RATING: PG-13
HOMEBASE: San Diego, CA
SHOW DESCRIPTION: Inspired by a single line of Euripides, this play explores whether the rage of an epic betrayal will ever burn itself out and make way for forgiveness. After lounging in the Underworld for eons, Jason and Medea are trapped in a confined space – they are are traveling upwards in an elevator to be re-tried yet again in the court of public opinion. How will they navigate the carnage of their marital history?
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Dominique Salerno is a native San Diegan who has passionately pursued a career path in theatre. She attended the Bishops school, the La Jolla Conservatory program, San Diego Opera, and Princeton University, where she performed as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Paulina in Death and the Maiden, Clytemnestra in Agamemnon. She directed Stephen Dietz’s In God’s Country and was awarded the Alex Adam award for theatrical excellence. She has acted and directed professionally in NYC and was last seen on the Geary Stage in San Francisco as the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ in ACT’s A Christmas Carol. Her past ACT M.F.A. credits include: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Sueño, Galileo, Niagara Falls and Limited Unlimited (a one-woman show where she performs 14 characters from inside a cupboard). Regional credits include: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Shrek: The Musical, and Pirates of Penzance at Santa Rosa’s Summer Rep. Theatre. Salerno is also an internationally credited director and domestically produced playwright. She directed Half by Rebecca Foresman in the 2014 Roma Fringe Festival, and is thrilled her own play, So Small A Thing, will be featured in the San Diego Fringe Festival this July. Salerno also has 13 years of improv training, and performs at Endgames Improv in her spare time. Education: B.A. Princeton University; M.F.A. American Conservatory Theater, She wishes that she could be here for the San Diego Fringe festival, but she will be appearing in the world premiere of Carol Churchill’s new play at A.C.T.
ABOUT THE ACTORS: Jennie Olson Six (Medea): Grateful to be working with Vantage Theatre Again! Select theatre acting credits include Without Walls, Calendar Girls, Persuasion, Hamlet, No Child, A Memory, Monologue, Rant & a Prayer, Hot L Baltimore, B.A. Theatre Arts U.C. San Diego.
John Anderson (Jason): Is proud to be in his twelfth season as production manager for San Diego Repertory Theatre. In the last decade, John has also worked with other San Diego companies including Moxie, Diversionary, Ion, La Jolla Playhouse, Chronos, Teatro Mascara Magica and others in a variety of capacities. Before coming to The REP John managed the productions for The California Shakespeare Theatre in Berkeley/Orinda. John studied Theatre at the University of Kansas. Since school John has worked as an actor, director, designer and collaborator with theaters in Chicago, Minneapolis, Norfolk, San Francisco, Dallas and San Diego. John spent five seasons as a core company member of the Minnesota Shakespeare Company and was the founding artistic director of Summer Shakes in Virginia Beach Virginia.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Robert Salerno (Director) MA, MD, PhD (Artistic Director). He has written screenplays, poetry, and plays, and has directed for stage, screen, and radio. Most recently, in partnership with the Mainly Mozart Festival, Artistic Director Robert Salerno created a special piece, Tchaikovsky: Child Of Glass, for the city of Tijuana, performed at CECUT as part of Promotora de las Bella Artes outreach program. Salerno wrote, directed, and did sound, costume, and props design, with choreography was by Vantage Associate, Nanci Hunter. Last season, again in partnership with Mainly Mozart and the Timken museum, Salerno’s play Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year was performed as a site-specific piece utilizing the gallery as Mozart’s apartment Recent directing projects: Eugene Ionesco’s The Painting ("Billie" Award); Jean Cocteau’s Wedding on The Eiffel Tower (AASD awards: Best Production and Best Direction, "Billie" Award: Outstanding Costume Design); Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year (World Premiere); Charles Ludlam’s Reverse Psychology and The Ventriloquist’s Wife (multiple AASD award winner), The Actor’s Nightmare (AASD award), Marianne MacDonald’s The Ally Way (World Premiere), The School of the World (World Premiere), Li’l Heroes, by Stephanie Timm (“Best of The Fest” Award).
As Playwright: Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year; Orpheus Rox (one of two plays selected as “Critics Pick” for 1999); Tchaikovsky: Child Of Glass, The Holy Man (staged reading). Dr. Salerno served as Artist In Residence at Vantage Theatre from 1996-2013, and now serves as Artistic Director. He is amazingly proud to present the brilliant and powerful So Small A Thing as a part of this year’s Fringe.
ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Dori Salois has performed professionally in theater, film and television in New York, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Washington D.C. and San Diego playing a wide range of roles. Most recently as the energetic, irreverent role of Chris( The Helen Mirren role) in the USA Premiere of the play Calendar Girls, country gal, Vernadette in The Dixie Swim Club, Rachel, the cheerful chatterbox in Craig Lucas’s Reckless, Muriel, the German Dominatrix in Kenneth Ludwig’s Fox in the Fairway and the elegant Maggie in Tribute by Bernard Slade. As the Artistic Director of Vantage Theatre since 1994 and currently Vantage’s Executive Director she has produced and directed every season and has brought over 30 plays to fruition. She just produced BE HERE NOW: The Journey of Ram Dass, brought Anna Deavere Smith’s New York's production of Let Me Down Easy Easy to San Diego partnering with San Diego Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse and Arena Stage and also presented Robert Salerno’s adaptation of Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year in partnership with the Timken gallery and the Mainly Mozart Festival. Her most recent directorial work was Elliot a Soldier’s Fugue by Quiara Alegria Hudes presented in Carlsbad. She has written and directed for television So This is Washington, West of Hedon and has also written for the theater. She is a coauthor of The Importance of Being Earnest the Musical!, The Holy Man an adaptation of Susan Trotts novels, and the book for the musical Macgregor. She is excited to present the wonderful new and exciting play "So Small A Thing" at the festival, alongside BE HERE NOW The Journey of Ram Dass.