Other Desert Cities
By Jon Robin Baitz
Directed by Sean Murray
Low-priced Previews Feb 5 - Feb 8, 2025
When Brooke Wyeth returns to her family’s upscale Palm Springs home after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas, she brings more than just holiday cheer. Armed with a tell-all memoir that resurrects a pivotal and tragic event from the family’s past, Brooke draws a line in the sand, daring her parents, brother, and aunt to confront their buried secrets. As the family unravels in the face of this explosive revelation, tensions soar and loyalties are tested. With biting wit and razor-sharp insight, Other Desert Cities promises a riveting exploration of family dynamics that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Run Time: 2 hrs with one intermission.
Cast
Geoffrey Ulysses GeissingerGeoffrey Ulysses Geissinger
Trip WyethGeoffrey Ulysses Geissinger (he/him/his) is a San Diego-based theatre artist and aspiring ghost who earned his BA in Theatre Performance and Theatre Studies from Saint Mary’s College of California. He also spent a semester training at Queen Mary University of London’s Drama School, performing in a collaborative production of Irene at Dr. Johnson’s House, the play’s first public performance since 1749. Recently, he’s enjoyed working with theatre companies like The Old Globe, North Coast Rep, OnStage Playhouse, New Fortune, Backyard Renaissance, Write Out Loud, SoulKiss, and Thunder Bay Theatre. geoffreyulyssesgeissinger.com
Melanie LoraMelanie Lora
Brooke WyethMelanie Lora Meltzer is so happy to be making her Cygnet debut. Recent San Diego credits: Tartuffe, Into the Breeches, and The Homecoming (North Coast Rep). Until 3 years ago Melanie lived in LA and worked there at the Antaeus Company, the Actors Gang, the Odyssey Theatre, the Getty Villa, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Geffen Playhouse, Theatre of NOTE, the Evidence Room, and many more. Multiple productions at the Laguna Playhouse and South Coast Rep, including the world premiere of Of Good Stock. Indie films, a few TV credits and lots of commercials and voiceover. Melanie is the co-host of the podcast Act Like a Mother, available everywhere, which just concluded its first season and stems from her and her co-host’s experiences as actor moms. @missmelanielora; melanielora.com.
Rosina ReynoldsRosina Reynolds
Polly WyethCygnet Theatre: Angels in America, Hayfever, The Vortex, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Glass Menagerie*, Noises Off, Arcadia, Little Foxes, Copenhagen
Regional Theatre: Here There Are Blueberries. (La Jolla Playhouse) Sea of Tranquility, Romeo and Juliet, Trojan Women, (Old Globe Theatre), 33 Variations (Theatreworks). Love In American Times (San Jose Rep), Steel Magnolias (La Mirada Theatre),
San Diego Theatre: Favorites include. Iron*. (Roustabouts Theatre): Golda’s Balcony*. (New Village Arts): Uncanny Valley, Doubt. (San Diego Rep) Wit*, (North Coast Repertory Theatre), Lettuce & Lovage, (Lambs Players Theatre) Long Days Journey into Night, (Renaissance Theatre Company.) *San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award.
Director of over 30 productions. Founding Artistic director of Chequamegon Children’s Theatre now in its 38th year.
Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger
Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger (he/him/his) is a San Diego-based theatre artist and aspiring ghost who earned his BA in Theatre Performance and Theatre Studies from Saint Mary’s College of California. He also spent a semester training at Queen Mary University of London’s Drama School, performing in a collaborative production of Irene at Dr. Johnson’s House, the play’s first public performance since 1749. Recently, he’s enjoyed working with theatre companies like The Old Globe, North Coast Rep, OnStage Playhouse, New Fortune, Backyard Renaissance, Write Out Loud, SoulKiss, and Thunder Bay Theatre. geoffreyulyssesgeissinger.com
Melanie Lora
Melanie Lora Meltzer is so happy to be making her Cygnet debut. Recent San Diego credits: Tartuffe, Into the Breeches, and The Homecoming (North Coast Rep). Until 3 years ago Melanie lived in LA and worked there at the Antaeus Company, the Actors Gang, the Odyssey Theatre, the Getty Villa, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Geffen Playhouse, Theatre of NOTE, the Evidence Room, and many more. Multiple productions at the Laguna Playhouse and South Coast Rep, including the world premiere of Of Good Stock. Indie films, a few TV credits and lots of commercials and voiceover. Melanie is the co-host of the podcast Act Like a Mother, available everywhere, which just concluded its first season and stems from her and her co-host’s experiences as actor moms. @missmelanielora; melanielora.com.
Rosina Reynolds
Cygnet Theatre: Angels in America, Hayfever, The Vortex, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Glass Menagerie*, Noises Off, Arcadia, Little Foxes, Copenhagen
Regional Theatre: Here There Are Blueberries. (La Jolla Playhouse) Sea of Tranquility, Romeo and Juliet, Trojan Women, (Old Globe Theatre), 33 Variations (Theatreworks). Love In American Times (San Jose Rep), Steel Magnolias (La Mirada Theatre),
San Diego Theatre: Favorites include. Iron*. (Roustabouts Theatre): Golda’s Balcony*. (New Village Arts): Uncanny Valley, Doubt. (San Diego Rep) Wit*, (North Coast Repertory Theatre), Lettuce & Lovage, (Lambs Players Theatre) Long Days Journey into Night, (Renaissance Theatre Company.) *San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award.
Director of over 30 productions. Founding Artistic director of Chequamegon Children’s Theatre now in its 38th year.
Alan RustAlan Rust
Lyman WyethThe Hartford Stage Company, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Stage West, The Northern Stage Company, The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Goodspeed Musicals, the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival and the Monomoy Theatre. He has directed in theatres throughout the United States as well as Sydney Australia, Goteborg Sweden, Birmingham England and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has held positions at The University of Washington, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he served as Dean, The University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and the Director of the Hartt School.
He was also the Artistic Director of the Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod for 39 years and is founder and Artistic Director of the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival.
Debra WangerDebra Wanger
Silda GraumanCygnet Resident Artist: Angels in America Parts 1 & 2 (Craig Noel), Spring Awakening, My Fair Lady, Dogfight, On the 20th Century, A Little Night Music; Sunday in the Park with George and The Light in the Piazza (CCAE); Handbagged! (Moxie/Craig Noel nomination); Hamlet (Intrepid); Fiddler on the Roof, Catch Me if You Can, Hairspray, Billy Elliot, La Cage Aux Folles (SDMT); Titanic & Sunset Blvd. (Moonlight); Permanent Collection (Mo’olelo); Full Monty (NVA); Pirates of Penzance, Man of La Mancha, Robber Bridegroom, Nine(Seaside Music Theatre) Fiorello! Elizabeth and Essex (Florida Rep) Ladies at the Alamo (Actors Rep) Education: CCM, Tufts, and M.F.A. SDSU. xoxoCMG
Alan Rust
The Hartford Stage Company, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Stage West, The Northern Stage Company, The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Goodspeed Musicals, the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival and the Monomoy Theatre. He has directed in theatres throughout the United States as well as Sydney Australia, Goteborg Sweden, Birmingham England and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has held positions at The University of Washington, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he served as Dean, The University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and the Director of the Hartt School.
Debra Wanger
Cygnet Resident Artist: Angels in America Parts 1 & 2 (Craig Noel), Spring Awakening, My Fair Lady, Dogfight, On the 20th Century, A Little Night Music; Sunday in the Park with George and The Light in the Piazza (CCAE); Handbagged! (Moxie/Craig Noel nomination); Hamlet (Intrepid); Fiddler on the Roof, Catch Me if You Can, Hairspray, Billy Elliot, La Cage Aux Folles (SDMT); Titanic & Sunset Blvd. (Moonlight); Permanent Collection (Mo’olelo); Full Monty (NVA); Pirates of Penzance, Man of La Mancha, Robber Bridegroom, Nine(Seaside Music Theatre) Fiorello! Elizabeth and Essex (Florida Rep) Ladies at the Alamo (Actors Rep) Education: CCM, Tufts, and M.F.A. SDSU. xoxoCMG
Creative Team
Sean Murray
Jared Blake Halsell
Jared is a San Diego based stage manager originally from Ione, CA. Prior to living in San Diego, he worked at The Harris Center for the Arts (formerly Three Stages) as a stage technician in Folsom, CA (2011 – 2016). Select credits include SM Swing: The Ballad of Johnny & June (La Jolla Playhouse); ASM: Evita (Cygnet), Here There are Blueberries (La Jolla Playhouse & Tectonic Theater Project); PSM: Abeba in the Tall Grass (La Jolla Playhouse), Intimate Apparel (North Coast Rep), Bunny Bunny (UCSD & the feath3r theory). Education: BA Theatre Arts SDSU 2019, MFA Stage Management UCSD 2023. @jbh.stage.management on Instagram.
Joshua Heming
Joshua Heming (He/They) is a Lighting Designer based in San Diego, CA. Design Credits include tick, tick… BOOM! (Cygnet Theatre), In a Sunshine State, Love’s Labor’s Lost, A Raisin in The Sun (San Diego State University), Birds of North America (MOXIE Theatre), Associate and Assistant Design Credits include DMC Lighting Assistant for The Who’s TOMMY (Broadway, 2024), Associate Lighting Designer for Is It Thursday Yet? (PACNYC, 2023), Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson Apt 2B (The Old Globe, 2024), Great Comet (2024), Evita (2023) (Cygnet Theatre), and Assistant Lighting Designer for The Ballad of Johnny & June (2024), Redwood (2024), Babbitt (2023) (La Jolla Playhouse), Twelfth Night, and Cabaret (The Old Globe, 2023). He would like to thank his partner for all the love and support she provides. For more information please visit his website at www.joshuahemingld.com.
Peter Herman
Cygnet Theatre: Great Comet, Present Laughter, El Huracán, Water by the Spoonful, Life Sucks, La Cage aux Folles, The Great Leap, The Virgin Trial, Rock of Ages, Pride and Prejudice, Angels in America, Marie and Rosetta, HIR, Spamalot, The Last Wife, Shockheaded Peter, On the 20th Century, Bad Jews, Seven Guitars, King Hedley II, Gypsy, Stupid F**king Bird, The Rocky Horror Show, When the Rain Stops Falling, Hay Fever, The Vortex, Dogfight, My Fair Lady, Pageant, Fool for Love, True West, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Spring Awakening, The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties, Company, Assassins, A Christmas Carol and many others. Elsewhere: Peter has designed hair and wigs for over 500 productions, including the La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Rep, San Diego Opera and Disneyland. Peter currently teaches wig and makeup at SDSU.
Andrew Hull
Andy is happy to return to Cygnet Theatre for Other Desert Cities. Cygnet Theatre: Angels in America, Stupid Fucking Bird, The Rocky Horror Show, A Christmas Carol, My Fair Lady, The Motherfucker with the Hat, The Glass Menagerie, Private Lives, Bed and Sofa, and The History Boys. Elsewhere: Cabaret, Guys and Dolls (Altadena Music Theatre), Into The Woods (San Diego State University). Andy is currently working as a Set Designer on the second season of the show Palm Royale in Los Angeles. He has worked on such productions as West World, For All Mankind, Marriage Story, and Mad Men.
Olivia Huntley
Cygnet Theatre: Debut. Select credits include: Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again; The Ballad of Johnny and June; Redwood (La Jolla Playhouse), Women of Zalongo (Santa Monica Playhouse & CSU Fullerton), A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The SpongeBob Musical; 35MM: A Musical Exhibition; Confessions of a Star Maker (CSU Fullerton). Olivia also works as a Patron Services Representative here at Cygnet. Olivia wants to thank her family, friends, mentors, advisors, and Cygnet family for all their support.
Brooke Nicole Kesler
BROOKE NICOLE KESLER, costume designer, is thrilled to be making her debut at Cygnet! She is currently a freelance designer based in Southern California and a lecturer in costume design and technology at San Diego State University. Recent designs include: Arsenic and Old Lace (Center REP), The Gondoliers (Ohio Light Opera); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (University of San Diego/The Old Globe Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (University of San Diego); The Mystery of Irma Vep (Diversionary Theatre); and Interstate: A New Musical (East West Players). You can enjoy more of her work at brookenicolekesler.com.
Heather Larsen
Website: https://heatherlarsendesign.com/
George Ye
George is excited to be back designing with Cygnet Theatre after a long-time hiatus. Favorites include Little Shop of Horrors, A Number, Fences, Arcadia, Yellowman, It’s a Wonderful Life, Bug, Escanaba in Da Moonlight, Fully Committed; Old Globe MFA: Tartuffe, Sir Patient Fancy, Moxie: San Diego Rep: Venus in Fur, Restless Spirits, The Goat, Proof, Nuevo California; NCRT: Travesties, Relatively Speaking; Diversionary: M. Butterfly, The Killing of Sister George, Falsettos, Love Valor Compassion, They Mystery of Irma Vepp; Vantage: Best Laid Plans. George is currently Chair of Dramatic Arts at SD Mesa College, and a member of AEA.
February 2025