The Cast of Night Must Fall

Being part of a community theater production takes commitment, dedication, and a whole lot of hard work. Our actors give countless hours to rehearsals, memorizing lines, developing their characters, and supporting one another as an ensemble—all while balancing the demands of everyday life.

We’re grateful to this talented cast for bringing Night Must Fall to life.

Courtney Harris, Jessica Romero, Richard Pallaziol, and Tara Rokstad in rehearsal for *Night Must Fall*.

Courtney Harris (Dora Parkoe, Mrs. Bramson’s maid)
Courtney (she/they/he) is honored to return for their second mainstage production with Valley Players, after The Women in Spring 2025. Sincere thanks are due to June, Rhonda, Richard, Craig, and Megan for opening the doors to this playful world, to all NMF castmates for exploring it over the past 3-ish months, and to coffee for making it all possible.

Nancy Heine (Nurse Libby)
Nancy is a long-time Napa resident who was seen as Mattie Fae Aiken in Valley Players’ productions of August: Osage County, William Robert Hawkins in Men on Boats, and Abby Binder in Ripcord. Nancy was honored for her work in Ripcord, directed by June Alane Reif, with an ARTY for Best Female Lead. Her previous work includes several independent films, including Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for Planned Parenthood and The Snake, a romantic comedy which aired on Netflix. While living in England she also did voice-overs.

Alex Ivey and Cameron Oyen in rehearsal for *Night Must Fall*.

Alex Ivey (Inspector Belsize)
Alexis a writer, director and actor for the screen. He is thrilled to make his stage debut with Valley Players as Inspector Belsize. A graduate of Purchase College, where he studied filmmaking and acting, he now calls California home.

Mellene Miller (Mrs. Bramson)
Mellene is thrilled to return for her third production with Valley Players. She previously appeared with the company as Sylvia Fowler in The Women and most recently as Marla Faye in The Savannah Sipping Society. Favorite roles over the years include Desiree in A Little Night Music, Judith in Hay Fever, and Anna in The Merry Widow. Mellene is excited to bring this challenging character to life. She would like to thank the cast, crew, and directors for their incredible support, and sends a special thank you to her supportive family, friends, and especially her husband, Karl.

Cameron Oyen and Mellene Miller in rehearsal for *Night Must Fall.*

Cameron Oyen (Dan)
Cameron previously acted in high school and college, but needed to step away from the stage while working for many years in hotels. After 12 years of being away, Cam is delighted to return to the stage and be surrounded by familiar and new faces – all lovely, and all talented!

Richard Pallaziol (Hubert Laurie)
Richard studied theatre at CSU Long Beach and the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. Over the past fifty-three years, he has worked as an actor, director, and (now retired) fight choreographer on more than 400 productions from San Diego to Michigan. Locally, he has performed with Marin Shakespeare, Cinnabar Theater, Shakespeare Napa Valley, and Valley Players. Since 2024, he has served as dramaturg for Valley Players’ Summer Staged Reading Series.

Cameron Oyen and Tara Rokstad in rehearsal for *Night Must Fall*.

Tara Rokstad (Olivia, Mrs. Bramson’s niece by marriage)
Tara is thrilled to have joined the Valley Players this year. After performing in the summer staged reading series, she was taken by the warmth and camaraderie between her series’ cast and director, Craig Rekdahl. Inspired by the experience, she auditioned for and was honored to be cast in Night Must Fall under Rhonda Bowen’s brilliant direction with an incredible ensemble of actors. Her love of and devotion to Zipline Improv with the ingenious Laura Wachtel and her hilarious classmates renewed her interest in exploring live theater. She thanks her tribe of family and friends for their unwavering support and encouragement.

Jessica Romero, Nancy Heine, and Cameron Oyen in rehearsal for *Night Must Fall*.

Jessica Romero (Mrs. Terrance, Mrs. Bramson’s cook)
Jessica is thrilled to return to Valley Players! A North Bay actor and director, her stage credits include Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frank Goodman/Mr. Asa in Men on Boats, the Nurse in Romeo & Juliet, Ophelia/King in the workshop of The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel), and Hallie in The Zero Sum Mind. Her directing credits include A Charlie Brown Christmas, Seussical KIDS, and The Vagina Monologues. Offstage, Jessica enjoys bringing theatre, laughter, and a healthy dose of dramatic flair to her work with older adults.