Roustabouts Theatre Company to Present Comic Retelling of Classic Romance in WITHERING HEIGHTS

The Roustabouts Theatre Company presents a comic retelling of a classic romance WITHERING HEIGHTS, based on "Withering Heights" by Emily Bronte, written and performed by Phil Johnson and Omri Schein and directed by David Ellenstein, bringing together two notable local actors and North Coast Rep's Artistic Director to direct the World Premiere at Diversionary Theatre from June 11 to July 9.

A comic retelling of Emily Bronte's English novel 'Wuthering Heights' as Heathcliff and Catherine take to the Moors as you've never seen them before, now called WITHERING HEIGHTS by Omri Schein and Phil Johnson as they perform all fourteen roles in the play. It's an action packed tour de force of two character actors against the most famous romantic novel of all time. A Gothic whirlwind love story with a very new twist.

Directed by North Coast Rep's Artistic Director David Ellenstein. Featuring Omri Schein* and Phil Johnson*. Original music by James Olmstead. The design team includes Scott Amiotte (Carpenter), Curtis Mueller (Lighting), Melanie Chen (Sound), Elisa Benzoni (Costumes), Bonnie Durben (Props) and Charmaine Reed is the Stage Manager. *The actor or stage manager appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Withering Heights previews begin Saturday, June 10. Opening Night on Saturday, June 17 at 8pm. Closes Sunday July 9. It will play Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm and/or 7pm, special performance times June 25 at 7pm andJuly 1 at 4pm. WITHERING HEIGHTS is located at Diversionary Theatre, Hillcrest, 4545 Park Boulevard #101, San Diego. Tickets: $38 plus $4.50 Ticket Fee (general seating). Seniors & Military - $4 off admission and $20 for students. Call 619-728-7820 or visit www.theroustabouts.org to purchase tickets.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

DAVID ELLENSTEIN (Director) Born into a theatrical family, 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). A veteran of over 250 theatrical productions including over 100 productions at North Coast Rep. Directorial favorites at NCRT include: 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), Freud's Last Session, Side by Side By Sondheim, Words By Ira Gershwin, 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.

Phil Johnson* (Heathcliff et al., Co-Writer, Founding Partner) Phil is proud to partner with Ruff Yeager & Will Cooper in The Roustabouts Theatre Company, San Diego, and with Omri Schein on Withering Heights. As an actor, his latest solo show, A Jewish Joke (co-written with Marni Freedman) won Best Drama at this fall's United Solo Festival NYC, and is on tour this year in Chicago (Victory Gardens Theatre), and regionally (ajewishjoke.com). Last year at the NY Fringe Festival he performed in his She-Rantulas from Outer Space in 3D!, co-written with Ruff Yeager for Diversionary Theatre, and since published by Stage Rights LA. He is a two-time winner of the San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award for acting, for Midsummer Night's Dream at Intrepid Theatre Company, and The Man Who Came to Dinner. He also played in Les Miserables on Broadway & on tour; the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard; & the first national company of Miss Saigon. So. California theatres include: North Coast Rep (Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Spelling Bee), Old Globe (How the Grinch...), Cygnet (Mistakes Were Made, Pageant), and Diversionary Theatre (The New Century) www.philjohnson.net
Omri Schein* (Catherine, et al.) is a bi-coastal lyricist, book-writer, and performer. He won the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in Writing for his lyrics on Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist. He is the lyricist for the upcoming musical Mambo Italiano, based on the film of the same name. Both projects feature music by James Olmstead. Other projects include the lyrics for a new Toxic Avenger Christmas musical spin off, a WWII play The Grotesques, a children's musical about an unlikely viking, and a musical exploring legacy, success, and obscurity. As a performer Omri has been seen most recently as Joel in Beau Jest (Lambs Players), Ira Stone in Laughter On The 23rd Floor (North Coast Rep), numerous roles for Jason Alexander in When You're In Love, The Whole World Is Jewish, and as Barfee in ...Spelling Bee (Intrepid Theatre Company). Other credits: The People vs Mona (Off-Broadway/Cast Recording), Grease(International Tour), A Funny Thing..., Dear World, among others. MFA in Musical Theatre, SDSU. For more information: www.omri-schein.com.

CHARMAINE REED (Production Stage Manager) Just completed her role as PSM for the Playwrights Project Young Playwright's Festival 32nd Season at The Old Globe Theatre. Other SM credits include; Vanya and Masha and Sonia and Spike and Murder at the Howard Johnson's (SRT), Amazons and Their Men and Tru (Diversionary): Intern, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe Theatre). Charmaine has a Technical Theatre degree from Palomar College and a B.A. in History from CSUSM, where she also earned a Teaching Credential.

James Olmstead (Music) s a New York City based musical director, arranger, and composer. Conducting: On You Feet (Broadway), Dallas Pops, A Night Of Symphonic Rock. Music Director: Fame! (2016 National Tour), Cirque Musical Holiday Spectacular (2016 National Tour), at the John W. Engeman Theatre (Mamma Mia, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Memphis, The Producers, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Evita, The Music Man, White Christmas, Sweet Charity and South Pacific), at The Wick Theatre (West Side Story, Guys and Dolls). He has also been the assistant music director for NYU Steinhardt (Marriage of Figaro, Most Happy Fella), North Shore Music Theatre (Footloose), Cape Playhouse (Legally Blonde), PCPA (Ragtime), and the Arkansas Rep (Hello Dolly!). He has served as keyboard programmer for the Off-Broadway production of Fun Home, keyboardist for Radio City's New York Spring Spectacular, and assistant copyist for Gloria Estefan's On Your Feet! With his writing partner Omri Schein, he has written the upcoming musical Mambo Italiano, and Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist (NYMF 2013). www.jamesolmstead.com.

SCOTT AMIOTTE (Carpenter) is please to return to work with Roustabouts Theatre after working on the wonderful Margin of Error. Scott is currently the Assistant Technical Director and Adjunct Professor in the Theatre arts Department at USD. Scott was also the Master Carpenter for the 2016-2017 season at Diversionary Theater.

CURTIS MUELLER (Light Design) Select local credits include: Lizard Boy, Now or Later, A Civil War Christmas, Amazons and Their Men, and A New Brain (Diversionary Theatre); Gutenberg! The Musical (Backyard Renaissance); Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, End of The Rainbow, Quality of Life, I Hate Hamlet, All My Sons, Macbeth, and Oleanna (Intrepid Theatre Company); Big River, The 1940s Radio Hour, and Seascape (New Village Arts); Chess in concert, Next to Normal, and Spring Awakening (Barn Stage Company); Little Women and I Love A Piano (Moonlight Stage Productions); Grease, Catch Me If You Can, A Piece of My Heart, Batboy, Big Fish, Legally Blonde, and Pirates of Penzance (Coronado School of The Arts). Curtis holds a BFA in Lighting Design from California Institute of The Arts.

Melanie CHEN (Sound Designer) is so excited to be working with the Roustabouts Theatre Company! Recent regional credits include: #SuperShinySara (La Jolla Playhouse's Pop Tour 2017); 2.5 Minute Ride, Well (Diversionary Theatre); Awake and Sing!, An Iliad (New Village Arts); An Illusion, Marjorie Prime, Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Cocktail Hour (North Coast Repertory Theatre); The Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Old Globe/ USD MFA Program); Native Son (UC San Diego MFA Program); Seven Guitars, King Hedley II (Cygnet Theatre). Melanie recently worked on a large-scale immersive installation version of Peter Pan with Broadway Asia in Beijing as the Sound Design Associate. Melanie holds an M.F.A. in Sound Design for Theatre & Dance from UC San Diego. www.melaniesound.com

ELISA BENZONI (Costume Design) is thrilled to be working with Roustabouts Theater Company. Her recent credits include: Sex with Strangers (Geffen Playhouse), Constellations (Old Globe) Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Reckless, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure (Old Globe/USD); The Who and The What, Our Town, Tall Girls, Brahaman/I, Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir (La Jolla Playhouse); The Illusion, Marjorie Prime, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Cocktail Hour, Hedda Gabler, Sherlock Holmes, Chapatti, The Fox on the Fairway for which she was nominated for a Craig Noel Award (North Coast Repertory); God of Carnage, Emilie, Sylvia, Much Ado About Nothing (New Village Arts), Mystery of Love and Sex (Diversionary Theatre). Elisa holds a costume design MFA from UCSD. www.elisabenzoni.com

BONNIE DURBEN (Props Design) credits include: Intrepid theatre: I Hate Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing. Moonlight Stage Productions: All Shook Up, Lion in Winter, Sondheim On Sondheim, Anna And The Tropics. Diversionary Theatre: She-Rantulas From Outer Space in 3-D, Baby With The Bath Water A New Brain. Member of SPAM.

CHAD LEE (Associate Sound Designer) Credits: On The 20th Century - Cygnet Theatre, Playwrights Project 2017, Oklahoma! - New Village Arts, Romulus Kilgore's Mobile Happiness Bazaar - La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival, Campo Maldito - New York Fringe Festival, The Mango Farmer of Vermont - UCSD New Play Festival. www.soundthyme.com

A non-profit San Diego theatre company dedicated to entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences in southern California by producing fresh visions of classics, well-known contemporary plays and new works. Phil Johnson, one of the founders of the company states: "We celebrate the artist and honor the creative impulse by drawing from the rich, diverse talents of actors, directors, designers, and playwrights who live in our region. The best plays for you, matched up with the best local artists." Mr. Johnson believes the new works they produce will have an important impact and deserves a prominent place on the American stage. The two other co-founders are actor/director/playwright Ruff Yeager and Will Cooper, a playwright originally from Chicago whose play Jade Heart was last produced at Moxie Theatre. All three founders bring passion, excitement and dedication to making great theatre and sharing with the young and old residents of So. Cal and beyond. That is their mission. Founders: Phil Johnson, Ruff Yeager & Will Cooper

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