Birthday Candles

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE INVITES AUDIENCES
TO AN ENGAGING, HEARTWARMING CELEBRATION
OF FIVE GENERATIONS WITH SAN DIEGO PREMIERE OF
BIRTHDAY CANDLES
Written by Noah Haidle
Directed by David Ellenstein
June 4 – June 29, 2025

Solana Beach, Calif. – Playgoers are in for a treat as North Coast Repertory Theatre presents Noah Haidle’s BIRTHDAY CANDLES, a touching tribute to one woman’s life. Filled with laughter, tears and moments of reflection, the play explores the passing of time, the evolution of relationships, and the profound changes that occur in a person’s life from one year to the next. Through its characters and storytelling, BIRTHDAY CANDLES offers a unique perspective of life’s milestones. It honors five generations, an infinity of dreams, and one century-old cake. This is one party you won’t want to miss, so RSVP at the box office early to reserve yourself a place at the table.

David Ellenstein directs Matthew Grondin,* Katie Karel,* Martin Kildare,*James Newcomb,*  Emelie O’Hara,* and Margot White.* in BIRTHDAY CANDLES. The Design Team includes Marty Burnett (Set Design), Matthew Novotny (Light Design), Danita Lee (Costume Design), Ian Scot (Sound Design), Michael Wogulis (Props), and Peter Herman (Hair & Wigs). Philip Gold* is the Production Manager, and Victoria Hua, Production Assistant.

*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:

NOAH HAIDLE (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright whose work has been seen on six continents. For the 2017-2018 season, he was the writer-in-residence at the National Theater of Mannheim, Germany, a position first held by Friedrich Schiller in 1785. A graduate of Princeton and Juilliard, Noah lives with his perfect wife Kelsey, their heaven-sent son Butch, a dog, a bunny, and a blue lobster named Suzanne.

DAVID ELLENSTEIN (Director) Born into a theatrical family; David has worked in theatres across the country. He currently serves as Artistic Director of North Coast Rep and the Artistic Director of Laguna Playhouse. A veteran of over 250 theatrical productions, other theatres include: Coconut Grove Playhouse, Papermill Playhouse, Portland Stage. Renaissance Theatre, Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Laguna Playhouse, Southwest Shakespeare Company, AJTC, Meadow Brook Theatre, Portland Rep and Gaslamp Quarter Theatre. Winner of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for “2018 Director of the Year Award.”

MATTHEW GRONDIN* (Billy/John) Matt is delighted to be making his North Coast Rep debut! Credits include District Merchants, Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing (South Coast Rep) Arsenic and Old Lace (La Mirada Theatre), Native Son (Kirk Douglas Theatre), The City of Conversation, Women of Jeopardy, Good People (Ensemble Theatre Company) Moon for the Misbegotten (Rubicon Theatre) Stupid F*cking Bird, Bad Jews (Stage West) The Thanksgiving Play (Dezart Performs), Friends Like These (NY Fringe), The Cripple of Inishmaan, Native Son (Antaeus Theatre – where he is a Company Member). Readings/Workshops include: Pasadena Playhouse, The Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Rep, EST/LA, Sacred Fools.

KATIE KAREL* (Alice/Madeline/Beth) is so happy to be returning to North Coast, her theatrical home. Off Broadway: Lucky Duck, National Tour: Menopause the Musical 2; with North Coast Rep: Pippin, Always...Patsy Cline, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and Sherlock Holmes & The Great Nome Gold Rush, and Laguna Playhouse: Tartuffe, The Remarkable Mr. Holmes. 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 Repertory, 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

MARTIN KILDARE* (Matt/William) Broadway credits include Scar in The Lion King, A Raisin in the Sun, Timon of Athens, The Government Inspector, and The Herbal Bed. Also, as Bill in the North American tour of Mamma Mia! Off-Broadway appearances include Pride’s Crossing, Honor and the River, Candida, Labor Day, and Three More Sleepless Nights. For North Coast Rep, Bloomsday and Human Error. Recently, The Remarkable Mr. Holmes and Love Among The Ruins at the Laguna Playhouse. Other LA area theaters include Mark Taper Forum, Musical Theatre West, South Coast Rep, A Noise Within, La Mirada and 3D Theatricals. Nationally, over a dozen major regional companies, including a combined ten seasons with the California, Alabama and Utah Shakespeare Festivals. Film/TV: “Joker 2,” “Palm Springs,” “Clipped,” “Superstore,” “NCIS,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Law and Order” and many others. He studied at Stanford University, the American Conservatory Theatre, Theatre des Amandiers, in Paris, and Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

JAMES NEWCOMB* (Kenneth) The Old Globe: Twelfth Night, Coriolanus, and Much Ado About Nothing. San Diego Rep: Honky, Zoot Suit, Brooklyn Boy, and The Illusion. North Coast Rep: The Homecoming, Christmas Carol (as told by one man who cares - Streamed), How the Other Half Loves. Cygnet Theatre: Roy Cohn in Angels in America (Craig Noel award). Other Theatre: Oregon Shakespeare Festival (14 Seasons), Denver Center Theatre (9 Seasons), The Public Theatre, B.A.M. Utah Shakespeare Theatre, Shakespeare & Company (founding member), The Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Berkeley Rep. South Coast Rep, Portland Center Stage, Missouri Rep, Arizona Theatre Co., and Geva Theatre. Representative Roles include: Oxford Society Award for Richard III (O.S.F.)

EMELIE O’HARA* (Joan/Alex/Beth) Regional Theatre credits include:  Henry VI Parts 2 & 3, Macbeth (Utah Shakespeare Festival); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Colorado Music Festival); Romeo & Juliet (Redhouse Arts Center); Hamlet, Comedy of Errors, Henry VI Parts 2 & 3, Edward III, Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Little Women, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival); Sense and Sensibility and The Electric Baby (Arvada Center for the Performing Arts), Becket (Drive Theatre); Love’s Labour's Lost (Courage Theatre); Macbeth (Sierra Repertory Theatre); Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Merlin (Theatricum Botanicum); The Lady M Project (Local Theatre Co.); and Private Lives (Adobe Theatre). Film credits include: “Don’t Blink,” “Stained Glass Windows.” TV credits include: Starz, USA, Lifetime. International: Kerry Tribe’s Critical Mass, London. Training: Moscow Art Theatre, Gaiety School of Acting.

MARGOT WHITE* (Ernestine Ashworth) Margot is thrilled to return to North Coast Rep, where she just received a Craig Noel Award for her portrayal of Beatrice in A View From the Bridge. Other favorite credits include: Broadway: Farinelli & the King (Belasco); Love, Love, Love (Roundabout); Constellations (MTC), Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention (Music Box); Off-Broadway & Regional: The Refugees, (Gulfshore Playhouse/World Premiere); Dirty Dancing (International Tour); The Traveling Lady (E.S.T, Dir Horton Foote); Pericles (Red Bull); Unspeakable (Harlem’s Apollo); Sweat (Pioneer Theatre); Talley’s Folly (The McCarter w/ Richard Schiff),Curious Incident.. (CTRep), for which she received the CT Critics Circle Featured Actress Award. TV/Film/Podcast: “FBI," “Bull," “Unforgettable," "L&O," "L&O: Criminal Intent," "Blue Bloods," “Limetown," “Ask for Jane." In addition to her acting career, she’s the founder & creator of Sweets of Adversity, a baking company specializing in creative concessions for special events, along with catering the edible props for shows On and Off-Broadway. More at margotwhite.com & sweetsofadversity.com

PHIL GOLD* (Stage Manager) is pleased to return to North Coast Rep with Birthday Candles after last summer’s production of Camelot. Tours: Sisterella (European) and Soul Doctor (San Diego run). Off Broadway: Miss America’s Ugly Daughter. Recent regional credits include: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors, Million Dollar Quartet, Richard III, Love Among the Ruins, The Wizard of Oz, Joseph…, The Realistic Joneses, and the world premieres of Dark of the Moon: A New Musical and All Things Equal.