A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER

 

 

Please note that our remaining performances of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” are currently proceeding as scheduled. We will inform you should this change. Thank you!

February 26-March 15, 2020
Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco 94111
Wednesday-Thursday 7:00; Friday 8:00; Saturday 6:00; Sunday 3:00
Saturday Matinee March 7 at 1:00 PM

Book and Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
Music and Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Based on a Novel by Roy Horniman

Director Daren A.C. Carollo
Music Director Daniel Thomas
Choreographer Christina Lazo
Scenic Designer Mark Mendelson
Costume Designer Rebecca Valentino
Stage Manager Alicia Lerner*
Key Art Design by DC Scarpelli

A perfect blend of farce, romance, and treachery, GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE… won the Tony for Best Musical in 2014, and we’re proud to host the Bay Area professional premiere! When a commoner finds he’s eighth in line for an Earldom, he begins fiendishly plotting to move to the top of the heap. With a sparkling score and a crack ensemble cast, this Guide is part comedy of manners and part music hall romp—you’ll be dying of laughter.

A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER runs about two hours twenty minutes, including one intermission.



NOEL ANTHONY*
Ensemble
Bio

This marks Noel’s fifth production with 42nd Street Moon, having previously appeared as Joe in The Most Happy Fella and John P. Wintergreen in Of Thee I Sing. Noel is a veteran of 70 productions in and around the Bay Area. Some credits include Valjean in Les Misérables, the title role in Sweeney Todd, Burrs in The Wild Party, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Jerry in The Full Monty, and many more. Noel had the pleasure of making his directorial debut with Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of West Side Story this past January. For more info go to www.noelanthonyescobar.com



CHRISTINE CAPSUTO-SHULMAN*
Sibella Hallward
Bio

Christine is thrilled to return to 42nd Street Moon in one of her bucket list roles, and is a multi-faceted performing artist in opera, musical theater, dance and acting. A few of Mrs. Shulman’s regional credits include: Mamma Mia! (Tanya), Jekyll & Hyde (Emma), The Bridges of Madison County (Chiara), Hot Rhythm Nights (Gloria Estefan), Chicago (Velma), A Little Night Music (Mrs. Nordstrom), the Disneyland Resort’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular! (Jasmine), The Light in The Piazza (Franca), Vox Lumiere (Evil Diva), Le nozze di Figaro (Contessa), Carmen (Frasquita/Micaëla cover), Rigoletto (Gilda), La bohéme (Musetta), and Die Zauberflöte (Königin der Nacht). She is also an esteemed concert soloist and runs her own princess party company. Mrs. Shulman earned her degrees from AMDA (LA/NY) and San Jose State (Cum Laude). Offstage, she loves teaching, anything artistic and creative, spoiling her dog and husband, cooking and laughing with family and friends. christinecapsuto.com



SEAN FENTON*
Ensemble
Bio

Sean is delighted to return to 42nd Street Moon after appearing as Neil in Fiorello! last season. Sean has performed at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in The Bridges of Madison County, A Little Night Music, Min Kahng’s The Four Immigrants: An American Musical Manga, and most recently, Paul Gordon’s new musical Pride and Prejudice. Other favorite roles include Song Liling in M. Butterfly at the Nevada Theatre and Custom Made Theatre (SFBATCC Award finalist, principal actor), Christopher in Two Mile Hollow at Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company, Ladahlord in the Shanghai tour of Pasek and Paul’s James and the Giant Peach, and The Old Man of the Moon in Min Kahng’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon at Bay Area Children’s Theatre (TBA Award winner, featured actor). Sean is a graduate of Stanford University and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.



TERESSA FOSS*
Miss Shingle/Ensemble
Bio

Teressa is delighted to return to Moon, where she has performed in Little Me (Older Belle), Zorba (Widow), and Oh, Kay! (Kay). Recent Bay Area appearances: Tuck Everlasting (Betsy Foster) and Rags (Anna/Ensemble) for TheatreWorks; Il barbiere di Siviglia (Berta), Le nozze di Figaro (Marcellina), La rondine (Suzy), and A Streetcar Named Desire (Nurse/Ghost/u/s Eunice) for Opera San Jose; Hansel & Gretel (Gretel/Fairies) and Little Red Riding Hood (Mother/Granny) for OSJ’s educational outreach program; Delicate Particle Logic (Lise Meitner) and Farm Hall (Elizabeth Heisenberg) for Indra’s Net Theatre. Bay Area soloist gigs: Viva La Musica, Goat Hall’s “Fresh Voices” Festivals, Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus, Jarvis Institute. She grew up in Carmel, earned a B.A. in Theatre from UCLA, and has performed for audience sizes from “living room” to 17,000 (no kidding, that was the Hollywood Bowl), not counting the occasional national commercial. Visit TeressaFoss.net!




MATT HAMMONS*
The D’Ysquith Family
Bio

Matt couldn’t have wished for a more perfect role with a more perfect company in which to be making his debut as an Equity actor. Moon has given him so many fantastic opportunities over the last couple of years. He’s had the pleasure of playing Dick/Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in the revival of Scrooge in Love!, the ever-beleaguered Morris in Fiorello! and the singin’, strummin’ bandleader in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Other recent favorites include Tom in The Glass Menagerie (Role Players Ensemble/Eugene O’Neill Festival), Paul in When We Were Young and Unafraid (Custom Made Theatre Co.), Ensemble in Big, The Musical (Berkeley Playhouse), Jack/Jesus in Reefer Madness and Crawford/Papa Shtarling in Silence! The Musical (Ray of Light) In addition to being a professional stage actor, Matt is proud to say that he uses acting and improv in his daytime work: engaging roleplay to help people in the educational and corporate fields improve their interpersonal skills.



NICOLE HELFER*
Ensemble
Bio

Nicole is an award-winning choreographer, director, performing artist, and Chair of the School of Theatre at Oakland School for the Arts. She delighted to be back at 42nd Street Moon where she directed and choreographed Dames at Sea last season. She has worked with such well-known Bay Area theatre companies as SF Playhouse, Broadway By the Bay, Center Rep, Ray of Light, and Pacific Coast Reparatory Theatre. Most notable choreography credits include Cabaret (TBA nominee), Dames at Sea (TBA and SFBATCC nominee), The Music Man (TBA nominee), West Side Story (TBA Award), In the Heights (TBA Award), No, No, Nanette (TBA and SFBATCC nominee), and Lizzie (SFBATCC nominee). Directing credits include She Loves Me, Dames at Sea (TBA nominee), Chicago, and The Music Man. Performance credits include Marian in The Music Man, Fantine in Les Misérables (Shellie Award), Betty in Sunset Blvd. (Shellie nominee), Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Shellie nominee), Cassie and Val in A Chorus Line, and Velma Kelly in Chicago (SFBATCC nominee).



AMANDA JOHNSON*
Miss Barley/Ensemble
Bio

Amanda is ecstatic to be returning to 42nd Street Moon this season to tell the tale of GGLAM! Moon credits include Fiorello! (Thea), The Most Happy Fella (Rosabella), The Secret Garden (Rose/Dreamer), Follies in Concert (Young Heidi/Margie), Call Me Madam – Reading Series (Princess Maria), and most recently Fiona in Brigadoon with the Peninsula Symphony. Bay Area credits: Into The Woods (Baker’s Wife) and South Pacific (Nellie Forbush) with Woodminster Summer Musicals. Off-Broadway: Music in the Air (NY City Center Encores!). Regional: The Music Man (Marian Paroo), Sweeney Todd (Johanna), White Christmas (Betty Haynes), Evita (Eva Peron). Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Amanda is delighted to call the Bay Area home since relocating in 2017. BFA, Shenandoah Conservatory of Music (magna cum laude). Proud Member of AEA!



HAYLEY LOVGREN
Ensemble
Bio

Hayley was born and raised in the Bay Area. Most recently she appeared as Kiki in Significant Other at SF Playhouse. Before that she played the title role in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (3Below) and got all dolled up to play King Herod in the all female production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Ray of Light which earned her a TBA award. Past credits include 1776 (Tabard Theatre Company), Oliver! (Broadway By the Bay), and the world premieres of Max Understood (Paul Dresher Ensemble), and The Cable Car Nymphomaniac (Fogg Theatre Company). She screamed her head off in the west coast premiere of Silence! The Musical, a musical parody of “Silence of the Lambs” (Ray of Light/Cloud 9) and Lizzie (City Lights Theatre Company. Hayley has performed in SF SketchFest and Chicago SketchFest in 3 Woman, 1 Woman Show. She received a BA in Theatre Arts from Santa Clara University, and an MFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory.




NICK NAKASHIMA*
Ensemble
Bio

Nick is a character actor of long and rich experience. Mr. Nakashima is thrilled to return to 42nd Street Moon having last been seen in Irma La Douce and The Golden Apple. Some of the many plays in which he had important parts are Emma, The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, and A Little Night Music. Other regional credits include: Next to Normal, Children of Eden, Candide, The King and I, Les Misérables, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Producers, and La Cage aux Folles.



LEE ANN PAYNE*
Ensemble
Bio

Lee Ann is delighted to return to the 42nd Street Moon stage! Lee Ann was last seen at Moon in Fiorello!; Me and My Girl; as Sue Smith in No, No, Nanette; and as Ninotchka in Silk Stockings. Lee Ann has worked in theatres throughout the Bay Area including SF Playhouse, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, Jewel Theatre Company, and Hillbarn Theatre. Lee Ann earned her MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University and is excited to direct Wonderful Town for 42nd Street Moon’s 2020-2021 Season.



KEVIN SINGER*
Montague “Monty” Navarro
Bio

Kevin is an award-winning actor with a love of politics and fried chicken sandwiches. Regular patrons of 42nd Street Moon may have seen him in the concert production of Titanic: The Musical (Murdoch) and was most recently seen in Brigadoon (Charlie) with Peninsula Symphony. In the decade since he moved to the Bay Area, Kevin’s worked with dozens of regional companies, including the Magic Theatre, Center Repertory Theatre, and Shotgun Players. He is a founding member of The Other Other Theatre Company, which produces theatre for theatre people on Sunday and Monday evenings. Kevin graduated in 2013 from UC Berkeley, where he was awarded the David and Diana Menn Prize for Outstanding Creative Talent in the Performing Arts. When he’s not engaging in tomfoolery on stage, he works as a communications consultant for progressive non-profits and political candidates. You can follow him on Twitter, where he frequently rants: @ksings0201



MELISSA WOLFKLAIN*
Phoebe D’Ysquith
Bio

Melissa is so excited to return to 42nd Street Moon after receiving the TBA Award for Joan in Dames at Sea! Also at Moon, she portrayed Young Sally in Follies in concert and Sally Smith in Me and My Girl. Melissa was last seen at Theatreworks as Mary Bennet in Pride & Prejudice. She has appeared in the national tours of 42nd Street and White Christmas, both choreographed by Randy Skinner. Some of her favorite Bay Area appearances are Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (TBA nomination), Peter Pan in Peter Pan, and Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain (SFBATCC Award). In Los Angeles, Melissa played Ginger Rogers in the West Coast premiere of Backwards in High Heels, Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street (Garland Award Honorable Mention) and Princess Fiona in Shrek (Scenie Award). Follow her on instagram @melissawolfklain and visit www.melissawolfklain.com to see what’s next!


*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Photos by Ben Krantz Studio • Click on thumbnails for full-size image



Matt Hammons* as Lady Hyacinth with ensemble


(L to R) Teressa Foss* as Miss Shingle and Kevin Singer* as Montague “Monty” Navarro



(L to R) Kevin Singer* as Montague “Monty” Navarro and Christine Capsuto-Shulman* as Sibella Hallward


(L to R) Kevin Singer* as Montague “Monty” Navarro and Melissa Wolfklain* as Phoebe D’Ysquith



(L to R) Melissa Wolfklain* as Phoebe D’Ysquith, Kevin Singer* as Montague “Monty” Navarro, and Christine Capsuto-Shulman* as Sibella Hallward


(L to R) Matt Hammons* as Lady Hyacinth and Noel Anthony Escobar* as Ensemble



(L to R) Matt Hammons* as Asquith D’Ysquith, Amanda Johnson* as Miss Barley and Haley Lovgren as Ensemble


(L to R) Nick Nakashima*, Amanda Johnson*, Sean Fenton*, Hayley Lovgren, Noel Anthony Escobar*, and Nicole Helfer* as Ensemble



Matt Hammons* as Lord Adalbert D’Ysquith


Kevin Singer* as Montague “Monty” Navarro

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EXPERIENCE A FULLER MOON

Opening Night Receptions

Join the cast and crew as we celebrate the opening of each new production. Savor champagne, wine, and delectable delights from our Opening Night sponsor. The best part? It’s on us!

Opening Night date for A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER: Saturday, February 29, 6:00 PM

Discussion Sundays

Get all your burning questions answered about the show you’ve just seen during our fun and informative post-performance discussions with the audience, cast, and crew. Hosted by Executive Directors Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, who will share the history of the original production as well as our current incarnation! Learn more about the composers, lyricists, and book writers, as well as your favorite Moonie cast members. Discussion Sundays happen on the first and second Sunday of each show in our regular season offerings.

Discussion Sunday dates for A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER: March 1 & 8, 3:00 PM





The Gateway Theatre is also BARTable! Just a five-minute walk from the Embarcadero Station.