In North Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of ”A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”, love is complicated, and ambition is deadly. It’s also a uniquely intimate production with two married couples bringing this stylish satire to life: director Noelle Marion and leading man Andrew Polec, and ensemble performers Shinah and Andrew Hey. All four of them are navigating character-juggling chaos, dual roles at home and onstage, and the joy of sharing the creative process with someone who knows you better than anyone.

L-R - Shinah and Andrew Hay, Andrew Polec, and Noelle Marion Photo Credit: Nancy Richards and North Coast Repertory Theatre

Director Noelle Marion is leading the show alongside her husband, Andrew Polec, who stars as Monty Navarro, the charming social climber with a killer instinct. Meanwhile, ensemble members Shinah and Andrew Hey are juggling more than a dozen roles between them, including parenting two young kids at home.

Before diving into the dynamics of working with a spouse, we asked about the sheer difficulty of the show itself. The original Broadway production of ”A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” featured a cast of 16. North Coast is doing it with just 13, which means even more track-jumping for everyone involved.

Andrew Polec: "It wasn’t until I fully delved into the whole process that I realized how many words in the English language have been crammed into each and every song and moment in the show. It really is so exciting to just get your mouth around all of these words and embody the characters through these wild songs and wild situations where people get killed.”

Andrew Hey and Shinah Hey, who together cover more than twenty roles, echoed the challenge.

Shinah Hey: “I play Woman 2 and a number of other roles—Lady Eugenia D’Ysquith, Miss Barley, and the guard are some favorites. I have around 12 characters total and understudy Sibella.”
Andrew Hey: “I play Man 1, which encompasses a number of ensemble roles. Our cast actually has 3 fewer people than Broadway, so I have around 10 characters. I’m also the understudy for Monty.”

With so much to juggle onstage, it’s no surprise that the rehearsal doesn’t stop when they leave the theatre. We asked whether working together as married couples means the show follows them homeBut how do they balance work, home, and everything in between when your co-star is also your co-parent or partner?

For Shinah and Andrew Hey, the answer lies in creative multitasking:
Shinah: “Our home is absolutely a rehearsal space. After the kids go to bed or take a nap, we’re usually running through choreography or lines. It’s fun to have a job we can work on together.”
Andrew: “Our car during commutes has also become a rehearsal space! We often help each other with projects, but this is our first full show together since the one we met eight years ago.”

The rehearsal bleed is real for the director-actor duo as well, but they’ve developed their own rules for keeping work and life balanced.
Noelle Marion: “We’re both in our separate rooms. If he comes and asks, I’ll help, but unless he asks, I’m doing my own stuff.”
Andrew Polec: “Sometimes I forget blocking or didn’t write it down, and I have to ask her, ‘Where do I move again?’ But usually we keep rehearsals in the rehearsal space and do our own work at home.”

Of course, long before lines and harmonies come the decisions—how does a couple decide to take on a production together, especially in different roles of leadership and performance?

Noelle: “I’ve worked at North Coast Rep as an actor four times, so I had a relationship with them. When David Ellenstein reached out to me about directing Gentleman’s Guide, I was thrilled. I’ve loved this show for a long time. Andrew and I actually met doing Hair at The Old Globe—I was the associate director, and I’m also associate director for Grinch. We’ve worked together in that capacity before. The first time I actually hired him was for Escape to Margaritaville at Moonlight. For this one, when I thought about the skills we needed, there was kind of no other choice—but I made him audition.”

Andrew Polec: “No nepotism here. She made me audition. When she got the offer, I immediately said, ‘I want to be in that show.’ She said, ‘Okay, but you’re going to have to audition.’ So I did. I auditioned for both Monty and the D’Ysquiths to see where the creative team wanted me. I’m thrilled to be doing Monty.”

Noelle: “Working with your spouse is either something people love or avoid. For us, it works. There’s trust. We know each other’s quirks. I never think, ‘Oh God, what a mistake.’ I always know he’ll deliver. It’s a benefit.”

When the inevitable stress of quick changes, intricate blocking, and a deceptively large production starts to pile up, both couples have learned the value of humor, support, and showing up for each other.

Shinah: “We run lines, check blocking, watch each other’s scenes, and offer feedback. We support each other’s ideas. We’re lucky to have a job that brings laughter every day. We always debrief and laugh together after rehearsal—even when we’re not in the same show.”

Andrew Hey: “I’m lucky to have Shinah—she’s talented and smart. I’ve stolen many good ideas from her. She’s the Dance Captain too, which is like a cheat code for me. But we also try to respect each other’s process. That support goes a long way.”

As opening approaches, what’s it like getting everything up on its feet in the unique space that is North Coast’s stage?

Noelle: “It’s unexpectedly a big show. It looks simple, but the specificity and rehearsal make it look easy. The harmonies are hard, and the set is like a Tetris puzzle. But we have a clever, playful company, and a very fun room. There’ve been some creative solutions—especially with the D’Ysquith deaths. I won’t spoil them, but they’re very fun.”

Despite the title, this is a love story—and one with surprising emotional depth.

Noelle: “The show takes place in the same era as Wilde and Shaw, but the behavior feels modern. There’s commentary on class, on the aristocracy—it’s silly and over-the-top, but there are real moments too. Especially with Monty and Sibella, and Monty and Phoebe—you see real relationships evolve.”

Love, marriage, and murder may drive the plot, but between the romance and the ridiculous, the comedy emerges as the most enjoyable aspect to bring to life.

Noelle: “Comedy. I’ve loved it since I was a kid—I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett. I used to study timing like a science. Helping actors unlock that is so rewarding.”
Andrew Polec: “I enjoy both, but I’ll always choose something that makes people laugh.”
Noelle: “Perfect husband answer.”
Andrew: “Whatever you say, dear.”

How To Get Tickets

In the hands of these two talented couples, ”A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” hits all the right notes—love, marriage, murder, and musical mayhem—on full display at North Coast Rep. through August 17th at North Coast Repertory Theatre. For ticket and showtimes information, please go to www.northcoastrep.org