Theatre People, or The Angel Next Door
by Paul Slade Smith
directed by Christopher Williams
August 27 – September 20, 2026
In this zany 1940s comedy, Oliver Adams is on the brink of a major success. His novel “The Angel Next Door” is set to be published, and famed Broadway playwrights Charlotte and Arthur Sanders have already adapted his book for what is sure to be a huge stage hit. And who do they have their eye on as the leading lady? Margot Bell, of course – the very person Oliver adores and about whom he has written his novel (though he hasn’t told her yet). When they all converge for a weekend in Newport, Rhode Island, the thin walls of the well-appointed mansion reveal that the angel may not be angelic, and only the power of theatre can save the play, Oliver’s novel, and perhaps most importantly, his heart.
WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING
“It’s hard to think of more fun you could have at the theatre right now or really more fun anywhere.”
–Broadway World
CAST
Kenny Bordieri (Oliver)
Kenny is a San Diego native and has been acting professionally since 2016, following training at PCPA and earning his BFA from Utah State University. Favorite Scripps Ranch Theatre credits include Lucky Stiff (Vinnie) and Lost in Yonkers (Eddie). Other notable local and regional credits: The Thanksgiving Play and The 39 Steps (New Village Arts), Fiddler on the Roof (San Diego Musical Theatre), Deathtrap (Oceanside Theatre Company), and Mamma Mia! (Lyric Rep). Kenny is delighted to return to SRT for this charming production alongside a fantastic team.
Connect on Instagram: @kennybordieriofficial
Danny Campbell (Arthur)
Previously for SRT: Unnecessary Farce (Mayor Meekly), She Loves Me (Maraczek), Last Night of Ballyhoo (Adolf). Recently: Public Enemy and As You Like It for New Fortune, A Doll’s House, Pt. 2 at Vista Broadway, 12th Night of the Living Dead (Sir Toby) for Loud Fridge, Jekyll and Hyde and Fiddler on the Roof at SDMT. Elsewhere: 100+ performances in The Norman Conquests at Cygnet; Hamlet, All My Sons, Richard II, Macbeth, others for Intrepid; Sweeney Todd, 1776, West Side Story, others at Moonlight; also, shows at Lamb’s, Long Beach Playhouse, Octad-One, Onstage, Diversionary, Starlight, Actors Asylum.
Sandy Campbell (Olga)
Sandy was last seen at SRT as Maria Callas in Master Class. Other favorite roles include Lucille in Parade, Sally in Follies, Charlotte in A Little Night Music, and Fosca in Passion. She is a Resident Artist at Cygnet Theatre, an Associate Artist at Lamb’s Players and has worked at most of the theaters in town in such productions as Beautiful, Ragtime and Into the Woods (Moonlight); Zhivago (La Jolla Playhouse); Clybourne Park and Mother Road (SD REP); How to Succeed… and The Prom (SDMT); Macbeth (Intrepid) and Awake and Sing (NVA). Thank you for supporting live theater!
John DeCarlo (Victor)
John is thrilled to be returning to SRT. John was last seen here on stage in I Hate Hamlet as the ghost of John Barrymore. Other SRT credits include Love Song; Italian American Reconciliation; Move Over Mrs. Markham and Lion in Winter. Other Theater credits around San Diego include August Osage County; Perfect Arrangement; Bug; Mauritius; Stage Kiss; Death of a Salesman; The Moors and Amazons and Their Men. John would like to thank his extremely talented wife Leigh Akin and his two wonderful children, Dyllan and Jax, for all their love and support!
Melissa Fernandes (Charlotte)
Taylor Henderson (Margot)
Bobbi is thrilled to be performing with SRT for the first time! Recent credits: Lettice in Lettice and Lovage and Bessie Clary in Laura. In earlier San Diego area projects, she played the role of Judith Bliss in Hayfever, Ann in The Cocktail Hour, and Dorothy in Glorious! Select NYC and Regional credits include Maria in Twelfth Night, Thea Elvsted in Hedda Gabler, and Vincent in a show Bobbi developed herself – Edna St. Vincent Millay: A Celebration of the Artist. Bobbi earned her B.A in Theatre at Smith College and her MFA in Acting at The University of Connecticut.
PRODUCTION CREW
Timothy Benson (Stage Manager)
Timothy is ecstatic to be returning to Scripps Ranch Theatre for this masterpiece. He was recently seen on stage at SRT as Stagehand in Master Class. A decorated combat veteran of the Marines, he has foregone the seasons of his native New England for the sunny locale of San Diego and continued to pursue his theatrical aspirations. Tim has worked as an actor all over San Diego County in theaters such as the Welk Resort, Diversionary, Vista’s Broadway Theater, and the Avo, just to name a few, performing in shows such as Puffs, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Evil Dead the Musical. Please sit back, silence your phones, and enjoy the show!
Andy Benumea (Set Design Assistant)
Andy is a fourth semester, technical theater student, currently at Southwestern College. Although she has done technical work for the stage, this is her first time indulging in the design process. She thanks Producer, Ruth Russell and Set Designer, Dixon Fish.
Jacob Bruce (Fight Choreographer)
Jacob is a San Diego-based director, fight choreographer, and staging consultant whose work has been featured at local theatres such as The La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, San Diego REP, Diversionary, Loud Fridge, USCD, and USD, where he teaches stage combat, acting, and serves as the Operations Manager of the Theatre Department. You may have also seen his work as an actor both onstage and on camera
Jennifer Burch (Assistant Director)
Jennifer is thrilled to be the Assistant Director for Lend Me A Soprano. Jennifer attended the 2025 La MaMa Umbria Directing Symposium and was a directing fellow at the 2024 Kennedy Center Directing Intensive. She has previously taught acting classes at SDMT and is currently a House Manager at Diversionary Theatre. Jennifer has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Theatre from CSU Fullerton, where she specialized in directing and dramaturgy.
Kandace Crystal she/her (Intimacy Director)
Kandace is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker with a BFA in Acting from Florida State University and former Teaching Artist at Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, Inc. Select intimacy credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Old Globe), Airness (Loud Fridge Theatre Group), Spring Awakening (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 Design)
Dixon is a native Californian. He holds an MFA from DixArizona 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: Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, The Dining Room, Lettice and Lovage, She Loves Me, Fully Committed, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Mary’s Wedding. His art and design work has been recognized with awards both regionally and nationally.
Natalie Gelb (ASM)
Natalie is thrilled to be working with SRT again alongside such a talented team. She has been involved with many other theaters in the community. Some of her recent work includes stage managing Finding Nemo at Maraya Performing Arts, Love Among The Ruins at PowPAC, and Jasper In Deadland at Tenth Ave.
Josie E. Gerk (Lighting Design)
Josie is thrilled to be working with SRT again. Recent design credits include Kimberly Akimbo (SRT), Winter Wonderettes, 13 (SDMT), Alice by Heart, Twelfth Night The Musical (Valhalla High School) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bayfront Charter).
Leslie Leytham (Music Director)
Leslie is a San Diego-based mezzo-soprano, voice teacher, director, and producer. Leslie has performed as a featured artist with San Diego Opera, The Industry, WildUp, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Monday Evening Concerts, La Jolla Symphony, wasteLAnd, Bach Collegium San Diego, and Guerilla Opera. Leslie earned her D.M.A. in experimental music performance at UC San Diego, her Masters in Vocal Performance at the Boston Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Leslie is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Project [BLANK], an experimental concert series in San Diego.
Robert May (Sound Design)
Robert is a freelance sound designer whose credits include: at SRT – Lost in Yonkers, Love Song, Move Over Mrs. Markham, Deathtrap, Blithe Spirit, The Last Night of Ballyhoo; for New Village Arts – The Miss Firecracker Contest; for Portland Stage Company – Halpern and Johnson; for North Coast Rep – The Rainmaker, The Last Five Years, Halpern and Johnson; Renaissance Theatre – The Gingerbread Lady, Shirley Valentine; Playwrights Project, and various productions at San Diego Junior Theatre. Robert is also an award-winning director and actor.
Rhiannon McAfee (Dialect Coach)
Rhiannon is delighted to be working with SRT again as a dialect coach. 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, Bella, and Gracie May.
Yma o hyd!
Duane McGregor (Props, Set Dressing, Scenic Painting)
Duane is delighted to return to farcical theatre at SRT! Recent credits include: Donna Orbits the Moon, Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, Mary’s Wedding, Unnecessary Farce, and Fully Committed. Other credits: Stew, White, Black Nativity (Common Ground Theatre); Carrie, A People’s Cuban Christmas, Blue Period, Masa, Mugre at OnStage Playhouse, as well as Craig Noel nominations for The Other Place and Knock Loudly. Thank you to everyone at SRT for their never ending creativity, support, and insight. They are what make working in the theatre a joy!
John Owen (Set Construction)
John is a retired construction Superintendent with over 40 years in the construction industry. He’s not sure how he ended up in theatre, but he’s here and loving it. John’s SRT credits include: Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, Mary’s Wedding, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chapatti, Lost in Yonkers, and The 39 Steps. He spends much of his time playing board or card games, camping in the desert, and enjoying time with friends and family. Much love to his wife Diana.
Christy Terrill Reid (Wigs/Hair/Makeup Design)
Christy recently did set design/build/paint/dress for: Little Women (John Paul the Great Catholic University), Gods of Comedy (PowPac), The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Patio Playhouse), and Anything Goes (Center Stage Productions). Christy won the Aubrey awards for the Best Set Design, Best Prop Management and Best Special Effects last year. When not building or painting a set she enjoys acting, time with her husband and 4 kids, and performing with Off the Cuff Improv troupe.
Follow on Instagram @palettedreamerartistry
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: Mary’s Wedding (SRT); We Lovers, Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, Ripped, The Pandemusical Diaries, Straight (Loud Fridge); Misery, the world premiere of It’s a Small World, or, The Robot Play, Mala (Bristol Valley Theatre); and co-directing gUnTOPIA (The Roustabouts Theatre Co). She was most recently seen on stage in The Counter (Moxie), and stars in the independent horror film Soul to Keep, currently streaming on various platforms. She also serves as the resident Technical Director for Chequamegon Children’s Theatre in northern Wisconsin.
Ruth Russell (Producer)
Ruth is grateful that you’re here! Producing credits at SRT: Master Class, Kimberly Akimbo, Unnecessary Farce, Mary’s Wedding, 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: Kimberly Akimbo (SRT), Reservoir Dolls staged reading (Riot), I Hate Hamlet (Broadway Vista), and Little Shop of Horrors (Patio). Up next: San Diego premiere of the fully-staged and bloody Reservoir Dolls (support at riotproductions.art).
IG: @TheRuthRussell for personal updates and @CityDoggosSD for professional doggie daycare/boarding.