Corey Cott returns to Broadway having previously starred as Donny Novitski in the musical Bandstand, Gaston Lachailles in the revival of Gigi, and his Broadway debut as Jack Kelly in Disney’s Newsies. On screen, he co-starred in the Fox series “Filthy Rich” and in the Hallmark movies Making Waves and Butlers in Love. Other appearances include: “The Equalizer,” “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order” and “L&O: SVU,” “Evil,” “The Good Fight,” “Z: The Beginning of Everything,” and the BBC miniseries “My Mother and Other Strangers.” Corey played Tony in Francesca Zambello’s productions of West Side Story at Chicago’s Lyric Theater and with the National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center. He made his Carnegie Hall debut singing with Steven Reineke and the New York Pops, and recently sang with Rob Fisher and the San Diego Symphony under The Rady Shell. Corey is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.
Cast & Creative
McKENZIE KURTZ (Cassandra) is honored to be a part of this incredible company. She just finished her stint as the 20th anniversary Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. Other recent credits include Anna in Frozen on Broadway and Star-to-Be in “Annie Live!” on NBC. Proud alumna of the University of Michigan. Special thanks to Tim, Erica and the entire HORR team. So much gratitude to God, Mom, Dad and Lydia for their endless love and support. @mckenziekurtz
Broadway: Come From Away, The Scottsboro Boys, The Ritz. Off-Broadway: The Scottsboro Boys, Saved. Nat’l Tour: Into The Woods, The Book of Mormon. Reg’l: Scrooge (Old Globe), Tootsie (Ogunquit), Christmas In Connecticut (Goodspeed), Dave (Arena), Sunday in the Park with George (Huntington), The Whipping Man (KC Rep), Tales of the City (A.C.T.), TSB (Guthrie), Hairspray (Marriott), Smokey Joe’s Café (Cape), HSM2, Dreamgirls (N.C.T), Memphis (La Jolla/5th Ave). Film: Finding Me: Truth. TV: “American Rust,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” “FBI,” “Finding Me: The Series.” BFA: CCM. Debut album: Monotony.
F. Michael Haynie (they/them): To my bandmates and the incredible artists who I’ve rocked with over the last seven years, “Once in the Loop, always in the Loop!” We wouldn’t be here without you. Broadway: Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Holler If Ya Hear Me. Olaf in Frozen (Tour). Off-Broadway: Carrie (MCC), Dogfight (Second Stage) and others. Regional: Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ogunquit), Found (PTC), The Heart of Rock and Roll (Old Globe), and others. TV/Film: Jesus Christ Superstar Live! (NBC), Peter Pan LIVE! (NBC), Not Fade Away (Paramount). Special thanks to my friend and the biggest “Loop” fan there is, the legendary Huey Lewis. Thanks to my Moms, JP, Grace, FF&FA, GUESA, the (M)orons, and Nicolosi & Co. @fmichaelhaynie.
Zoe Jensen recently completed her reign as Katherine Howard in the Broadway production of SIX. She made her Broadway debut in Dear Evan Hansen and starred as Eliza on the 1st National Tour of Hamilton (Angelica Tour). She appeared in the Off-Broadway production of We Are the Tigers and is featured on the Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording. Television: “Law & Order: SVU”. Zoe is a Rockford, IL native and graduated with a BFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Big thanks to Whole Artist Management and Paradigm. Endless love for my qwitches. Always for Mom and Dad. @Lanazoejensen
Two-time Grammy-winning singer, actor, and writer. Broadway: Caroline, or Change, Gettin’ the Band Back Together, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen (Virtual Cast), Beautiful, If/Then, Matilda, The Book of Mormon. Off-Broadway: Black No More (Drama Desk Nomination: Best Actress in a Musical), Hercules (The Public Theater), Rent, The Tempest (The Public Theater). Television: “That Damn Michael Che,” “Modern Love,” “The Last OG,” “The Wiz Live!” “Vinyl” (HBO), “Show Me a Hero” (HBO), “Blue Bloods,” “Law & Order: SVU.” Movies: Mean Girls, Better Nate Than Never, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen, White Girl, Breakable You. For Mom, Dad, and Bastian. @iamtamikalawrence.
Raymond J. Lee is ecstatic to be living out his rock star dreams with this incredible group! Ray was most recently in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd where he covered Pirelli and Beadle Bamford. Additional Broadway credits include Aladdin (Iago), Anything Goes (John), Groundhog Day (Ralph), Honeymoon in Vegas, and Mamma Mia! Other NY stage credits include Soft Power (The Public), Mack & Mabel (Encores!), The Wild Party (Encores!), and Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Public). Regional credits include the world premieres of Once Upon a One More Time (STC), Trading Places (Alliance), and Christmas in Connecticut (Goodspeed). Film/TV credits include Marriage Story, Fire Island, The Greatest Showman, “Law & Order,” “The First Lady,” “Succession,” “Billions,” “Red Oaks,” and “Smash.” He has voiced numerous projects for Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Netflix (including “Squid Game”), as well as multiple audiobooks and film/TV soundtracks. Thanks to Nicolosi, STG, and to the entire Heart of Rock and Roll team. Love to Robbi & Ella. Go U Northwestern!
John-Michael Lyles is an Obie-winning actor who recently achieved his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning musical, A Strange Loop! His film debut was alongside Alec Baldwin in Blind, and he guest/co-starred in “The Other Two,” “Chicago PD,” “NCIS: New Orleans” & “The OA.” At NYC’s Barrow Street, he performed in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Flick, and played Tobias in their critically acclaimed Sweeney Todd. The New York Times lauded his “hauntingly simple performance” as the Courier in 1776 at NY City Center Encores, where he went on to perform in Love Life and Big River! He’s also been seen in This Ain’t No Disco (Atlantic), Brooklynite (Vineyard), and Jasper In Deadland (Prospect). Regionally, he played Dickon in CTG’s The Secret Garden, originated the role of Toby in Bliss at the 5th Avenue Theatre, co-starred in Second City’s production of The Art of Falling, and was deemed a “fleet and winning phenom on stage” in the Guthrie’s Choir Boy. As a Vivace Award-winning composer/lyricist/librettist, he’s been commissioned by 5th Avenue Theater’s Raise Your Voice program, and he’s currently co-writing a new musical, Shoot for the Moon, with prestigious support from The Relentless Award (finalist), Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, MTF Makers Cohort 2 and Dramatist Guild Fellows Class of ’21. He also wrote additional music for Second Stage’s We’re Gonna Die!
Orville Mendoza most recently appeared in the East Coast premiere of Swept Away directed by Michael Mayer at Arena Stage. Broadway: Pacific Overtures, Peter and the Starcatcher. Off-Broadway: Plays for the Plague Year, Road Show, Romeo and Juliet, Timon of Athens, Passion, Found, Ivanov, The Seagull, Adrift in Macao (Barrymore Award winner and Drama Desk nomination). Many regional theatre credits. Toured the U.S. and Canada in Miss Saigon for 6 years. U.S. Television: “Billions,” “Dead Ringers,” “The Blacklist,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Broadway: Pippin. West End: The Book of Mormon (Elder Price). Off-Broadway: Sweeney Todd (Anthony Hope). National Tours: Finding Neverland (J.M. Barrie), The Book of Mormon (Elder Price), Wicked (Fiyero), La Cage Aux Folles (JeanMichel), Dirty Dancing. Favorite Regional: Cinderella (Topher; Paper Mill Playhouse), Secret of My Success (Brantley; Paramount Theater), Cabaret (Cliff; Ogunquit Playhouse, Atlanta Opera), A Chorus Line (Zach; PCLO), Back Home Again (Ben; Lesher Center), Hairspray (Link; Marriott Theatre), Happy Days (Potsie; Goodspeed Opera House), Spamalot (Galahad; City Springs Theatre Company). Guest soloist for symphonies across the country and internationally. Co-director of City Springs Pre-Professional Conservatory with his wife, Kristine Reese. Love and thanks to BRS/GAGE, family, friends and Kristine for the endless support. For H!
TV/Film: Disney+ film Better Nate Than Ever, HBO’s We’re Here (Choreographer). Broadway: The Heart of Rock and Roll (Asst Dance Captain), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bad Cinderella, King Kong (Chita Rivera Award, Outstanding Ensemble; Special Tony Award, OCC Special Achievement for puppetry), Miss Saigon: 2017 Revival (Tony nomination, Best Revival), and Moulin Rouge (Lab). Off-Broadway/Concert: New York City Center, The Merry Widow at the Metropolitan Opera, Carmen at Houston Grand Opera (Soloist), Anyone Can Whistle (Carnegie Hall), 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center). Regional: Can-Can, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, West Side Story (Bernardo), and Kiss Me, Kate (Gremio). Training: BA University of Houston, MFA Dance/Choreography NYU, Cedar Lake 360, Joffrey Ballet. Love to Mom/Dad/God. Follow: @MikeBaerga.
It feels good to be back on Broadway. Grateful beyond words to play Danny Razzle in The Heart of Rock and Roll! Previous New York Theatre: Giulio in Pretty Woman: The Musical (OBC), Spot Conlon in Disney’s Newsies (OBC), Mike in A Chorus Line at City Center Encores, and The Hairy Ape at Park Avenue Armory. Other favorites include LeFou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Muny, Sonny in Grease at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls at Barrington Stage. In addition to theatre, Tommy was a contestant on the competition reality shows CBS’ “Big Brother” and MTV’s “The Challenge.” Check out his podcast with his family, REAL TAWK, available on all podcast streaming platforms! Extra love goes out to his parents, Debbi at IAG and his fiancé Joey! Lastly, extra gratitude to the audience for coming to see the show and continuing to support live theatre!
TyNia René Brandon (she/they) is a Charlotte, NC, native. Favorite credits include Some Like It Hot (OBC), The Lion King, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. All thanks to family, friends, Clear Talent Group, and Leo. Reaching back, moving forward. IG: @thetybrand.
Olivia Cece was born and raised in Cranston, RI, where she trained at APAC for 15 years and then Miami, Florida, for a short period of time. She then moved to New York City to attend the prestigious Pace University Commercial Dance Program in both NYC and Los Angeles and graduated with her BFA. Olivia has since worked in all facets of the industry, including TV/film, appearing on SNL with Miley Cyrus, “So You Think You Can Dance,” Apple TV’s “Lady in the Lake,” Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Disney’s Better Nate than Ever, Nickelodeon’s Emmy-nominated Blue’s Big City Adventure, and more. Olivia has performed in live industrials for Apple, Hyundai Genesis, and New York Fashion Week for Breitling. Olivia’s favorite credits include her time on the live stage. She was cast in two Broadway first national tours: Charlie & the Chocolate Factory as Ensemble/Veruca Salt and as Kaylee in the original cast of The Prom. Recently, Olivia made her Broadway debut as a swing in Moulin Rouge! The Musical and is beyond thrilled to be making her original Broadway cast/onstage debut in The Heart of Rock and Roll this spring!
Autumn has been a performer her entire life. If you recognize her, it might have been from ROCK OF AGES at New World Stages, or even Broadway’s 9to5. You may have seen her on TV, where she guested on Bluebloods, Bull, and even Law & Order SVU. Or it’s possible you’ve purchased her custom-designed tea towels at www.fitforthekings.com – did we mention she is married to Broadway carpenter T.J. King? Not only do they make a dynamite home reno team, but they are parents to sweet baby James. Thanks and love to the fam, TFT, Hybrid. @autumnguzzardi
Lindsay Joan is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut alongside such a gifted cast and team of artists! Off-Broadway & Nat’l Tour: Kinky Boots (u/s Lauren, Nicola), NBC’s “The Voice” Season 20 (Team Nick Jonas). Special thanks to my incredible family: Mama, Preston, Yaeli, Russell, Hales, and Llani for all of your love and support. Shoutout to Daniel Hoff Agency!
Broadway: Parade, The Music Man, Tina (OBC), Frozen (OBC), Kinky Boots, NY City Center: Brigadoon (Charlie Dalrymple). Tours: West Side Story (Tony), Kinky Boots. Film/TV: Frozen 2, “Schmigadoon,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Time After Time.” For my wife, Mandy, and my boys, Leo and Rowan!
Broadway: Shucked, Bad Cinderella (OBC), Frozen, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (OBC), Cats. Off-Broadway: Evita (City Center), High Button Shoes (City Center), I Married an Angel (City Center), Trip of Love (Stage 42), West Side Story (Carnegie Hall), Candide (Lincoln Center), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Concert), Chess (Concert) National Tours: Frozen (1st National), Evita (1st National), Chicago. Regional: The Muny, Sacramento Music Circus, Goodspeed Opera House, TUTS. Robin is the Associate Choreographer for the Broadway musical Shucked, the Broadway-bound musical The Wanderer, and the 75th Tony Awards. Robin has also choreographed for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, working with JLo, Meghan Thee Stallion, Janet Jackson and more. Robin has performed on the Tony Awards, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. @robinmasella.
Joe Moeller (he/him) Broadway: & Juliet. Tours/Las Vegas: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia! Joe would like to dedicate this show to his grandparents, Ralph and Connie, who gifted him his first voice lessons 20 years ago. This wouldn’t be possible without support from family, friends, teachers, DGRW, and the greatest husband ever, Aaron. CCM 2011.
Broadway credits: King Kong (understudy Ann Darrow); Ghost: The Musical (understudy Molly). National tours: We Will Rock You (understudy Scaramouche); Kinky Boots (understudy Nicola). Regional credits: Jesus Christ Superstar at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation and Bliss at Seattle’s 5th Avenue; Milwaukee Rep, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Playhouse Square, and La Jolla Playhouse. TV/Film: “White House Plumbers,” “Law & Order” (actually not yet, but manifesting), and the upcoming documentary At This Performance. If Jennifer looks familiar, you may have seen her on the marquee of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre down the street. @thejennoble. So much love to DFG, Dad, and Zach. For MSHN. Thank you to Tara Rubin Casting and Marc and Dustin at DHA. Verify your voter registration at FeelGoodAction.org.
Broadway: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (OBC/Boston: Assistant Dance Captain/Ensemble, National Tour: Swing/u/s Santiago), Kinky Boots (Angel), Finding Neverland (Swing), Off-Broadway: Pageant (Principal standby), National/International/Regional: Cabaret (Ensemble, u/s Cliff, u/s Ernst), We Will Rock You (Madonna/u/s Khashoggi), West Side Story (Snowboy), Las Vegas: Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis, Cher, and Celine Dion’s A New Day… at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. TV/Film: Hallmark’s Taking the Reins (Matthew), “Fosse/Verdon” (FX), Rent: Live (Fox), “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” (Hulu), among many others on ABC, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and The CW. So many thanks to the people who have always believed in me, my managers at IAE, my agent at UTA, my beautiful husband, and my littlest Pimm.
Michael Olaribigbe is so excited to make his Broadway debut! Some of his credits include: Roy Brown in ELVIS: A Musical Revolution, Purlie in A Christmas Carol (North Shore Music Theatre), Tiger in West Side Story (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Angel in Kinky Boots (The Muny), Ensemble in the world premiere of The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (5th Avenue Theatre); Film/TV: A Jazzman’s Blues (Tyler Perry & Debbie Allen). Michael thanks his friends and family for all the love and support throughout his career. He also thanks his rep, MTA.
Kevin Pariseau appeared most recently as Mushnik in Michael Mayer’s long-running Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors. Notable productions include the original Broadway casts of Legally Blonde the Musical (ACCA Award) and Ink, Bart Sher’s national tour of Lincoln Center Theater’s Tony Award-winning My Fair Lady as Col. Pickering, the Kennedy Center production of Sunset Blvd. (Sheldrake), the NY Philharmonic presentation of Show Boat (Jim), and the Encores! production of Grand Hotel (Witt) directed by Josh Rhodes. On television, he has appeared in “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Blacklist,” “Evil,” and two seasons of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” His film credits include Tower Heist (d. Brett Ratner) and Morning Glory (d. the late Roger Michell). Kevin Pariseau’s audiobook narrations have garnered many notable honors, including his 2012 Audie nomination in Fiction for Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War, his 2014 SOVA nomination for Outstanding Science Fiction Narration for Dan Simmons’ Ilium, and his AudioFile Earphones Award for the 2010 winner in the Best of Science Fiction category, William Gibson’s Burning Chrome.
Broadway credits include: original cast of A Beautiful Noise (Swing, Co-Dance Captain, u/s Fred Weintraub, u/s Tommy O’Rourke, u/s Bert Berns, u/s Kieve Diamond), original cast of Kinky Boots (Swing, u/s Richard Bailey), Miss Saigon Revival (Ensemble, u/s Asst. Commissar), Wicked (Ensemble, u/s Boq). National Tour credits: Wicked (Swing, u/s Boq), Mamma Mia! (Pepper), Miss Saigon Revival (Ensemble). Regional credits: Swept Away (Swing), Kinky Boots (Referee Angel), The Heart of Rock and Roll (Ensemble, u/s Fjord, u/s Eli), Flower Drum Song (Ensemble), Aida (Ensemble), Mame (Ensemble), My Fair Lady (Ensemble). Television/Film: “FBI: Most Wanted”, “Blue Bloods”, Chat À Table. Big thank you goes to his husband, Brian, and family, Nati, Mauro and Mario for all of their love and support, and to the entire Whole Artist Management team for making this all happen. Follow Robert on all socials: @RobertPendilla & RobertPendilla.com.
Leah Read is thrilled to make her Broadway debut in The Heart of Rock & Roll! Leah’s favorite credits include the Off-Broadway and Las Vegas companies of Rock of Ages, The Cher Show (Ogunquit), “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and dancing backup for Wyclef Jean. Leah is an Oklahoma native and a Pace Commercial Dance graduate! Yeehaw!! Special thanks to her parents and the Wolpes for their endless love and support. @r2_lee2
Ben Sears Broadway Debut! Pizza enthusiast! National Tours: CATS (1st Nat’l Mungojerrie), A Bronx Tale. Regional: PCLO, KC Starlight, The REV, The LEX, Goodspeed, CV Rep. Shoutout to The A Squad. Gratitude to my Agents & Tara Rubin! Love to my family. As always, this is for Dad. @Ben_Sears
John Dossett has been a professional actor in NYC since 1979. He has appeared in 20 Broadway productions, among them Wicked, War Paint, Newsies, Pippin, The Constant Wife, Gypsy (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Dinner At Eight, Ragtime, Democracy, Prelude to a Kiss, Fifth of July. Off-Broadway: Parade (City Center), The Heart of Rock & Roll (Old Globe), Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage), Giant (Public Theater, Drama Desk nomination), Saved (Playwrights Horizons), The Clean House and Hello Again (LCT), Dinner with Friends, A Number (People’s Light), A Small Fire (Philadelphia Theater Company). As a Company Member of Circle Rep: Reckless, The Diviners, Childe Byron, Dalton’s Back, Sunshine, El Salvador, others. TV/film: “Madam Secretary,” “Blue Bloods,” “Elementary,” “Law & Order(s),” “Sex and the City,” and HBO’s “John Adams.”
Jonathan A. Abrams (Book and Story) is a film and television writer/producer and theatrical book writer. His original screenplay, JUROR #2, directed by Clint Eastwood, is finishing production and will be released by Warner Brothers Pictures. He is also the creator/writer/executive producer of the television series “American Hiro” for FX, about the life of Benihana founder Hiroaki Aoki. Raised in San Francisco, he is a graduate of the USC school of Cinema-Television and is represented by Creative Artists Agency, Mosaic Media Group, McKuin Frankel Whitehead as well as Levine Plotkin. He is a married father of two young children and could not have written this musical without the help and support of his wife, Carrie Ainsworth, and the rest of his family.
Tyler Mitchell is a multifaceted film, television, and theatrical producer, writer, and executive who stands at the forefront of reshaping how global talent is discovered, material is developed, and content is produced. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Impact, Mitchell spearheads a groundbreaking content accelerator and vertical network for the entertainment industry that is democratizing access to the entertainment industry, accelerating the development of original content, and pioneering new technology that is transforming the way studios, producers, directors, writers, and crews collaborate to bring stories to the screen and stage. In 2021, Impact achieved a significant milestone, earning the distinction of being named the #2 most innovative company in the entertainment industry by Fast Company magazine. Before embarking on his journey with Impact, Tyler Mitchell served as the Executive Vice President of Motion Pictures at Imagine Entertainment, the iconic film and television production company founded by Academy Award winners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. At Imagine, Mitchell oversaw a diverse slate of live-action films and orchestrated the launch of Imagine’s animation division in partnership with the internationally acclaimed animation studio, Animal Logic. Tyler Mitchell’s illustrious career extends beyond his executive roles, as he is a highly accomplished film producer who has shepherded 11 films and two television series into production, attracting some of Hollywood’s most revered talent, such as Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Ethan Hawke, Sally Hawkins, Bruce Willis, Olivia Wilde, Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu, Ashton Kutcher, Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Mila Kunis, James Gandolfini, and Alan Arkin. In 2018, Mitchell embarked on his inaugural theatrical endeavor, co-writing the story and producing The Heart of Rock and Roll, an original musical inspired by the music and lyrics of the Grammy Award-winning artists Huey Lewis and The News. The production shattered box office records at San Diego’s prestigious regional theatre, The Old Globe.
Lorin Latarro is the choreographer of Broadway’s upcoming Tommy, Into The Woods, Waitress, Mrs. Doubtfire, Les Liaisons Dangereuse with Janet McTeer and Liev Schreiber, Waiting For Godot with Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart, Merrily We Roll Along for Roundabout, and La Traviata at The Met Opera. Lorin recently directed Candace Bushnell’s one-woman show, Is There Still Sex In The City, at the Daryl Roth Theatre, which became a NYTimes Critic’s Pick. Additional Directing credits include #DATEME at The Westside Theatre, A Taste Of Things To Come at Broadway in Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre. Additional Choreography includes Encores Oliver!; Chess at The Kennedy Center; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 21 Chump Street at BAM; Public Theater’s Twelfth Night and The Odyssey (Delacorte Theater); Queen Of The Night, which garnered the Drama Desk Award. BFA-The Juilliard School, MA-NYU. She is a Drama Desk, Lortel, and Chita Rivera nominee.
Brian Usifer (Music Supervision, Arrangements, and Orchestrations) is a music director, orchestrator/arranger, pianist, and music producer. He is an arranger and orchestrator of A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Broadway as well as the Associate Music Supervisor of The Book of Mormon. Prior to that, he was the Music Director of Disney’s Frozen and Kinky Boots on Broadway. Kinky Boots won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Orchestrations, and the cast recording won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The West End production won an Olivier Award for Best Musical. He was also the Associate Music Supervisor for Kinky Boots on Tour, London, and in Toronto. Brian has played in the Broadway and Off-Broadway orchestras of …Spelling Bee; Avenue Q; Altar Boyz; Bloodsong of Love: A Rock & Roll Spaghetti Western; and The Book of Mormon. As an orchestrator and arranger, Brian’s projects have also included The Heart of Rock and Roll with music by Huey Lewis at the Old Globe; Swept Away with music by the Avett Brothers at Berkeley Rep; Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money with music by Motown legend Lamont Dozier at The Atlantic Theater; May We All, featuring the music of Florida Georgia Line and other country stars; Afterwords at the 5th Avenue Theatre; Into the Wild by Niko Tsakalakos and Janet Allard; A View From The River by Will Van Dyke and Jeff Talbott; Fantasy Football: The Musical? by David Ingber; Pool Boy by Niko Tsakalakos and Janet Allard; The UnCivil War by Rick Kunzi; Barnstormer by Douglas Cohen; and The First Snow by Niko Tsakalakos. Additional shows in development include Galileo, featuring music by Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarnak with a book by Danny Strong, and Hearts Beat Loud by Ngozi Anyanwu and Niko Tsakalakos. For TV, he wrote additional orchestrations for NBC’s Annie Live! and The Wiz Live!; Clay Aiken’s “Tried and True,” for PBS; and can be heard as a pianist on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on Amazon. Other theatre credits also include Chess at the Kennedy Center and more than five years of regional theatre, including Follies at Barrington Stage Co. Concerts include Bobby and Kristen Lopez: American Songbook at Lincoln Center, The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. As a music producer, his credits include a songwriting collaboration with Colin Donnell called The Nineteen Twenty. Their album, Chaos + Cocktails, is available for sale on iTunes and everywhere music streams. Other albums include The First Snow and Archetype by Jonathan Reid Gealt, Reflect by Tom Kitt, and the upcoming May We All. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from SUNY Fredonia, and a master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from NYU, with a Specialist Certificate in Orchestration from Berklee Online. He currently teaches at Berklee NYC. www.brianusifer.com
Derek McLane is a Tony- and Emmy Award-winning production designer for Broadway and television, who’s nearly 350 designs include Broadway credits such as MJ, The Michael Jackson Musical (Tony Nomination), Moulin Rouge! (Tony Award), Purlie Victorious, A Soldier’s Play (Tony Nomination), American Son, Parisian Woman, The Price, Beautiful, Fully Committed, Noises Off, Gigi, 33 Variations (with Jane Fonda) (Tony Award), China Doll (with Al Pacino), How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying (with Daniel Radcliffe), Follies, Anything Goes, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (with Robin Williams), Ragtime, The Pajama Game, I Am My Own Wife. Off-Broadway: Buried Child, Jerry Springer The Opera, Merrily We Roll Along, The Spoils, If I Forget, Love, Love, Love; The Night of the Iguana, Sweet Charity, Buried Child, Into the Woods, Ruined, The Last Five Years, Television: 6 years of Academy Awards, NBC Musicals: The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz & Hairspray. Derek is the Chairman of the Board of The New Group Theatre. His many awards include: 2 Tony Awards, 2 Emmy’s, 2 Obies, 2 Drama Desks, 3 Lucille Lortel Awards, and 3 Art Directors Guild Awards.
Broadway: Spamalot (2023 Revival), Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. National/International: PHISH’s New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden (2022, 2023) Falsettos, Joseph…, The Lion (West End/US Tour), …Spelling Bee (US Tours) and various rock revues for Norwegian and Celebrity Cruise Lines, Hershey Park and the IBEROSTAR resorts in Mexico. New York: City Center Encores!, Audible/Minetta Lane, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout, Primary Stages, Cherry Lane, LaMama, ETC and others. Regional: Over 150 LORT and Opera productions, including collaborations at The Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater and her hometown theater, Papermill Playhouse. TV: “The Pigeon Explains” (YouTube), “Tiny Time Travel” (PBS Kids), Falsettos (PBS Great Performances), Sesame Street (seasons 47-54), “The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo” (Seasons 1-2), Manhunt (Apple TV+) and “Tiny Time Travel” (PBS/YouTube). 2019, 2020 & 2021 Daytime Emmy Nomination, 2020 Daytime Emmy Winner for Sesame Street. www.jencaprio.com
Broadway: Shucked!, Summer 1976, The Piano Lesson, Dear Evan Hansen, The Visit, The Nance, Of Mice and Men, Airline Highway, Lobby Hero, Bright Star, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sylvia, The Snow Geese, Old Times, Macbeth, Cyrano de Bergerac, Significant Other, and Marvin’s Room. Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public-NYSF, NYTW, Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, MCC, LAByrinth, The Vineyard, Ma-Yi, and others. West End: Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward), A Nice Fish (Harold Pinter Theatre), and Blackbird (Albery Theatre). Production Designer for Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville and Hasan Minhaj’s The King’s Jester National Tours. Japhy has received 5 Tony nominations for Lighting Design.
Shucked (2023 Tony and Drama Desk Award nominee), Beauty & the Beast (Worldwide), Pretty Woman (Worldwide), Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, Kinky Boots (2013 Tony Award recipient), Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Leap of Faith, Bonnie & Clyde, Sister Act, 9 to 5, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays. International: Wicked, Tarzan, The Lion King (Shanghai) and (Singapore), Regional: The Muny (2015-Present), Swept Away, Trading Places, The Wanderer, Becoming Nancy, 42nd St., Heart of Rock & Roll, First Wives Club, Nutty Professor, Tales of the City, Emma, Robin & the 7 Hoods, Ace. Associate / Supervisor: Mary Poppins, Hairspray, The Producers, The Lion King (worldwide), Titanic, Big, How to Succeed… , The Who’s Tommy, The Buddy Holly Story, Other credits: Savion Glover, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Gregory Hines and engineering at Electric Lady Studios.
Nikiya Mathis is a multi hyphenate hair/wig designer and a classically trained actress, who holds an MFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. As an actress, she currently recurs on Season 3 of Powerbook 3: Raising Kanan on FX. As a designer, she has made Broadway history with her recent work on Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Other Broadway credits include Once Upon A One More Time; Death of A Salesman; Top Dog/Underdog & Chicken & Biscuits. Her off Broadway credits include “A Raisin in the Sun” & “For Colored Girls” at The Public Theatre, “Nollywood Dreams” at MCC, “Primary Trust” at Roundabout Theatre, “The Cotillion” at the Movement Theatre Co, “Crowndation” at National Black Theater, “This Land Was Made” at Vineyard Theatre, “Stew” at Soho Rep/Page 73, and more. Nikiya is the recipient of the Kathy A Perkins Behind the Curtain Award from Black Women on Broadway, an Obie Award, Henry Hewes Award, 2 Broadway Black Awards, and a Drama Desk nomination. She has also does design master classes at top universities including NYU Tisch Grad Design, Yale, and Princeton.
Broadway: Bandstand, Matilda, Rock of Ages, The Phantom of The Opera, and Wicked (National Tour), Regional: Papermill Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre (DC), Ford’s Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Signature Theatre (DC), Huntington Theatre, Seattle Rep, Cap Rep, Old Globe, Court Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, KC Rep, PCLO and Goodspeed Opera House. Geoff has a Joseph Jefferson award (Chicago) a Helen Hayes Award (DC) and a IRNE Award (Boston) for Leading Actor in a Musical. Geoff is a Professor of Acting/Directing at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. BFA: University of Cincinnati (CCM) MFA: from SUNY Stony Brook. Love and gratitude to Chelsea, Grady, and Jane. For Greg Packard, who taught me how to be hip and square!
Will Van Dyke is a Grammy-nominated music producer, songwriter, music director, orchestrator, and arranger working in theater, television, and film. Will most recently served as the Music Director for Swept Away at Arena Stage. Will also served as the Executive Music Producer for the film Theater Camp. Will has penned the score to The Messenger, Ass, and i at Pioneer Theater Company, as well as The 64 Keys (Cleveland Play House), The Gravedigger’s Lullaby (Off-Broadway), Straight (Off-Broadway), and The Lion King Experience titles (Disney), among others. Will is the Music Supervisor/Orchestrator/Arranger for the hit revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Will also Supervised/Orchestrated/Arranged Pretty Woman on Broadway and Fly at La Jolla Playhouse. Other credits: Kinky Boots, Rent, The Addams Family, Grease, and Wicked. Will writes musicals with Jeff Talbott. For more: www.willvandyke.com or @wvdmusic.
Selected Broadway and National Tours: The Wiz, The Outsiders, Tommy, Water for Elephants, Back To The Future, Here Lies Love, Bad Cinderella, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, KPOP, Mr. Saturday Night, SIX, Ain’t Too Proud, The Band’s Visit, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, School of Rock, Aladdin, Billy Elliot, Spamalot, …Spelling Bee, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. Selected Off-Broadway: Dead Outlaw, Buena Vista Social Club, Gardens of Anuncia, Sing Street.
Juniper Street Productions is a New York City based production management and technical supervision firm specializing in live theatrical productions. Since its formation in 1998, Juniper Street has managed more than 100 Broadway, Off-Broadway, national tours and events, and has consulted on live stage productions in Europe, Australia and Asia. Current and upcoming productions include & Juliet, An Enemy of the People, Boop! The Musical, Death Becomes Her, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Harmony, Hell’s Kitchen, Kimberly Akimbo, Lempicka, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge, My Son’s A Queer But What Can You Do?, Stereophonic, The Outsiders, Tina, and Water for Elephants. Select Tony Award-winning and nominated productions include The Band’s Visit, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Home, The Color Purple (2015 revival), Follies (2012 revival), SpiderMan: Turn Off the Dark, King Kong, Memphis; Grey Gardens, and The Producers. www.juniperstreet.com.
Broadway: Parade, A Christmas Carol, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Come From Away, Once on This Island and more. Gratitude to this incredible SM team and my loves! sarahgharris.me
RCI Theatricals is a Theatrical General Management Company. Since its founding in 1997, RCI has maintained a powerful presence in the theatre industry, managing projects of all scopes – Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional, and Touring, having managed more than 75 Broadway shows to date. Current and recent productions include Heart of Rock & Roll, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Harmony, Shucked, & Juliet, Hadestown (Broadway and tour), Jagged Little Pill ( Broadway & tour), All The Devils Are Here, Pictures From Home, A Soldier’s Play (tour), Ohio State Murders, A Christmas Carol, Take Me Out, American Buffalo, The Minutes, Ain’t Too Proud, The Inheritance, Oklahoma! (Broadway and tour), and Anastasia. www.rcitheatricals.com