The prospect of dying by age 16 hardly seems like obvious fodder for comedy. This play, which inspired the musical that took Broadway by storm in 2022, is a haunting and hilarious dark comedy that offers theatre at its most wacky and original.
Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of a girl with a genetic disorder that accelerates her aging process – she’s going on 16, but has the body of someone four times older. Kimberly Akimbo manages to ask the big questions about family and mortality in a funny, zany and heartfelt tone. The New York Times called it “the comedy of the year.”
“Kimberly Akimbo is exceedingly rare and almost impossible not to love.
–Variety
It’s a bit like an amusement park ride: Half the fun is knowing
your heart is about to get drop-kicked.”
“Kimberly Akimbo is exceedingly rare and almost impossible not to love. It’s a bit like an amusement park ride: Half the fun is knowing your heart is about to get drop-kicked.”
–Variety
“Both poignant and suspenseful, the play is relevant to this day.”
–CurtainUp, Los Angeles
“Mary’s Wedding has audiences breathing in at the first words and only consciously exhaling after the last scene ends.”
–Victoria Rainbow News
“A play that understands loving and grieving and shakes you with the horrible immediacy of war.”
–Orlando Sentinel
CAST
Dennis O’Connor (Charlie)
Dennis took the long way around to discovering acting. Born and raised in Ortonville, Michigan, Dennis graduated from nearby Oakland University, then joined the Navy and attended medical school at George Washington University. After his Emergency Medicine residency at UAB Alabama, Dennis served as a Navy Shock Trauma Platoon leader. After leaving active military duty, Dennis began training in acting, focusing on Meisner Technique and has appeared in several films, such as “The Fields are Burning” and “The Night the Sky Fell.” Dennis is excited to make his theater debut in Mary’s Wedding at SRT.
Liliana Talwatte (Mary/Flowers)
Liliana is a San Diego-based actor and dramaturg. Previous acting credits include: Thanksgiving Play (Carlsbad Playreaders); Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, We Lovers (Loud Fridge Theatre Group); The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Roustabouts); The 39 Steps (New Village Arts); Proof, Steel Magnolias, Abigail’s Party, Witchland (Backyard Renaissance); PoeFest, TwainFest (Write Out Loud). Liliana has also been Resident Dramaturg at Basement Arts, Greek Language Consultant on An Iliad (Creede Repertory Theatre), and is currently the Associate Director of Operations with Loud Fridge Theatre Group.
IG: @liliana_zt
PRODUCTION TEAM
Kate Rose Reynolds (Director)
Kate is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker and the Director of Operations for Loud Fridge Theatre Group. Recent directing credits include: Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, We Lovers (SD Fringe Festival Critic’s Choice Award), Ripped, The Pandemusical Diaries, Straight (Loud Fridge Theatre Group); Misery, the world premiere of It’s a Small World, or, The Robot Play, Mala (Bristol Valley Theatre); and co-directing gUnTOPIA (Roustabouts Theatre Company). She was most recently seen on stage in Tartuffe (North Coast Repertory Theatre and Laguna Playhouse), and stars in the independent horror film Soul to Keep, currently streaming on various platforms. Kate also serves as the resident Technical Director for Chequamegon Children’s Theatre in northern Wisconsin.
www.katerosereynolds.com
Timothy Benson (Stage Manager)
Timothy is SRT’s resident IT and payroll expert, and is thrilled to be part of this incredible production. He’s a decorated combat veteran of the Marines and hails from New England. Since landing in sunny San Diego, Tim has actively pursued his acting passions and has worked all over San Diego County in theaters such as the Welk Resort, Diversionary, and the Avo, just to name a few. As an actor, some favorite productions include I Hate Hamlet, Evil Dead: The Musical, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Puffs. Now, grab your tissues, sit forward, and enjoy the show.
Ruth Russell (Producer)
Ruth sincerely thanks you for supporting our theatre! Producing credits at SRT: White, Tiny Beautiful Things, Fully Committed, Vanity Fair, Stew, Chapatti, The 39 Steps, Lost in Yonkers, Neat, Extreme Home Makeover, The Outsider, The Taming, and The Dining Room. Recent acting credits: Exit, Pursued by a Bear; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Coronado Playhouse); New Year, New Draft; Twelfth Night of the Living Dead (Loud Fridge Theatre Group). Up next, catch Ruth as Deirdre in I Hate Hamlet at Vista’s Broadway Theatre, April 18-May 4, 2025 (broadwayvista.biz).
IG: @theruthrussell and @citydoggossd.
Marc Akiyama (Sound Designer & Original Compositions)
Mark is a composer for film and theatre, and the co-founder of Akiyama Music, a film scoring and production studio. He scores a wide array of films from animation to original musicals, including Brush with Disney Animator Garrett Lewis, and New Village Arts’ production of Desert Rock Garden. Marc has received an ADDY Award for his score for Mason Drumm’s SYFY commercial, “The Ruins.” He is a classically trained percussionist, pianist, jazz vibraphonist, and shamisen player. Visit AkiyamaMusic.com for more information on all current and past scores.
Cynthia Bloodgood (Lighting Assistant)
Cynthia is an educator, technical director, scenic and lighting designer and arts advocate. She teaches at SDSU, where she earned an MFA in technical direction. Cynthia works with local youth theatre programs and schools, regional theaters, IATSE 122, and production companies. Technical direction credits include shows at Moxie Theater, SDSU, and SDJT. Design work includes scenic design at Coronado Playhouse (the SpongeBob Musical), and lighting design at Moxie Theatre
(The Niceties), and Lamplighters Theatre (Five Women Wearing the Same Dress and Silent Sky). She is happy to be working with such a dedicated and creative team.
Kandace Crystal (Intimacy Director, she/her)
Kandace is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker who graduated with a BFA in Acting from Florida State University and is a former Teaching Artist at Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, Inc. Select intimacy credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Old Globe), Ripped (Loud Fridge Theatre Group), Once on this Island (Oceanside Theatre Company). She hopes to continue advocating for safe spaces and reducing harm in our industry. Feel free to keep up with her journey on social media, @KandaceCrystal on all platforms.
Dixon Fish (Set Designer)
Dixon is a native Californian, born in Bishop at the foot of the Sierras. He holds an MFA from Arizona State University. Dixon has taught studio art, art history and photography at the high school and college levels. Besides printmaking, much of his creative time has been spent doing theatre set design and painting for a variety of professional regional theatres including Moonlight, The Avo, MiraCosta College and San Diego Junior Theater. For SRT he has designed: The Dining Room, Lettice and Lovage, She Loves Me, Fully Committed, and Tiny Beautiful Things. His art and design work has been recognized with awards both regionally and nationally.
Dawn Fuller-Korinek (Costume Designer)
Dawn is delighted to return to SRT after her last opportunity to costume, Lost in Yonkers. Other performances at SRT that she costumed were And Neither Have I Wings to Fly, She Loves Me, Fleming, For Better, Accomplice, and Out on a Limb 2017. For Oceanside Theatre Company: Same Time Next Year and Red. Dawn has procured and designed costumes for over 139 productions, consisting of a wide range of professional, academia and dance theater performances. Prior to becoming a costumer, Dawn was a menswear designer. She is an alumna of FIT, NYC.
Duane McGregor (Props Design, Set Dressing, Scenic Painting)
Duane is delighted to return to Scripps Ranch Theatre. SRT credits: Stew, Vanity Fair, Fully Committed, Tiny Beautiful Things, White. Other credits
include: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Carrie, Sheepdog, A People’s Cuban Christmas, Blue Period, Lonely Planet, Mugre (OnStage Playhouse) as well as a Craig Noel nomination for The Other Place. Thank you to all the creative team at SRT for their never ending enthusiasm, support, and insight.
John Owen (Set Construction Manager)
John is a retired construction Superintendent with over 40 years in the construction industry. John’s SRT credits include: Tiny Beautiful Things, Chapatti, Lost in Yonkers, and The 39 Steps. His hobbies include camping in the desert, playing board or card games, and enjoying time with friends and family. Much love to his wife Diana.
Taylor Jo Oxley (Movement Director)
Taylor is excited to join an SRT bill for the first time! She is a graduate of the Dance Performance program at Illinois State University. After graduation she performed and taught with Pilobolus Dance Theatre, and toured with their feature length work Shadowland. She made her San Diego movement directing debut with LFTG this past summer for their production of Twelfth Night of the Living Dead. Taylor is also a published author. Her first book of poetry, giving back what’s left of goodbye, can be found at taylorjoxley.com.
Sammy Webster (Lighting Designer)
Sammy is making his SRT debut. He is soon to be a graduate with his masters in Lighting Design from San Diego State University. He is honored to work within a medium that allows for so much creativity, learning, and collaboration. He would like to dedicate this design to his father who passed away in January. “R321 reminds me of you, and I will use it whenever I can. A part of you can live in my work. I’ll leave the lights on for ya. Rest easy, sunshine”