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Welcome to...

 

The West Coast PREMIERE of Henrik Ibsen’s

PUBLIC ENEMY

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In a version by David Harrower
Directed by Richard Baird

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THE CAST

 

RICHARD BAIRD* … Dr. Thomas Stockmann

DANNY CAMPBELL … Morten Kiil

TREVOR CRUSE … Mr. Hovstad

NICK DAUGHERTY … Mr. Billing

GEOFFREY ULYSSES GEISSINGER … Eilif Stockmann

ANTHONY GRAF … Morten Stockmann

NICK KENNEDY … Mayor Peter Stockmann

NEIL McDONALD … Mr. Aslaksen

WALTER MURRAY … Captain Horster

AMANDA SCHAAR … Mrs. Katrine Stockmann

KIMBERLY WEINBERGER … Petra Stockmann

*denotes members of Actors Equity Association

 

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THE CREATIVE TEAM

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DIRECTOR ... RICHARD BAIRD

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ... VANESSA DINNING
STAGE MANAGER ... ANNA YOUNCE
DESIGNED BY ... RICHARD BAIRD, AMANDA SCHAAR
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY ... RICHARD BAIRD
DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY ... NEIL McDONALD

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NEW FORTUNE THEATRE COMPANY

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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ... RICHARD BAIRD
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ... AMANDA SCHAAR
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR ... NICK KENNEDY

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SPECIAL THANKS TO

 

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POWELL DANCE AND PERFORMING ARTS

 

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

 

GORDON & BRYAN BAIRD

TOM HAINE

NEIL McDONALD

ROBERT NICKEL 

A.NONYMOUS
 

AND TO OUR GENEROUS VOLUNTEERS

 

 

PUBLIC ENEMY RUNS 90 MINUTES WITH NO INTERMISSION.

 

ENJOY THE SHOW!

 

ARTIST & CREATIVE BIOS

 

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RICHARD BAIRD (DR. THOMAS STOCKMANN & DIRECTOR) New Fortune: As You Like It, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Birthday Party, Henry V (Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Performance and for Outstanding Direction).  Mr. Baird is an award-winning actor, director and producer. Richard served as Associate Artistic Director of Southwest Shakespeare Company 2008-09 and is the Founding Artistic Director of Poor Players Theatre Company and New Fortune Theatre Company. Richard has been seen throughout the United States in regional theatres. Select acting credits include North Coast Rep: An Iliad, The Homecoming Ben Butler, Holmes & Watson, Betrayal, Hedda Gabler, Romeo and Juliet, Gabriel, Way Downriver, The Tempest, Ghosts; Old Globe: Dolls House; Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: The Madness of King George III and Cyrano de Bergerac; San Diego Rep: Disgraced; Backyard Renaissance: American Buffalo.  Arizona Theatre Company: Disgraced, Romeo and Juliet; Santa Barbara Ensemble Theatre: Measure for Measure; Southwest Shakespeare Company: Cyrano de Bergerac (Arizoni Best Actor Winner), Taming of the Shrew (Arizoni Best Actor Winner), Othello, Tartuffe, The Winter's Tale, The Merchant of Venice; Kingsmen Shakespeare: Macbeth, The Winter's Tale; Portland Centre Stage: A Midsummer Night's Dream; Oregon Shakespeare Festival: The Winter’s Tale, Cyrano de Bergerac, Two Gentlemen of Verona; Santa Cruz Shakespeare: Macbeth. Directing credits include:  The Changeling (Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan series); North Coast Rep: Of Mice and Men, Amadeus, A Walk in the Woods and Dancing Lessons; Southwest Shakespeare Company: As You Like It and The Winter’s Tale; Backyard Renaissance: An Experiment with an Airpump and The October Night of Johnny Zero; Diversionary Theatre: Edward II; Intrepid Theatre: Much Ado about Nothing; Poor Players: Titus Andronicus, Othello, Measure for Measure (three times), Coriolanus, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry IV, Part One, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merchant of Venice.

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DANNY CAMPBELL (MORTEN KIIL): Previously for New Fortune Theatre Company: Adam/Sir Oliver Martext in As You Like It. Elsewhere: 100+ performances as Tom in The Norman Conquests trilogy for Cygnet Theatre; Hamlet (Polonius), All My Sons, Macbeth (Duncan), An Enemy of the People, King John, Richard II, The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter's Tale and Much Ado About Nothing (directed by Richard Baird) for Intrepid Theatre Company; Fiddler on the Roof, You Can't Take It With You, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Room Service for Lamb’s Players Theatre; Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, 1776, Phantom, Chess, You Never Can Tell, Fiddler on the Roof (1994, 2012), Born Yesterday, and Ring Round the Moon for Moonlight Stage Productions; My Fair Lady (Pickering) and 1776 (James Wilson) for Starlight Musical Theatre; Hamlet (Horatio), Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro), The Odd Couple (Felix) and Dancing at Lughnasa (Michael) for Octad-One. Also: The Taming of the Shrew (Petruchio) for La Jolla Stage Company; Plaza Suite, Mister Roberts, Bye Bye Birdie (Mr. MacAfee), The Happy Time, The Great Sebastians and Alone Together at Long Beach Playhouse; She Loves Me (Maraczek) and The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Scripps Ranch Theatre; La Bête for the Fritz Theatre; Lips Together, Teeth Apart (Sam) at Actors Asylum; A New Brain for Diversionary Theatre; Brigadoon at Patio Playhouse; A Walk in the Woods and I Never Sang for My Father at Onstage Playhouse. Direction: Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet (Octad-One);  Songs for a New World (Actors Asylum); Night Watch (Onstage Playhouse); The Sound of Music (TPAC); Man of La Mancha (Lamplighters); Closer Than Ever (POWPAC).

 

MR. CAMPBELL IS SPONSORED IN PART BY ELAINE HIEL, DEBORAH PANTONI,

JULIE USTIN, AND LEORA ZALMAN.

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TREVOR CRUSE (MR. HOVSTAD): Trevor Cruse is honored to be joining the cast of Public Enemy as Hovstad. They have previously been seen at Cygnet Theatre in Present Laughter as Roland Maule, Cabaret, Spamalot, and On The 20th Century. Other recent credits include Pacific Conservatory Theatre's As You Like It (Sylvius), Grossmont Community College's Spring Awakening as Moritz, and The Eastern's production of Puffs as Cedric/Mr.Voldy. Trevor is a proud graduate of the Professional Actor Training program at the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria.

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NICK DAUGHERTY (MR. BILLING): Nick Daugherty is a San Diego-based actor who is thrilled to be making his New Fortune debut! Nick recently appeared as JJ Carney in New Village Arts’ West Coast Premiere of The Ferryman. He has also been on stage at SD Fringe Festival in Space Force as Sgt. Peters.

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VANESSA DINNING (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR): Vanessa is an award-winning actor, director and voice & dialect coach serving San Diego’s performing arts community. Locally, she has worked with Cygnet, Moxie, Moonlight, San Diego REP, The Old Globe, SDMT, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, Backyard Renaissance, Lamb’s, and Bodhi Tree Concerts. In her native UK at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Royal National Theatre and Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, among many others. Selected San Diego directing credits include: Dido and Aeneas (Bodhi Tree Concerts), Sofonisba (The Eastern),  Follies in Concert (Coronado Playhouse), Shockheaded Peter (Assistant Director, Cygnet Theatre), Much Ado About Music (San Diego Symphony), Katie Luther, the Opera (Everyday Opera), Love Letters (Peninsula Pops), Shakespeare in the Garden (co-director), The Importance of Being Earnest (Coronado Playhouse), and Beatrice, the Butterfly (North Coast Rep. Theatre School).  In her native UK Vanessa taught and directed at various drama schools. Favorites include: A… My Name is Alice, Company, Women Beware Women, As You Like It, Desperately Seeking an Audience and The Croft Review. Vanessa maintains a private studio teaching voice, singing, cello, dialect and music theory.

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MS. DINNING IS SPONSORED IN PART BY ANONYMOUS

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GEOFFREY ULYSSES GEISSINGER (EILIF STOCKMANN): A San Diego-based actor, writer, and director, Geoffrey earned his BA in Theatre Performance and Theatre Studies with a Creative Writing minor from Saint Mary’s College of California. Before finishing his degree, he studied Drama at Queen Mary University of London. While there, he performed in Irene at the Dr. Johnson’s House, which was the play’s most recent performance since David Garrick’s original production in 1749. His original plays have been featured at the San Diego International Fringe Festival (The Chameleon) and Under 30: A Festival of One-Acts at Saint Mary’s College (ELIZA). A three-time attendee of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Geoffrey was an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominee in 2019. He has also featured in the New Works Reading Series at North Coast Rep. Recent Acting Credits: Franky in The October Night of Johnny Zero (Backyard Renaissance Theatre Company), Silvius in As You Like It (New Fortune Theatre Company), Armand Lumé in Murder at Roland Manor (Thunder Bay Theatre), Narrator in Every Brilliant Thing (Saint Mary’s College), Phil/Dave in Almost, Maine (Solano College Theatre), Richard in Fuddy Meers (Solano College Theatre), Frank in School for Lies (Saint Mary’s College), Tuzenbach in Three Sisters (Saint Mary’s College), and Jean Verse in ...And Jesus Moonwalks The Mississippi (Saint Mary’s College). geoffreyulyssesgeissinger.com

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ANTHONY GRAF (MORTEN STOCKMANN): Anthony is thrilled to be making his New Fortune debut alongside the incomparable cast and creative team of Public Enemy! He recently finished his freshman year in Washington D.C., pursuing a B.M. in Musical Theatre with a minor in philosophy at The Catholic University of America. Recent credits include Anything Goes (Captain), Carrie the Musical (Stokes), and Anastasia (Dmitry). Anthony was named a top three finalist in the 2022 Broadway San Diego Awards, celebrating excellence in high school musical theatre. He would like to thank New Fortune for giving him such an incredible opportunity, the friends he has made in the San Diego theatre community for being endlessly supportive, and his family for being with him on every step of life's journey. 

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NICK KENNEDY (MAYOR PETER STOCKMANN): New Fortune Theatre: debut. Nick Kennedy is a co-founder of the Poor Players Theatre Company and has directed or performed in dozens of productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Holding degrees from San Diego State (M.A. in English) and The University of Texas at Austin (B.A.s in English and Psychology), he participated in the Shakespeare at Winedale program. Notable San Diego stage performances include… North Coast Repertory Theatre: Amadeus. Ion Theatre: The Mystery Plays, Heddatron, Grace (Craig Noel Award Nomination - Featured Performance), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.  Poor Players Theatre Company: Titus Andronicus, A Midsummer Night's Dream (dir.), Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, Coriolanus, Hamlet (dir.),  Taming of the Shrew, Henry IV, Part 1, The Merry Wives of Windsor (dir.), Twelfth Night (dir.), Measure for Measure, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra (dir.), The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, The Tempest (dir.), Romeo & Juliet (dir.).  Other select credits include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, You Can't Take It With You, and The Runner Stumbles. Nick’s performance is dedicated to the memory of Ruth Ellen Kennedy, loving mother and talented artist

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NEIL McDONALD (MR. ASLAKSEN): New Fortune Theatre: As You Like It (Duke Senior/Duke Frederick), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Major Domo), Henry V (Bedford/Orleans/Bates/Burgundy/Le Fer). Poor Players: Romeo and Juliet (Capulet), Measure for Measure (Provost/Elbow), The Tempest (Prospero), As You Like It (Phoebe), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theseus/Oberon), Antony and Cleopatra (Agrippa), The Merchant of Venice (Launcelot/Aragon/Tubal/Duke), Macbeth (Angus/Murderer), Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew). Other San Diego credits: The Children (Robin), Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure (Moriarty), Postmortem (Leo), How the Other Half Loves (Bob), The Tempest (Alonso), What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (Carl/Mel/Edgar), Britannicus (Burrus), Hairdresser on Fire (Niles). Glasgow credits:  Hated Nightfall (Dancer, Scottish premiere), Terry Pratchett's Mort (DEATH).  New Fortune Theatre (Perth): The Merchant of Venice (Antonio), Romeo and Juliet (Paris), King Lear (Captain/Old Man), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Philostrate).  Other Perth credits:  Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (Roo), Miss Bosnia (General Jez), Medea (Jason), title role in Dracula, and Hamlet (in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead).

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WALTER MURRAY (CAPTAIN HORSTER): New Fortune: As You Like It, Henry V. Walter has worked at theaters all over SD, LA and NY. He was the Executive Director of the SD Black Ensemble Theater. Movies: Your name Here, Regarding the Case of Joan of Arc, Why the Nativity, former anchor at PBS. Thank you to DR's Stanton, Epston and Levine.

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AMANDA SCHAAR (MRS. KATRINE STOCKMANN) New Fortune Theatre: As You Like It (Rosalind), Henry V, The Birthday Party, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and proudly serves as the founding executive director. An accomplished writer, dancer, musician and actress, Amanda’s work is well-respected in experimental and classical venues across the country. Select credits include: Poor Players: Measure for Measure and Richard II; Sledgehammer: Heaven on Earth; Southwest Shakespeare: As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, Tartuffe, Othello, Two Gentlemen of Verona, London Assurance, Romeo and Juliet; Timeline Theatre Company (Chicago): Pitmen Painters (US Premiere) (Chicago Jeff Award, Best Ensemble), The Front Page (Jeff Nomination, Best Show); North Coast Repertory Theatre; An Iliad (Muse), Perfect Wedding, Odd Couple; Northwestern University; Teatro Caliente Festival; Teatro Bravo; TIMB; Stray Cat; and a National Tour of the children's show, New Voices. Ms. Schaar is proud to have written extensively for theatrical performance: sketch comedy, syndicated live theatre, performance art pieces (notable: The Black Chicken, Naked with a Banjo, and Pancake of Truth), as well as full-length plays: Rummy Starker Love Fest (Best Avant Garde - EV Trib.) which enjoyed completely sold-out runs at ASU and TIMB (Phoenix), and her comedy Kill Socrates was recently produced by the Don Bluth Front Row Theatre in AZ.

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KIMBERLY WEINBERGER (PETRA STOCKMANN): Kimberly Weinberger is honored to be making her New Fortune Theatre Company debut. She was most recently seen at Trinity Theatre Company in the world premiere of LARPing. Select stage credits include Blackbird (The Poolhouse Project), I Oughta Be In Pictures (Patio Playhouse), After the End (T24 Drama Society). Select film credits: Hemet; Or the Landlady Don’t Drink Tea (Charybdis Pictures), Into the Night (11:59 Productions). Directing credit: Phase (Second Sister Films). Kimberly would like to thank this incredible cast and crew for their talent, kindness, and dedication.  

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ANNA YOUNCE (STAGE MANAGER): Anna Younce is a graduate of UC San Diego (BA-Theatre) where she developed her identity as a theatre maker with multiple areas of interest. Highlights include an award-winning Honors Thesis in Playwriting with her first full-length play Self-Talk; Our Town (Asst. Dir. under Kim Walsh); writing, directing, and designing a production of two one-act plays as a studio project (Give Me Something/Whatever You Need). She is thrilled to be collaborating with New Fortune for the first time on such a fantastic production. Other professional credits include God of Carnage, The October Night of Johnny Zero, Steel Magnolias, Abigail’s Party, Witchland, Dry Powder, The Dazzle, American Buffalo (Stage Manager, Backyard Renaissance); gUnTOPIA (Stage Manager, The Roustabouts Theatre Co.); Written in Stone for Without Walls Festival 2019 (“Tour Guide,” Backyard Renaissance & La Jolla Playhouse).

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