New Managing Artistic Director

Compass Theatre welcomes JOSH HYATT as its new Managing Artistic Director.

Josh is, in his own words, "new-ish" to the San Diego theatre community, relocating here from Miami within the last few years. Josh joins Compass Theatre "hoping to develop and implement programs to further enhance and provide additional organizational and financial structure so the theatre can maintain and hopefully exceed its already high standards."

In Miami, Josh served as the General Theatre Manager and Artistic Director of Main Street Playhouse, where he oversaw the operations and productions from script analysis and season development to donor relations and grant coordination. He also worked to assist smaller local theatres produce shows and find sponsors and donors as a producer for the Theatre League of South Florida. Additionally, Josh was an active board member responsible for developing the seasons of Pembroke Pines Theatre of Performing Arts and Broward on Broadway.

In San Diego, Josh has directed at Diversionary Theatre (Searching for Mr. Right) and Compass Theatre (Hairdresser on Fire opens the QPlays series on September 7).

Josh replaces Matt Thompson.

Welcome Josh!

Paradise: $10 Preview Wednesday, July 30

Playwright Glyn O'Malley was called "the most talked to and talked about playwright in 2003" by Cincinnati Magazine. He and his work have been written about extensively by publications such as American Theatre, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Weekly Standard.

O'Malley, who died in 2006, was a member of The Dramatist Guild of America, and The Freedom-to-Write Committee, PEN American. He was nominated for PEN American's 2004 'Newman's Own First Amendment Award' for Paradise, and honored for this at a Master's Tea by Yale University.

Set in Dehashie Refugee Camp for Palestinians, and in various locales in Jerusalem at the height of the last Intifada, PARADISE is the story of how two 17 year old girls - a Palestinian, and an Israeli - who might in another place and time have been fast friends instead meet in a fatal intersection.


The Compass Theatre production is directed by San Diego TheatreScene's Teen Perspective columnist, Alice Cash, in association with Broadway Kids of San Diego.

"This is the kind of play which will force some honest and uncomfortable discussion. It is politically seductive just by the nature of its subject and makes one uneasy about the future in that part of the world. However, Paradise will make you think!" - Ron Levitt, Theatre Critic, Entertainment News and Views

A $10 preview is scheduled for Wednesday, July 30th. Performances continue throughout the weekend, at regular price, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8:00 and Sunday at 2:00.

Purchase tickets here, or at compasstheatre.com.


Sources: Wikipedia, Doolee: The Playwright's Database

QPlays Promoted at San Diego Pride Festival

Director Josh Hyatt mans the booth at San Diego Pride on Saturday, June 19, to promote QPLAYS, Compass Theatre's new series of gay-themed plays premiering this fall.

Josh is directing the first piece in the series, Hairdresser on Fire, which opens September 7th and stars Robert Bitsko, Neil McDonald, Gigi Palomera, Blake Perret, Bill Shore, and Krissy Tobey.

For more information, dates, and prices check us out at compasstheatre.com

TheatreScene Podcast on Your iPod

The San Diego TheatreScene Follow Spot podcast is now available through iTunes for direct downloading to your iPod!

It's FREE -- and ready to go wherever you do.

Subscribe here.

July 8, 2008 FollowSpot podcast

This week's guests, July 18:

• Compass Theatre Actor/Director Scott Striegel
• Theatre Inc. actor Robin Christ

Last week's guests, July 8:

• BRAVISSIMO Entertainment critic Rob Appel
• ACT San Diego President Christoper De Armond
• Chronos Theatre Artistic Director Celeste Innocenti
• Compass Theatre Artistic Director Matt Thompson

Frank'n'Funder

Compass Theatre and San Diego TheatreScene present

Compass Theatre BBQ!
August 2nd from 10am - 7pm

Join the staff of Compass Theatre for burgers, dogs, and fun as we announce our first full-length season.

Mission Bay
next to the Visitors' Center off Mission Bay Drive.

Donations welcome.

See you there!

Resilience of the Spirit Festival 2008

Program A: Readings

Program A-1: ended

Program A-2
Readings: July 6 - 9 at 7 pm

Nailed to the Bed by George Soete * Directed by George Soete

Program A-3
Readings July 13 - 16 at 7 pm

The River Pure for Healing by Piu Wilson * Directed by Diana Sparta

When a humanitarian letter-writing campaign is used for selfish purposes, it brings one man to his breaking point.

Program A-4
Readings July 20-23 at 7pm

Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare * Directed by Chris Williams

Timon is a king and generous aristocrat in Athens with one major fault: he is a spendthrift. Everyone loves him because of his generosity as a host. This rarely produced gem is Shakespeare's inner perspective on the human condition of greed.

Program A-5
Readings July 27 - 30 at 7 pm

The Sweet Rose of Tokyo by Matt Thompson * Directed by Matt Thompson

In February 1942, all American citizens of Japanese descent living in the western U.S. were ordered to leave their homes with only the valuables they could carry. Explore the perspective of one family imprisoned behind the barbed wire in California.

Program B: Performances
Thursdays and Saturdays at 8pm

The Twenty Year Package by William Campbell * Directed by Christopher Burger

Starring: Tom Hall, Scott Striegel, and Amanda Cooley Davis















His Last Fight by Jaqueline Goldfinger * Directed by Chelsea Whitmore

Starring: Don Pugh, Olivia Espinosa, and Fernando Huerto














The Body Washer by Rosemary Toohey * Directed by Sunny Smith

Starring: Nicole Solas, Diana Sparta, and Asia Jackson













Untitled by Dallas McLaughlin * Directed by Dallas McLaughlin

Starring Brad Davis and Dallas McLaughlin

Program C: Performances
Fridays at 8pm and Sundays at 2 pm

The Triangle Tragedy by Matt Thompson * Directed by Matt Thompson






The Triangle Waistcoat Factory Fire of 1911 through the eyes of four young women.

Starring: Annie Prichard, Sunny Smith, Nicole Solas, and Michelle Willis







Superhero by Mark Levin * Directed by Scott Striegel

A 10-minute exploration into the absurdness of the human condition.

Starring Kate Hewitt and Duane Leake












The Invasion by Evan Blake * Directed by Gilbert Songalia

Two human beings. Two ideas. Two nations. Two perspectives on war in Iraq.


Starring Geo Alva and Wil Smith III








Run Jenny by Michael Thomas Tower * Directed by Michael Thomas Tower



An 1850's abolitionist wife on trial for the murder of her slave-owner husband.

Starring: Dan Feraldo, Haig Koshkarian, Leslie Gold, Nicole Bradley, James Steinberg, Michael Thomas Tower, and Paul Rossi

Program D: Performances
July 31 - August 2 at 8pm and August 3 at 2pm.

Paradise by Glyn O'Malley * Directed by Alice Cash (in collaboration with Broadway Kids of San Diego)

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict seen through the eyes of youth.

Compass Theatre

Photos by Michael McKeon - retrobang.com