Derrick Weeden Stars in PCPA's CYRANO DE BERGERAC, Beg. Tonight

PCPA has assembled a stellar cast for this summer's production of the French masterpiece, Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac. It plays exclusively in the Solvang Festival Theater under the stars, tonight, August 17 through September 1, 2013.

Our hero, Cyrano De Bergerac, is the brilliantly accomplished poet, warrior, and romantic, and sports a spectacular nose, which he believes detracts from his other refined qualities. This man of many accomplishments will be played by Derrick Weeden.* Mr. Weeden has been a regular at Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 20 seasons where he has played The Count de Guiche in Cyrano on the Ashland stage as well as Mister in Ghost Light, Elesin in Death and the King's Horseman, Caesar in Gem of the Ocean, Prospero in The Tempest, Cardinal Pandulph in King John. Other theatre credits include The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Shakespeare Festival of Dallas.

The woman who has captured Cyrano's heart - but who believes herself to be in love with another - is the very rich and beautiful Roxane. Cara Ricketts* joins PCPA this summer to play Roxane in Cyrano as well as Francine and Lena in the new Tony-winning play Clybourne Park. Ms. Ricketts credits include Innogen in Cymbeline and Ermengarde in The Matchmaker, Ruth in The Homecoming, Maria in Twelfth Night, Celia in As You Like It, Perdita in The Winter's Tale and Portia in Julius Caesar for Stratford Festival, Canada; as well as Cathy in Cruel and Tender at Canadian Stage, Pauline Newberry in Eternal Hydra at Crow's Theatre and Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun at Soulpepper and Theatre Calgary. For television, she's appeared in Lifetime Network's The Gathering, Discovery's Mayday, and the CBS pilot, The Tower.

The villain in the story is Comte de Guiche. Vengeful and manipulative, he is used to getting what he wants, and he has Roxane in his lustful sights. Playing de Guiche will be Gregory Linington*. Mr. Linington has left his mark in Ashland, in LA, and in New York, among others, and PCPA. He graduated from the conservatory, class of 1993, and appeared in Cyrano the last time PCPA produced it. His credits for Oregon Shakespeare Festival include Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost, Cassius in Julius Caesar, Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice, Armin in the world premiere of Equivocation, and Donald in Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter, and many more. For Yale Repertory Theater he played Harry Bridges in American Night, Quartet + 11 in Throne of Blood for BAM - Brooklyn, NY. Also, Rook/Preacher in The (Un)Fortunates and Orsino/Toby in What You Will at New Theater House, NY. TV and Film work includes Warner Bros. The West Wing, Emissary Productions of Indigo and Into Me See, Sci-Fi Channel's Dune, CBS Joan of Arc, and A Fine Weekend for New Zealand Film.

The handsome Christian who must rely on Cyrano to express his feelings of love for Roxane will be played by Tobias Shaw. Past appearances at PCPA include Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Oliver in As You Like It, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, and Cliente in The Imaginary Invalid. Other theatres include American Shakespeare Center: Hotspur in Henry IV, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Fenton/Pistol in Merry Wives of Windsor, and Bassianus/Young Lucius in Titus Andronicus. Tobias played Young Ebenezer/Tailor in A Christmas Carol at Geva Theatre, Stephano in The Tempest and Chiron in Titus Andronicus at Adirondack Shakespeare Company. For Disney Fantasy Cruise Ships he played Cpt. Jack Sparrow in Buccaneer Blast and was the voice of Crush in Turtle Talk.

PCPA's Resident Artists joining in the Cyrano cast include Peter S. Hadres* as Le Bret. A few of Peter's PCPA credits since 2000 include The Tempest, The Wizard of Oz, The Rivals, Three Sisters, Romeo and Juliet, All My Sons, A Christmas Carol, The 39 Steps, Sylvia, The Weir and Beauty and the Beast. Elsewhere, he's played in The Taming of the Shrew and Richard III at California Shakespeare Festival and Macbeth at San Jose Stage. Peter teaches Acting Styles, Stage Combat, and Circus in the Conservatory. This summer, Peter is also playing Rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof, and the characters Russ and Dan in Clybourne Park.

Erik Stein* takes on the role of Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac. Erik recently played Zeke and the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, Sir Anthony in The Rivals, Kulygin in Three Sisters, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol, Shadow in My Fairytale, Hook in Peter Pan, Belling in Curtains, Lockstock in Urinetown and Javert in LES MISERABLES. Erik has also appeared on and Off-Broadway and regional theatres such as Goodspeed, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, and Geva. Erik will continue his role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof this summer and handle several roles in Spamalot.

Elizabeth Stuart* joins the Cyrano cast playing Lise and Mother Marguerite. Liz has appeared in The Tempest and The Wizard of Oz (Miss Gultch / Wicked Witch of the West) this season. Also to her list of credits, Marmee March in Little Women, Paulette Bonafonte in Legally Blonde, Olga in Three Sisters, Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Prudy Pingleton/Gym Teacher/Matron in Hairspray, Rose Stopnick Gellman in Caroline or Change, Mrs. Darling in Peter Pan, Lady Catherine de Bourge in Pride and Prejudice and Madame Thenardier in LES MISERABLES. She has taught Acting in the Conservatory since 2007. In addition to Cyrano de Bergerac, Liz reprises her role as Yente/Fruma-Sarah in the remount of Fiddler on the Roof and plays Bev and Kathy in Clybourne Park.

In addition to Cyrano de Bergerac, PCPA's summer season - which plays from June 13 through September 29 - includes Fiddler on the Roof, Spamalot, Always...Patsy Cline, and Clybourne Park. Visit www.pcpa.org for more information.

*Member, Actors' Equity Association

Currently in its 49th season, PCPA Theaterfest is the Central Coast's Resident Professional Theatre Company, and has infused The National Theatre scene with thousands of trained actors and technicians over the years in its conservatory. The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) of Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California supports a unique, fully-accredited vocational training program for aspiring actors and theatre technicians. PCPA is the only training program of its kind offered by a community college in the United States.

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