Pepperdine Scotland is the multi award-winning cultural and artistic exchange between Pepperdine University’s Department of Theatre and leading members of the Scottish Theatre Community.
In February 2012 the inaugural project saw playwright Peter Arnott and actor/musician John Kielty travel to Pepperdine’s Malibu campus to meet with Los Angeles industry professionals and work with students on our first commission, Why Do You Stand There In The Rain?
That summer, 27 of Pepperdine’s best and brightest theatre students spent seven weeks in the Highlands, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. During their residency, Pepperdine Scotland students rehearsed, took classes, and worked alongside some of the leading individuals and institutions in Scottish Theatre. The project culminated in the world premiere of Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? alongside the UK premiere of Naomi Iizuka’s Anon(ymous) at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Following its Fringe First win, Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? returned to Scotland in 2013 as a touring production, which opened at the Traverse Theatre.
In 2014 Pepperdine Scotland presented its second world premiere, Forget Fire, devised by the company with J C Marshall.
2016’s The Interference by Lynda Radley earned us our second Fringe First Award, this time accompanied by a Broadway Baby Bobby Award and our second appearance on the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award Shortlist. The Interference subsequently transferred to the Hollywood Fringe Festival in co-production with Rogue Machine Theatre.
For 2018 Davey Anderson took us on a journey following young protagonist Samuel into the retro-futurist underworld of the Alt-Right, which premiered to critical acclaim and was longlisted for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.
2020 saw our initial attempt at premiering Morna Young’s Americana: A Murder Ballad delayed by the COVID19 pandemic. After a brief attempt to reschedule for 2021, a (mostly) brand new cast and crew to finally bring this show to the Fringe in 2022. Drawing on traditional murder ballads from Scotland, the USA, and the migrations between the two, the critically acclaimed production of Americana: A Murder Ballad featured classic songs including Delia’s Gone, Frankie & Johnny and Stagger Lee.
This year in 2024, we will bring a new company of actors as well as a new creative team together to present the world premiere of Lewis Hetherington’s no one is coming to save us.
2024 Cast Members
Chloe Higgins (Lily) is a recent graduate from Pepperdine University, where she received a Bachelors in Psychology and a Bachelors in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Acting. She is very excited and passionate about this intersection between creativity and environmentalism. She’d liked to thank her wonderful family for supporting her in all that she does.
Fatima Reyes (Maddy) is a fourth year Theatre Arts major with an acting emphasis and a Hispanic Studies minor. She is from Dallas, Texas and has acted in several short films. Her previous credits at Pepperdine include the west coast premiere of Villette (Ginevra), The Tempest (Sebastiana), and Blood Harmony (Maia). Additionally, Reyes is involved with the social media team for Pepperdine Theatre and the Pepperdine Improv Troupe. She is the Director of Outreach for Latinx Student Alliance at Pepperdine, has interned at the Cannes Film Festival, and is a theatre scholarship recipient. Reyes is so thankful and ecstatic to attend the Fringe Festival, and be alongside such a wonderful cast and crew.
Gabby Montejo (Shy) is from the San Francisco Bay Area, California. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Acting at Pepperdine University, graduating in May 2025. At university, her stage credits include Silent Sky (Margaret), The Revolutionists (Marie Antoinette), The Importance of Being Earnest (Mrs. Lane), and The Winter’s Tale (Swing). She is excited to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival alongside an amazing cast and creative team and is grateful for the opportunity and enriching process of making theatre! While at university, Montejo is also apart of the Pepperdine Theatre Social Media Team and serves as the Public Relations chair of her sorority Gamma Phi Beta. @montejo_gabby
Joshua Rogers (Bear) is a junior theatre/screen arts major at Pepperdine University. His Pepperdine credits include This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing (Narrator/Peter), Americana AMB (US), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Ensemble/US), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (George), Rock of Ages (Dennis), Grease (Sonny). He has also done a number of student films and does photography on the side. He is a theatre scholarship recipient.
Tessa Hemphill (Lucy) is a junior at Pepperdine and is a theatre arts major with an emphasis in musical theatre. She has been involved in multiple productions at Pepperdine, including The Music Man (Zaneeta), The Merry Widow (Grisette), Contempo (Soloist), and H.M.S. Pinafore (Ensemble). She is also a member of the concert choir on campus.
Nathan Skenderian (Darryl) is a Theatre Major with an emphasis in Acting, entering his junior year this fall at Pepperdine University. He is a theatre scholarship recipient and his Pepperdine credits include The Tempest (Ferdinand). Before transferring to Pepperdine, he attended Colorado State University where he performed in The Normal Heart (David/Mickey Marcus Understudy) and Constellations (Marian). He would like to thank everyone involved in creating this story and providing him with this opportunity to perform.
Zoe O’Donnell (Becky) is entering her junior year as a Musical Theatre Major, from San Antonio, TX. O’Donnell’s previous Pepperdine credits include Silent Sky (Williamina Flemming), “Contempo: Winning Songs from Losing Show”, The Music Man (Female Ensemble), U.S. premiere of Americana: A Murder Ballad (Female Understudy), HMS Pinafore (Female Ensemble). Zoe is a Mary Pickford Scholarship recipient, Theatre Scholarship recipient, Music Scholarship recipient, and is in the Concert Choir on campus and is a proud member of Pepperdine Theatre’s social media team! @zo._.101
Josh Wilson (Toby) is an incoming junior Musical Theatre Major from San Diego, California. His Pepperdine credits include The Music Man (Tommy Djillas), Americana; A Murder Ballad (Siren), and “Contempo; Miscast Cabaret.” He is both a Music and Theatre scholarship recipient.
Isabelle Titzer (Jess) is a rising junior Theatre and Screen Arts major with an Acting emphasis from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her Pepperdine credits include the U.S. premiere of Americana: A Murder Ballad (Siren), the west coast premiere of Villette (Madame Bretton/Lucy Understudy), The Tempest (Trincula), Into the Woods (Sleeping Beauty/Female Understudy), in addition to several short films. Titzer is both a theatre and music scholarship recipient, as well as a member of the Pepperdine Improv Troupe and Concert and Chamber Choirs. She is incredibly grateful to everyone involved in this process and absolutely elated for the opportunity to be in the very first cast of this show! @isabelle.titzer
Soren Thayne Miller (The Soldier) is a sophomore Theatre Arts Major with an emphasis in Musical Theatre from St. Paul, Minnesota. At Pepperdine University, Soren participates in University Concert and Chamber Choir. His Pepperdine credits include: The Music Man as Charlie Cowell and The Merry Widow as Counselor Kromov. Prior to Pepperdine, Soren was in the U.S. National Tour of Broadway’s Matilda as Bruce and has performed professionally in regional theaters including the Guthrie Theater and Children’s Theatre Company. @sorenthaynemiller
Jamison Rosales (The Drifter) is a rising junior Theater Arts major with an emphasis in Musical Theater and a minor in Physics from San Dimas, California. Her Pepperdine credits include student-directed projects: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Honey), The Revolutionists (Charlotte Corday) and The Clean House (Ana). Her official university credits include The Music Man (Ethel Toffelmier) and The Tempest (Boatswain/Prospera US/Gonzala US). She is a 2nd-year lead singer for the Pepperdine Jazz Ensemble, member of the Pepperdine concert choir, chamber choir, and an alumna of the Heidelberg Music Program. She is a Theater Scholarship and Music Scholarship recipient. She is thrilled to debut this show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a team of amazing cast and crew. As well, extremely blessed to have a community of supportive family and friends.
Hailey Lee (The Bird Girl) is a second-year Theatre and Screen Arts major with an emphasis in Acting from Redondo Beach, California. Hailey made her Pepperdine debut in The Tempest this last spring, and she is a member of the Pepperdine Improv Troupe. @hailey.soomin.lee
Jackson Cottrell (The Diver) is a rising sophomore Theater/Screen Arts major with an emphasis in Acting, and this is his first show abroad! He has been involved in many productions throughout his life including The Music Man (Constable Locke), The Tempest (Ensemble/Ariel US/Ferdinand US), West Side Story (Tony), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Merrily We Roll Along (Charley), and many more. He is so excited to be a part of this cast and cannot wait to explore the subject of climate change and be a part of the Fringe Festival!