The Cottage

THE COTTAGE
AT NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE
By Sandy Rustin
Performances Beginning Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Ending Sunday, November 22, 2026
Directed by Shana Wride

Solana Beach, Calif. — Love, lies, and laughter collide behind closed doors. North Coast Repertory Theatre presents The Cottage, Sandy Rustin’s wickedly funny feminist farce that made its Broadway debut at the Helen Hayes Theater in 2023. Set in the English countryside in 1923, this side-splitting romp finds passion colliding with propriety as one woman’s decision to expose her own affair sends secrets, scandal, and screwball chaos spilling out of every room. As love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question, The Cottage proves that betrayal has never been this much fun.

“Hilarious! You’ll laugh for two hours straight.” — Theatremania
“A sensational side-splitting screwball comedy!” — Entertainment Weekly
“Razor sharp and rip-roaringly fun.” — Around the Town Chicago

Shana Wride directs Josh Cahn* (Richard), Jacob Caltrider* (Clarke), Abby Leigh Huffstetler* (Dierdre), Katie Karel* (Sylvia), Taubert Nadalini* (Beau), and Lauren Weinberg* (Marjorie). Christopher M. Williams* is Stage Manager and Jay Brace is Production Assistant. The Design Team includes Sean Fanning (Set Design), Matt Novotny (Light Design), Shirley Pierson (Costume Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Zachary Elliott (Props Design), and Peter Herman (Hair & Wig Design). Emmelyn Thayer is Dialect Coach. Crew includes Keelyn McDermott. *The actor or stage manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.

THE COTTAGE previews begin Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 8:00 pm, with a Friday preview matinee at 2:00 pm on October 30. Opening Night is October 31. Closing Night is Sunday, November 22, 2026. The show runs Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 7:00 pm, Saturdays at 8:00 pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Additional matinees are added October 30 and November 18 at 2:00 pm.

BIOS:

SANDY RUSTIN (Playwright) is an actor and writer named one of the most produced playwrights in the country by American Theatre Magazine (’25–’26). Her adaptation of the film “Clue” has enjoyed over 5,000 productions worldwide (Clue/Cluedo) and is currently touring the U.S. and Australia. Sandy made her Broadway debut with her feminist farce, The Cottage (named one of the best plays of the year by Entertainment Weekly). Her concert adaptation of Dear World for NY City Center Encores! was a NY Times Critic’s Pick, and her adaptation of Mystic Pizza premiered in ’25 with the cast album recently released. Her play with music Almost Like a Dance is in development with Grammy winner Edie Brickell, and her play The Suffragette’s Murder, winner of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and a Henry Award nominee, premiered at The Denver Center for Performing Arts in 2025. Her musical Always Something There premiered in Chicago at The Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre in 2025. Other works include Loch Ness (upcoming world premiere), Jolly Holiday, I Married an Angel (NY City Center Encores!), American Girl Live (National Tour), and more. A Northwestern University graduate, Sandy is a member of ASCAP, SAG, AEA, and The Dramatists Guild. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two sons. www.sandyrustin.com

SHANA WRIDE (Director) is a San Diego–based actor, director, and educator. For North Coast Repertory she directed What the Constitution Means to Me and Jekyll and Hyde. Other directing work includes Cygnet Theatre (Mistakes Were Made, The Whale, and the upcoming John Proctor is the Villain), Diversionary Theatre (Boys and Girls, Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins), Moxie Theatre (Or), and San Diego Repertory Theatre (Walter Cronkite is Dead). As an actor, she has performed at North Coast Rep many times, most recently in Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and was most recently seen in Vanya & Sonya & Masha & Spike at Cygnet Theatre. Other acting credits include The Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Cygnet Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, The San Diego Symphony, and more. While living in Los Angeles, she co-hosted the nationally syndicated radio show “Women Aloud” with actor/comedienne Mo Gaffney. Shanawride.com

JOSH CAHN* (Richard) couldn’t be more thrilled to return to North Coast Rep after appearing as Joel Goldman in last season’s production of Beau Jest! Favorite Theater credits include: Much Ado About Nothing (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), 1776 (Engeman Theater) Shear Madness (OCTC), Twelfth Night (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), & The Immigrant (CRT). Select TV & Film highlights are: “Plot Against America” (HBO), “Scarpetta” (Amazon Studios/MGM), “Snap” (AMC+), “The Tonight Show” (NBC), as well as feature films “Love Language” & “The Toast” expecting 2026 releases. Josh has also been featured in more than 30 commercials and is a nationally touring stand up comedian. He was recently awarded Best Next comedian by The Chosen Comedy Festival & Stand Up NY. Endless thanks to The Mine Talent Agency and the team at North Coast Rep. Much love to his fiancee, Haley, his tiny chihuahua, Judith, & his family/friends for their endless support. Josh is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association & SAG-AFTRA.  @JoshCahnmedy www.JoshCahn.com

JACOB CALTRIDER* (Clarke) was most recently on stage for North Coast Rep as Pasquale in The Most Happy Fella, as well as Mayer Lehman in Cygnet Theatre’s production of The Lehman Trilogy. He has been performing for nearly 20 years at venues including North Coast Rep, Cygnet Theatre, SDRep, SDMT, Diversionary Theatre, The Welk Resort, Laguna Playhouse, Lamb’s Players Theatre, and The Old Globe. Jacob recently received a Craig Noel Award for his performance as Jud Fry in Oklahoma! IG: @anothertakeonjake

ABBY LEIGH HUFFSTETLER* (Dierdre) is thrilled to be making her North Coast Rep debut! Abby Leigh thrives within the intersections of creative expression & physical storytelling. They are an actor, intimacy choreographer and clown. Education: MFA in Theatre & Dance from UC San Diego, BFA in Performing Arts from SCAD. Abby holds certifications in multiple weapons within The Society of American Fight Directors. Upcoming: LUMIN (Moxie Theatre); Regional credits: Burnout Paradise (La Jolla Playhouse); Julius Caesar (The Old Globe); Noises Off (The Old Globe & Barrington Stage Company); Abeba in the Tall Grass (La Jolla Playhouse); How to Defend Yourself (Humana Fest); Dracula (Actors Theatre); UC San Diego credits: Dance Nation; Hells Canyon; Twelfth Night; Miles For Mary; End Days; Uncle Vanya. Film credits: “Dirt,” “RedRum,” “CBGB.” Abby is an Actors Theatre of Louisville Professional Training Company alum.

KATIE KAREL* (Sylvia) is thrilled to return home to North Coast Rep, where she has appeared in Birthday Candles, Pippin, Always...Patsy Cline, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and Sherlock Holmes & The Great Nome Gold Rush. Other credits include the 1st National/International Tour of Menopause the Musical 2, Off Broadway’s Lucky Duck, and regional work including Skylight, Indecent, The Humans, Chesapeake, You Can’t Take It With You, Heathers, Into the Woods, and Sweeney Todd. Karel is passionate about her mentorship with LLS, Imerman Angels, and Friend for Life Cancer Support Network as a survivor.

TAUBERT NADALINI* (Beau) is excited to be back at North Coast Rep after previously playing Oliver in The Angel Next Door. Stage credits include Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia! (McCoy-Rigby Entertainment), Applause (Musical Theatre Guild), The Legend of Georgia McBride (International City Theatre, Robby Award for Best Actor in a Comedy), Evita (Palos Verdes Performing Arts), and Frozen (Disneyland). TV & film credits include “This Is Us” (NBC), “Sterling” (HBO), and “Deviants” (Showtime). USC and RADA alum. taubertnadalini.com | @taubertnadalini

LAUREN WEINBERG* (Marjorie) is thrilled to return to North Coast Rep after performing as Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, Guenevere in Camelot, and Sibella in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. National Tour: Guys & Dolls (Adelaide). Off-Broadway: Smile (Brenda). Regional favorites include Olney Theatre Center’s Guys & Dolls (Adelaide, Helen Hayes Nomination), Engeman Theater’s Clue (Miss Scarlet), and The Wick Theatre’s Brigadoon (Fiona) and Damn Yankees (Lola). Lauren appears in national commercial and voiceover spots for brands including BudLight, Zicam, and JBL. BFA Penn State, NYC based. www.laurenweinbergofficial.com | @ellemdoubleu

CHRISTOPHER M. WILLIAMS* (Stage Manager) is a union actor and stage manager, as well as a director, producer, fight choreographer, designer, and instructor. Credits include playing Nathan Rothschild in the original Off-Broadway cast of Rothschild & Sons opposite Robert Cuccioli, Hamlet On Trial with Billy Connolly (Theatre League), and productions at Actors Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and Southwest Shakespeare Company. Over the past 20 years, he has directed, stage managed, or performed in 40 productions at North Coast Rep.