How High the Moon
On July 4, 1952, the lives of neighboring families in the San Fernando Valley are forever changed.
Written by Barbara Nell Beery and directed by Asaad Kelada.
A young housewife questions her marriage, and an estranged son returns home. How High the Moon is a play about sibling conflict and family secrets during the housing boom in the San Fernando Valley.
Performances run July 24–August 16, 2026, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Creative Leadership Bios
Asaad Kelada Director
Asaad Kelada is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Directing credits include productions at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego; the Mark Taper Lab; the Tiffany Theatre; The Matrix Theatre; El Portal Theatre; the Greenway Theatre; South Coast Repertory; and Seattle Repertory Theatre. For television, he directed more than 500 episodes for series including The Office, Who’s the Boss?, The Facts of Life, WKRP in Cincinnati, Family Ties, Everybody Loves Raymond, Dharma & Greg, and Two and a Half Men. His production of The Lost Gospel of Pontius Pilate, with Maxwell Caulfield, will be presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2026. He has taught at Antioch College in Ohio, USIU School of Performing Arts in San Diego, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, USC School of Cinematic Arts, and the California Institute of the Arts.
Barbara Nell Beery Playwright
Barbara Nell Beery continues her busy and successful writing and producing career. As a member of Los Angeles Playwrights at Center Theatre Group, Barbara co-authored the award-winning play Bar Off Melrose, produced at Melrose Theatre in Los Angeles, Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Florida, and in London, England, and published by Samuel French. Her film Tea & Therapy won Best of Show at the Women’s Independent Film Festival and screened locally at Laemmle NoHo for the Valley Film Festival. Her stage play Loretta, I’m Sorry was awarded Women in Theatre’s New Play Grant and given theatrical life at Cast Theatre in Hollywood and Common Stage Theatre in Woodstock, New York, for Women Speak Festival. Her critically acclaimed drama The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro had its world premiere at Theatre West. Other stage productions include My Them, Worst Fear, and Do You Smell Autumn in the Air? Barbara has performed her essays and stories, including “Powder Blue Dress,” “On the Same Wavelength,” and “The Kindness of Neighbors,” at various valley and city venues. She is a lifetime member of the WGA and the Dramatists Guild. Barbara is a longtime resident of the San Fernando Valley and dedicates this play in loving memory to Walter Roy Beery.
Bonnie Kalisher Dukes Producer
Bonnie Kalisher Dukes has been an actor and producing member of Theatre West for thirty-one years. Producing credits include How High the Moon, Pointy Scissors for Writers in Residence, SoloPalooza 2.0, The Italian in Me, A Very Brady Musical, Rockers, Spoon River Anthology, Betty Garrett’s 4 Friends in Concert, James Maitland Stewart, An Evening with Jimmy Stewart, and The Writers One-Act Festival at Theatre West. She also wrote and produced Gnome for Xmas, a children’s dance piece at Cypress College. Bonnie has been seen in various Storybook Theatre productions at Theatre West for more than twenty-five years. She dedicates this performance to her daughter, Michele, and husband, Dave, for their love and support.
Cast Bios
Jeanine Anderson Violet
Jeanine Anderson has appeared in a number of plays at Theatre West, most recently in a portion of her new play, Hence the Confusion. She is also proud to have co-created, written, and produced the web series Kaplan’s Korner, dedicated to the late Theatre West member Marvin Kaplan and available on YouTube. Other TV and film credits are available on IMDb. She is thankful to Barbara, Asaad, and Bonnie for casting her as Violet in How High the Moon.
Kathie Barnes Millie
Kathie Barnes works in TV, film, and theater, including as a series regular in the WB series Deception. Theatrically, she has received three Best Actress nominations and a win for Walking in Space. Independence: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker, her solo show, written and directed by Lloyd J. Schwartz, continues to be performed around the country. Involved in animal rights, especially tigers, her dream came true when she lived with tigers in the wild in India. She is grateful to be working with such talented people in How High the Moon.
Lane Compton Harrison
Lane Compton is honored to be performing at Theatre West for the first time. He thanks everyone who helped make this production possible and all those who keep this theater up and running. Lane is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. Other theater credits include Happy in Death of a Salesman at The Actors Studio, Spencer in Tragedy of the Commons at Ruskin Theater, Johnny in The Red Room at NoHo Arts Center, and Jeff Kincade in Screwball Comedy at Theatre 40. lanecompton.com
Matthew Gademske Russell
Matthew Gademske is a Los Angeles–based actor originally from Buffalo, New York, whose work spans both stage and screen. A passionate storyteller and member of Theatre West, Matthew recently wrapped production as a lead in his seventh feature film. With leading roles across multiple independent features and a thoughtful, grounded approach to performance, he continues building a dynamic body of work in film and theatre.
John Posey Carl
John Posey’s appearance in How High the Moon marks his second collaboration with Asaad Kelada, following the world premiere of Threat in 2018. He has enjoyed a long career as both actor and writer. John’s many TV and film acting credits include Better Call Saul, Seinfeld, ER, 24, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and From the Earth to the Moon. Theatre credits include the critically acclaimed, long-running solo hit Father, Son & Holy Coach, which toured for twenty-five years. His screenplay Legendary, starring Patricia Clarkson, was produced in 2010.
Anya Profumo Allison
Anya Profumo was born and raised in Los Angeles and is a writer, actress, and producer. She has performed in several plays, independent feature films, and TV shows, and she occasionally lends her voice to advertisements encouraging you to buy things. She has studied at The Groundlings, is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, and, most important, is a student of the incomparable Salome Jens. Anya is excited to have the opportunity to work with the cast and crew of How High the Moon.
Caroline Quigley Amy
Caroline Quigley is delighted to be returning to Theatre West. Her theatrical credits include Nina in The Seagull at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, Tyler in Some Girl(s) at The Victory Theatre Center, and Kate in A Going Away Party Play at Boston Court’s New Play Festival. On screen, Caroline made her Cannes debut last year with What It Means on Roku and earned a Best Actress nomination at The Romford Film Festival for The Red Hourglass. She also stars in Beezel on Apple TV+, Second Time Around on Tubi, and will next appear in the upcoming rom-com Bedrooms. Training: Boston University, BFA in acting.
David Nathan Schwartz Walter
David Nathan Schwartz is an actor, writer, director, and teacher. He has performed at various theaters across L.A., including PRT, Independent Shakespeare Company, Downtown Rep, The Industry Loft, and others. He has toured his one-man show, My Brain Tumor: A Mind-Expanding Comedy, to theaters across the country and taught at the L.A. County High School for the Arts for almost two decades. He is honored to work at Theatre West.
Production Crew Bios
Alexandria Sanders Assistant Director / Social Media
Alexandria Sanders is the current Secretary of Theatre West’s Artistic Board. She is a California native and a graduate of the Los Angeles Film School, with 13 years of experience as a script supervisor, mostly in feature films, and she is a member of IATSE Local 871. In television, Alex worked on Danger Force, S3 (Nickelodeon). Theatre credits include Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor, Magenta in Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast at Nuart, The Friction, Stepping Down, and Cassatt at Theatre West, and she was featured on the History Channel’s World’s Greatest Heists. She became co-producer of the long-running fundraiser event Millennium Magic 2026. This year, she directed Joe Praml’s The Trick at Hollywood Fringe 2026.
Thomas Meleck Set Design
Thomas Meleck attended NYU for his master’s degree in theatrical stage design. In New York City, he designed Arrabal’s The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria and assisted Robin Wagner on the Broadway productions of Lenny and Jesus Christ Superstar and Oliver Smith’s Candide at the Kennedy Center. He designed Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue, Aerosmith’s flying “A” tour, the Blue Öyster Cult tour, and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow tour, among others. L.A. credits include set and lighting for Paquito’s Christmas, Just Men, Parental Discretion, Sacrificial Lamb, Tight Quarters, and Love Is Always the Matter. The Imposter was nominated for Best Set Designer by LA Weekly; he won the 2013 NAACP Theatre Award for Anna Lucasta at LATC; and Knock Me a Kiss was nominated for best production in the 2015 season by the NAACP, as was his lighting design for Bag Lady. He has also been nominated by the NAACP for Toussaint: For the Love of Freedom and Section 8. Lighting designs include They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? at Greenway Court Theatre. Set and lighting designs include Women in Shorts at Working Stage, Bronzeville at Robey Theatre Company, California Dreamin’, Shirl Hendricks’s Games on a Bombed-Out Beach, Women on Time, and Front Door Open. He is currently designing a series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles commercials for Nickelodeon. TV and film production design credits include Clueless, The Larry Sanders Show, the pilot season of Dennis Miller Live, Quantum Leap, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the final season of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, the Emmy Award–winning shows Murder, She Wrote and The Parsley Garden, Brad Pitt’s first movie, Across the Tracks, and Natalie Wood’s final film, Brainstorm.
Cameron Massey Lighting Design
Cameron Massey is a multidisciplinary lighting designer and programmer with projects ranging from theatre, live entertainment, and concerts to themed entertainment and permanent installations. His most recent projects include Peaceful Warrior at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble as lighting designer and Wednesday: Eve of the Outcasts at Netflix House Philadelphia as lighting programmer. Cameron is a collaborative designer bringing technical professionalism and creativity to every project. When not in the theatre, Cameron enjoys LA Phil concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall with his wife, Christiane.
Michael Mullen Costume Design
Bio forthcoming.
Sarah Acuña Stage Manager
Sarah Acuña is delighted to be part of the Theatre West family as stage manager. Sarah’s previous work includes Cassatt, Twisted, Broadway Bound, Incitation to the Dance, and many more Theatre West shows. She holds a BA in theatre from California State University, Northridge. Sarah is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of her friends, family, and her dog, Milo.
Philip Sokoloff Public Relations
Philip Sokoloff has been Theatre West’s resident publicist for twenty-five seasons. Also an actor, his Theatre West credits include Falling Upward, The Petrified Forest, It’s a Wonderful Life, Four Pilots, and Drunk and in Charge of a Bicycle. He won the Best Actor Award at the 2025 Cannes Independent Shorts Festival for his role in the short horror film Fritchi Manor.
Briana Burnside Social Media
When not on stage, Briana Burnside works in social media and marketing at Theatre West. Combining her love for theatre with her background in acting, directing, and writing ensures engaging content to bring the arts community together. Follow @theatrewest on social media.
Doug Haverty Program Cover Design
Doug Haverty has designed for theaters and performing arts organizations worldwide, including creating more than 500 package designs for Universal, Warner Bros., EMI, Sony, and others. His designs have featured artists including James Brown, David Cassidy, Lucie Arnaz, Petula Clark, Amanda McBroom, Tom Wopat, Sam Harris, Melora Hardin, Dixie Carter, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and Jefferson Starship. Doug has also created event graphics for the LAJS, ASMAC, the Thalians, the LAPD, the LAFD, and the Grammy Awards. He co-designed the coffee-table book Ukulele: A Visual History.