will be presented at the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre in the fall of 2023. Oh, and he’s writing his first novel. He has received numerous nominations for his work and has won seven Doras and two Chalmers Awards. He lives in Toronto with partner Tanya Greve and their daughter, Amelia, and is the proud father of Natasha, Will, and the dearly missed Luke Greenblatt.

TOM FREY (Director) is the new artistic director of the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, as well as the US resident director of 2 Pianos 4 Hands. He has directed over 20 productions of 2P4H at theatres around the country, including: Portland Stage, The Cape Playhouse, Stages Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Pittsburgh City Theatre, the Rubicon, and many others. In addition to directing the show, he has performed the show over 600 times in the United States and Canada. He has played both roles, but spent most of his time playing the role of Ted. During the pandemic, he helmed the critically successful 2021 outdoor summer season for the Peterborough Players, including an acclaimed production of Our Town, performed onsite in downtown Peterborough, widely believed to be a heavy inspiration for Thornton Wilder’s “Grover’s Corners.” Also at the Players, he directed Cabaret, Circle Mirror Transformation, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Always…Patsy Cline, the U.S. premiere of Kristen DaSilva’s Where You Are, and others, in addition to spending the better part of 12 years as a member of the Players’ Acting Company. As an actor, he has performed in venues across the country, with some favorites including Daniel Beaty’s Breath and Imagination from early development workshops to Hartford Stage, Pittsburgh City Theatre, and Cleveland Playhouse; Dirty Blonde at the Cleveland Playhouse and Pittsburgh Public Theatre; Souvenir at Seven Angels Theatre; Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes at Milwaukee Skylight Opera Theatre; Mack Sennet in Mack and Mabel and Wilson Mizner in the American Regional Premier of Sondheim’s Road Show at Stages Repertory Theatre, Houston. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a fairly recent resident of Peterborough, NH. Love to Bridget.

JEFFERSON  MCDONALD* (Ted) is pleased to bring his passion for acting and music to the North Coast Rep stage in his fourth production of 2 Pianos 4 Hands (Cincy Playhouse, Peterborough Players, Mayfield Dinner Theater).  A three-time Broadway World Award winner and recipient of the Cincy Beat Award for Best Musical Actor, Jefferson has brought his passion for drama, comedy, and music to stages all over the United States and Canada.  Growing up on an organic poultry farm, Jefferson realized he had dexterous fingers as the fastest chicken gutter in Upstate New York. He soon realized his fingers could move just as fast playing Mozart and at age eleven he started pursuing music aggressively. He later added drama to his music pursuits and would study in London and Moscow (MXAT) and with the Tom Todoroff studio in NYC, receiving degrees in Drama from Ithaca College and an M.F.A in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training where he was cast as Spike in Vanya, Sonya, Masha & Spike, which resulted in him being shirtless in the New York Times.  He would reprise that role at St. Louis Rep and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Not long after, while performing in Cabaret, Jefferson auditioned for the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet. He was cast and would perform in twelve productions of that show leading to the inception of his original musical, Jerry Lee Lewis VS Jerry Lee Lewis, produced by Playhouse Stage Co. During the pandemic he would start a band and tour his rock & roll show, Jefferson Mcdonald’s Great Balls Of Fire, on Princess and Celebrity cruise ships.  For more information on Jefferson’s upcoming performances, visit his website jeffersonmcdonald.com.

MATTHEW MCGLOIN* (Richard) is honored to team up again with Jefferson & Tom, having previously collaborated with them on 2 Pianos 4 Hands at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Peterborough Players, and the Mayfield Theatre. NY/Off-Broadway: The Hello Girls (Prospect Theater Company/59E59, OCR), Bastard Jones (The Cell), Casablanca Box (HERE Arts), Xanadu (Piper Theatre), workshops/readings with Tectonic Theater Project, Abingdon Theatre Company, Dixon Place, The Lark.  Regional: Cabaret (Peterborough Players), The Play That Goes Wrong (Repertory Theatre St. Louis), Murder for Two (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre), Beautiful Star (Triad Stage), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Signature Theatre), Misalliance, Cinderella (Olney Theatre Center), As You Like It (Folger Theatre), History on Foot (Ford’s Theatre), various shows at The Kennedy Center and Virginia Shakespeare Festival. Training:  BFA Acting, UMBC.  www.matthewmcgloin.com // @jackie_of_all_traits.This one’s for Mimi, Ruth, and Helen.

VERNON WILLET* (Production Stage Manager) is returning to NCRT after having helmed two world premieres: The Angel Next Door by Paul Slade Smith and one of the most successful productions to date, Murder on the Links, written and directed by Steven Dietz. Vernon’s work encompasses many of the Southern California theatres: the Laguna Playhouse, McCoy/Rigby Entertainment, Musical Theatre West, 3D Theatricals, the Rubicon Theatre, San Diego Musical Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Maltz Jupiter Theatre and a myriad of others. He shares his life with director/choreographer/champion ballroom dancer Cate Caplin. Actors’ Equity Association member since 1983.

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Mikki Schaffner

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Mikki Schaffner

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Mikki Schaffner

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Aaron Rumley

Photo by Mikki Schaffner

Photo by Aaron Rumley

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE EMBRACES HALLOWEEN SPIRIT
WITH NEW, SUSPENSE-FILLED THRILLER,
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
From the Novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
 by Robert Louis Stevenson
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Performances Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023
Running Through Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023
Directed by Shana Wride

Solana Beach, CA – North Coast Repertory Theatre presents DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE; a daring reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless tale, filled with darkness, desire, love, and unbridled terror. In Jeffrey Hatcher’s gripping drama, we delve deep into the human psyche, exploring the eternal conflict between good and evil. Relentless forces engage in a deadly and electrifying cat-and-mouse showdown, vying for ultimate domination. Hatcher masterfully invites the audience to question their loyalties, blurring the lines between right and wrong, leaving us all in suspense. Prepare to be enchanted by this wickedly clever and sharply witty narrative, infused with passion and chilling suspense. It’s the perfect choice for thrill-seekers who crave a spine-tingling experience that captures the essence of the season.

Shana Wride directs Jacob Bruce,* Katie MacNichol,* Conner Marx,* Ciarra Stroud,* Bruce Turk,* and Christopher M. Williams* in DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. The design team includes Marty Burnett (Scenic Design), Matthew Novotny (Co-Light Design), Erik Montierth (Co-Light Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Phillip Korth (Props), Peter Herman (Hair & Wig Design), Emmelyn Thayer (Dialect Coach), Jason Paul Tate (Fight Choreography) and Caleb Foley (Assistant Sound Design). Cindy Rumley* is the Stage Manager.

*The actor or stage manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.Read on

LOVE, LAUGHTER, TEARS, MUSIC, AND DRAMA
TO ENTICE PLAYGOERS DURING AMBITIOUS SEASON 42 (2023-2024)
AT NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

Solana Beach, Calif. – North Coast Repertory Theatre has announced Season 42, featuring a host of plays that include two world premieres, a beloved musical masterpiece, side-splitting comedies, an eerie Gothic thriller, a poignant drama, and a taut psychological study.

Artistic Director David Ellenstein said he chose a season of plays that will provide a full range of emotional experiences for theatre-lovers of nearly every stripe. “Season 42 is shaping up to be one of the most eclectic and entertaining series we have ever produced,” he said. In addition, (Also acting as Artistic Director at Laguna Playhouse), he is also thrilled that two productions will transfer to Laguna Playhouse during the season. A partnership, he created that will benefit both theaters.

Inaugurating the new season is the world premiere comedy, THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR. Capturing the sheer joy, sophistication, and wit of 1940s screwball comedies, playwright Paul Slade Smith (The Outsider; Unnecessary Farce) has brilliantly adapted Ferenc Molnár’s classic farce, Play at the Castle. The characters grapple with romance, misunderstandings, and comical situations which have the potential of a major disaster while provoking riotous laughter. This world premiere will transfer to Laguna Playhouse. THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR abounds with sharp, fast-paced dialogue that delivers non-stop mirth. A delightful evening at the theatre. Ellenstein directs this romp, which runs September 6 – October 1, 2023.

Just in time for Halloween comes DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the novella, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Be prepared for a new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of depravity, lust, love, and horror. This suspenseful drama looks at the evil that lurks in the hearts of men, as two sides battle each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to determine who achieve dominance. In Hatcher’s adaptation, the question is, who should we be rooting for? The show is wicked and witty, passionate and terrifying; perfect for audiences who want to combine their love of theatre with the spirit of the season. Directed by Shana Wride. Runs October 18 – November 12, 2023.

The new year starts off with INTIMATE APPAREL, a heartfelt story of belonging, love, and survival. Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Lynn Nottage has stitched together a powerful tale with an array of characters whose intertwining relationships are told with humor, heartbreak, and resiliency. In this deeply affecting story, the audience is taken into the world of a lonely, talented Black seamstress, living in a Manhattan boardinghouse in 1905 but dreaming of a more fulfilling life. This enduring favorite has enthralled, entertained, and touched audiences around the country. A powerful American story! Jasmine Bracey directs. Runs January 10 – February 4, 2024.

Next up is Molière’s TARTUFFE. Acknowledged as one of the most enduring comedic masterpieces in the theatrical canon, this delightful, incisive play is given an astonishingly clever English translation by two-time Pulitzer Prize poet Richard Wilbur. The charlatan Tartuffe worms his way into a wealthy family causing disruption and pandemonium. With wicked precision and brilliantly rhyming verses, this highly satiric comedy skewers religious hypocrisy, duplicity, lust, and self-inflicted chaos. Lovers of classic theatre and ingenious wordplay will not want to miss this inventively entertaining evening. This production will transfer to Laguna Playhouse, an exciting take on a classic not to be missed! Richard Baird directs. Runs March 6 – 31, 2024.

Following is the world premiere of an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller, SENSE OF DECENCY, by Jake Broder, based on the book, “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist,” by Jack El-Hai. The playwright has crafted a surprise-filled exploration into what makes us tick, filled with unexpected revelations, magic, and insight. After WWII ended, the Nuremberg trials began. Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi alive. American Army psychiatrist Dr. Douglas M. Kelley was tasked with interviewing him extensively and keeping him fit for trial. What happened in that fateful room had profound and unexpected consequences for both men. Dramatic gold. Directed by David Ellenstein. Runs April 17 – May 12, 2024.

The lushly romantic CAMELOT, brilliantly adapted for intimate theatres, glides in next on the schedule. With book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, playgoers are treated to an evening of enchantment. This Tony Award-winning fairy-tale musical resounds with such memorable songs as, “I Loved You Once in Silence,” “If Ever I Would Leave You,” and the title song, “Camelot.” Based on the King Arthur legend, it features the iconic characters King Arthur, Guenevere, Sir Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. This epic story centers on the quest for democracy, justice, and the tragic struggle between passion, aspiration, and kingdoms. Transport yourself to a world of romance, revelry, and magic. Jeffrey B. Moss directs. Runs May 29 – June 23, 2024.

Non-stop laughs are guaranteed when DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER reprises. Written by Marc Camoletti and adapted by Robin Hawdon, this lightning-fast farce is North Coast Rep’s most- requested return engagement of the past twenty years. Witty, rapid-fire dialogue, funny sight gags, and a touch of slapstick are just a few ingredients that make DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER simmer into action. The recipe for comedic confusion combines some sexy hanky-panky, mistaken identity, and of course, dinner in a French country house. Audiences will be laughing from start to finish at the antics of these loveable (and sometimes not-so-loveable) characters. Christopher Williams directs. Runs July 17 – August 11, 2024.

While not part of the seven-play season, another audience favorite, 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS, by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, will light up the holiday season. Get ready for an interlude of riotous laughter, as Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin take us on a musical comedic journey about their would-be careers as concert pianists. The talented duo trade stories about piano lessons, pushy parents, and eccentric teachers while playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel. This wildly popular show not only hits all the right notes, it tickles the ivories and your funny bone too. Directed by Tom Frey. Runs December 15 – December 31, 2023. Tickets must be purchased separately.

About the North Coast Repertory Theatre:

North Coast Repertory Theatre, under the artistic leadership of David Ellenstein since 2003, is a professional Equity theatre founded in 1982 by Olive and Tom Blakistone. Currently celebrating its 42nd season, North Coast Rep has received critical acclaim from media and audiences alike, and has evolved into one of the area’s leading performing arts organizations. North Coast Rep prides itself on employing the majority of its actors from Actors’ Equity Association for its high quality, award-winning productions, and staging works by established and emerging playwrights. Throughout its history, North Coast Rep has created a platform where artist and audience thrive through the intimacy of live theatre, recognizing the power of theatre to challenge complacency, revitalize the imagination, nurture the unexpected, and embrace the variety and diversity in our lives.