A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

RIOTOUSLY FUNNY MUSICAL,
A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER,
CAPS SEASON 43 AT NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE
Book & Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
Music & Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Based on a Novel by Roy Horniman
Directed by Noelle Marion
July 16 – Aug. 10, 2025

Solana Beach, Calif. – North Coast Repertory Theatre will be rocking with laughter as it closes out Season 43 with the hilariously inventive musical farce, A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER.

Winner of the Tony for Best Musical among a raft of prestigious awards, the diabolically funny romp has Book & Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman, Music & Lyrics by Steven Lutvak and was based on a novel by Roy Horniman. When it first appeared on Broadway, critics and audiences lavished praise on the production, with the New York Times lauding it as “ingenious and inspired,” and The Wall Street Journal rhapsodizing that it “glitters like gold.”

A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER takes audiences on an endlessly entertaining foray into a charming man’s relentless quest for a bountiful inheritance that will change his life forever. This comedic musical tale about ambition, love, family and devious murder plots will have playgoers gasping with laughter and reveling in its lively, imaginative score. Dazzling, delightful, and absolutely unforgettable, this brilliantly conceived musical is guaranteed to lift anyone’s spirits.

Noelle Marion directs Michael Cavinder,* Andrew Hey,* Shinah Hey,* Jean Kauffman,* Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper,* Andrew Polec,* Katy Tang,* and Lauren Weinberg* in A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER. Daniel Lincoln is the Musical Director/Keyboard, Jennifer Williams (Strings), Amy Kalal (Reeds 1), and Katrina Earl (Reeds 2). Luke Harvey Jacobs is the Choreographer. The Design Team includes Marty Burnett (Set Design), Matthew Novotny (Light Design), Elisa Benzoni (Costume Design), Grace Wong (Associate Costume Design), Chris Luessmann (Sound Design), Liam Sullivan (Sound Mixer), Peter Herman (Hair & Wigs), Audrey Casteris (Props Designer), Sarah Palluconi (Assistant Props Design), and Vanessa Dinning (Dialect Coach). Crew members are Haley Baugher, Jeruel Canda, Jamie Krumenacker, and Matthew Lee. Laura Zingle* is the Stage Manager.

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

BIRTHDAY CANDLES previews begin on Wednesday, June 4. Opening Night is set for Saturday, June 7, at 8 pm. The play runs Wednesday, June 4, to Sunday, June 29, 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, June 6, and Wednesday, June 25. A talkback session with the director and cast is scheduled for June 13.

BIOS:

ROBERT L. FREEDMAN (Book and Lyrics) won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Book of a Musical for the Tony-winning Best Musical of 2014, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for Best Score, with composer and co-lyricist Steven Lutvak, with whom he shared the 2014 Drama Desk Award for Best Lyrics. Among his television career highlights, Robert won the Writers Guild Award for HBO’s “A Deadly Secret,” and was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Writers Guild Award for writing the miniseries “Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows.” Other teleplays include “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” for which he received a third Writers Guild nomination; “What Makes A Family,” which won a GLAAD Award and for which Robert was a Humanitas finalist; “What Love Sees,” winner of the Silver Plaque at the Chicago International Television Festival; as well as the highly-rated true crime dramas “Murder In The Hamptons,” “The Pastor’s Wife,” “Honor Thy Mother,” and “Bitter Blood.” In 2006, Freedman and Lutvak received the Fred Ebb Award for songwriting and the Kleban Award for lyric writing for their work on the musicals A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Campaign of the Century. More recently, Robert wrote Book and Lyrics for the musical The Flamingo Kid, with composer Scott Frankel, at Hartford Stage; and the Book for Witnesses, which had its premiere at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Robert is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television, and the Big Apple Award from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is the author of the book, “Notes On The Writing of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” (Applause Books), available at Amazon and other booksellers. 

STEVEN LUTVAK (Music & Lyrics) Tony Award winning MTI author Steven Lutvak, co-author of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, passed away on October 9, 2023. He was 64 years old. Steven Lutvak made his Broadway debut with his score to A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, for which he supplied the music, and co-wrote the lyrics with Robert L. Freedman. A Gentleman's Guide won the Drama League, the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama Desk and the Tony Awards for Best Musical of 2014. Since its successful run of over two years on Broadway, there have been two National Tours, and productions mounted in Sweden, Japan, and China. As a singer/songwriter, Mr. Lutvak performed his songs across the country, including at such prestigious New York venues as Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hall, Rainbow and Stars, and The Russian Tea Room. Among the multitude of awards won for his achievements in musical theatre, Mr. Lutvak received the Johnny Mercer Emerging American Songwriting Award, the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Awards, and is the only two-time recipient of the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Grant.

NOELLE MARION +(Director) is honored to return to North Coast Rep after appearing in All in the Timing, ...Forum, How the Other Half Loves, and Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Directing credits include: Waitress (Moonlight), The Tempest (Two River Theatre), Tootsie (Moonlight), Winter Wonderettes (SDMT), Escape to Margaritaville (Moonlight), Cinderella (Moonlight), Spamalot (Welk Resort), Nunsense (Welk Resort), The Addams Family (Welk Resort), and Freaky Friday (SDMT).  Associate Directing credits: Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson- Apt. 2B (The Old Globe), The Merry Wives of Windsor (The Old Globe), Under a Baseball Sky (The Old Globe), Cabaret (Goodspeed Opera House), Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe), Hair (The Old Globe/Two River Theatre), and Hurricane Diane (The Old Globe). Immense gratitude to David and Brian, and the designers, cast, and crew. Special thanks to Greg and Laurie Stelzer for their continued support!  Endless love to my family and husband.  Proud member of SDC and AEA.

 DANIEL LINCOLN (Musical Director/Keyboard) As pianist / conductor / pit musician (keyboards): Broadway - Wicked, On Your Feet!, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and The Cher Show; Off-Broadway - Avenue Q, tick tick BOOM!, Under the Bodhi Tree (American Premiere production), Steven Sondheim’s Follies (NY City Center Encores!); Tours - Matilda, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz, and The Midtown Men (starring the four original leads from Broadway’s Jersey Boys); Broadway Casting - Binder Casting, Tara Rubin CSA, Telsey + Co.  Former faculty at NYU Tisch and New York Film Academy; current faculty at AMDA, SMC, and USC.  As part of the writing team of Lincoln & Schein, original productions include The Remarkable Mister Holmes, Making Melrose, Fintastic Finn, Grecian Burns, and The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.  Proud Dramatist Guild Member and ASCAP composer. www.DanielMLincoln.com and www.LincolnandSchein.com for more info.

MICHAEL CAVINDER * (Inspector Pinckney & Ensemble) is an actor, producer, director, writer and half-Filipino giant. He is the creator and Artistic Director of Ambush Cabaret. Regional credits: CCAE Theatricals’ Bottle Shock! The Musical (Mike Grgich), 9 to 5: The Musical (Tinsworthy) at Musical Theatre West, Mamma Mia! (Bill) and Clue (Mr. Body) at La Mirada Theater. International Tours: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan. Michael originated the role of King Agnarr in Disney’s Frozen, directed by Liesl Tommy, and appeared as Drake in Annie alongside an all-star cast at the Hollywood Bowl. TV Credits: “Law & Order.” He is forever grateful for his lovely wife Libby, his family and friends, Lindsay Brooks and the rest of the team at ATB Talent Agency. Enjoy the show!

ANDREW HEY* (Tom Copley/Magistrate & Ensemble/U/S Monty*) is thrilled to make his debut with North Coast Rep. Andrew, along with his wife, Shinah, are recent transplants to Southern California and spent the past 12 years performing in the Twin Cities of Minnesota at theatres such as Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Ordway Center, Theater Latté Da, and others. Theatre highlights include: Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli), Grease (Doody), Joseph…(Joseph), Fiddler on the Roof (Fyedka), Little Women (Laurie), Disney’s Newsies (Finch, U/S Jack), The World Over (Adam), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (U/S Prince Eric), Pirates of Penzance (U/S Frederic), and the Minneapolis cast and international touring cast of All Is Calm (Littlefair) among others. TV: BroadwayHD/ PBS recording of “All Is Calm” (Littlefair). Andrew also holds a MA in Counseling and works as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. IG:@heyandrewhey “Love to Shinah, Jane and Charlie.”

SHINAH HEY* (Miss Barley, Lady Eugenia & Ensemble/U/S Sibella) is elated to be making her North Coast Rep debut. Regional credits include Arena Stage, Ride The Cyclone (Ocean); Guthrie Theater, The Music Man (Zaneeta Shinn); Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Cynthia Weil), Footloose (Rusty), Grease (Frenchy, Sandy U/S); Theater Latté Da, Assassins (Squeaky Fromme), Gypsy (Dainty June and Agnes), Into The Woods (Little Red and Lucinda); Artistry, Sweet Charity (Charity), Little Women (Amy/ Jo U/S); The Hive, Matt & Ben (Ben); The Jungle, Ride The Cyclone (Ocean). National Tours include The Kennedy Center, Me… Jane (Jane Goodall), Sending all of her love to Andy, Jane and Charlie. Instagram: @ShinahHey

JEAN KAUFFMAN* (Miss Shingle & Ensemble) This is Jean’s second expedition to Edwardian England with the D’Ysquiths; at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in 2019, she played Lady Eugenia. She was Grandma Tzeitel in the recent Jason Alexander led production of Fiddler On The Roof in La Mirada. At Hartford Stage she was in the premiere production of the new musical, The Flamingo Kid. Other SoCal credits include Emma Goldman in Ragtime, Mrs. Brice in Funny Girl, Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown, and Sara Jane Moore in Assassins. She was in National Tours of Cats, Beauty and The Beast, A Chorus Line, and On The Twentieth Century. Regionally, Jean appeared as Gertrude in Hamlet, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Carmen Bernstein in Curtains, and Lucy Schmeeler in On The Town. Her Film and TV credits include “Poker Face,” “Gangsterland,” “Shut Eye,” “What Love Sees,” “Bitter Blood,” and “Angels On Tap.”

NICHOLAS MONGIARDO-COOPER* (D’Ysquith Family) Off-Broadway: Rothschild & Sons, Lonesome Traveler, Julius Caesar. Regional: Fiddler On The Roof (La Mirada), A Wicked Soul In Cherry Hill (Geffen), Waitress (Moonlight),The Tempest (ASF), The Play That Goes Wrong, Sherlock Holmes’ Last Adventure (Portland Stage) Once (Geva), Rounding Third (FST), House of Dreams (SDRep), Oliver!, Matilda (5Star) Sweeney Todd, Once, Shakespeare In Love (SCR) King Lear (Rubicon), Holmes and Watson, Harvey, (Laguna), Side Show (La Jolla), Of Mice And Men, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Sherlock Holmes, Side By Side By Sondheim, Words By (North Coast Rep). TV: “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC) “Dying For Sex” (F/X) “Ghosts” (CBS) “The Connors” (ABC) “Fairly Oddparents” (Paramount+) “Danger Force” (Nickelodeon) “Fuller House”(Netflix) “Superstore” (NBC) “Casual” (Hulu).

ANDREW POLEC* (Monty) - North Coast Rep Debut! West End: Strat in Bat Out of Hell (London Coliseum, Dominion Theatre; Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award) Off-Broadway: The Beautiful Lady (La MaMa), The Fantasticks (Theatre Center) Regional: The Grinch in How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Berger in Hair, Crime and Punishment, A Comedy (Old Globe),  Escape to Margaritaville (Moonlight Stage), Legacy of Love (Bucks County Playhouse), The General from America (Hudson Valley Shakespeare), Ivanov, A Christmas Carol (Trinity Repertory), Where the Wild Things Are (Providence Fringe). Film/television: “Katy Keene,” “Prodigal Son,” “Wheel of Fortune.” Music: “Disillusioned Funk.” Other: 2021 First Prize Winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition. Education: B.A.s in English, Music from University of Rochester, M.F.A. in Theatre from Brown University. Socials: @andrewpolec

KATY TANG* (Phoebe D'Ysquith) previously seen at North Coast Repertory: Don't Dress for Dinner, Pippin, The Cherry Orchard, The Remarkable Mister Holmes. Regional credits: Sweeney Todd, She Loves Me (South Coast Repertory), Marry Me A Little (International City Theatre), Candide (San Bernardino Symphony), A Little Night Music (EastWest Players), Spring Awakening (Cygnet Theatre), Turn of the Screw, The Mikado (Pacific Opera Project), Denver Center, Syracuse Stage, La Mirada Theatre, Independent Shakespeare Company, Laguna Playhouse, The LATC, Arrow Rock Lyceum, Sacred Fools, Chalk Rep and LA Opera. International credits: “Le Nozze di Figaro” (Mediterranean Opera Festival, Italy), “Werther,” “Orphée et Eurydice” (La Péniche Opera, France). Tang trained at UCLA & the Ecole Normale de Musique, Paris. For you, Janet.

LAUREN WEINBERG* (Sibella) is so thrilled to return to North Coast Rep after performing as Guenevere in Camelot last season. Nat’l Tour: Guys & Dolls (Adelaide). Off-Broadway: Smile (Brenda) with J2 Spotlight, AMT Theater. Regional favorites: Guys & Dolls (Adelaide) at Olney Theatre Center- Helen Hayes Nomination, Beauty and the Beast (Belle) at Theatre By The Sea, Brigadoon (Fiona) & Damn Yankees (Lola) at The Wick Theatre, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine) at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Clue (Miss Scarlet) at the John W. Engeman Theater. Other New York: International Fringe Festival, The Jewish Museum, NYTF winner. Episodic: “Hustling, The Series.” Lauren appears in national and regional commercial & voiceover spots for brands such as BudLight, Zicam, & JBL. BFA Penn State, New York based. A huge thank you to David & the creative team, and love to Dru & the THPs! www.laurenweinbergofficial.com. Insta: @ellemdoubleu   

LAURA ZINGLE* (Stage Manager): Theatre credits include: Cygnet Theatre: Angels in America, Parts I & II; San Diego Repertory Theatre: A Doll’s House, Part 2, Fun Home, Detroit. La Jolla Playhouse: The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical (sub ASM), Kill Local, WithOut Walls Festival 2017, Tiger Style!, Kingdom City, El Henry (in association with San Diego Rep), His Girl Friday, and Hands on a Hardbody. The Old Globe: Picasso at the Lapin Agile (sub ASM), Sense and Sensibility, The Metromaniacs (sub ASM), Arms and the Man. Production Coordinator: San Diego Theatres. Other credits include: Old Globe Gala (Production Manager, 2024), Spoleto Festival USA: U.S. premiere of opera “The Little Match Girl” (Helmut Lachenmann); different words for the same thing (workshop, Center Theatre Group), La Jolla Music Society, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, Pointeworks, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus. M.F.A., Stage Management: UC San Diego. Proud member: AEA and IATSE 122.