The Night Witches at North Coast Repertory Theatre

The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep presents the daring emotional drama The Night Witches as its next student production. The Night Witches of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment flew in planes made of canvas and wood, and they dropped bombs on Germans every 15 minutes through the night to keep their enemy from sleeping. They were constantly being shuffled and moved to perform new duties; mechanics became navigators, navigators became pilots, and pilots became commanders. Nina and Vera have just finished their training as navigators and are moments away from their first combat mission. As they fight their nerves, the women around them use different means of bolstering their spirits, some more successfully than others. But when the time comes, to the sky they must go. Tonight, however, is different than any night they’ve faced before—their enemy has employed a new tactic taking them completely by surprise. Using movement, song and lyrically styled dialogue, we follow these brave women through one fateful evening during the war.

Co-Directors, Rachael VanWormer, Benjamin Cole, and student Assistant Director, Kai Bunyak, are thrilled to guide this talented cast of student actors. “The determination, tenacity, courage, and strength of these women is truly inspiring. It’s exciting to explore this lesser-known pocket of history and to share it with the next generation of theatre-makers,” VanWormer exclaims. “It is striking to explore a piece that truly demonstrates humankind’s willingness to sacrifice greatly to defend what they love,” Bunyak reports. The show runs a striking 80 minutes with no intermission and promises to inspire audiences throughout. Additional production staff includes Stage Management by Nicolas Castillo, Costume Design by Debby Goyette, Props design by Phillip Korth, and Lights and Sound Design by Matt FitzGerald.

The Theatre School @ North Coast Rep proudly delivers high-quality theatre instruction and six student theatre productions throughout the year, offering accessible and fun training for various age groups. Check out all the upcoming options on the Theatre School website: www.northcoastreptheatreschool.org.

Featured in the cast are (Luna Espinosa, Solana Beach; Basil FitzGerald, Escondido; Victoria Olivares, Tierrasanta; Akur Oryem, Logan Heights; Annabelle Ouellet, Carlsbad; Leo Palouda, Encinitas; Isabella Podesta, Carlsbad; Sahiba Sethee, Encinitas; Evelina Sherlock, Carlsbad; Sylvie Terjesen, Solana Beach; and Catalina Zelles, Encinitas).

Performances are May 26^th – 29^th with show times at 10am and 5:30pm Thursday & Friday, 2pm and 5:30pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday. Ticket prices are regularly $25.00 for adults and $21.00 for seniors 65 and older, children under age 17, and active military. Please call the box office to reserve your tickets today: 858-481-1055.