Rubicon Theatre Announces Cast for West Coast Premiere of INCOGNITO by Nick Payne

Rubicon Theatre Company (RTC) is pleased to announce the cast for the West Coast premiere of Nick Payne'S profoundly moving play INCOGNITO, directed by Ovation nominee and Indy Award-winner KATHARINE FARMER. This dazzling new drama explores what it means to be human and how memory and imagination shape our identities.

Four actors play 21 characters in interwoven stories (some based on true events) about our desire to know ourselves and our yearning to be known and understood by others. The cast includes RTC Company Member Joseph Fuqua (appearing in his 30th production at Rubicon), Betsy Zajko, Mark Jacobson and Claire Adams.

One thread follows Thomas Stoltz Harvey (played by Fuqua), a pathologist who stole Albert Einstein's brain in hopes of conducting research and discovering the nature of genius. A second plot is based on the true story of Henry Maison, or Patient HM, (played by Jacobson), a young man who experienced memory loss after a brain operation. Unable to form any new memories, Henry is hopelessly caught in a never-ending loop of confusion, with fleeting moments of awareness of his situation as his wife (played by Adams) helplessly tries to help him remember how to play the piano. In the third major storyline, a clinical neuropsychologist (played by Zajko) prides herself on understanding other people's needs for human connection but struggles with her own.

INCOGNITO opens on Saturday, September 16 at 7 pm at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District, with low-priced previews Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 7 pm, Thursday, Sept. 14 at 8 pm and Friday, Sept. 15 at 8 pm. The production continues Wednesdays through Sundays through October 1, 2017. For tickets, go to www.rubicontheatre.org or call (805) 667-2900.

Joseph Fuqua is a Yale School of Drama graduate. Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Brighton Beach Memoirs and 110 in the Shade at Lincoln Center. Regionally, Fuqua has appeared as Octavius Caesar in Antony and Cleopatra at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alexei in A Month in the Country at Arena Stage, Iago in Othello for Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Louis in Angels in America at Dallas Theater Center and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks opposite Mary Jo Catlett at Ensemble Theatre. On television, Joseph guest starred in "The X-Files," "The Profiler," "Brooklyn South," "The Pretender," "Chicago Hope," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Becker," and the pilot "Second Nature." Film credits include "Ed's Next Move," "David Searching," "Heyday," and as J.E.B. Stuart in "Gettysburg" opposite Martin Sheen, a role he reprised in the film "Gods and Generals." In 2000, Joseph joined Rubicon Theatre as the first company member. This production marks his 30th with Rubicon, including Hamlet (title role - Indy Award), The Boys Next Door (Indy Award), The Rainmaker (Robby Award and Rep Award), All My Sons (Ovation Award), Doubt (directed by Jenny Sullivan), Sebastian in Jim O'Neil's The Tempest, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Private Lives, Simon Stimson in Our Town, James Tyrone, Jr. in A Moon for the Misbegotten, Bruce Wagner in Conviction, Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and recently as Marshal Johnson in the American Premiere of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Betsy Zajko is an actress and former AP award-winning anchor and commentary producer for CBS and National Public Radio, who co-created a national program of nonfiction writers' storytelling called "A Change of Season" during her tenure at NPR. She employs a passion for research when rehearsing plays (or vetting articles on social media), which makes the roles of a neuropsychologist and a descendant of Einstein right up her alley. A member of Rogue Machine Theatre in Los Angeles since 2009, Zajko has been honored with an L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Award for her work in The New Electric Ballroom and an Ovation and LA Weekly Best Actress nomination for A Bright New Boise. She has also acted regionally at Steppenwolf (Orange Flower Water), Trap Door (Beholder), Porthouse (June Moon) and The Cleveland Playhouse (Fearless). Recent TV credits include co-starring roles on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Colony," and "Mike and Molly," as well as a guest -starring role on "Masters of Sex" in a scene with Allison Janney that even became a viral 'meme' on the inter webs. In film, Zajko has co-starred with Bruce Willis, Roshen Seth, John Cusack and Carrie Preston, as well as Richard Gere in her last film "The Mothman Prophecies."

Mark Jacobson makes his Rubicon debut with INCOGNITO. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Jacobson was recently seen in The Complete History of Comedy (Abridged) at the Falcon Theatre and the World Premiere of Boni B. Alvarez's Nicky at Coeurage Theatre Company. Touring credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Kingsmen Shakespeare), the World Premiere of More Courage (Jewish Women's Theatre) and The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone (Rogue Artists Ensemble). Regionally, Jacobson appeared in the critically acclaimed World Premiere of Tom Jacobson's Captain of the Bible Quiz Team at Rogue Machine Theatre, as well as various productions at TheatreSquared, Main Street, Phoenix Theatre, Shakespeare Center L.A., A Noise Within, and The Blank, among others. Jacobson is a series regular on Nickelodeon's upcoming "I Am Frankie." He has also been seen on TV Land's "Lopez," CBS' "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders," SyFy's "Haven," BroadwayWorld's "Empty Space," the feature films "The Impaler," "The Temp Agency," "Mont Rêve," and dozens of commercials. He taught the US Army's first ever on-camera acting workshop and teaches acting and improv for U.S. Army Entertainment Europe. Mark has trained at The Antaeus Company, The Groundlings School, UCB, BADA, and holds a B.A. from the USC School of Dramatic Arts.

A native of Southern California, Claire Adams is a graduate of USC. Selected theatre credits include Cathy in The Last Five Years and Annabel Glick in Lucky Stiff at Actors Co-Op, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray at Cupcake Theatre, Squeaky Fromme in Assassins at Pico Playhouse, Philia in A Funny Thing...Forum at Cabrillo Music Theatre, Wendla Bergman in Spring Awakening, and Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along, both at Massman Theatre. Film credits include "The Charmed Life of John Weld," "Skinny Fat Girl," and "Slice The Musical."

INCOGNITO debuted in London with a sell-out run at the Bush Theatre in May of 2014. The play was performed Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in May, 2016, receiving an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play.

Reviewers praise INCOGNITO. The play was a Critic's Pick in The New York Times, and was described as "ingenious, remarkable and tantalizing." The Telegraph reviewer wrote that the play was "astonishing and original"; The Guardian called it "fascinating and moving... top of its class," And the Huffington Post reviewer effused, "Highly recommended. Incognito will keep you thinking for days." The Hollywood Reporter said the play "beautifully illustrates the complexity of the human brain."

INCOGNITO is sponsored by Barbara Meister, and co-sponsored by Shelley and Richard Bayer. Rubicon Theatre Company Season Sponsors are Janet and Mark L. Goldenson, Diane and Peter Goldenring, Barbara Meister, Anne and Michael Towbes; and Sandra and Jordan Laby, to whom Rubicon's 2016-2017 Series is dedicated. Ms. Farmer's directing contract is underwritten by BBA. Mr. Fuqua's appearance is underwritten by Dr. Norma Beck.

Low-priced previews for INCOGNITO begin on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 7 pm, continuing Thursday, Sept. 14 and Friday, Sept. 15 at 8 pm. Opening night is Saturday, Sept. 16, at 7 pm, with a pre-show event downstairs at the theatre beginning at 6 pm and a post-show party at Rhumb Line on the Harbor. The production continues Wednesdays at 2 and 7 pm, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through October 1. Talkbacks are scheduled after the Wednesday 7 pm performances on Sept. 20 and 27. Regular tickets for INCOGNITO range from $30 to $55 (plus a $4 processing fee). Opening night is $125, including the pre-and post-show reception.

Tickets for students with ID for regular performances with ID are $25; Equity members and military are $30. There is a $5 discount for seniors 65 and older. Discounts of 10% to 20% are available for groups of 10 or more, depending on the size of the group. All performances are at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District (the corner or Main and Laurel). Tickets for INCOGNITO may be purchased in person through the Rubicon Theatre Company Box Office at 1006 E. Main Street, the corner of Main and Laurel in Ventura (Laurel entrance and downstairs), or online at www.rubicontheatre.org.

To charge by phone, call 805.667.2900. Box office hours are Noon to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

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