Halpern and johnson press

MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: SARA MEEK (858) 481-2155 ext. 13
Email: sara@northcoastrep.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2005
TWO OF NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE’S FAVORITES
COME TOGETHER FOR THE WEST COAST PREMIERE OF
HALPERN AND JOHNSON
(Solana Beach, CA) The North Coast Repertory Theatre proudly presents the
West Coast Premiere of Halpern and Johnson, by Lionel Goldstein and
directed by David Ellenstein, as the 4th show in the 24th
season. Starring a
San Diego favorite, Jonathan McMurtry (A Life in the Theatre, 2004), and
returning Guest Artist Robert Grossman (Breaking Legs and The Chosen,
San Diego Critics Circle award for Best Actor 2004). Halpern and Johnson
opens on Saturday January 21, 2006 @ 8p.m., and runs through February 19,
2006.
NCRT’s box office is located in the Lomas Santa Fe Plaza at 987 Lomas
Santa Fe Drive, Suite D, in Solana Beach, just east of Interstate 5. The box
office is open daily from 12 noon through 7:00 pm on performance days and
to 4:00 pm on non-performance days. Tickets may be purchased by calling 1-
888-776-NCRT (6278) or 858-481-1055. NCRT’s Web site is
www.northcoastrep.org.
The West Coast premiere of Halpern and Johnson, by Lionel Goldstein and
directed by David Ellenstein plays at NCRT through February 19, 2006. This
poignant and funny story tells the tale of two gentlemen later in their lives
who have shared companionship with the same woman for a number of
years, and meet in person for the first time. Previews: January 18-20 @
8p.m. Show days and times: Thursday through Saturday evenings @ 8p.m.,
Sundays @ 2p.m. and 7p.m., select shows on Wednesday evenings at 7p.m.,
and select Saturday matinees @ 2p.m. Ticket prices range from $27-35.
David Ellenstein, NCRT’s Artistic Director, has made a unique and exciting
choice this season with Halpern and Johnson. Ellenstein first directed this
show at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami Florida with actors Hal
Linden and Brian Murray. Finding the play so engaging, David was
compelled to bring Halpern and Johnson to the North Coast stage. Although
the play only has two characters, the actors handpicked by David to play the
parts of Joseph Halpern and Dennis Johnson are two of the biggest talents to
grace the stage at North Coast Jonathan McMurty has been acting in and
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David Ellenstein
Artistic Director
Paul Vierra
Managing Director
977 Lomas Santa Fe Drive
Suite E
Solana Beach, CA
92075
T 858.481.2155
F 858.481.0530

around San Diego for more than 45 years, and has been seen in hundreds of
productions. He is an associate artist at The Old Globe Theatre, and was last
seen at NCRT in 2004 in David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre. Robert
Grossman, also a seasoned actor of more than 40 years is returning to North
Coast from New York after doing two shows in the 23rd
season, Breaking
Legs and The Chosen, for which he won a San Diego Critics’ Circle award
for Best Actor 2004. David also worked with Robert on The Chosen at The
Arizona Jewish Theatre,and The Los Angeles Repertory Company, before
Ellenstein brought it to North Coast last season.
In addition to the acting talents, renowned author Lionel Goldstein has come
in from England to work with the cast and Ellenstein during the rehearsal
process. Goldstein has written numerous plays, teleplays, and four novels,
including The Man Before Yesterday and The Executioner. He adapted the
latter into a television drama and it was produced by the B.B.C. in 1980.
Halpern and Johnson, his second play, was made by H.B.O. starring Lord
Laurence Olivier and Jackie Gleason. His play Anne and Debbie, originally
starring Deborah Kerr and Claire Bloom on H.B.O., was produced at the
Coconut Grove Playhouse starring Lucy Arnaz and Elizabeth Ashley last
season.
LIONEL GOLDSTEIN (AUTHOR)
Lionel was born in London, England. He missed out on the first six years of
his education because of being an evacuee in the Second World War. He left
school just before his fifteenth birthday and became, in turn, a furrier, a
ladies’ hairdresser, a car parts warehouseman (in Canada), a silver antique
dealer, and a carpenter and electrician. He began writing short stroies whilst
serving as a hairdresser/barber in the British Merchant Navy. Over the
following years he wrote four novels, the fouth of which The Man Before
Yesterday was published in 1991. His first novel was The Executioner
(unpublished). He adapted it into a television drama and it was produced by
the B.B.C. in 1980. Halpern and Johnson,his second play, was made by
H.B.O./H.T.V. starring Lord Laurence Olivier and Jackie Gleason.
Following this he wrote for various programs in Brittish Television. A
second “two-hander” Anne and Debbie was produced by Granada Television
and starred Deborah Kerr and Claire Bloom. By an odd quirk of fate,
Halpern and Johnson was picked up b the Cameri Theatre in Tel Aviv, and
was first performed on the stage there. It has subsequently been produced for
the stage in Argentina and Uraguay, (several seasons) and in Brazil and
Australia
ROBERT GROSSMAN (HALPERN)
Last season, Robert was seen at North Coast Repertory Theater as Mike
Francisco in Breaking Legs, and Sunders in The Chosen, for which he
received a San Deigo Critics Circle Award for best actor. Most Recently, he
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played Orgon in Tartuffe for Century Stage, New Jersey, and The Grub Man
in the NYC premier of Bartleby the Scrivener at the Blue Heron Theatre.
JONATHAN MCMURTRY (JOHNSON)
Jonathan McMurtry was last seen at NCRT in David Mamet’s Life in the
Theatre. He is Hardly a stranger to San Diego audiences, having graced the
stage of the The Old Globe Theatre for Shakespeare to David Mamet for
more than forty-five years where he is an Associate Artist. His
Shakespearean roles are too numerous to mention, having appeared in all but
one of the thirt-seven plays. Suffice to say, Mr. Mcmurtry has received
critical acclaim for his portayals of Hamelt, Macbeth, Richard II, Shylock,
and Iago, to name a few. At San Diego Rep he performed in six productions
of A Christmas Carol as Scrooge and Charles Dickens. For Renaissance
Theatre Company he was James Tyrone in O’neil’s Long Day’s Journey Into
Night, directed by David Ellenstein. Away from San Diego, Mr. McMurtry
has performed leading roles in major regional theatres across the country
including Canada. On television he has guest-starred on Frasier, Cheers,
Encore Encore, Wings, Almost Perfect, and Thirtysomething, among others.
Recent motion pictures include Beautiful Joe, with Sharon Stone, and soon to
be released Running With Scissors, with Annette Bening and Alec Baldwin.
Jonathan McMurtry is a graduate of England’s Royal Academy of Dramatic
Arts. He is honored with thirty Drama-logue Awards, the Los Angelas
Drama Critics’ Circle award for the title role in Uncle Vanya, two San Diego
Critics’ Circle Awards, and last year received the Shiley (PBS) Patte Award
for “Lifetime Acheivement in the Theatre.” Between engagements, Mr.
McMurtry finds time to teach Shakespeare with The Old Globe’s MFA
program at USD and a masters class in Point Loma. He lives in Vista with
his beloved wife Terri, and their beautiful daughter Coral.
###
Now at North Coast Repertory Theatre
The San Diego premiere of the hilarious holiday comedy, Sister’s Christmas
Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold, by Maripat Donovan with
Marc Silvia & Jane Morris is at NCRT through January 8, 2006. It's going to
be one ho-ho-holy night as Sister tackles the question that's been puzzling
historians through the ages: Whatever happened to the Magi's gold? CSI-
goes-to-Bethlehem as Sister storms into Solana Beach, delivering a sleigh
load of side-splitting holiday laughs.
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About the North Coast Repertory Theatre
From its modest beginning as a community theatre in a shopping center in
1982, the North Coast Repertory Theatre has evolved into one of the area's
leading performing arts organizations, recognized for the quality of its work
and its commitment to excellence. Located in Solana Beach, in the heart of
San Diego's Coastal North County, the theatre boasts an award-winning main
stage season, with performances year-round to over 40,000 people in its
intimate 194-seat setting. In addition, the theatre involves thousands of young
people each year in the Theatre School - NCRT's education and outreach
program.
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North Coast Repertory Theatre Calendar and Fact Sheet
January 2006
WHERE: NCRT main stage
Jan 18 – Feb 19,
2006:
WHAT: Halpern and Johnson. By Lionel Goldstein. Directed by David
Ellenstein.
San Diego favorite Jonathan McMurtry (A Life in the Theatre,
2004), 2004 Patte Award for Lifetime Achievement) and guest
artist Robert Grossman (Breaking Legs and The Chosen, San
Diego Critics Circle award for Best Actor 2004) will star in this
story of two very different men with one thing very much in
common.
WHEN: Previews: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Jan 18, 19, 20,
2006, 8:00 p.m.
Opening night: Saturday, Jan 21, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Jan 22, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Week 2 (Jan 26 – 29): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.;
Saturday, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00
p.m.
Week 3 (Feb 1 – 5): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m. and
7:00 p.m.
Week 4 (Feb 9 – 12): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday,
2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Week 5 (Feb 15 – 19): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
Friday, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sunday,
2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: Previews: $19
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings: $26
Thursday, Friday and Sunday evenings; Saturday matinees: $30
Saturday evening and Sunday matinees: $35
Special discount prices for seniors over 65, students under 18,
and military
Bonus-Pak: Buy one regular price ticket and get two half price
tickets. For performances through January 29, 2006.
Mar 15 – Apr
16, 2006:
WHAT: The Nerd. By Larry Shue. Directed by David Hay.
Belly laughs await in one of the most out-and-out fun plays
written in many years. Mistaken identities, practical jokes, and

outrageous games lead us on this wild romp of love, loyalty, and
friendship.
WHEN: Previews: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Mar 15, 16, 17,
2006, 8:00 p.m.
Opening night: Saturday, Mar 18, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Mar 19, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Week 2 (Mar 23 – 26): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.;
p.m.
Week 3 (Mar 29 – Apr 2): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday
and Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m.
and 7:00 p.m.
Week 4 (Apr 6 – 9): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday,
Week 5 (Apr 12 – 16): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
and military
tickets. For performances through March 26, 2006.
May 3 – Jun 4,
2006:
WHAT: No Way to Treat a Lady. Books, music, and lyrics by Douglas
J. Cohen. Based on William Goldman’s novel and film.
Directed by Rick Simas.
In this Off Broadway hit musical we follow a publicity-crazed-
actor-turned-killer and the endearing detective who pursues him.
Great songs, suspense, and unexpected plot twists lead us
through this theatrically charged musical comedy.
WHEN: Previews: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, May 3, 4, 5, 2006,
8:00 p.m.
Opening night: Saturday, May 6, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 7, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Week 2 (May 11 – 14): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.;

p.m.
Week 3 (May 17 – 21): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
7:00 p.m.
Week 4 (May 25 – 28): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.;
p.m.
Week 5 (May 31 – Jun 4): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
and military
tickets. For performances through May 14, 2006.
Jun 28 – Jul 30,
2006:
WHAT: Collected Stories. By Donald Margulies. Directed by David
Ellenstein.
By the Pulitzer Prize winning author, this tale of mentor and
student is clever, moving, and rich with the examination of
authority, ambition, and protocol. Funny and touching; frank
and revealing; a pleasure to watch on an intimate stage.
WHEN: Previews: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Jun 28, 29, 30,
2006, 8:00 p.m.
Opening night: Saturday, Jul 1, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Jul 2, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Week 2 (Jul 6 – 9): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday,
Week 3 (Jul 12 – 16): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
7:00 p.m.
Week 4 (Jul 20 – 23): Thursday and Friday, 8:00 p.m.;
p.m.

Week 5 (Jul 26 – 30): Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and
2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
and military
tickets. For performances through May 14, 2006.

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