Once Upon a Mattress Director J. Marcus Newman

J Marcus Newman isn't new to theatre or this delightful musical.  He has directed over 40 projects in San Diego for such companies as Playwrights Project, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Compass Theatre and the Coronado Playhouse. He currently serves as Artistic Director for Across the Generations New Jewish Play Festival at Congregation Dor Hadashand and stages readings of several selected scripts from playwrights across the U.S. and Canada, working with neophyte actors from the congregation as well as more seasoned professionals. In 2006, he wrote, produced and directed the play "Moms in America," about three generations of American Jewish men who would love each other if they only knew how to love at all.

Marcus played the role of Prince Dauntless in Once Upon a Mattress as an undergraduate drama major at Syracuse University.

He grew up in New York City, attending the High School of Music and Art (the "Fame" school) where his love of music was enhanced by seeing many Broadway musicals and by the exquisite pleasure of singing at both Carnegie and Town Halls ... on stage ... in front of an audience! (in the chorus...).

He became a member of Actors Equity Association at the famed Bucks County Playhouse where he would have performed in another production of Once Upon a Mattress if Hollywood hadn't beckoned him to go west and join the Screen Actors Guild. After earning his MFA in theatre from the prestigious California Institute of the Arts, Marcus continued to work in film, television and on stage as an actor in San Diego (where he was in Diversionary Theatre's very first production), Los Angeles (where he worked
with Tovah Feldshuh, Perry King, Linda Purl and Scott Jacoby), and elsewhere in the U.S. (where there are lots of talented people who just love doing theatre).

In his 25+ years in San Diego, Marcus has taught theatre at SDSU, Southwestern and Mira Costa Colleges and National University, as well as privately in his own studio.