History
The American Coast Theater Company (ACTC) was founded in 2007 by Producing Artistic Director Susan K. Berkompas and Broadway performer/Producing Artistic Director Amick Byram. In 2008, ACTC became fully incorporated as a non-profit theater under Section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our premiere production was Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, which opened to rave reviews at the Lyceum Theater on the campus of Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California. In 2018, ACTC, which operates rent-free, dissolved the separate 501c3, so that our status would not be perceived as a conflict of interest to the parent organization, Vanguard University of Southern California. ACTC currently falls under the 501C ownership of Vanguard University.
We have produced 2-3 productions annually since 2008: a Christmas Cabaret in December and a musical and straight play during the summer. The current Producing Artistic Director is Founding Artist Susan K. Berkompas. She is also the Theatre Arts Department Chair at Vanguard University, and ACTC serves as an integral part of the Theatre Arts program. Each year, eleven interns are selected from the pool of theatre majors at Vanguard University, and they receive work study and internship course credit towards their major requirement (2 units). These interns are trained to manage and operate all the production areas, and they are given the title of associate producers to mount and run each production.
We outsource a good percentage of our design/creative team, supplemented by in-house staff. We also occasionally hire guest directors. We have developed a production relationship with Ranch MMC (a newly developed city called Rancho Mission Viejo in South Orange County, California), and they hire ACTC to produce shows on their outdoor stage in July of each year. Key company members can be found in our ‘About’ section. ACTC also produces kids camps in July. We are teaming up and partnering with Broadway Musical Theatre Mayhem with Broadway veteran Nikki Snelson and Friends (Megan Hilty, Ben Cameron, Eric Stretch, Telly Leung, Mandy Gonzalez, and Alex Brightman) starting July 2022 (see our website).
Highlights from ACTC’s 17 years as a professional theatre company include The Hiding Place, Shadowlands, the repertory productions of Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, and the 2016 production of Life Without Parole at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. As written in our mission statement, we are deeply committed to honoring diversity and inclusion within our company members and casting.
Past Productions
2007 – A Streetcar Named Desire
2008 – Bullshot Crummond
2008 – Love Letters
2009 – Greater Tuna
2009 – Boomers
2010 – Boomers
2010 – Shadowlands
2011 – The Hiding Place
2011 – Godspell
2012 – Taming of the Shrew
2012 – Enlightenment.com
2013 – Development
2013 – Last Train to Nibroc
2013 – Love Makes the World Go ‘Round
2014 – All My Sons
2014 – Cotton Patch Gospel
2015 – Comedy of Error
2015 – Always a Bridesmaid
2015 – Life Without Parole
2016 – Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
2016 – Hamlet
2016 – Christmas Cabaret
2017 – The Beat Goes On
2017 – Christmas Cabaret
2018 – Grey Gardens
2018 – MacBeth
2018 – Christmas Cabaret
2019 – The Beat Goes On
2019 – Christmas Cabaret
2022 – The Marvelous Wonderettes
2023 – Forever Plaid
2023 – Around the World in 80 Days
2023 – Christmas Cabaret
2024 – Chess the Musical
2024 – An Inspector Calls
Award Nominations
2022 OC Theatre Guild Award Nominations Announced
2023 OC Theatre Guild Award Nominations
2023 OC Theatre Guild Award Winners
Press Reviews
The Show Report- The Marvelous Wonderettes Review
Fanboynation – An Inspector Calls
Orange Curtain Review- The Marvelous Wonderettes
Orange Curtain Review- The Beat Goes On
Orange Curtain Review- Comedy of Error Preview
Orange Curtain Review- Comedy of Error Review
Orange Curtain Review- Always A Bridesmaid
Orange Curtain Review- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
LA Times The Daily Pilot- Always A Bridesmaid
LA Times The Daily Pilot- The Taming of the Shrew
LA Times The Daily Pilot- Godspell
LA Times The Daily Pilot- The Hiding Place
LA Times The Daily Pilot- A Streetcar Named Desire
LA Times The Daily Pilot- The Beat Goes On
LA Times The Daily Pilot- Bullshot Crummond
LA Times The Daily Pilot- Boomers
BroadwayWorld- Around the World in 80 Days
BroadwayWorld- Marvelous Wonderettes
BroadwayWorld- Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Press Interviews
Orange Curtain Review- Interview with Vanda Eggington
Orange Curtain Review- Hamlet Interview
Quotes
“Vanguard Tops in College… For the third consecutive year, a Vanguard production has topped the list of local college theatre shows.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot
“The recipe for something excellent is already there!”
Patrick Chavis, The Orange Curtain Review (An Inspector Calls)
“Luke Desmond’s performance as Eric is heartbreaking to watch and incredibly effective. His performance in the lit chair was enthralling.”
Patrick Chavis, The Orange Curtain Review (An Inspector Calls)
“A highlight of the show for sure was the noir-like lighting from Garrett Spady. It was gorgeous, and the color palette of white, black, and sometimes gray added to the moody noir aesthetic I believe the production aimed for.”
Patrick Chavis, The Orange Curtain Review (An Inspector Calls)
“Vanguard University’s cast and crew stepped up to the challenge with confidence and talent.”
Alina Mae Wilson, The Orange Curtain Review (Chess the Musical)
“The leads were clearly capable of singing. Everything about Scott Roberts, from his singing voice to the life he brings Trumper’s explosive rants, works for the character. As Trumper’s Russian counterpart Anatoly Sergievsky, Josh Martin displays a beautiful, booming voice that leaves no wonder as to why he was cast. Likewise, Rezia Landers has a charming presence as Chess second/romantic interest Florence Vassy. Everyone is putting their effort into the show, and as capable singers.”
Alina Mae Wilson, The Orange Curtain Review (Chess the Musical)
“It’s an exhausting performance by one of Vanguard’s most impressive alumni.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (Godspell)
“Eight performers double as Jewish characters and Nazis, a directorial choice. Berkompas notes that she “wanted to explore the duality of man’s human nature, the co-existence and potential of good and evil in every human being.” It’s a message powerfully delivered.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (The Hiding Place)
“It’s an ambitious undertaking, demanding both musical talent and unbridled energy, both of which the Vanguard troupe possesses in abundance.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (The Beat Goes On)
“With “Bullshot Crummond,” written by committee and overflowing with slapstick and sight gags, the theater company demonstrates its artistic range.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (Bullshot Crummond)
“Stirred to the boiling point by director Kevin Slay, the Vanguard show fires a plethora of punch lines amid brawling and bickering. It’s as though all three playwrights submitted scripts and then chose the funniest moments from each.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (Always a Bridesmaid)
“The Taming of the Shrew” doesn’t crop up much on local stages, possibly because of womens’ issues with the Bard’s treatment of them. But the American Coast Theater Company has structured a rousing, visceral production of this classic comedy at Vanguard University.”
Tom Titus LA Times, Daily Pilot (Taming of the Shrew)
“One of the qualities that distinguishes American Coast from other local companies is its focus on “family and values-based entertainment,” which doesn’t mean players will avoid dark or thought-provoking material, Berkompas said.
Jessie Brunner LA Times, Daily Pilot (A Streetcar Named Desire)
“While typical productions of “The Marvelous Wonderettes” uses pre-recorded music tracks, Musical Director Scott Cokely directs a four-piece rock band combo (piano, drums, lead guitar and bass) from the theater’s loft.”
Chris Daniels, The Show Report (The Marvelous Wonderettes)
“The actresses harmonize well on stage. Watching them belt out these popular tunes onstage is a lot of fun.”
Patrick Chavis, The Orange Curtain Review (The Marvelous Wonderettes)
“Overall the American Coast Theater Company’s production of Hamlet is well-performed and thoroughly engaging. The well-understood characters seem to have been studied well by their performers, and each scene is delivered with passion and excitement.”
Alina Mae Wilson, The Orange Curtain Review (Hamlet)
“They have some great energy and stage presence. It is clear the entire cast put their heart into the show, which pays off in the results because there are a lot of great moments.”
Daniella Litvak, The Orange Curtain Review (The Beat Goes On)
“As pretty as the set is, the costumes are the scene-stealers. The show does more with the idea of bridesmaids’ dresses being awful to wear than just putting the characters in ugly dresses. It approached the topic from multiple angles, which added a lot of variety to the types of jokes presented to the audience and made what was happening onstage five times funnier.”
Daniella Litvak, The Orange Curtain Review (Always a Bridesmaid)
“While the play is a nice introduction to absurdist theater and has a plot that’s generally easy to follow (there’s also quite a bit of slapstick comedy to break up the heavy dialogue) it isn’t an easy play to pull off. The actors of the American Coast Theater Company step up to the challenge quite well.”
Erin Tobin, The Orange Curtain Review (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead)
“Went with some friends and absolutely loved it. The set was great, cast was amazing, and setting is intimate- no bad seats.”
Ma S, Yelp Review
“The theater is pretty small and intimate, and although our seats were at the very top row on the right hand side of the stage (if facing the stage), we were still able to see the stage up close.”
Frances G, Yelp Review
“The price and seating can’t be beat for the best entertainment! We will definitely attend future productions.”
Susan V, Yelp Review
“The skill and vitality of the cast of Christmas Cabaret are just “off the hook”. Their infectious enthusiasm coupled with a wonderful range of talent must be seen to be appreciated.”
Ed Claxton, Facebook Review
“Always a treat to see such outstanding performances by these talented actors. The Beat Goes On is a creative walk through the history of music and brings the audience to their feet with wonderful memories from their youth. Highly recommend seeing this show (several times) –it does not disappoint.”
Ramona Relock Lazaris, Facebook Review