Carolee Carmello, Kara Lindsay, Ken Page and More Announced For 2018 Broadway At Music Circus Season in Sacramento
By: Stephi Wild May. 24, 2018
After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento, Broadway Sacramento has confirmed casting for the six shows in the 68th Broadway At Music Circus season. The casts include a number of Broadway veterans-some of whom are making their Broadway At Music Circus debuts-and audience favorites from previous Broadway At Music Circus productions.
The 2018 season, which begins June 12 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, includes four shows that have never been produced by Broadway At Music Circus: Singin' In The Rain, based on the popular classic movie starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds; Disney's Newsies, based on the hit movie and featuring a score by multi award-winning composer Alan Menken; Mamma Mia!, a high-spirited international sensation featuring more than 20 songs by ABBA; and Little Shop of Horrors, the hit musical comedy based on the campy 1960s cult horror film. Returning to Broadway At Music Circus are audience favorites Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, a rollicking musical with iconic choreography and a Tony-nominated score, and Gypsy, the landmark show with a celebrated score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim.
Each summer Broadway At Music Circus offers Sacramento audiences the truly unique opportunity to experience some of Broadway's most talented actors performing in an intimate and casual setting that only theatre-in-the-round can provide.
Tickets are available by calling (916) 557-1999, at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office, 1419 H Street in Sacramento, or online at www.Tickets.com. Discounts are available for groups of 12 or more by calling (916) 557-1198. Tickets are now on sale for all shows, with ticket prices ranging from $45 to $99. For Disney's Newsies only, a special price of $40 is available for children ages 4 - 12. For all shows, evening performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances are Thursday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. For more information: www.BroadwaySacramento.com.
CAST/CREATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Singin' in the Rain: June 12 - 17
Director/Choreographer: Linda Goodrich, Music Director: Craig Barna
Award-winning actor, director, and choreographer Noah Racey returns to Broadway At Music Circus as Don Lockwood in this summer's season opener Singin' in the Rain. In addition to his lead turn in Broadway At Music Circus's 2012 production of Crazy for You, Racey has performed on Broadway in Curtains, Never Gonna Dance, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Follies. Making her Broadway At Music Circus debut as Kathy Selden, Kara Lindsay originated the role of Katherine in the Broadway production of Disney's Newsies, which she revisited for the Newsies the Musical: LIVE filmed version. In addition to her most recent appearance on Broadway as Cynthia Weil in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Lindsay has performed the role of Glinda in Wicked on Broadway and toured with Little House on the Prairie as Laura. Broadway At Music Circus veteran Matt Loehr will take on the role of Cosmo Brown, adding to his Broadway At Music Circus appearances in last summer's On The Town and 2016's Nice Work If You Can Get It, as well as his Broadway credits, which include The Book of Mormon as Elder McKinley, The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins, and more.
Jennifer Knox, making her Broadway At Music Circus debut as Lina Lamont, appeared in the off-Broadway production of Disaster!, in the national tour of Cats, on screen in The Dark Knight and on television in The Blacklist. Also making his Broadway At Music Circus debut as Roscoe Dexter is Nick Santa Maria, who has performed on Broadway as Vince Fontaine in Tommy Tune's Grease, on Broadway, tour and in the film version of The Producers, and who originated the role of the Genie in Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure. Playing R.F. Simpson is Broadway At Music Circus favorite Ron Wisniski, who has toured with Beauty and the Beast, Annie, and Tintypes and appeared most recently at Broadway At Music Circus as Welch in Damn Yankees, Senator Max Evergreen in Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Herr Schultz in Cabaret.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: June 26 - July 1
Director: Glenn Casale, Choreographer: Patti Colombo, Music Director: Dennis Castellano
Paige Faure returns to Broadway At Music Circus as Millie, after appearing as Eileen Evergreen in Broadway At Music Circus's 2016 Nice Work If You Can Get It. She recently appeared on Broadway in the revival of Miss Saigon, as well as Bullets Over Broadway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and as Cinderella in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella both on Broadway and in the national tour. Last at Broadway At Music Circus playing Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun, Edward Watts returns to play Adam, the eldest brother, in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. His past work includes the original Broadway cast of Scandalous the Musical, the national tour of The Book of Mormon, Superman in New York City Center Encore's It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman, as well as TV appearances on Quantico, The Carrie Diaries, Rescue Me and The Sopranos.
In addition to appearing last summer at Broadway At Music Circus in Beauty and the Beast and On The Town, Ashley Arcement, playing Ruth, has appeared on Broadway in Grease and with the national tours of Flashdance, Anything Goes, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Keely Beirne, making her Broadway At Music Circus debut playing Sarah, has appeared in the international/national tours of West Side Story as Anita, After Midnight, Smokey Joe's Café and Memphis. Appearing as Ephraim, Joshua Michael Burrage performed on Broadway in Cats, with the national tour of Disney's Newsies, revisiting his role for the Newsies the Musical: LIVE filmed version, and in television appearances on NBC: The Today Show and Funny or Die. KC Fredericks makes his Broadway At Music Circus debut as Gideon, having appeared in the national tours of Wicked, Disney's The Little Mermaid and Cats, along with being a dancer in High School Musical 3: Senior Year and in One Singular Sensation with Live from Lincoln Center on PBS. Playing the role of Alice is Rose Iannaccone, whose regional credits include Mamma Mia! with The Gateway Playhouse and Ogunquit Playhouse, West Side Story, Singin' in the Rain and White Christmas with Shubert Theatre. Graham Keen will play Caleb, having previously toured with Young Frankenstein, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, and The Music Man, as well as regional theatre work with Goodspeed Opera House, Theatre Under the Stars and more.
Seen last summer in Broadway At Music Circus's Beauty and the Beast and On the Town, as well as in regional theater productions including The Producers at The Fulton Opera House and Chicago at North Shore Music Theater, Elyse Niederee, returns this summer as Martha. Jamie Pfaff, playing Liza, won the Hollywood Vibe's Teen National Dancer of the Year; regional theatre credits include productions of Mamma Mia!, Disney's Newsies, Shrek the Musical, Peter Pan and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Eric Sciotto, playing Frank, last appeared at Broadway At Music Circus in the 2014 production of A Chorus Line, a show in which he's played every male role including productions both on and off Broadway; additional Broadway credits include Something Rotten!, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Playing Dorcas in her Broadway At Music Circus debut, Olivia Rene Sharber has performed for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, as well as in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, and Rock of Ages. Brian Steven Shaw, playing Daniel, is no stranger to Broadway At Music Circus, having appeared in numerous productions including Nice Work If You Can Get It, Bye Bye Birdie, La Cage aux Folles, and Mary Poppins, in addition to The Little Mermaid at Broadway On Tour and with TUTS. Eric Stretch, playing Benjamin, appeared in La Cage aux Folles on Broadway, Wicked in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and along with regional theatre work, performed in the sold-out one-night Broadway concert Bombshell, the fictional musical from TV's Smash.
Disney's Newsies: July 10 - 15
Director: Michael Heitzman, Choreographer: Andrew Wilson, Music Director: James Olmstead
Leading the strike this summer in Disney's Newsies, Joey Barreiro, making his Broadway At Music Circus debut, will be reprising the role of Jack Kelly, which he played in the first national tour. Barreiro's additional credits include The Witches of Eastwick at Ogunquit Playhouse, Ragtime with Westchester Broadway, Into the Woods at Studio Tenn, and A Chorus Line with Connecticut Rep. Laurie Veldheer will play Katherine, a role she understudied in the original Broadway company of Disney's Newsies; other credits include Sophie in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!, as well as multiple appearances in regional productions around the country. Making her Broadway At Music Circus debut playing Medda Larkin, Terry Burrell has appeared on Broadway in Threepenny Opera, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods and Dreamgirls, and as Julie in the original London cast of Show Boat, as well as touring with Copacabana, and Grand Night for Singing. Playing the role of Joseph Pulitzer, Broadway At Music Circus veteran Paul Schoeffler returns for his 11th season, having appeared last summer in 9 to 5; his Broadway credits include Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Hertz in Rock of Ages, Sweet Charity opposite Christina Applegate, and Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close.
John Krause, playing the role of Davey, performed in the tours of Wicked and American Idiot, in the New York Musical Festival's Camp Rolling Hills, with the vocalist group The Broadway Boys, and in the Las Vegas production of Rock of Ages. Appearing at Broadway At Music Circus for the first time, Blake Stadnik will play Crutchie, a role he's played in two previous productions, in addition to touring as Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street and appearing as Marius in Les Misérables with North Shore Music Theatre. Josh Davis returns to Broadway At Music Circus as Les, after appearing in the 2016 production of Seussical as JoJo and the 2015 production of Peter Pan as Michael Darling, as well as the national tour of A Christmas Story.
Gypsy: July 24 - 29
Director: Glenn Casale, Choreographer: John MacInnis, Music Director: Craig Barna
Broadway veteran and multi-Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello will be taking on the role of the indomitable Mama Rose this summer in Gypsy. Carmello most recently appeared as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Barrow Street Theatre. Her extensive Broadway credits include originating the roles of Mae Tuck in Tuck Everlasting, Aimee Semple McPherson in Scandalous the Musical, Mrs. du Maurier in Finding Neverland, and Lucille Frank in Parade as well as appearing on Broadway in Sister Act, The Addams Family, Mamma Mia!, Lestat, Falsettos, 1776 and more. Austen Danielle Bohmer, will make her Broadway At Music Circus debut as Louise, a role she has played in two previous productions; her regional credits include Lydia Wickhim in Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley, Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Bye Bye Birdie, One Man, Two Guvnors, and Oklahoma!. David Hess, returns to Broadway At Music Circus as Herbie, after previously appearing in the 1995 production of She Loves Me. He has appeared on Broadway in Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd, and Annie Get Your Gun, in the first national tours of Bridges of Madison County and Ragtime, as well as TV appearances on Madam Secretary, The Americans, Elementary, and The Good Wife.
Last at Broadway At Music Circus for the 2010 production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Amy Bodnar, returns as Tessie Tura, previously appearing as Laurey Williams in Oklahoma! and Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime on Broadway, as well as touring as Betty Haynes in White Christmas, Marguerite in Scarlet Pimpernel and Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard. Playing Electra, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan's Broadway and tour credits include Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard and The Secret Garden, as well as extensive Broadway At Music Circus appearances including Hello, Dolly!, The Wizard of Oz, and last summer's Beauty and the Beast as Madame de la Grand Bouche. In addition to appearing on Broadway in A Chorus Line as Sheila Bryant, Chicago as Velma Kelly, Nine, and The Rocky Horror Show, Deidre Goodwin, playing Mazeppa, has appeared on film and TV in Chicago, The Bourne Legacy, Love and Other Drugs, Madam Secretary, Elementary, and Search Party. Playing Tulsa is Cory Lingner, who was last at Broadway At Music Circus in 2014 as Mark in A Chorus Line; his Broadway appearances include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, An American in Paris and On the Town, as well as performing at the Tony Awards, in the Macy's Parade, and for Saturday Night Live when Jim Parsons hosted. Chelsea Turbin, most recently in Chess at the Kennedy Center, will make her Broadway At Music Circus debut as June, having previously appeared with the international tour of American Idiot and in regional productions with The MUNY, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and Seaside Music Theater.
Additional roles in this production will feature Jeff Greenberg, Stuart Marland, David Sitler and Ron Wisniski. Jeff Greenberg is an Emmy-winning Casting Director, with over 30 years of experience, making his first appearance at Broadway At Music Circus; his extensive career includes casting for Frasier, Modern Family, Cheers, Wings, and many more. Stuart Marland's Broadway At Music Circus appearances include Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! (2016) and Mr. MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie (2015) as well as numerous Broadway productions including Newsies, Xanadu, Jekyll & Hyde, Beauty and the Beast, and Cyrano. David Sitler appeared on Broadway in An Inspector Calls and the national tour of Frost/Nixon, as well as Donnybrook and Beyond the Horizon with Irish Repertory Theatre and extensive regional theatre productions. Ron Wisniski is a Broadway At Music Circus favorite who has extensive experience in touring and regional productions, and who will also be playing R.F. Simpson in this summer's Singin' in the Rain.
Mia Fisher returns this summer to Broadway At Music Circus as Baby Louise after appearing in last summer's production of Beauty and the Beast as Chip and locally in shows with Musical Mayhem Productions. Kylie Standley, playing Baby June, appeared in the national tour of A Christmas Story and recently at Capital Stage as Iris in The Nether; she has performed locally for El Dorado Musical Theater and with the Hawkins Classical Ballet Company.
Mamma Mia!: August 7 - 12
Director: Nick Corley, Choreographer: Janet Rothermel, Music Director: Steve Marzullo
Appearing for the first time at Broadway At Music Circus as Donna Sheridan is Michelle Dawson, whose many credits include Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, Mamma Mia! and Ragtime on Broadway, national tours of Mamma Mia! and The Secret Garden, and an appearance as a featured performer on the Tony Awards. Eric Kunze returns to Broadway At Music Circus as Sam Carmichael after last appearing as Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2016). Along with his many Broadway At Music Circus roles, Kunze has played Marius in Les Misérables, Chris in Miss Saigon, and Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees on Broadway. Appearing in the role of Sophie Sheridan, Francesca Arostegui returns to Broadway At Music Circus for Mamma Mia!, after traveling with the show's national tour to over 75 cities. Her past performances at Broadway At Music Circus include Evita, Annie, The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Michael Campayno, who made his Broadway debut in Wicked, his television debut in NBC's live telecast of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood as Rolf, and is set to appear in the pre-Broadway premiere of The Cher Show in Chicago, will play Sky. Trey Ellett, playing Harry Bright, performed in Amélie on Broadway, with the national tours of If/Then, The Fully Monty and Rent, as well as television appearances in Mad Love, How I Met Your Mother and Charmed. Playing Bill Austin, Todd A. Horman appeared last summer at Broadway At Music Circus as Joey in Sister Act, a role he also performed with the national tour; his Broadway credits include The Last Ship, Phantom of the Opera, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Urinetown, the Musical. Jodi Kimura, who has appeared with numerous regional theatres as well as playing Bloody Mary in the first national tour of South Pacific, will appear at Broadway At Music Circus for the first time as Rosie. April Nixon, who has appeared on Broadway in Smokey Joe's Café, The Who's Tommy and Cats, and on tour in 9 to 5, Fosse, The Wiz and Damn Yankees, will also make her Broadway At Music Circus debut as Tanya.
Little Shop of Horrors: August 21 - 26
Director: Glenn Casale, Choreographer: Robbie Roby, Music Director: Dennis Castellano
Ken Page will return to voice Audrey II, having last appeared at Broadway At Music Circus in 2009 and 2003 as Old Deuteronomy in Cats. Page additionally voiced Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, played Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls at the Hollywood Bowl, and appeared on Broadway in It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, Ain't Misbehavin', Cats and The Wiz. Sarah E. Litzsinger will be playing Audrey in her first appearance at Broadway At Music Circus. Litzsinger's Broadway appearances include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Oliver! and Amour, and the national tours of Evita as Eva Perón and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as The Narrator opposite Donny Osmond. Jared Gertner, returns this summer to play Seymour after making his Broadway At Music Circus debut last summer as LeFou in Beauty and the Beast. Gertner has appeared in The Book of Mormon on Broadway, on the first national tour and in London as Arnold Cunningham and in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in San Francisco, Boston, and on Broadway. Michael Kostroff, playing Mushnik, appeared in Broadway At Music Circus's 2016 Nice Work If You Can Get It as Cookie. Along with extensive film and television work including recurring role's in HBO's The Deuce, Netflix's Luke Cage and five seasons with HBO's The Wire, Kostroff's Broadway and touring credits include The Nance, Max Bialystock in The Producers and Thénardier in Les Misérables. Jamison Stern, will play the Dentist et al. in his Broadway At Music Circus debut, having previously appeared on Broadway in By Jeeves and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and with the national tours of Little Shop of Horrors and Beauty and the Beast as Lumiere.
Zonya Love, playing Crystal, appeared last summer as Deloris Van Cartier in the Broadway At Music Circus production of Sister Act. Prior to that Love played Effie White in Dreamgirls at TUTS, Celie in the original Broadway production of The Color Purple, and appeared in the first national tour and Off-Broadway productions of Avenue Q. Zuri Washington, in the role of Ronette, has extensive New York, regional and touring experience, having performed in a number of shows including Rent, Bring It On: The Musical, Memphis, Sister Act and Ghost The Musical. Destinee Rea, playing Chiffon, appeared on Broadway in Amélie and in the national tour of Junie B. Jones, as well as performing at Feinstein's/54 Below with the 10th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza and in regional productions of Dreamgirls, The Wiz and The Music Man.
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