Tartuffe - North Coast Repertory Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tartuffe

Translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur
Directed by Richard Baird

From: Nancy Richards
nancy@northcoastrep.org
Office: 858-481-1055 ext.

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS
TIMELESS COMEDIC MASTERPIECE,
TARTUFFE, by Molière
Translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur
Directed by Richard Baird
EXTENDED March 6 – April 7th

(Solana Beach, Calif.) – North Coast Repertory Theatre promises an evening of wit, satire, and uproarious laughter with Molière’s timeless comedic masterpiece, TARTUFFE, March 6 to March 31. This extraordinary production, translated into English verse by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Wilbur, is directed by Richard Baird.

Tartuffe, a charismatic charlatan, insinuates himself into the lives of a wealthy family, setting off a chain reaction of disruption and pandemonium. Wilbur’s translation infuses the play with wicked precision and brilliantly rhyming verses, highlighting its satirical commentary on religious hypocrisy, duplicity, lust, and self-inflicted chaos.

Audiences who appreciate classic theatre and ingenious wordplay are in for a treat as they witness this inventive and entertaining evening unfold before them. Following its run at North Coast Rep, TARTUFFE will transfer to Laguna Playhouse, ensuring that even more theatre enthusiasts can experience this exciting take on a classic. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this theatrical journey!

The cast features Kandis Chappell*, Shanté DeLoach, Rogelio Douglas III*, Bo Foxworth*, Katie Karel*, Melanie Lora*, Kate Rose Reynolds, Bruce Turk*, Jared Van Heel* and Christopher M. Williams.* The design team includes Marty Burnett (Set Design), Matthew Novotny (Light Design), Elisa Benzoni+ (Costume Design), Ian Scot (Sound Design), Peter Herman (Hair & Wigs Design). Vernon Willet* is the Production Stage Manager.

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

TARTUFFE previews begin on Wednesday, March 6th. Opening Night is set for Saturday, March 9th at 8 pm. The play runs Wednesday, March 6 to Sunday, March 31, with performances on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 pm and Sundays at 7 pm. Added matinee performances at 2pm on Friday, March 8, and Wednesday, March 27. A talkback session with the director and cast is scheduled for March 15.

BIOS:

MOLIÈRE (Playwright) was the leading French comic actor, stage director, and dramatic theoretician of the seventeenth century. He was born Jean Baptiste Poquelin on January 15, 1622, to a Parisian furniture merchant and upholsterer to the king. In 1643, he incorporated an acting troupe, The Illustrious Theatre, and acquired the pseudonym Molière. In 1658 the troupe went to Paris and played before Louis XIV. The king’s brother became Molière’s patron; later Molière and his colleagues were appointed official providers of entertainment to the Sun King himself. In the following twenty-four years, starting with The Precious Maidens Ridiculed, which established him as the most popular comic playwright of the day, and ending with The Imaginary Invalid, Molière advanced from being a gifted adapter of Italian-derived sketches and a showman who put on extravaganzas, to a writer whose best plays had the lasting impact of tragedies. Molière’s plays include: The Jealous Husband, The Flying Doctor, Sganarelle, The Rehearsal at Versailles, and The Forced Marriage. The School for Husbands, The School for Wives, Tartuffe, Don Juan, The Misanthrope, The Doctor In Spite Of Himself, Amphitryon, The Miser, George Dandin, The Bourgeois Gentleman, Scapin, The Learned Ladies, and The Imaginary Invalid.

RICHARD WILBUR (Translator) was born in New York City and received his B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. from Harvard. He has taught on the faculties of Harvard, Wellesley, Wesleyan, and Smith. Mr. Wilbur’s publications include six volumes of poetry and two collections of his selected verse, a volume of his collection verse, translations of Molière’s four most outstanding verse plays, the musical Candide, for which he supplied most of the lyrics, a collection of his prose, and two books for children. His highly praised verse translations of Molière’s plays The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, The School for Wives, and The Learned Ladies have all been performed in New York and are frequently presented by resident theatre companies throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain, including productions at Stratford, Ontario, and the National Theatre in London. He has also completed verse translations of two of Racine’s great tragedies, Andromache and Phaedra. Among Mr. Wilbur’s awards are two Pulitzer Prizes, a National Book Award, Edna St. Vincent Millay Award, Bollingen Award, Ford Foundation Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, and Prix de Rome Fellowship. He has served as both Chancellor and President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1987 he was named the second Poet Laureate of the United States, succeeding Robert Penn Warren.

RICHARD BAIRD (Director) is an award-winning director, actor and producer. He is the founding Artistic Director of New Fortune Theatre Company, where he directed the West Coast Premiere of Public Enemy and a revival of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party and co-directed Henry V and Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Directing credits include- North Coast Repertory Theatre: Of Mice and Men, A Walk in the Woods, Amadeus and Dancing Lessons. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: The Changeling (Black Swan Series); Backyard Renaissance: The October Night of Johnny Zero; An Experiment with an Airpump; Intrepid Theatre: Much Ado about Nothing; Diversionary Theatre: Edward II; Southwest Shakespeare Company: As You Like It and The Winter’s Tale. Shakespeare Sedona/Poor Players: Richard II. Poor Players Theatre: Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, Coriolanus, Measure for Measure (three times), Taming of the Shrew, Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry IV, Part One.

KANDIS CHAPPELL* (Mme. Pernelle) is delighted to return to North Coast Rep, where she was previously seen as Eleanor in the one-woman show, Eleanor. Other shows include: Collected Stories, King O’ The Moon, The Lion in Winter, and The Illusion. Kandis is an Associate Artist of the Old Globe where she has appeared in more than 30 productions including The Merchant of Venice, Private Lives, The Winter’s Tale, and Pygmalion. She has worked extensively at South Coast Rep in Costa Mesa in such productions as The Crucible, Woman in Mind, Shadowlands, and A Streetcar Named Desire, and has also appeared on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, and at theaters across the US.

SHANTÉ DELOACH (Mariane) is delighted to be making her North Coast Rep debut! By way of Tucson, Arizona, she is a graduate of AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and now splits her time between Los Angeles and Atlanta. She is the Administrative Director of Eleventh Story Productions, a company focused on producing diverse and enigmatic stories, and she is “1⁄2 of 6 Feet Forever,” a podcast that delves into unsolved crimes and mysterious happenings in communities of color around the globe. Most recent credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Mountaintop, the film “Honk for Jesus,” “Save your Soul,” and “Triggered,” a film she acted in and produced that is currently making its festival rounds. Love to my family and friends, to Ebb and Erika for helping with my audition, and to YOU for supporting live theatre. Enjoy the show!

ROGELIO DOUGLAS III* (Damis) is a Black and Afro-Latino multi-hyphenate artist: actor, spoken-word poet, educator, writer. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and now resides in LA after earning his MFA in Acting from UCLA Theatre, Film & Television. RD3 is humbled and grateful to be making his debut appearance with North Coast Rep Theatre! Douglas was last seen in The Talented Tenth (Robey Theatre Co. at The LATC), The Inheritance (Geffen Playhouse), and Picnic (Odyssey Theatre). Additional work includes Measure for Measure as Claudio, and Titus Andronicus as Aaron the Moore (Shakespeare by the Sea). On-screen credits include: “They Listen” (Blumhouse Productions) and “Space Lightning” (Amazon Prime) and more on NBC, CBS & HBO. He can be heard dubbing English for “Rhythm + Flow France” on Netflix. Douglas is an educator at Theater of Arts Conservatory and UCLA. Proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Love. Growth. & Black Poetry. | @RogelioDouglas3

BO FOXWORTH* (Orgon) as a proud member of the Antaeus Theatre Company in LA, he has been seen in Measure for Measure, Cloud 9 (LADCC and Stage Raw Best Actor Winner), Henry IV, The Liar, The Crucible (Ovation nomination), the title role in Macbeth, The Seagull and The Malcontent. Other theatre’s include South Coast Rep, The Pasadena Playhouse, I.C.T., The Fountain Theatre, Shakespeare Orange County, The Skylight Theatre, Ensemble Theater Company, La Mirada, Laguna Playhouse, The Geffen, Disney Hall, LA TheatreWorks, Boston Court Pasadena, The Hollywood Bowl and A Noise Within (2 Ovation nominations). New York and Regional theaters include The Lucille Lortel, The Century Theater, The Pearl Theater, The Shakespeare Theater D.C., Vienna’s English Theater, The Long Wharf, Baltimore Center Stage, Playmakers Rep, The Old Globe, The Yale Rep and many others. He hasnumerous film and television credits including “Modern Family,” “VEEP,” and the HBO movie “All the Way.” He is a graduate of UCLA and Yale School of Drama.

KATIE KAREL* (Dorine) is back at North Coast after having appeared last summer in Pippin. Also at North Coast Rep: The Remarkable Mr. Holmes, Always…Patsy Cline, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and Sherlock Holmes & The Great Nome Gold Rush. Off Broadway: Lucky Duck. National Tour: Menopause the Musical 2, San Diego – Guntopia with Roustabouts, A Christmas Carol at Lamb’s Players. Selected Regional: Skylight, Indecent, The Humans, Chesapeake, You Can’t Take It with You, Valhalla, Heathers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Into the Woods, The Addams Family, Sunday in The Park With George, Sweeney Todd, 1776, In Trousers, a few Hairsprays and a couple more Patsy Clines. Her thanks to everyone at North Coast, and to the cast and creative team. Love to Gary. Karel is passionate about her mentorship with LLS, Imerman Angels, and Friend for Life Cancer Support Network as a survivor. Connect with Katie at www.katiekarel.com

MELANIE LORA* (Elmire)—North Coast Rep: The Homecoming, Into the Breeches. Laguna Playhouse: Many Happy Returns. A fairly recent transplant from Los Angeles, other LA/SoCal credits include The Hothouse (Antaeus Theatre Co), Of Good Stock (world premiere), Elemeno Pea, Misalliance, and Collected Stories (South Coast Rep), Dinner with Friends, and Boeing Boeing (La Mirada Theatre), The Good Book of Pedantry and Wonder (Theatre@Boston Court) as well as productions at the Actors’ Gang, Ahmanson Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, The Odyssey Theatre and many others. Film/TV: “Show Me Yours,” “Fishhead,” “I am I,” “The United States of Leland,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Numbers,” “Gilmore Girls” and others. Lots and lots of tv commercials and voiceover work. Mom to four incredible humans. More at melanielora.com @missmelanielora

KATE ROSE REYNOLDS (Flipote/Police Officer/Laurent) is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker, and the Director of Operations for Loud Fridge Theatre Group. Recent San Diego performance credits include: Iron (Roustabouts, SD Critic’s Circle Award for Featured Performance); Witchland (Backyard Renaissance); The Humans (San Diego REP); Cardboard Piano (Diversionary). Elsewhere: Hamlet, Twelfth Night (Perspective Theatre Company, SF); The Academy (Theater for the New City, NYC); and over 15 productions with Bristol Valley Theatre in upstate New York, including Silent Sky, Mary’s Wedding, and Private Lives. She also stars in the independent horror film “Soul to Keep,” currently streaming on Amazon Prime. www.katerosereynolds.com.

BRUCE TURK* (Tartuffe) recently appeared at North Coast Rep as Henry Jekyll. Broadway and Off Broadway credits include the title role in Julie Taymor’s production of The Green Bird and numerous appearances with Theatre For A New Audience. San Diego audiences have seen him in fifteen productions of Shakespeare at the Old Globe Theatre (Craig Noel Award). Also, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, ACT, Pasadena Playhouse, Seattle Repertory, McCarter Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Denver Center, Geva, Cincinnati Playhouse, Goodman, the Shakespeare Theaters in DC, New Jersey and Santa Cruz, and many more. He has been a resident member of Tadashi Suzuki’s Acting Company in Japan, Resident Artist at Hartford Stage, and recipient of the TCG/Fox Fellowship for Distinguished Achievement. Graduate of Northwestern University.

JARED VAN HEEL* (Valere/M.Loyal) is thrilled to be making his North Coast Rep debut. San Diego audiences may have previously seen him in eight productions of Shakespeare at The Old Globe. He has toured extensively throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. Off-Broadway credits include Hamlet and The Awesome 80s Prom. Select Regional credits include The Liar, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and The Cmplt Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (abridged) (Texas Shakespeare Festival); The Trip to Bountiful, Frankenstein Unplugged, Betty’s Summer Vacation, Cyclone, and Breach (Montana Repertory Theatre); Antony & Cleopatra (Harlequin Productions), American Midget (Trembling Stage), Twelfth Night (MadCap Productions), and others.

CHRISTOPHER M. WILLIAMS* (Cleante) is an actor, director, producer, stage manager, teacher and fight choreographer. Select acting credits include: Off Broadway: Rothschild and Sons (The York). Regional: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dancing Lessons, The Outsider, How the Other Half Loves, Holmes and Watson, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Tempest, Lend Me a Tenor, Don’t Dress for Dinner (North Coast Rep); A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Drawer Boy (AZ Theatre Co); Noises Off!, Comedy of Errors (Phoenix Theatre); Noises Off! (Idaho Shakes); Angels in America: Part 1 & 2, Lobby Hero (Actors Theatre); Beau Jest, Jest a Second (AZ Jewish Theatre); Hamlet, A Funny Thing…Forum, Oliver!, Julius Caesar, Othello, Henry V, (SW Shakespeare). On screen credits include: “Terriers,” “The Incredible Adventures of JoJo,” “Island of Lost Girls.” He also played Jacob and was a producer of the WWII feature film, “Walking with the Enemy,” starring Ben Kingsley and Jonas Armstrong.

VERNON WILLET* (Production Stage Manager) is returning to North Coast Rep after having helmed the return engagement of 2 Pianos 4 Hands and 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.