“The Opposite of Love” was originally developed with and presented by NewYorkRep Founding Executive Director, Gayle Waxenberg. Neil Gooding Productions presents Ashley Griffin* Evan Strand* DIRECTOR Melora Marshall INTIMACY DIRECTOR Celina Lee Surniak PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Molly Anders ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Dani Schlenker ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Jaime Bartolett LIGHTING DESIGNER Omar Madkour COMPOSER/SOUND DESIGNER Marshall McDaniel CO-SCENIC DESIGNER You Chen Zhang CO-SCENIC DESIGNER Joyce Hong COSTUME DESIGNER Sage Barrie MANAGING DIRECTOR, HUDSON THEATRE Zeke Rettman *Appearing through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. THE HUDSON BACKSTAGE THEATRE 6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038, United States by Ashley Griffin Ashley Griffin Evan Strand ASHLEY GRIFFIN ( Eloise , Playwright) is a Broadway writer/performer most well known as the first person in history to be nominated for a major award (NYIT Award) for both playing and directing Hamlet (for a theatrical production.) As a writer, Ashley’s work has been produced/developed at New WorldStages, Manhattan Theater Club, Playwrights Horizons and more. Ashley received the WellLifeNetwork Award and a county commendation for her off-Broadway play Trial (directed by Lori Petty and heralded as “If this show were on Broadway it would win the Pulitzer”– StageScore) which is currently in talks for a transfer. She has written extensively for film and T.V. and is the author of two bestselling novels, Blank Paige and The Spindle . As a performer, Ashley has appeared extensively on and Off-Broadway as well as in T.V. and film. Highlights include work at The Gershwin Theater, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, The Public Theater, as well as in The Greatest Showman and on Homeland She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has trained at the RSC and the National Theater. Special thank you to her mom, for her constant support, everyone who has had a hand in developing this piece, and her team: Amy Wagner (Stewart Talent) and Jackie Reid (LAU). @ashleygriffinofficial/www.ashleygriffi nofficial.com EVAN STRAND ( Will ) is an American actor and eclectic performer whose range, discipline, and captivating presence have made him a standout across television, film, and theatre. His on-screen credits include memorable MEET THE TEAM appearances on General Hospital and Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), as well as the beloved Reddi Whip Milkman in NBC’s Hairspray Live . Onstage, Evan is best known for his acclaimed portrayal of Sven in Disney’s Frozen National Tour and limited Singapore engagement, and for his performance in Zoot Suit at the Mark Taper Forum. A classically trained ballet dancer since the age of 7, Evan has graced the stage in roles such as Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty , Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream , and Kashchei in Firebird . His versatility extends far beyond dance, with extensive training in horseback and motorcycle riding, boxing, stage combat, puppetry, archery, and weapons handling. He also has a background in synchronized swimming, pole vaulting, track & field, baseball, soccer, Tai Chi, and stilt walking. Offstage, Evan is a skilled craftsman who finds joy in upholstery, furniture making, and restoring classic cars—from a 1934 Plymouth to a 1970 Challenger and 1972 Riviera. Evan is thrilled to return to the stage in The Opposite of Love , and honored to be collaborating with Ashley Griffin on this powerful production. He extends heartfelt thanks to his wife and parents for their unwavering support, to his agents, and manager JC Gutierrez at Independent Artist Entertainment. @evan.strand www.evanstrand.com MELORA MARSHALL (Director) is an American actress and director renowned for her dynamic contributions to the stage, particularly at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, California. A longtime company member, she has performed in countless productions over the decades, often taking on gender-bending and unconventional roles that showcase her versatility and depth as an artist. Standout performances include the title role in Shakespeare’s Richard III , where she brought a chilling and compelling presence to the infamous monarch, and Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan , a portrayal marked by fierce conviction and emotional clarity. Aside from stage, she works in film and television. In recent years, she has increasingly focused on directing, bringing her deep understanding of classical and contemporary texts to the helm. In 2024, she directed Tartuffe: Born Again , a bold adaptation of Molière’s classic play, reimagined in 1980s Louisiana with Tartuffe as a disgraced televangelist. The production earned her the 2024 Progie Theater Award, The Welles, for Best Director of a Progressive Play, honoring both her artistic vision and the production’s timely satire on power, faith, and manipulation. Her creative work has extended to other major venues including the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, The Old Globe, MEET THE TEAM and South Coast Repertory. A multifaceted artist—singer, songwriter, guitarist, actress, director—she has also been a devoted Shakespeare educator, leading workshops and classes at Theatricum for decades. Her teaching blends scholarship with performance practice, and she has mentored countless emerging actors in the rhythms, rhetoric, and emotional truth of Shakespeare’s language. Angeles. Break legs to the cast and crew! MEET THE TEAM CELINA LEE SURNIAK (Intimacy Director) She/Her, is an LA based Stunt/Intimacy Coordinator and Fight/Intimacy Director. Recent credits of hers include: Don't Touch My Hair/The Very Best People/Arrowhead (IAMA Theatre Co.); Winter's Tale/Hide & Hide (Skylight Theatre Co.); BARE: A Pop Opera/Spring Awakening (Mouthbone Production Co.); Yerma/Muse of Fire (Foolish Production Co.); Wolf at the Door (PCPA); Happy Fall (RogueArtists Ens.); A Doll’s House/A Midsummer Night’s Dream/Romeo and Juliet/Macbeth (House of Bards Theatre Co.); Cyrano de Bergerac/Titus Andronicus/Romeo and Juliet/Bold Stroke for a Husband (Island Shakespeare Festival); and much more. With over a decade of experience, she prioritizes safety and empowerment in volatile content. Certified in trauma- informed care, she is also a Crisis Advocate for survivors of SA and DV, offering real-time crisis support in Los MOLLY ANDERS (Production Stage Manager) Molly recently graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Communication and a Minor in Drama focusing on directing immersive, collaborative and safe theatre spaces. Originally from Seattle, Molly has always been active in the PNW theatre scene. Some of her most recent projects include directing How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying through the University of Washington’s ‘StageNotes’ as well as directing Thirst through Seattle’s Lowbrow Opera Collective. Molly has recently moved to L.A. and is now working with Space Pirates Theatre Collective as their operations director and resident stage manager. Molly is so excited to be a part of this production and cannot wait to make her Neil Gooding Productions debut. She’d like to thank her wonderful family and incredible friends but most importantly, her dog Cedar. OMAR MADKOUR (Lighting Designer) Omar is a lighting designer from Cairo, Egypt and currently located in Los Angeles. His experience in lighting ranges between Theatre, Dance, Opera, Site Specific, Architectural, Museums, and Theme Parks. His designs in theatre have been presented in various cities in Egypt, various countries & festivals in Europe, in Mexico and in the US. MEET THE TEAM Selected credits in the US include Boney Manilli at REDCAT, Inherit the Wind and Mr. Romantic at Pasadena Playhouse, and Into the Woods at Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Omar holds a MFA in Lighting Design from CalArts. MARSHALL MCDANIEL (Composer, Sound Designer ) grew up in a theater and built a life in sound. Raised in Topanga, California at the Theatricum Botanicum, he was surrounded by Shakespeare, storytelling, and live performance from day one. He trained as a classical cellist in Germany, studying at conservatories in Trossingen, Mannheim, and Berlin, and performed with orchestras including the Nationaltheater Mannheim and Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz. His shift into composition began with a commission from Yoel Gamzou and led to premieres across Europe—from chamber works to a full orchestra. After earning his diploma from the UdK Berlin, he returned to Los Angeles, where he explored electronic music and scored for film, TV, and games as a composer’s assistant on projects like The Red Road and Dishonored 2 He served as Music Director at Theatricum Botanicum, writing music for dozens of productions, including an original musical on the Legend of Merlin . He later returned to Germany as Music Director of the National Youth Ballet, creating original scores for choreographers including John Neumeier and Natalia Horecna. Recent projects include Framework , a full-length dance piece co-written with his brother and commissioned by the Mozarteum Salzburg, and Man Making Machine for orchestra and electronics, premiered at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn. His newest work, Der Sandmann , is currently running at the Staatstheater Cottbus. YOU CHEN ZHANG (Co-Scenic Designer) You Chen Zhang is a scenic designer with an MFA from UCLA and a BFA from Concordia University, specializing in immersive storytelling through his scenic designs. His notable productions include Something Rotten! , Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 , and Keffiyeh/Made in China , which demonstrate his unique approach to storytelling. He is driven by a deep desire to transport the audience into a magical space that captures moments from memory and imagination, fostering connection and resonance. JOYCE HONG (Co-Scenic Designer) Joyce Hong is a set designer based in Los Angeles and Orange County, with a focus on creating visually compelling spaces that support storytelling on stage. Born and raised in a small town near the East China Sea, she moved to Southern California in 2015 and brings across-cultural perspective to her work. Joyce draws inspiration from both her Manchu and Tibetan heritage as well as MEET THE TEAM the textures and rhythms of everyday life. With a background in art history— particularly Asian and Near Eastern art —she enjoys weaving visual references and subtle symbolism into her designs. She is currently finishing her B.A. degree in Theatre at UCLA. SAGE BARRIE (Costume Designer) is a NYC based director and designer. Most recently she was nominated for a New York Innovative Theater Award for her direction of the hit off- Broadway play Snow at the Sonnet Theater after the piece received development at Playwrights Horizons for which she also did the costume design. She was the costume designer on Ashley Griffin’s landmark, highly lauded production of Hamlet (both for it’s initial off-Broadway production and it’s off-Broadway return) as well as for the original production of Forever Deadward at the LABA Theater in NYC, Changed For Good (Playwrights Horizons, Black Box) and As You Like It (Central Park, A.N.O.N. Productions.) She is the resident costume designer for A.N.O.N. Productions. DANI SCHLENKER (Assistant Stage Manager) is a working theatre teaching artist in the LA area with four years of experience teaching with companies such as Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, Theatre 360, and Drama Maniacs. She is excited to help with the show! NEIL GOODING PRODUCTIONS (Producer) is a Tony Award-winning production company that was established in 2002 and brings high quality theatrical experiences to Broadway, West End, Australian and international audiences, upholding a strong emphasis on the development of new work. NGP was founded by Neil Gooding – an international theatre Director, Producer and Writer. As a producer, Neil’s credits include: Broadway: Sunset Boulevard (Tony Award, Best Musical), Gypsy, Back to the Future: The Musical, Harmony, and Macbeth. Neil is represented in the West End by Back to the Future: The Musical and Holding the Man. NGP also produces the world-wide hit Empire Strips Back. Neil has been nominated for numerous awards including the 2009 Helpmann Award and the Sydney Theatre Critics Award. S USAN GORDON ............Press Agent MATT KAMIMURA ..........Production Photographer and Videographer @oppositeofloveshow goodingproductions.com Stay Connected!