1998 Tony nominee Julyana Soelistyo and television comedy veteran Melanie Chartoff co-star opposite Alan Oppenheimer (Sunset Boulevard) Richard Doyle, John Fleck, Patricia Fleck, Joseph Fuqua and Kellie Waymire in a new romantic comedy, On The Jump, starting previews May 21 at Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory. Officially opening May 28, John Glore's play runs to June 27 on the Rep's mainstage.
Robbed and abandoned on her wedding night by her new spouse, a woman contemplates suicide on a nearby bridge. That's when things take a turn for the better. Glore based his comedy on a story by his wife, Amy Dunkleberger.
Actress Soelistyo received a Tony nomination for her work in Golden Child. She's also worked at several theatres in Seattle. Chartoff as numerous stage credits in New York and California (including Big River at La Jolla), but she's best known for appearances in films and television ("Fridays," "Weird Science"). Waymire, who plays the lead, Colleen, won a Drama-Logue Award for Sylvia at CA's Old Globe.
Directed by SCR associate artist Mark Rucker, On The Jump features sets by Neil Patel, costumes by Walker Hicklin, lighting by Scott Zielinski and sound by Justus Matthews. Dennis McCarthy provides original music for the production.
On The Jump is the centerpiece of South Coast Rep's second annual Pacific Playwrights Festival, which offers mountings of two workshop productions plus seven staged readings. Both workshops and two of the readings are by Latino authors; no coincidence, since the Fest, running June 10-20, also encompasses SCR's 14th annual Hispanic Playwrights Project. The workshop stagings are Jose Rivera's References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot! and Rogelio Martinez's Illuminating Veronica, to be directed by Lisa Portes. Readings at the PPF include:
Lupe, Now! by Jonathan Ceniceroz, directed by Luis Alfaro
Cuchifrito by Eduardo Andino, directed by Octavio Solis
Everett Beekin by Richard Greenberg, author of Three Days of Rain and the upcoming Off-Broadway play, Hurrah at Last.
The Mystery of Attraction by Marlane Meyer, directed by Jody McAuliffe
God of Vengeance by Donald Margulies, adapting Sholem Asch drama
The Altruists by Nicky Silver (The Food Chain), directed by David Warren
The Beginning of August by Tom Donaghy, author of Minutes From The Blue Route.
For tickets and information on On The Jump and the Pacific Playwrights Festival at South Coast Rep call (714) 708-5555.
-- By David Lefkowitz
