Show Description
"I made myself platinum, but I was born a dirty blonde" - Mae West
Before Gaga...
Before Madonna...
There was Mae West!
Dirty Blonde follows Jo, an aspiring actress, who admires Mae West for her determination to beat the odds. On her annual pilgrimage to West’s gravesite, Jo bumps into Charlie, a film librarian and Mae West devotee who met his aging idol at her Hollywood apartment as a teenager. These two shy fans end up finding their own self-confidence and even romance in their shared love of this entertainment icon.
Nominated for 5 Tony Awards.
Cast
MELINDA GILB Mae West / Jo
Melinda is celebrating 30 years as a professional Actor. Some of her credits include: Broadway: Singin’ In The Rain (Original cast). Off Broadway: Back To Bacharach & David (Original cast), Suds (Original cast and co-author). 1st National tour: Joseph Papp’s The Pirates of Penzance. San Diego Theatre: Old Globe: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Original Mama Who), Suds (Marge); San Diego Repertory: Walter Cronkite is Dead, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Miss Witherspoon, Always Patsy Cline; Starlight Theatre: Hello Dolly (Dolly Levi), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett - Craig Noel Award), Annie (Miss Hannigan); North Coast Rep: The 25th Annual Putmum County Spelling Bee, The Smell of the Kill; Cygnet Theatre: The Receptionist; Welk Resort Theatre: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Mrs. Meers). Melinda and Steve Show – with Steve Gunderson - New York, Los Angeles and San Diego. Television: BBC-1: Featured on The Full Wax and Ruby Takes a Trip; CBS: Becker (Guest Star). Favorite role: Mama to her 9 year old son Knight. Melinda Gilb is sponsored by Artist Advocates Diana Koga & Kim Espinoza, Ann Laddon & Adrian Jaffer and Jack & Judy White.
Steve Gunderson Charlie and others
Steve played Judge Roan and the Old Soldier in Cygnet’s Parade. He won the 2010 San Diego Theatre Critics Award for Actor of the Year for his performances in Sweeney Todd (Cygnet Theatre), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Old Globe) and Into The Woods (New Village Arts) and Best Featured Actor in a musical for Hairspray (San Diego Rep). He co-wrote and starred in Suds (Off Broadway, Old Globe, San Diego Rep) which continues to have productions worldwide. He created (with Kathy Najimy) Off Broadway’s Back To Bacharach & David, which was revived at Hollywood’s Music Box Theatre. Acting credits include roles at La Jolla Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, La Mirada Theatre and multiple roles (voices) on TV’s King of the Hill and the new Beavis and Butthead. New York acting credits include over 2 years as Sparky in Forever Plaid. Steve Gunderson is sponsored by Artist Advocates Deborah Bodinger, Ph.D. and Ann Laddon & Adrian Jaffer.
David McBean Music Director/Joe Frisco and others
Resident Artist David was last seen as Dr. Madden in Next to Normal for AOB Theater. Other recent credits include: Clown #2 in The 39 Steps (La Mirada Theater), Duke in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (SD REP), Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (Cygnet Theater), and King Charles/William in Or (Moxie Theater). David McBean is sponsored by Artist Advocates Lisa Capper & Jesse King , Thomas Carr, and Charles & Dori Kaufman.
The Team
Sean Murray Director
Cygnet Theatre: Parade, Little Shop of Horrors, Our Town, Cabaret, The Tragedy of the Commons, The Norman Conquests, Private Lives, Sweeney Todd, It’s a Wonderful Life, Noises Off, Bed and Sofa ‘09, The History Boys, A Christmas Carol, A Little Night Music (SD Critic’s Award, Best Director), The Receptionist, The Invention of Love, Bed and Sofa ‘04 (SD Critic’s Award, Best Director, Best Musical Revival), Las Meninas, Escanaba in da Moonlight (SD Critic’s Circle, Set Design), The Book of Liz, Pageant, Bug, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, St. Nicholas, The Matchmaker, Desire Under the Elms, Santaland Diaries, Firebugs, Fully Committed, Arcadia, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, My Fair Lady. Elsewhere: North Coast Rep: The Elephant Man (Patté Award, Direction), Man of La Mancha, The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties; Diversionary: Never the Sinner, Love! Valour! Compassion!. Education: University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA). In 2000, Sean was named one of San Diego Magazine’s “50 People to Watch” and in 2005 he was named Producer of the Year by the San Diego Critic’s Circle.
Colleen Kollar Smith Choreographer
Cygnet Theatre: Bed and Sofa (Ludmilla - Craig Noel Award), Private Lives (choreography); Lamb’s Players Theatre: Resident Ensemble Member and Choreographer from 2004-2011, miXtape (co-creator/choreographer), Guys and Dolls, Music Man, Servant of Two Masters, The Fantasticks, Godspell, Pump Boys and Dinettes (choreographer); University of San Diego: Gone Missing (director/choreographer), Moonlight Stage Productions: Ring ‘Round the Moon, You Never Can Tell (choreographer), Intrepid Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (choreography). Upcoming: Lamb’s Players Theatre: Joe vs. the Volcano (choreographer), Intrepid Shakespeare: Midsummer Night’s Dream (director/choreographer). Colleen received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Irvine, and is currently earning her Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from USD.
Michelle Caron Lighting Designer
Cygnet Resident Artist. Cygnet Theatre: A Behanding in Spokane, The Glass Menagerie, Our Town, The Norman Conquests, It’s a Wonderful Life ‘09-’11; Artistic Associate at Diversionary Theatre: The Pride, Next Fall, Edward II, Poster Boys, Dooley, and Fair Use; Coronado School of the Arts: Thoroughly Modern Millie; America Rose Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre: Spring Awakening; Lyric Opera at the Birch Theatre: The Gondoliers and Malashock/RAW and Surface Tension with Malashock Dance. Michelle holds a MFA in Theatrical Design from San Diego State University. See her work at carondesignworks.com.
Sean Fanning Set Designer
Cygnet Resident Artist. Cygnet Theatre: Parade, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, The Tragedy of the Commons, The Norman Conquests, Sweeney Todd, Noises Off, Mauritius, A Christmas Carol, The Receptionist, A Little Night Music, The Matchmaker. Elsewhere: Plaid Tidings, KINGDOM (The Old Globe); Walter Cronkite is Dead (San Diego Repertory Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun (Moxie Theatre), The Winter’s Tale, Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Old Globe/USD); Zombie Prom (2008 Patte Award), The Grapes of Wrath, The People vs. Mona, A Man of No Importance (San Diego State University); and Das Barbecü (Theatre in Old Town). Mr. Fanning is in his fourth season as the Resident Design Assistant at the Old Globe, where he has assisted designers on over fifty productions. He holds a B.A. in Technical Theatre from Sonoma State University and an M.F.A. in Scene Design from San Diego State University.
Jennifer Brawn Gittings Costume Designer
Cygnet Theatre Debut. San Diego REP: Tommy, In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play, boom, The Seafarer, The Three-penny Opera, The Princes and the Black-eyed Pea, The Good Body, The Clean House, Don Quixote, Crowns. MOXIE Theatre (Design Ambassador): Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Ten Cent Night, Eurydice, Drink Me, The Butcher of Baraboo, Bleeding Kansas, Bluebonnet Court, Victoria Martin, The Treatment, Fall, Kimberly Akimbo. Diversionary Theatre (Associate Artist): Dooley, The Marriage Bed, The New Century, The Little Dog Laughed, Scrooge in Rouge, No Exit, Yank!, Bunbury. Additional local design credits include The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, North Coast Rep, among others. Ms. Gittings has been honored with the Craig Noel Award, Patté Award, NAACP Theatre Award, and Stage Scene LA Award. Love and gratitude to Chris, Ollie and Theodore. www.icostumedesign.com. Jennifer Brawn Gittings is sponsored by Artist Advocates Larry & Sydney Cousins.
Peter Herman Wig and Makeup Designer
Cygnet Resident Artist. Cygnet Theatre: Costumes and Wig/Makeup Design for Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Wigs/Makeup for Parade, A Behanding in Spokane, The Glass Menagerie, Little Shop of Horrors, Our Town, Cabaret, The Norman Conquests, Private Lives, Sweeney Todd, The Piano Lesson, It’s a Wonderful Life, Noises Off, Bed and Sofa, The History Boys, A Christmas Carol, The Receptionist, A Little Night Music, Fences, The Turn of the Screw, Communicating Doors, Arcadia, The Matchmaker. Elsewhere: Peter has designed hair and wigs for over 300 productions, including the La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Rep, San Diego Opera, Disneyland, and various film and television projects. Film: Costume design for Ready? Ok! Peter currently teaches wigs and makeup at SDSU. Peter Herman is sponsored by Artist Advocates Arthur & Marilyn Neumann.
MATT LESCAULT-WOOD Sound Designer
Cygnet Resident Artist. Dying City, It’s a Wonderful Life, The History Boys, Mauritius, Noises Off, Sweeney Todd, Private Lives, Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors, The Glass Menagerie, A Behanding in Spokane (Cygnet); Wit, I Love You Because (North Coast Reperatory Theatre); Picasso at the Lapin Agile (USD); Plays by Young Writers 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 (Playwright’s Project); Request Programme, The Cripple of Inishmaan (ion); Butcher of Baraboo, Dog Act, Expecting Isabel, Eurydice (2010 San Diego Critics Circle Nominee), Eleemosynary, The Crucible, Toughest Girl Alive, Ten Cent Night, Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Moxie); Tick, Tick…BOOM (Stone Soup); Sideman (BANG), Richard II (Intrepid), The Break-Up/Break-Down, Ragnarok, Deconstructing a Drag Queen (Circle Circle dot dot).
Angelica Ynfante Properties Designer
Texas State University graduate with a BFA in theatre. She made her way around the U.S. and Mexico for five years working in Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Vermont, New York, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Cancun until she made it to sunny California where she is currently the props mistress with the San Diego Rep beginning her fourth season. She has worked with Moxie Theatre for two seasons and is thrilled to be working with Cygnet Theatre for the first time.
JENNIFER KOZUMPLIK Stage Manager
Cygnet Resident Artist. Cygnet Theatre: ASM Our Town, Private Lives, Noises Off. San Diego Repertory Theatre: SM In the Wake, Superior Donuts, Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, 2009 east coast tour Blessing of a Broken Heart, ASM: The Who’s Tommy, The Road to Mecca, The Seafarer, Doubt, and Water and Power. ion theatre: SM Frozen, La Gaviota, Punks. San Diego State University: SM The Grapes of Wrath, and Proof. Jennifer received her Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts from San Diego State University.
Chandra Anthenill Assistant Stage Manager
San Diego Repertory Theatre (Assistant Stage Manager): In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play, Tommy, Walter Cronkite is Dead, A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing, Tortilla Curtain; San Diego Asian American Repertory Theatre (Stage Manager): B.F.E.; San Diego State University (Stage Manager): Desire Under the Elms, Good Person of Szechwan, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Diversionary Theatre (Scenic Painter): Next Fall, The Pride. Chandra holds a B.A. in Design and Technology for Theatre from SDSU.
JUSTIN VAN HASSEL Associate Lighting Designer
Cygnet Theatre: Ripples From Walden Pond. Justin currently attends San Diego State University and is in his second year of an MFA program focusing on lighting design. He graduated with honors from Towson University in 2088 with a BS in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in lighting design. Previous show credits include The Diary of Anne Frank and Noises Off! at Towson and Eurydice at San Diego State University. Justin has also appeared on 7 episodes of “Around the House,” a local Baltimore based home improvement television.
