She-Rantulas from Outer Space-in 3D!
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[tab title=”Show Info”]To avoid fainting, keep telling yourself it’s only a play… Just in time for Halloween, Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager bring us a hilarious send-up of the femme fatales and B-movie horror stories of the 1950s. When a horror-horde of monster-mutants invades Small Town U.S.A., one All-American Mother must face the truth about her little Suzie and destroy her evil Web of Terror. There will be carnage! There will be destruction! There will be men in women’s clothing! The Management requests that you PLEASE not reveal the SHOCKING final scene to friends or family members, and guarantee to BURY YOU without charge if you die of FRIGHT during She-Rantulas from Outer Space-in 3D!
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Phil Johnson (Co-author) performed on Broadway in Les Miserables, in the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard, and toured with Les Miz and the 1st National Company of Miss Saigon. He is an actor, writer and singer, now in San Diego and L.A. Phil’s acting work includes: Man Who Came to Dinner (SD Critics Circle Craig Noel Award, directed by Ruff Yeager) at Coronado Playhouse; Midsummer Night’s Dream at Intrepid Shakespeare; Mistakes Were Made (West Coast Premiere) & Little Shop of Horrors at Cygnet Theatre; Hound of the Baskervilles (Original solo show, funded by the SD Foundation), Putnam County Spelling Bee &Pageant at North Coast Repertory Theatre; How The Grinch Stole Christmas at the Old Globe Theatre; Pete n’ Keely at Lamb’s Players; and The New Century at Diversionary Theatre. On television he appeared on Notes from the Underbelly, a sitcom on ABC. Phil writes, produces and performs an original sketch comedy show Casa del Haha with Senor Phil at Diversionary Theatre. For theatres he has written: She-Rantulas (co-written with Ruff Yeager), Hound of the Baskervilles, The Humbug’s Holiday Spectacular (co-writer, this Christmas) and Mistletoe, Music & Mayhem (co-writer) for North Coast Rep. www.philjohnson.net
Ruff Yeager (Director & Co-author) is thrilled to be returning to Diversionary Theatre with She-Rantulas from Outer Space-in 3-D!Previously for Diversionary: Friends of Dorothy and Bent. Elsewhere: The Laramie Project, Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge, Night of the Iguana, Anon-ymous, Simply Maria or The American Dream, Macbeth, You Can’t Take it With You, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Oedipus in the Tragi-comic Bathtub (Southwestern College); Cuatro Corridos (UCSD Dept. of Music); The Tutor, Arrow to the Heart, The Waves (Vox Nova Theatre Company); [sic], Bronze, (Sledgehammer Theatre); American Buffalo, Medea, Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (Compass Theatre); The Man Who Came to Dinner (Coronado Playhouse); Brooklyn Boy (Scripps Ranch Theatre). Awards: San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Play; KPBS/Patte awards for Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Acting Ensemble, Outstanding Original Music for a Play; finalist in the Disney/ASCAP musical theatre workshop, directed by Stephen Schwartz. I dedicate this production to all of the aliens out there (extraterrestrial and otherwise)! www.ruffyeager.com
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Andy Collins (Harry/Harriet) has been seen at Diversionary Theatre in Pippin, Twist, The Break Up Notebook, The Daddy Machine, Valhalla, Falsettos, Jeffrey and The Rocky Horror Show. Some of his other credits include: Company, Assassins, Cabaret, The Matchmaker, My Fair Lady, Pageant (Cygnet Theatre); Gypsy, Parasite Drag (ion Theatre); Guys & Dolls (Lambs Players); The Full Monty, Bye Bye Birdie (SD Musical Theatre).
Melinda Gilb (Flora, Gladys, Daisy, Maria, Roberta, Louella) is proud to be making her debut at Diversionary. After 32 years as a professional actor some of her credits include Singin’ in the Rain (Original Broadway cast); Back to Bacharach and David (Original Off-Broadway cast); Suds(Original cast and co-author); Joseph Papp’s The Pirates of Penzance(1st National tour); Original Mama Whoin How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Old Globe); Walter Cronkite is Dead (San Diego Theatre Criticsnomination- Best Actress), The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Miss Witherspoon, Always Patsy Cline (San Diego Rep), Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (Craig Noel Award- Best Actress), Dolly Levi inHello Dolly (Starlight Theatre); Miss Hannigan in Annie, The Smell of The Kill, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (North Coast Rep); Assassins, A Christmas Carol, Dirty Blonde, The Receptionist (Cygnet Theatre); Thoroughly Modern Millie(Welk Resort Theatre); The Melinda and Steve Show (with Steve Gunderson inNew York, Los Angeles and San Diego).Television: Featured on The Full Wax and Ruby Takes a Trip(BBC-1); Guest star on Becker (CBS). Favorite role, Mama to her 10 year old son, Knight.
Fred Harlow (Fred/Freida) was last seen at Diversionary as the Radio Man in Bluebonnet Court and is thrilled to return in this show. He has appeared at NCRT, Starlight, Moxie, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe and many others. Some of his favorite roles include Valere in La Bête at the Fritz, Roy in The Best Misteak produced by Playwrights Project and half the citizens in A Tuna Christmas at Compas Theatre.
Tony Houck (Suzie) has been performing on the Diversionary stage since 2008. He was last seen as musical director and accompanist for Marry Me a Little and in the cabaret show he co-wrote with the stunning Ms. Jacque Wilke, Miss Kitty’s Wild West Revue. Other Diversionary credits include: The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler; Pippin; Harmony, Kansas; Next Fall; [title of show]; Twist; Yank!; Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins; and Dear Harvey. He will direct and perform for the third year the holiday hit Scrooge in Rouge, for which he has received a Craig Noel Award (2008) and LA Scenie (2012) award for his performance as Lottie Obligato and a LA Scenie (2012) award for direction of the show. Diversionary Cabaret credits include: Heather and Tony: We Might Be Cousins; Senor Phil’s Casa del Haha; Facts of Life: The Lost Episode. Elsewhere, Tony appeared as Helga in Cygnet Theater’s award winning Cabaret. He is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and loves BLT sandwiches.
Phil Johnson (Betty) performed on Broadway in Les Miserables, in the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard, and toured with Les Miz and the 1st National Company of Miss Saigon. He is an actor, writer and singer, now in San Diego and L.A. Phil’s acting work includes: Man Who Came to Dinner (SD Critics Circle Craig Noel Award, directed by Ruff Yeager) at Coronado Playhouse; Midsummer Night’s Dream at Intrepid Shakespeare; Mistakes Were Made (West Coast Premiere) & Little Shop of Horrors at Cygnet Theatre; Hound of the Baskervilles (Original solo show, funded by the SD Foundation), Putnam County Spelling Bee &Pageant at North Coast Repertory Theatre; How The Grinch Stole Christmas at the Old Globe Theatre; Pete n’ Keely at Lamb’s Players; and The New Century at Diversionary Theatre. On television he appeared on Notes from the Underbelly, a sitcom on ABC. Phil writes, produces and performs an original sketch comedy show Casa del Haha with Senor Phil at Diversionary Theatre. For theatres he has written: She-Rantulas (co-written with Ruff Yeager), Hound of the Baskervilles, The Humbug’s Holiday Spectacular (co-writer, this Christmas) and Mistletoe, Music & Mayhem (co-writer) for North Coast Rep. www.philjohnson.net
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[tab title=”Creative Team”]RUFF YEAGER (Director & Co-author) is thrilled to be returning to Diversionary Theatre with She-Rantulas from Outer Space-in 3-D!Previously for Diversionary: Friends of Dorothy and Bent. Elsewhere: The Laramie Project, Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge, Night of the Iguana, Anon-ymous, Simply Maria or The American Dream, Macbeth, You Can’t Take it With You, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Oedipus in the Tragi-comic Bathtub (Southwestern College); Cuatro Corridos (UCSD Dept. of Music); The Tutor, Arrow to the Heart, The Waves (Vox Nova Theatre Company); [sic], Bronze, (Sledgehammer Theatre); American Buffalo, Medea, Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (Compass Theatre); The Man Who Came to Dinner (Coronado Playhouse); Brooklyn Boy (Scripps Ranch Theatre). Awards: San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Play; KPBS/Patte awards for Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Acting Ensemble, Outstanding Original Music for a Play; finalist in the Disney/ASCAP musical theatre workshop, directed by Stephen Schwartz. I dedicate this production to all of the aliens out there (extraterrestrial and otherwise)! www.ruffyeager.com
KEVIN ANTHENILL (Sound Design) previously worked with Diversionary Theatre sound designing Marry Me a Little, The Further Adventures Of Hedda Gabbler, Birds of a Feather, Edward II, Learn to be Latina, Next Fall, Harmony Kansas, Pippin, and Scrooge in Rouge. Design credits include USD/Old Globe: A Measure for Measure, Winters Tale, Twelfth night, and Fathers and Sons; San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Zoot Suit; as well as Cygnet Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties, Gem of the Ocean and Shakespeare’s R&J and Moxie Theatre’s A Raisin in the Sun, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek and Freedom of Speech. He composed original music for San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Boom and In The Next Room, was the Sound Design Assistant at The Old Globe’s Summer Shakespeare Festival three times, and worked with The Old Globe’s education department sound designing their Summer Shakespeare Intensive four times. He Holds a B.A. in Theater Design from San Diego State University.
CHAD YEAGER (Set Design) Coming Soon!
LUKE OLSON (Lighting Design) is very excited to be back at Diversionary. Previous work at Diversionary Theatre includes the lighting for Marry Me a Little, The Divine Sister, Scrooge In Rouge, when last we flew, Pippin, Hot Guys Dancing, and Dance/Theatre, and the projection designs for Learn To Be Latina and Poster Boys. Other local lighting credits include The Fox & The Fairway and Stones in His Pockets (Summer Repertory Theatre); References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, The Bluest Eye, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, and A Raisin In The Sun (MOXIE Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (PLNU); The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later (Mira Costa College); Malashock RAW/2 (Malashock Dance); Hunters Trilogy and When Strangers Meet (San Diego Dance Theatre). He has a MFA from San Diego State University.
JENNIFER BRAWN-GITTINGS (Costume Design) is proud to be an Associate Artist at Diversionary, where previous work includes Scrooge in Rouge (Craig Noel Award), Dooley, The Marriage Bed, The New Century, The Little Dog Laughed (Stage Scene LA Award), No Exit, Yank!, Bluebonnet Court, and Bunbury (Patté Award). She has designed over 100 productions regionally; local credits include designs for the La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, San Diego REP, A Noise Within, MOXIE Theatre (Design Ambassador), Cygnet, North Coast Rep, Mo`olelo, and ion, among others. Ms. Gittings is half of the design team of LEO DUO Costumes & Couture. Love and gratitude to my “boys”: Chris, Oliver, and Theodore. www.icostumedesign.com www.leoduo.com
PETER HERMAN (Wigs & Make-up Design) is glad to return to Diversionary for She-Rantulas From Outer Space-in 3D! He has previously done wigs for many Diversionary shows including Scrooge in Rouge, Twist, Irma Vep, When Pigs Fly, and costumes for Cyber-Queer. Peter has also designed wigs and costumes for many local theaters, including Cygnet, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Moonlight, Starlight, and North Coast Rep. He currently teaches wigs and makeup at San Diego State University.
DAVID MEDINA (Prop Design) has been the prop master at Diversionary Theatre for the past 6 seasons. He spends his days as the properties buyer for The Old Globe Theatre Prop Shop and has worked on over 85 shows for The Globe. He has also been designing for the Globe MFA program and the undergrad Program at The University of San Diego for the past 3 seasons. David is a photographer, painter, floral designer, wedding designer, and a great dancer! Thank you for supporting the theatres in San Diego and for keeping artists, like myself and many more, working in an exciting creative field. Much thanks and love to MBY and Tiger Paw! Idoprops@yahoo.com
AVALON MIDDLETON (Stage Manager) Diversionary: Marry Me a Little. Elsewhere: Assistant Stage Manager for Extraordinary Chambers (Mo’olelo) She has also acted as a Stage Management Intern with The Old Globe for their production of Divine Rivalry. She graduated from The University of San Diego with a BA in Theatre Arts. For her stage management work at USD she received at KCACTF award for stage management. She would like to take the time to thank her mentor, Michael Halad.
JILL & JERRY HALL (Production Sponsors)
Coming Soon!
SETH KROSNER & PHIL JOHNSON (Production Sponsors)
Coming Soon!
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[tab title=”Resource Links”]InDepth: Background, Notes and Information for She-Rantulas from Outer Space-in 3D!
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Contact: John Alexander – 619.220.6830 jalexander@diversionary.org
She-Rantulas From Outer Space in 3-D! by Tim Parks, Edge San Diego
SHE-RANTULAS FROM OUTER SPACE-IN 3D! BEGINS REHEARSALS AT DIVERSIONARY
Download the press release here.
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