Photo Flash: Meet the Cast of Roundabout's THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD!
By: Meet the Cast Aug. 22, 2012
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Roundabout Theatre Company announced the full cast this July for the new Broadway production of Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning musical comedy The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The show is set to open on November 13, 2012 and will star Stephanie J. Block (Edwin Drood), Will Chase (John Jasper), Gregg Edelman (Reverend Mr. Crisparkle), Jim Norton (Chairman) and Chita Rivera (Princess Puffer) with Andy Karl (Neville Landless), Jessie Mueller (Helena Landless), Betsy Wolfe (Rosa Bud), Nicholas Barasch (Deputy), Peter Benson (Bazzard), Robert Creighton (Durdles) and ensemble members Alison Cimmet, Nick Corley, Janine DiVita, Jenifer Foote, Justin Greer, Shannon Lewis, Spencer Plachy, Kiira Schmidt, Eric Sciotto, Jim Walton and Cody Williams.
Meet the whole cast in the video and bios below!Directed by Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood will have choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by Paul Gemignani. The design team includes Anna Louizos (sets), William Ivey Long (costumes), Brian Nason (lighting) and Tony Meola (sound).The Mystery of Edwin Drood will begin preview performances on October 19, 2012. Opening Night is November 13, 2012 at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street). This is a limited engagement through February 10th, 2013.THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, the whodunit musical, will make its first-ever return to Broadway since winning the Tony "Triple Crown" (Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score)! Who killed Edwin Drood? It's a question that has stumped audiences for years-now it's your turn to answer one of Broadway's most baffling mysteries. Take a trip back in time to a Victorian music hall where a rowdy ensemble of actors mounts a staging of Charles Dickens's unfinished novel. Everyone on stage is a suspect in the murder of young Edwin Drood-and it's up to you to choose the killer! Is it John Jasper, Edwin's protective but slightly maniacal uncle? Rosa Bud, his reluctant betrothed? The debauched Princess Puffer? Each performance ends differently, depending on what the audience decides!
Stephanie J. Block (Miss Alice Nutting / Edwin Drood) has established herself as one of the most relevant and versatile voices in contemporary musical theatre. She most recently starred as Reno Sweeney in Roundabout's Anything Goes. She starred in the premiere of Lynn Nottage's play By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Drama Desk nom) at Second Stage. She is best known for her portrayal as Elphaba in the Broadway company of Wicked and for creating the roles of Judy Bernly in 9 To 5: The Musical (Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical), Grace O'Malley in The Pirate Queen and Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz (opposite Hugh Jackman). Stephanie also originated the starring role of Elphaba in the First National Touring Company of Wicked for which she won the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. Ms. Block has sung with numerous symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops, National Symphony Orchestra (under the baton of Marvin Hamlisch), Indianapolis Symphony, Utah Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Charlotte Symphony and the Cleveland Pops among many others. Her solo concert has been critically acclaimed and continues to sell out throughout the US and in London.
Will Chase (Mr. Clive Paget / John Jasper). Will was most recently seen as Michael Swift on the hit NBC show "Smash". Other television appearances include "Rescue Me", "Pan Am", "Unforgettable", "White Collar", "Royal Pains", "Blue Bloods", "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", "Cupid", "Conviction", "Third Watch", "One Life To Live", "Guiding Light", "All My Children" and "As The World Turns". Best known for his work on stage, he has appeared on Broadway in Rent, Miss Saigon, The Full Monty, Aida, Lennon, High Fidelity, The Story Of My Life, and Billy Elliot. He was also seen at New York City Center Encores! in Bells Are Ringing and most recently, Pipe Dream. Film credits include the upcoming Butterflies of Bill Baker, Four Single Fathers, Shaft, and Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway. Recordings include the original Broadway Cast recordings of High Fidelity and The Story Of My Life, A Little Princess: Studio Cast Recording, Love On A Summer Afternoon: Songs of Sam Davis, This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs of Georgia Stitt, and Thirteen Stories Down: Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt. Mr. Chase trained at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied conducting with Atlanta Symphony's Robert Spano and earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in percussion. Will has two daughters, Daisy and Gracie, and resides in New York City.
Gregg Edelman (Mr. Cedric Moncrieffe / Reverend Mr. Crisparkle). The Mystery of Edwin Drood marks the 15th Broadway production of Gregg Edelman's career. Since his first Broadway appearance in the original Broadway production of Harold Prince's Evita, Gregg has gone on to star in such productions as City of Angels, 1776, Into The Woods, Anything Goes, Falsettos, Wonderful Town, and Cabaret. He has earned four Tony Award nominations for his performances, as well as numerous other honors including the Drama Desk Award. Recent credits include the record breaking world premiere production of A.R. Gurney's Black Tie at Primary Stages, Sweeney in the critically acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd at the Drury Lane Theater in Chicago, and the award-winning George Street Theatre production of 12 Angry Men in which he portrayed Juror #8, a role made famous by Henry Fonda. Film credits include Little Children, Spiderman 2, Crimes and Misdemeanors, City by the Sea, Green Card, Hollywood Ending and the just-released Liberal Arts. He was a regular on the CBS series, "Hack"; has guest-starred on numerous television series such as "30 Rock," "The Good Wife," "Law and Order," "Law and Order SVU," and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent"; and no list of Gregg's television work would be complete without mentioning the time he spent as the voice of the peanut M&M. His concert and recording work have given him the opportunity to travel all over the world, appearing with such orchestras as the Boston Pops, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony, as well as the Philadelphia and Chicago Pops. His many appearances at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops have allowed him to help honor such friends as John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Charles Strouse. He has also grown to love performing solo concerts in such intimate rooms as Feinstein's. These smaller venues, a much different experience than performing in a Broadway theater, give him a chance to perform great music in a subtler and more personal way. His 17 recordings of Broadway shows include the cast albums of City of Angels, Wonderful Town, 1776, and Into the Woods and studio recordings of On the Town, Cabaret, Anything Goes and Sweet Charity.
Jim Norton (Mr. William Cartwright, Chairman) won a 2007 Olivier Award and a 2008 Tony Award for The Seafarer. In New York he has appeared in Finian's Rainbow (Encores and Broadway), The Weir (Olivier nomination); Juno and the Paycock, Dublin Carol (Obie Award); and Port Authority at the Atlantic Theatre Company. National Theatre credits include The Veil, The Pillowman, Hamlet, Bedroom Farce, Comedians, St. Joan, Way Upstream, Tamberlaine, Playboy of the Western World and Chorus of Disapproval. At the Royal Court he appeared in The Contractor and The Changing Room. Film: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Water For Elephants, Straw Dogs, Hidden Agenda, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Driving Lessons, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Oyster Farmer, and The Eclipse. TV includes "Frasier," "Poirot," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Father playing characters as varied as Stan Laurel, Pirandello and Field Marshall Montgomery. He has recorded many audio books and the complete works of James Joyce for Naxos Audio Book (Sony Award).
Chita Rivera (Mrs. Angela Prysock / The Princess Puffer) has won two Tony® Awards (Kiss of the Spider Woman; The Rink) and received seven additional Tony nominations including one for her performance as "Liliane La Fleur" in Roundabout's Tony Award–winning musical Nine. Chita created the role of "Velma Kelly" in the original Broadway production of Chicago opposite Gwen Verdon (1975) and appears in the film version. Career highlights on Broadway include starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven, Mr. Wonderful and the film version of Sweet Charity.Chita has recorded and released a new CD entitled And Now I Swing and is on a nationwide concert tour of Chita Rivera: My Broadway.
Andy Karl (Mr. Victor Grinstead / Neville Landless). Broadway: Jersey Boys, 9 to 5, Legally Blonde (ACCA Award), The Wedding Singer, Saturday Night Fever, On the 20th Century. Off-Broadway: Altar Boyz (OCC Award), Slut, Saturday Night. Other credits: Romeo and Bernadette (Carbonell nom.), Cats, Disney's On the Record, Tommy. Film/TV: Joyful Noise; "Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods"; On the One; New York, I Love You. Advanced composer/lyricist, BMI Music Theatre Workshop.
Jessie Mueller (Miss Janet Conover / Helena Landless). Jessie recently appeared at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Sweet and Low Down, with Michael Feinstein. She made her Broadway debut in On A Clear Day You Can See Forever opposite Harry Connick, Jr. this past winter. Originally from Chicago, Jessie has appeared in productions at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Writers Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, and Court Theatre. She has appeared at the Long Wharf Theatre in Carousel, as well as at the RSC in Henry IV, Parts I & II. She can be seen this summer as Cinderella in the NYSF's production of Into the Woods at the Delacorte Theatre. Jessie is a recipient of the 2012 Theatre World Award, and has been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award and a Tony Award (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical).
Betsy Wolfe (Miss Deirdre Peregrine / Rosa Bud) recently played Beth in Merrily We Roll Along at Encores. This past season she created the role of Mary Ann Singleton in ACT's World Premiere of Tales of the City, a musical based on Armistead Maupin's novels, with music by the Scissor Sisters, originally workshopped at the O'Neill Theatre Conference. She was last seen on Broadway in Everyday Rapture with Sherie Rene Scott, a show she also performed off-Broadway in 2009. Other Broadway includes 110 in the Shade at Studio 54, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Wonderful Life. She can also be heard on the 110 in the Shade and Everyday Rapture recordings. Ms. Wolfe starred in the San Francisco and Boston companies of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Regional credits include Tommy (Mrs. Walker) at Dallas Theatre Center, Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbitt) at Paper Mill Playhouse. She has been a guest artist for over 25 Symphony, Pops, and Philharmonic Orchestras across the U.S. and internationally. At 23 she made her concert debut at Carnegie Hall as a headliner with the Cincinnati Pops under Maestro Erich Kunzel. Ms. Wolfe was a guest soloist for the New York City Ballet where she performed at Lincoln Center and at The Coliseum in London. Recent and upcoming releases include Stage Door Canteen, 35MM, and Merrily We Roll Along. She holds a BFA in musical theatre from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM). For more about Wolfe, visit www.betsywolfe.com.
Nicholas Barasch (Master Nick Cricker / Deputy), age 14, made his Broadway debut in the Arthur Laurents hit revival of West Side Story. He originated the role of Kiddo and performed one of the show's signature songs, "Somewhere," which he recorded for the Grammy Award–winning cast album. More recently, Nicholas originated the role of Boyd McGowan in the world premiere of the Broadway musical, Leap of Faith, at Los Angeles's Ahmanson Theatre. On television he appeared on HBO's "How to Make It in America" and was the singing voice of Austin for the final season of the popular Nickelodeon series, "The Backyardigans." Nicholas also enjoys studying piano and voice, playing tennis, and spending time with his family, including his older sister and two canine buddies.
Peter Benson (Mr. Philip Bax / Bazzard). Broadway: Harvey, Promises, Promises, To Be or Not To Be, Boeing, Boeing, The Pajama Game, Wonderful Town, Cabaret, Little Me, American Daughter, State Fair. Theatre: Distracted (Roundabout), Birth & Afterbirth (Atlantic), Country Club (Drama Dept.) Maddening Truth (Keen Co.) Television: Unforgettable, Good Wife, Too Big To Fail, Louie, Oz, Ed, Law & Order, Hi Honey I'm Home. FILM: Adjustment Bureau, A Perfect Murder.
Robert Creighton (Mr. Nick Cricker / Durdles) Broadway: Anything Goes(Purser/Moonface), Chicago (Amos), The Lion King (Timon), The Little Mermaid (Chef Louis), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Laughing Room Only. Other: Encores! Damn Yankees (Smokey), NYC Opera's The Merry Widow (Njegus) and The Mikado (Ko-Ko), DC Shakespeare, Paper Mill, Goodspeed, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse. TV: "Law & Order," "Life on Mars." Co-author and star of CAGNEY!, the award-winning new musical about film legend James Cagney. Robert's Debut Album Ain't We Got Fun! was released on the LML MUSIC label in February 2012.
Alison Cimmet (Ensemble). Broadway: Bonnie & Clyde (Stella); Baby, It's You! (stand-by for Beth Leavel); A Tale of Two Cities (Mrs. Cruncher); Chance & Chemistry: A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser (Actors Fund Benefit). NYC and Regional favorites: Tiffany in My Wonderful Day (Two River Theater Company); Peach the Starfish in Finding Nemo: the Musical (Disney workshop, original cast recording); Sally Cato in Mame (starring Christine Baranski, Kennedy Center); Ostrovsky (starring Kevin Kline, Manhattan Theatre Club reading); She Loves Me (Westport Country Playhouse); Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun (Carousel Dinner Theatre); Witch in Into the Woods (Arundel Playhouse); Joy in Cinderella (Casa Mañana); Viola in Twelfth Night (Prince Music Theatre). Film: March!, Conventioneers, and Chasing Taste. TV: Are We There Yet?. Training: Brown University, Tanglewood Music Institute, Cay Michael Patten Studios, and Upright Citizens Brigade. Thanks to The Gage Group, Dad, David, Max and Gavin. For Mom. For more about Climmet, visit www.AlisonCimmet.com.
Nick Corley (Ensemble) Bway: Mary Poppins, A Christmas Carol (original Bob Cratchit), She Loves Me. Regional: Yale Rep, Kennedy Center, etc. TV/Film: Kissing Jessica Stein. Directing credits include West End: Woody Sez (also co-wrote / Evening Standard Award "Best Musical" nomination); NY: Tall Grass, Flight, Mother Russia (Carnegie Hall); Regional: American Repertory Theatre, Denver Theatre Centre, Adirondack Theater Festival, St. Louis Rep, etc.
Janine DiVita (Ensemble) made her Broadway debut playing Betty Rizzo in the 2007 Broadway revival of Grease, directed by Kathleen Marshall. Currently, she is the first cover for Reno Sweeney in the Tony Award–winning 2011 Broadway revival of Anything Goes, also directed by Kathleen Marshall. First National Tour: Elizabeth Benning in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, directed by Susan Stroman. Off-Broadway/NYC credits include: Hannie in Roadside (York/Mufti, directed by David Glenn Armstrong), Penelope in Odyssey (ATA, Araca Project, directed by Matt Britten), Gina in Rainbow Around the Sun (NYMF, directed by Nick Demos). Readings include: Bess Houdini in Houdini (directed by Gabriel Barre), Nadia in Superspy, Fiona in Foreverman. Regionally, she has played Nancy in Oliver! at the Walnut Street Theatre (directed by Mark Clements), for which her performance earned her a Barrymore Award Nomination, Young Little Edie in Grey Gardens at Portland Center Stage (directed by Chris Coleman), Terri in Sophisticated Ladies, starring Maurice Hines (directed by Charles Randolph Wright), and Woman #2 in And the World Goes Round at the Riverside Theatre (directed by DJ Salisbury). Concerts include: "Broadway By the Year, 1987," at Town Hall, Opera New Jersey, Arizona Opera Company, and her solo "Invisible" is featured on Bobby Cronin's album, "Reach The Sky- Live at the Beechman" available on iTunes. Janine is a University of Michigan graduate and winner of the Inaugural Alan Eisenberg/ Actors' Equity Award. For more about Divita, visit www.janinedivita.com.
Jenifer Foote (Ensemble). Broadway: Follies (Buddy's Blues "Sally"), Rock of Ages (Regina u/s), A Chorus Line (Val), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dracula, Annie Get Your Gun. National tours: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Jolene Oaks). Other favorites: First Wives Club (Old Globe), Sinatra (Radio City Music Hall), Follies (Encores!). Proud graduate of UC Irvine. Live gratitude.
Justin Greer (Swing). Previous Broadway: Anything Goes at Roundabout, Shrek the Musical, The Producers, Urban Cowboy, Seussical the Musical and Annie Get Your Gun. Love to CB. More at www.justingreer.net.
Shannon Lewis (Ensemble). Broadway: How to Succeed...(Miss Krumholtz); The People in the Picture; Curtains (Mona Page); Sweet Charity (Ursula), The Look of Love; Contact (wife,girl in the yellowdress); Fosse (I Gotcha); Candide and Crazy for You (Vera).National Tour: A Chorus Line (Sheila); Pippin (Fastrada).City Center Encores! Fanny (Claudine); Damn Yankees (Dance Captain); Sweet Adeline; Tenderloin; Regional: Leap of Faith (Susie Raylove) at the Ahmanson; Contact (girl in the yellow dress) at Asolo Rep; Carmen (Juanita) atLa Jolla Playhouse; Pippin (Fastrada) at Goodspeed; Damn Yankees (Lola) at North Shore; A Chorus Line (Sheila) at TUTS. Recordings: People in the Picture; Fosse; Sweet Charity; The Broadway Musicals of 1930; Candide; Tenderloin. Film/TV: Hustling; Every Little Step; Beyond the Sea; The Stepford Wives; Across the Sea of Time; Anything But Love. Commercials: eBay; Mohegan Sun, Trident. For more, visit www.shannonlewis.net.
Spencer Plachy (Ensemble). Broadway debut! Thank you so much, Roundabout! Off-Broadway: The Common Pursuit (Stuart/Peter u/s). Tours: Oklahoma! (Curly), Fiddler on the Roof (Perchik). Regional: The Alley Theatre: Rock N' Roll (Stephen), The Man Who Came to Dinner (Richard Stanley). Orlando Shakespeare Theatre/Florida Repertory: The 39 Steps (Richard Hannay). Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival: South Pacific (Cable), 1776 (Jefferson), My Fair Lady (Freddy). Prather Entertainment Group: All Shook Up (Chad). The Lost Colony (2003–04). Thank you Jay, Danielle and Kyle. Laura, you are precious. Hi Mom!
Kiira Schmidt (Ensemble) Broadway: Follies (Margie); White Christmas (Rita); No, No, Nannette; Stairway to Paradise. Regional: Mame, Oklahoma!, A Chorus Line, Show Boat, Sweet Charity, West Side Story, Cats, Damn Yankees and much more! TV: "Smash" (NBC). For Seth, my one andonly love.
Eric Sciotto (Ensemble) is incredibly grateful to be a part of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and overwhelmed at the thought of working with the legendary Chita Rivera! Eric has appeared on Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun, Aida, Sweet Smell of Success, 42nd Street, Sweet Charity, A Chorus Line, Cry-Baby, Pal Joey (for RTC), Rock of Ages, and most recently, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical! Tours: Paul in A Chorus Line, and Tommy Keeler in Annie Get Your Gun. Regional: Radames in Aida, Frederick in Pirates of Penzance, Giorgio in Passion, Bernardo in West Side Story, Frank in Seven Brides..., and The Emcee in Cabaret. A proud father of two, Eric sends love to Samson and Olympia, and also to his husband, David.
Jim Walton (Ensemble). With Roundabout: Death Takes a Holiday and Bye, Bye Birdie. Other credits: Merrily We Roll Along, 42nd Street, Sweeney Todd (1990 revival), And the World Goes 'Round (directed by Scott Ellis), Crazy for You (PBS), The Music Man (2000 revival), Guys and Dolls (2009 revival) Sondheim! The 80th Birthday Concert and Company: In Concert (both at Avery Fisher Hall).
Rupert Holmes (Book, Music, Lyrics and Orchestrations). With The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which received the 1986 Tony® award for Best Musical, Rupert Holmes also became the first person in Broadway history to solely win Tony® awards as author, lyricist and composer. Holmes and Edwin Drood received identical honors from the New York Drama Desk, with Holmes receiving a fourth award in their additional category of Best Orchestration. His most recent musical Curtains (in collaboration with the legendary songwriting team of Kander and Ebb) earned him the Drama Desk award for Best Book of a Musical, as well as Tony nominations for both Best Book and Best Additional Lyrics. For Say Goodnight, Gracie, he received a Tony nomination and won the National Broadway Theatre Award for Best Play. His comedy-thriller Accomplice won him the second of his two Edgar awards from The Mystery Writers of America. His courtroom drama A Time to Kill (the first stage adaptation of a John Grisham novel) was seen at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and is slated for Broadway next spring. Holmes also created, wrote and scored all four seasons of AMC's critically-acclaimed TV series "Remember WENN." His first novel Where the Truth Lies was nominated for both a Nero Wolfe Award and Booklist Award for Best American Mystery Novel, and was adapted into a motion picture by Atom Egoyan, starring Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon. His forthcoming novel from Simon and Schuster is the first in a series: The McMasters Guide to Homicide: Murder Your Employer. Prior to Edwin Drood, Holmes was a pop singer-songwriter who wrote, arranged and conducted platinum recordings for Barbra Streisand, including the album Lazy Afternoon and songs for the Golden Globe-winning score of A Star is Born, and who wrote and recorded several Billboard "Top Ten" hits of his own.
Scott Ellis (Director). Broadway: Curtains (Tony nom.), The Little Dog Laughed (Drama League nom.), Steel Pier (Tony nom.; DD, OCC awards). For Roundabout Theatre Company: Harvey, Twelve Angry Men (Tony, DD noms., OCC and DD awards, Best Revival), The Man Who Had All the Luck, The Boys From Syracuse, The Rainmaker, 1776 (Drama Desk, Tony nom., Best Director), She Loves Me (Tony nom.; DD, OCC awards), Picnic (OCC nom.), Company, A Month in the Country. London: She Loves Me (Olivier Award). Off-Broadway: Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Understudy, Streamers; Good Boys and True; Entertaining Mr. Sloane; The Waverly Gallery; The Dog Problem; That Championship Season; Dark Rapture; And the World Goes 'Round: The Songs of Kander and Ebb (DD, OCC awards); and Flora, the Red Menace (DD nom). NYC Opera: 110 in the Shade, A Little Night Music (also L.A. Opera). TV: "Modern Family," "Two Broke Girls," "Frasier," "30 Rock" (Emmy nom., Best Director), "Weeds" (Executive Producer), "The Good Wife," "Hung," "The Closer." MR. Ellis is the Associate Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company.
For more about The Mystery of Edwin Drood or Roundabout's other upcoming productions, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.
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