JPlays with The Roustabouts

The Little Foxes

By Lillian Hellman

Directed by Phil Johnson

Featuring Shana Wride, Sandy Campbell, Andrew Oswald, Fred Harlow, Matthew Salazar-Thomson, Hayden Emmerson, Walter Murray, Catalina Zelles & Vanessa Dinning

Continuing with the mission of highlighting great Jewish theatre writers of the 20th century, The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman is a drama that grapples with the themes of greed, betrayal, and corruption, set against the backdrop of the post-Civil War south. 

Sunday, January 22, 2023  6:30 PM

Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center

4126 Executive Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037

Meet the Cast

Shana Wride

Actor (Regina Hubbard Giddens)

Shana Wride is a theatre actor and director who has worked both locally and regionally with The Old Globe, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, Diversionary Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Intrepid Theatre, Moxie Theatre, Compass Theatre, The Colony Theatre, Open Fist Theatre, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Gaslamp Quarter Theatre, and Sledgehammer Theatre.  She is the recipient of a San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award for her solo performance in 2.5 Minute Ride at Diversionary Theatre and for her performance as Amanda in Cygnet Theatre’s Private Lives. She holds a master’s degree in Theatre Arts from San Diego State University.  While living in Los Angeles, she co-hosted the nationally syndicated radio show, “Women Aloud” with actor/comedienne Mo Gaffney.

Sandy Campbell

Actor (Birdie Hubbard)

Sandy Is thrilled to be a part of this reading series and with this marvelous play. Associate Artist atLamb’s Players: A Christmas Carol, The Light in the Piazza, The Music Man, American Rhythm, 1776, Fiddler on the Roof, Boomers and Beau Gest. Resident Artist at Cygnet Theater: Parade, Noises Off, The Norman Conquests, A Little Night Music, Communicating Doors, Assassins. San Diego REP: MotherRoad, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Clybourne Park. Other favorites include Handbagged (Moxie), Zhivago (La Jolla Playhouse), Passion and Master Class ( ION), Mr. And Mrs. Fitch (Backyard Renaissance), SisterAct (SDMT), Macbeth (Intrepid Shakespeare Company). Sandy is also a cabaret artist and her CD Crazy World is available on Amazon and Apple Music. Thank you for supporting this wonderful reading series!!

Andrew Oswald

Actor (Horace Giddens)

Cygnet Theatre: The Whale/Charlie, Company/Harry. Diversionary Theatre: The Hour of Great Mercy/Ed Perch (SD Critics Circle Award lead performance), A Kind of Weather/Grey, Regrets Only/Hank Hadley, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler/George Tessman, Boys and Girls/Jason. Backyard Renaissance: The Elephant Man/Carr Gomm and Mr. and Mrs. Fitch/Mr. Fitch. North Coast Repertory: Count Rosenberg. La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival: The Music Sounds Different To Me Now/Andrew. Regional Credits include Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, and New Hampshire Shakespeare Festival. In New York, he has worked with Nada, Tribeca Theatre Lab, and New York City Opera.

Fred Harlow

Actor (Benjamin Hubbard)

Fred is not only thrilled to work on a Neil Simon classic with this talented cast but to reunite with Phil Johnson! We last performed together in She-Rantulas From Outer Space both here in San Diego and NYC. Favorite local roles include Valare in La Bete, Roy in The Best Mistake, and half the citizens in A Tuna Christmas.

Matthew Salazar-Thomson

Actor (Oscar Hubbard)

Select San Diego acting credits: The Car Plays, The Grift (La Jolla Playhouse)  Spring Awakening (Cygnet Theatre); Yoga Play, Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Moxie Theatre); Now or Later (Diversionary Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Intrepid Theatre); Henry V (New Fortune Theatre); Beachtown (San Diego Rep [understudy]) Moon Over Buffalo, The Father, Moon Over Buffalo, The Spitfire Grill, The Odd Couple, THIS, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Over the Tavern, Dracula, Leading Ladies, A Thousand Clowns, Julius Caesar, The Comedy of Errors (North Coast Rep), Terra Nova (Compass Theatre); Cold Comfort Farm, West Side Story (Lamb’s Players). TV credits:  C.S.I, Veronica Mars, Fashion House, Cover Me, Dharma and Greg, Watch Over Me, 18 Wheels of Justice, Frasier, The Invisible Man, Days of Our Lives, Baywatch. 

Hayden Emmerson

Actor (Leo Hubbard)

Walter Murray

Actor (Cal)

Walter has appeared on stages in NY, SD, and LA. He was the executive director of the San Diego Black Ensemble Theater and served on the board of the Actors Alliance. He worked at Scripts Ranch Theatre e in Rounding Third and Flemming. Films include; “Your Name Here” and “The Case Regarding Joan of Arc”. Thank you to Drs. Stanton, Epston, and Levine. This one is for Vin.

Milena (Sellers) Phillips

Actor (Addie)

Milena (Sellers) Phillips is thrilled to return to The Roustabouts where she was last seen in the reading of 12 Angry Men. Her most recent stage performance was 1222 Oceanfront, A Black Family Christmas (New Village Arts), she is one of the co-creators and the author of the original songs within the show.  Milena also appeared in Intimate Apparel, Having Our Say, and Men on Boats (New Village Arts). Other credits include Seven Guitars, King Hedley II (Cygnet Theatre)(Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble), Bull In A China Shop (Diversionary Theatre), and Rasheeda Speaking (Vantage Theater). TV credits include: When Vows Break, The Bold and The Beautiful, and Blood Runs Cold.  Milena is the co-founder and director of the Jonathan Sellers & Charlie Keever Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the safety and well-being of children. She co-authored the children's book Always Fly Away with writer and child advocate Deborah Dorn. 

Catalina Zelles

Actor (Alexandra Giddens)

Catalina Is honored to be included in this stellar cast of Roustabouts Theatre’s staged reading of Little Foxes. Recent performances include NCRT’s World Premiere Annabella in July (Piper), West Coast Premiere Gabriel (Estelle, Craig Noel Award); OTC’s Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Past/Tiny Tim), Miracle on 34th Street (Susan Walker), Eurydice (Little Stone); Patio Playhouse’s Wait Until Dark (Gloria); Moonlight Amphitheatre’s Newsies (Newsie); TS@NCRT’s Secret Garden (Colin Craven, NYA Award); SDMT’s Billy Elliot (Ballet Girl); Welk Resort Theatre’s The Music Man (Amaryllis) and Fiddler On The Roof (Bielke); Cygnet Theatre’s Gypsy (Baby June); Saville Theatre’s To Kill A Mockingbird (Scout) and The Old Globe’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Little Who Ensemble).  Best actress SD Student Shakespeare Festival 20013-2017. Studied voice, piano, tap, and Broadway choreography and is a competitive XCEL Diamond gymnast.

Vanessa Dinning

Actor (Stage Directions)

Vanessa is happy to be making her debut with The Roustabouts Theatre Company. She works as an actor, director, and voice dialect coach throughout San Diego’s performing arts community. Locally, she works with Cygnet, Moonlight, San Diego REP, The Old Globe, Moxie, SDMT, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, Backyard Renaissance, Lamb’s, and Bodhi Tree Concerts among many others, and in her native UK at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Royal National Theatre to name but a few. Some favorite roles include The Children (Hazel), Outside Mullingar (Rosemary), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), As You Like It (Rosalind), Othello (Iago), Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice), Blood and Ice (Mary Shelley), Our Country’s Good (Mary Brenham), City of Angels (Donna/Oolie), Into The Woods (The Bakers Wife), Company (Amy), Betrayal (Emma), My Sister in this House (Christine),  and was to have appeared in the sadly canceled The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for San Diego REP. Vanessa also maintains a private studio coaching voice for actors, singing, and cello.

Meet the Creative Team

Phil Johnson

Actor (Director)

Phil Johnson is the Artistic Director and founder of The Roustabouts Theatre Co. He’s directed for The Roustabouts, Scripps Ranch Theatre, Playwrights Project, and started the new Great Jewish American Playwright Series/JPlays at the JCC. He’s appeared at almost all San Diego theaters and in numerous original solo shows including A Jewish Joke which opened Off-Broadway in NYC in 2019. As an actor, he’s played in Les Misérables on Broadway and on tour; Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard; and the 1st National Co. of Miss Saigon. He is a two-time winner of the SD Critics Circle Craig Noel Award for acting, and he is a founder of the San Diego Theatre Alliance. He last appeared in North Coast Rep's ‘The Remarkable Mr. Holmes' with Guntopia's Katie Karel.