Cast And Creative Team Announced For Diversionary's San Diego Premiere SIGNIFICANT OTHER

As Jordan Berman pounds the New York City pavement searching for Mr. Right, he wards off lonely nights with his trio of close-knit girlfriends. As singles' nights turn into bachelorette parties, Jordan must face his own capacity to love and be loved. This hilarious and heart-wrenching Broadway comedy dives into the trenches of urban single life and the aspirational gay wedding, reminding us that you can't hurry love-no matter how much you wish you could.

About producing this San Diego Premiere at Diversionary, Executive Artistic Director, Matt M. Morrow says, "I'm thrilled to produce the San Diego premiere of Significant Other as the finale to our 33rd Season. This hilarious and deeply moving new play made it all the way to Broadway last year - a rare and astonishing feat for a new work by a young LGBT Playwright. Josh Harmon's brilliance lies in his ability to balance intellect, pathos, and blistering humor, in a story about a queer man's quest for love, providing a fresh perspective on the unexpected consequences of gay marriage."

Director, Anthony Methvin, says about working on the San Diego Premiere, "Diversionary has been an artistic home for me since I moved to San Diego and I'm particularly grateful to be able to give Significant Other breath and life on this stage. I'm so excited to work on a play where the "gay best friend" stands center stage. This trope that made up the majority of queer representation I saw during my formative years is given dimension and centered in his own narrative. I am lucky to be collaborating with a stellar group of artists to give our protagonist, no longer relegated to the sidelines, and the other fascinating characters that populate his life the deeply human exploration we are all worthy of."

More information can be found at: www.diversionary.org/significantother/

ABOUT THE CAST

Bryan Banville* (Will/Conrad/Tony) is thrilled to make his debut at Diversionary Theatre! He most recently rocked out in the world premiere musical, The Heart of Rock and Roll, at The Old Globe. He also lived out one of his lifelong dreams this year singing with The Flyboys for their debut American Tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra! Select credits - SDMT: The Producers, Miracle on 34th Street, and Ragtime; Old Globe: Camp David; San Diego Rep: Violet; Backyard Renaissance: Tarrytown (Craig Noel Award Nominee); Cygnet Theatre (Resident Artist):Spamalot (Craig Noel Award), Animal Crackers, and On the Twentieth Century; Moonlight Stage Productions: Titanic, The Music Man, Spamalot, and Catch Me If You Can; Farmer's Alley Theatre: Forever Plaid; NVA: Plaid Tidings ('12/'13).

Wil Bethmann (Zach, Evan, Roger) has appeared in several theatrical and commercial roles in New York City and across the country. Most recently as Louis Ironson in Cygnet Theatre's Angels In America: Millennium Approaches & Perestroika. On screen as the personality and creative mind behind ad campaigns for Smirnoff, AT&T, BrosBeingBasic, Applebee's, the NCAA, and coverage for the Governor's Ball and LoveLoud music festivals. Wil's on-site creative consulting and productions have been recognized with multiple nominations at the Annual Shorty Awards, social media awards show in New York City. Wil studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, graduating with a BFA and now resides in New York City.

Megan Carmitchel (Laura) is happy to be returning to Diversionary! She was last seen here in A New Brain and Pippin. Other recent credits include-Cygnet Theatre: A Christmas Carol and A Little Night Music. Lamb's Players Theatre: Persuasion, Big Fish, OZ (world premiere), You Can't Take it With You, Quilters, and Fiddler on the Roof. The Old Globe: The Last Goodbye (world premiere) and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. La Jolla Playhouse:Weatherman (reading). San Diego Repertory Theatre:The Who's Tommy. Welk Resort Theatre: South Pacific and Stepping Out. Megan has also music directed several shows at LEGOLAND, CA. She attended San Francisco State University where she studied vocal performance and theatre.

Jamie Criss (Kiki) is thrilled to be making her Diversionary debut. She recently appeared in Trinity Theatre Company's The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Other credits include, UK: Three Birds Alighting on a Field (Tristan Bates Theatre), Doña Rosita the Spinster (Cockpit Theatre), The Tellers' Tales(Corbett Theatre), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Cockpit Theatre), Macbeth (Globe Theatre Residency). US: Tales of a Fourth Grade Lesbo (Carrie Hamilton Theatre), Of Mice and Men (Mary Hill Theatre). Jamie studied Meisner with Bill Alderson in Los Angeles and holds her MFA in Acting from East 15 Acting School in London.

Dagmar Krause Fields (Helene Berman) hasn't worked with Diversionary Theatre since she did Regrets Only, so she is delighted to return with Significant Other. Most recently she appeared in Outside Mullingar, a joint production with Scripps Ranch and Oceanside Theatre Company. Before that, she appeared in New Village Arts' production of The Secret Garden, New Fortune Theatre Company's Les Liaisons Dangereuses , The Fantasticks at Scripps Ranch, The Elephant Man with Backyard Renaissance and New Village Arts' Emelie; and before that, in Lion in Winter (Moonlight Stage Productions), Unnecessary Farce (Northcoast Rep), I Hate Hamlet (Intrepid), Lost in Yonkers (Oceanside Theatre Co), and Blithe Spirit (Moonlight). Other productions include Leading Ladies, Anything Goes, The Mousetrap, Crazy for You, Barefoot in the Park, The Foreigner, Magic Fire, Hay Fever, and Radio Gals (Moonlight); Morning's at Seven, Amy's View & Man of La Mancha (Northcoast Rep) Into the Woods (Lambs Players), American Dream (Renaissance Productions), and Night Must Fall, Hamlet, and Home (Octad One); & Night of the Iguana & Dining Room. Before that, she appeared in The Fritz, Starlight Opera, The Old Globe-and theaters in New Orleans, Norway, & Saudi Arabia! She teaches at Southwestern College.

Tom Zohar (Jordan) was previously seen at Diversionary Theatre in A New Brain (Gordon), Harmony, Kansas (Julian), [title of show] (Jeff), Twist! (The Dodger), Yank! A New Musical (Stu), Torch Song Trilogy (David) and Bunbury (Hartley). Other credits include Tarrytown (Ichabod) and Gutenberg! The Musical! (Bud) at Backyard Renaissance; Bad Jews (Jonah), Sweeney Todd (Tobias), The History Boys (Posner) and The Little Foxes (Cal) at Cygnet Theatre; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Chip) at La Mirada Theatre; Zhivago (Swing) at the La Jolla Playhouse; Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Einstein), This is Our Youth (Warren) and Three Sisters (Andrey) at New Village Arts; The Light in the Piazza (Ensemble) at Lamb's Players; Old Wicked Songs (Stephen), Romeo and Juliet (Peter), Amy's View (Toby) and The Chosen (Reuven) at North Coast Rep; You Never Can Tell (Philip) and Room Service (Leo) at Moonlight Stage Productions. ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

Joshua Harmon is a graduate of Juilliard and holds an MFA in Playwrighting from Carnegie Mellon University's Drama School. His play Bad Jews received its World Premiere at Roundabout Underground and was nominated for Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Play. It has since become the third most-produced play in the United States. Significant Other also opened at Roundabout starring Barbara Barrie and Gideon Glick. It subsequently transferred to Broadway.

Anthony Methvin (Director) is Producing Associate at Diversionary Theatre, where he directed the workshop of Who's That, Gurl? and readings of The Harvest and Wolves. At Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company, where he is also Producing Director, he directed Bachelorette, co-directed Abundance and the World Premiere of Tarrytown with Fran Gercke, and, for their Unleashed series, directed a reading of Assistance, and directed and co-adapted readings of Showgirls, Mommie Dearest, and Troll 2. Assistant Director: Buyer & Cellar and Sense & Sensibility (Old Globe), Dogfight (Cygnet), Baby with the Bathwater (Diversionary), and Spring Awakening (Palomar College). Local performances: Sir Bedevere/Ni Knight/Mrs. Galahad/Concorde in Spamalot (Cygnet), Doug in Gutenberg! The Musical! and Lord John in The Elephant Man (Backyard Renaissance), Roger in A New Brain, Reed in Boys and Girls, and Kent in Harmony, Kansas (Diversionary). Playwright: Bleed Like Me. Education: BFA in Acting from Florida State University. You can follow him on Instagram @anthonymethvin.

Justin Humphres (Scenic Designer) is a scenic and video designer based in San Diego, CA. His design work has been seen internationally in both the United States and Asia. As a video designer, he has created content for numerous concert tours, corporate events, and Las Vegas shows. As an assistant/associate he has worked on various commercial, regional and Broadway projects. Recent San Diego scenic design credits include: Hedwig and the Angry Inch and This Beautiful City (Diversionary), Actually (San Diego Rep), Vietgone (San Diego Rep), and Voyeurs de Venus (Moxie). Broadway credits include: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical (Associate Designer), Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations (Associate Designer). Justin holds a BFA from Western Michigan University and an MFA from University of California, San Diego. www.justinhumphres.com

Elisa Benzoni (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be working again with Diversionary Theatre. Select credits include: This Beautiful City, The Loneliest Girl in the World, The Happiest Place on Earth, Homos or Everyone in America, Ballast, Mystery of Love and Sex (Diversionary Theatre), Sex with Strangers (Geffen Playhouse), The Who and The What, Our Town; Tall Girls; Brahaman/I; Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir (La Jolla Playhouse); Constellations (Old Globe); Cloud 9, Romeo and Juliet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Reckless, Much Ado About Nothing and Measure for Measure (USD/Old Globe); The Father, How the Other Half Loves, Of Mice and Men, Travels with my Aunt, The Illusion, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Cocktail Hour, Fox on the Fairway (Nominated for a Craig Noel Award), Chapatti, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Great Nome Gold Rush (North Coast Repertory Theatre); Men on Boats, Secret Garden, Awake and Sing, Sylvia (New Village Arts); Elisa holds a costume design MFA from UCSD. www.elisabenzoni.com

Joel Britt (Lighting Designer) is making his Lighting debut with Diversionary, and he could not be more excited to work with this wonderful team. Selected Design work includes Mr. & Mrs. Fitch (Backyard Renaissance), A Raisin in the Sun, Taming of the Shrew(d), Strange Men, Vieux Carré, (w)holeness, Other People, Sin Eaters, and Angels in America (UCSD), South of the 8 (La Jolla Playhouse), Heaven on Earth (Sledgehammer), Peter and the Starcatcher (The Barn Stage Company), Rent, Somebody Called (TX State). Selected Assistant and Associate work includes Hamilton (National Tour), Come From Away (National Tour), Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Broadway), Freaky Friday, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Squirrels (La Jolla Playhouse), The Lorax (The Old Globe), The Tales of Hoffman (LA Opera), Christmas Carol (Zachary Scott, Austin).

Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Designer) is delighted to be working with Diversionary Theatre again! She is a San Diego based sound designer who has worked all over the country. Past Diversionary Theatre shows include Well, 2.5 Minute Ride, Baby with the Bathwater, and Boys & Girls. Her recent regional credits include: Tiny Beautiful Things, The Imaginary Invalid (The Old Globe); POP Tour 2019: Light Years Away, At the Old Place, POP Tour 2018: #SuperShinySara (La Jolla Playhouse); Romeo & Juliet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Steel Magnolias (Dallas Theater Center); Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood (PlayMakers Repertory Company); Aubergine, Actually, Vietgone (San Diego Rep); Pride and Prejudice (Cygnet Theatre); Moon Over Buffalo, The Father, This Random World (North Coast Repertory Theatre); Miss Bennet, Avenue Q, Men on Boats (New Village Arts Theatre); Smokefall, Bachelorette (Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company). Melanie holds an M.F.A. in Sound Design for Theatre & Dance from UC San Diego. www.melaniesound.com

Taylor Todd (Stage Manager) is so happy to be stage managing at Diversionary this season! Some of her stage management credits includeBull in a China Shop, Mystery of Love and Sex (Diversionary); Bachelorette, Tarrytown, Gutenberg! The Musical! (Backyard Renaissance); Father Comes Home from the Wars Parts 1, 2, & 3, Perfect Arrangement, ART, Woody Guthrie's American Song, End of the Rainbow (Intrepid); Final Draft New Play Festival (New Village Arts); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Co-production with Intrepid & New Village Arts); The Seagull (Old Globe/University of San Diego MFA); and Anton's Shorts; Three Brief Comedies by Chekhov (University of San Diego). Credits as an assistant stage manager include Cardboard Piano (Diversionary); Parlour Song (Backyard Renaissance); Oliver! (Cabrillo Stage, Santa Cruz); and Anatomy of Gray (University of San Diego). Taylor graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies

Angelica Ynfante (Properties Designer) is a Texas State University graduate with a BFA in Theatre. She made her way around the US and Mexico for five years working in Texas,Virginia, WestVirginia, Vermont, NewYork, Tennessee, Kentucky and Cancun until she made it to sunny California. She is currently the Props Master/ATD for San Diego REP for the 9th season. She has also designed props for MOXIE, New Village Arts, Cygnet, Green Raven, and is delighted to be back with Diversionary for this performance

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