Donna Orbits the Moon
by Ian August
directed by Kandace Crystal
January 23 – February 15, 2026
Sensory friendly performance Feb. 7 at 2 pm.
A comedic one-woman show about anger, grief, Apollo 11, and the importance of baked goods… Something is not quite right with Donna: She’s a loving mother, a devoted wife, and a minor celebrity to all the bake sale planners in town–but something is making her spacey, and she’s not sure what it is. Therapy is out of the question–and church isn’t the place to share one’s distress. Donna will need to pass through space and through time–all the while listening to an unlikely voice–and try to break free from her gravitational pull to learn just how she can land.
August draws a tender dimensional portrait of a woman whose trauma is so relatable, whose heart is so big, and whose intentions are so earnest, we are rooting for her to take that one brave step, even before we know why.
**Please be advised this production includes strobe lighting effects. Sensory friendly performance Feb. 7 at 2 pm.
Run time: 90 min with no intermission
WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING
“This is a play that discovers and celebrates the cracks in the façade, the unknowable in the ordinary, the humanity in the humble.”
–nytheatre.com
CAST
Susan Clausen (Donna)
Susan is thrilled to have the opportunity to explore Ian August’s beautiful piece with this talented team. She most recently performed at Oceanside Theatre Company as Margie in Good People. Scripps Ranch Theatre credits include: Good People, Absurd Person Singular, Moonlight and Magnolias, California Suite and How the Other Half Loves. Lamb’s Players Theatre credits include: The Nerd, Harvey, A Man For All Seasons, ‘Till We Have Faces and The Diviners. Susan performed in Write Out Loud’s Twainfest from 2010 – 2020 and portrayed Clara Schumann for the San Diego Symphony. Other local credits include Defying Gravity, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Auntie Mame, Dancing at Lughnasa and Jake’s Women at North Coast Rep. Susan recently hosted and co-produced the three part docuseries Lights, Camera, Friendship on the Spectrum with Joey Travolta’s Inclusion Films.
Eric Poppick (Voice)
Eric has a BFA in acting from Boston University and an MA in directing from The State University of New York. He worked for 40 years in Los Angeles and San Diego as an actor and director, and now lives in Medford, Oregon. Eric’s film and TV roles include: “Basic Instinct,” “Single White Female,” “Hero” (with Dustin Hoffman), “Seinfeld”, “Columbo” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Theatre roles include: From Another House (Old Globe); An Enemy of the People (Intrepid Shakespeare Company); Awake and Sing! (New Village Arts); The History Boys (Cygnet); The Heir Apparent, The Sunshine Boys, How the Other Half Loves, Deathtrap, and Not Now, Darling (Scripps Ranch Theatre).
PRODUCTION TEAM (listed alphabetically)
Kandace Crystal (Director)
Kandace (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate theatremaker and Florida State alum. Her directorial credits include: Plays by Young Writers 2023 & 2024 (Playwrights Project), The Color Purple (New Village Arts), and Disney’s The Lion King, Jr. (Junior Theatre). She’s happy to be back at SRT working with Susan on Ian’s beautiful piece!
Ted Leib (projection and sound design)
Projection design: Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, Neat (SRT); Man of La Mancha, Sweet Charity and others (OTC); Christmas Carol: A Radio Play (OTC & SRT); Tarzan (Moonlight Youth). Sound design: Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, White, Fully Committed, Stew, Chapatti, Lucky Stiff, The Outsider, Vanya & Sasha, Good People, The Liar, Five Course Love, Sleuth and others (SRT); Man of La Mancha, Christmas Carol: A Radio Play, Picnic, Boeing, Boeing, The Boys Next Door, A Year With Frog & Toad, Lost In Yonkers, Jacob Marley’s Christmas and others (OTC); Day of Absence (Common Ground at the Old Globe). Ted is also a producer, director (most recently: Kimberly Akimbo) and actor.
Rhiannon McAfee (Dialect Coach)
Rhiannon is delighted to be working with SRT as the dialect coach for this production. Her work centers on clarity, consistency, and character-driven storytelling, supported by detailed research and actor-friendly rehearsal tools. Numerous regional productions feature British and European dialects, American regional speech, and period voices. She also works as an actor, director, and dramaturg. When not in rehearsal, she is usually deep in vowel charts or cheering on bold acting choices. Endless love to Greg, Rudy, and Gracie May.
Duane McGregor (Set Design & Dressing, Props, Scenic Painting)
Duane is delighted to be back at Scripps Ranch Theatre. Credits include: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, A People’s Cuban Christmas, Blue Period, Masa, a Craig Noel nomination for The Other Place (OnStage Playhouse). Fully Committed, Stew, Unnecessary Farce, Mary’s Wedding, Kimberly Akimbo, Master Class (Scripps Ranch Theater). Waverly Gallery (Backyard Renaissance Theatre). Thank you to all the creative team at Scripps for their never ending enthusiasm, support, insight, and sheer raw talent.
Madison Mercado (Stage Manager)
Madison (she/her) is a San Diego-based stage manager. She is thrilled to be making her Scripps Ranch Theatre Debut. She is currently a fourth year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. Some of her recent credits include The Strangers (ASM, Chalk Circle) Manifest Pussy (SM, Diversionary), Matilda (ASM, SDMT), All’s Well that End Well (SM Apprentice, The Old Globe), Rent (SM, SDSU), Miracle on 34th St. (ASM, New Village Arts), The Rocky Horror Show (Production Assistant, Cygnet Theatre), Summerfest (ASM, La Jolla Music Society) and TL;DR (ASM, Diversionary). You can find her and her work on Instagram @madison.mercado.
Christy Terrill Reid (Set Builder)
Christy is delighted to make her Scripps Ranch Theater Debut. Recent set design/build/paint/dress credits include, Little Women for John Paul the Great Catholic University, Gods of Comedy for PowPAC, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for Patio Playhouse, and Anything Goes for Center Stage Productions. Christy recently won Aubrey awards for Best Set Design, Best Prop Management and Best Special Effects. When not building or painting, she enjoys acting, time with her husband and 4 kids, and performing with Off the Cuff Improv troupe. In March, catch Christy at Palomar College in Into The Woods. Follow on Instagram @palettedreamerartistry
Ruth Russell (Producer)
Ruth has been SRT’s resident producer since 2022, bringing you hits like Lost in Yonkers, The 39 Steps, and Unnecessary Farce. Ruth is also an actor and doggie caretaker. Recent acting credits: Pattie in Kimberly Akimbo (SRT), Deirdre in I Hate Hamlet (Broadway Vista), Gina Rivers in The Jury Experience (Fever), and Susan in (No) Exit to Mars (Loud Fridge). Follow IG: @TheRuthRussell for personal updates and @CityDoggosSD for adorable doggies. Thank you for supporting live theatre!
Mashun Tucker Jr. (Lighting Designer)
Mashun is an artist based in San Diego. He has worked with multiple companies in the area including Coronado Playhouse, New Village arts, Moonlight stage, The Old Globe, the previous San Diego Rep, and Trinity Theatre company. He strives to bring the best possible look with his well rounded experience to quality entertainment.