North Coast Repertory Theatre to Present ROCKET CITY This Month

North Coast Repertory Theatre will present a staged reading of Rocket City by Mark Saltzman, directed by David Ellenstein, on October 23, 2023 at 7:30pm.

Get ready for an unforgettable journey to the heart of the American South, where secrets, vibrant characters, and iconic Southern songs converge to tell a remarkable story of American history. Rocket City is a captivating dramatic comedy, by the renowned playwright, Mark Saltzman. A thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of human nature. With sensitivity and humor, it delves into the moral dilemmas of idealism vs. practicality, revenge vs. forgiveness.

There will be a talk-back with the playwright to follow.

Tickets are $25 Regular/$20 Active Military and Seniors over 65.

Mark Saltzman (Playwright) Mark's sketches and songs for Sesame Street  (including “Caribbean Amphibian”) earned him seven Emmy Awards,  For CBS,  he wrote the movie musical Mrs. Santa Claus, starring Angela Lansbury, songs by Jerry Herman. Movies: The Adventures of Milo and Otis, Three Ninjas Kick Back and screenplays for SONY, Universal, and Disney.   Stage: The Tin Pan Alley Rag,  Pasadena Playhouse  (Five  Ovation Awards noms, including Best Musical) and off-Broadway's Roundabout Theater (Outer Critics Circle nom, Best Musical.) 2022,  Romeo and Bernadette , Off-Broadway, Drama Desk Award noms, Best Lyrics and Best Book of a Musical. 

David Ellenstein (Director) Born into a theatrical famil, David has worked in theatres across the country. Before joining North Coast Rep in 2003, he served as Artistic Director for the Los Angeles Repertory Company and the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company (AJTC). He currently serves as Artistic Director of North Coast Rep and the Artistic Director of Laguna Playhouse. A veteran of over 250 theatrical productions, directorial favorites include: North Coast Rep – The Angel Next Door, Eleanor, The Cherry Orchard, Annabella in July, The Remarkable Mister Holmes (also co- author), The Homecoming, Ben Butler, Dr. Glas, Becoming Dr. Ruth, Einstein Comes Through, Trying, An Iliad, A Christmas Carol, Same Time, Next Year, The Outsider, All in the Timing, Holmes & Watson, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Father, This Random World, Travels with My Aunt, The Illusion, Hedda Gabler (World Premiere Translation), Way Downriver; William Faulkner's ‘Old Man' (West Coast Premiere), Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Great Nome Gold Rush (World Premiere), Side by Side by Sondheim, Chapter Two, Freud's Last Session (San Diego Premiere), Faded Glory (World Premiere), Mandate Memories (World Premiere), Becoming Cuba (World Premiere), Time Stands Still, Words By: Ira Gershwin and the Great American Songbook (World Premiere). Other theatres: 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.”

Katie Sapper* (Amy Lubin)  is honored to be a part of this dynamic group of creators! Past Credits include La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Musical Theatre West, Moonlight Stage Productions, Cygnet Theatre, Lamb's Players Theatre, and SDMT. Favorite roles: Sophie in Mamma Mia, Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet, Melody in Bad Jews, Mama Who in Dr. Seuss…Grinch, and Gloria Thorpe in Damn Yankees* (*Critics Circle Nomination). Love to Charlie and our sweet daughter. @katiesapper katiesapper.com

Brian Mackey* (Major Hamilton Pike, Jr) has appeared on stages across San Diego including Lamb's Players Theatre, San Diego Repertory, Cygnet Theatre, Backyard Renaissance, Diversionary Theatre, New Village Arts, Roustabouts Theatre, Intrepid Theatre, ion theatre, Coronado Playhouse, and North Coast Repertory, where he serves as Associate Artistic Director.

Taubert Nadalini* (Jed Kessler) is a LA-based actor, director, and composer. Stage: Georgia McBride (International City Theatre), Vanya…Spike (Pacific Resident Theatre), Mamma Mia! (McCoy-Rigby), The Lion in Winter (Laguna Playhouse), Bright Star (Musical Theatre West), Frozen (Disneyland), Evita (Palos Verdes Performing Arts), Shooting Star! (Hudson Theatre), Bronco Billy (Skylight Theatre). TV: “This is Us” (NBC), “Sterling” (HBO), “Deviants” (Showtime). He's a graduate of USC and RADA and is represented by House of Reps and Heidi Rotbart Management.

Jason Heil* (Wernher Von Braun) North Coast Rep: Dracula, School for Lies.  Off-Broadway: Sea of Souls. Regional & San Diego: La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, San Diego Rep, Arkansas & Tennessee Repertory Theatres, A.C.T., Capital Stage, Lamb's Players, Cygnet, Moonlight, Intrepid, Onstage Playhouse & nine seasons with the Utah, Lake Tahoe, Marin, & Texas Shakespeare Festivals. MFA: UC Irvine. jasonheil.com

Regi Davis* (Israel Watkins) Actor, Director, and Voice-Over Artist, boasts an impressive career spanning films, theater, commercials, and TV series. Notably, he made his mark in "Homicide: Life on the Street" and gained recognition as Mr. Sammich in "Game Shakers." Recent highlights encompass roles in "Witch Hunt (2021)," "The Orville," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Mindhunter." Regi's versatile voice talent shines in series such as "She-Ra and the Princess of Power," "The Boss Baby: Back in Business," "Little Ellen," and "Aquaman: King of Atlantis." Performances at prestigious venues include: The Kennedy Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Old Globe Theatre, and Pasadena Playhouse.

Geno Carr* (Character Man 1) Into the Breeches, I Love You Because, Christmas Carol, Way Downriver; Broadway: Come From Away. Off Broadway: Bush Wars. National Tours: Come From Away, Phantom, Buddy Holly Story, Grease. San Diego: Grinch, Allegiance (Old Globe); Come From Away, Love All (LJP); Ragtime (Moonlight); Assassins, Parade, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeney Todd (Cygnet, Resident Artist); Servant of Two Masters, The Foreigner, Music Man, Alice, Mixtape, Christmas Carol (Lamb's, Associate Artist); Next to Normal (SDMT); Spelling Bee (Intrepid). MFA: Acting/Directing, Sarah Lawrence College. Dual BA: Music/Theatre Arts, Hartwick College. GenoCarr.com

RUFF YAEGER* (Character Man 2) Most recently appeared as Claudius in the Southwestern Summer Shakespeare Festival's production of Hamlet.  For North Coast Rep:: Now You See It, What's Wrong With This Picture?”; Utah Shakespeare Festival: Love's Labour's Lost, Anything Goes.  Moxie Theatre: Trouble in Mind”. Roustabouts: Margin of Error. Intrepid Theatre: I Hate Hamlet. (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle nomination), Much Ado About Nothing. He is a professor of Theatre Arts at Southwestern College where he has directed over 30 productions. 

Amanda Sitton* (Character Woman1) Selected theater credits include: Don't Dress For Dinner, Voice of the Prairie, Collected Stories, Amy's View (North Coast Rep), Maple and Vine, Glass Menagerie, It's A Wonderful Life (Cygnet Theater, Resident Artist) The Oldest Boy, Road to Mecca, Doubt, (SD Theatre Critics Circle Craig Noel Award Outstanding Featured Performance)(San Diego Rep), Comedy of Errors, Golden Boy (SD Theatre Critics Circle Craig Noel Award Outstanding Lead Performance), Sailor's Song (New Village Arts), Fair Use, Torch Song Trilogy (Diversionary Theater). Ms. Sitton received her BA in Theatre from UCSD.

Jacquelyn Ritz* (Character Woman 2) Is delighted to return to North Coast Repertory where she has appeared as the title role in Annabella in July, Bloomsday, How the Other Half Loves, Chapter Two, and Fallen Angels, among others.   She recently played the Baroness in La Jolla Playhouse's production of Lempicka directed by Rachel Chavkin.  Regionally, she has performed at Goodman Theatre, Northlight, Royal George, Apollo, Drury Lane, Intrepid Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire, Peninsula Players, Milwaukee Repertory, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Center for the Arts, and the Kennedy Center in Stephen Sondheim's Bounce directed by Harold Prince.  She can be seen as Madame Blueberry (and others) in VeggieTales. She directs and teaches professional actors locally and will be directing Kate Hamill's Vanity Fair this Spring at Scripps Ranch Theatre.  She is a member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA.  www.JacquelynRitzActor.com

LEN RAINEY - Blues Guitarist

Liam Sullivan - Sound & Lights

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