Cast Set For TWELVE ANGRY MEN at Asolo Rep

Asolo Repertory Theatre announced that Sasha Andreev, Curtis Bannister, Charlie Clark, James Michael Detmar, Matthew Griffin, Cooper Grodin, Brian Kim McCormick, Riley McNutt, Matt Riehle, Marc Cedrick Smith, Alexander Swift, and Adán Varela will star in the Theater Latté Da World Premiere Production of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Thirteen of the eighteen company members are making their Asolo Rep debut. 

 

Peter Rothstein, Asolo's Producing Artistic Director, directs this powerful new musical, with a book by David Simpatico and music and lyrics by Michael Holland, based on the play by Reginald Rose. Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical runs May 11 through June 9, 2024, with previews May 8 – 10, in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.  

 

Rothstein began to work on the development of this show with Simpatico and Holland five years ago, while Artistic Director at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. After dedicated workshops, robust development, and several public readings, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical received its World Premiere Production in June of 2022.  

 

Rothstein eagerly anticipates sharing this production with Sarasota audiences. “Twelve Angry Men is an important work in the history of American drama, and I believe this musical adaptation speaks profoundly to this moment in our nation,” said Rothstein. “It is a profound exploration of this country's potential to unite, to exercise justice, and to instigate systemic change.” 

  

Against the backdrop of a jazz-infused score, twelve men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father.  The Star Tribune in Minneapolis called this show a “must-see musical”. Talkin' Broadway stated, “A serious story given more depth and made more compelling with the infusion of song.”

   

Rothstein's directing credits at Asolo Rep include this season's hit production of Inherit the Wind, alongside highly celebrated productions like Man of La Mancha, Ragtime, and Sweeney Todd. His expertise spans across the theatrical spectrum with extensive work in theater, musical theater, opera, and new work development. As the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Rep, Rothstein's visionary leadership continues to shape the theater's artistic landscape while introducing Sarasota audiences to new plays and new musicals.  

THE COMPANY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER INCLUDES:   

Sasha Andreev reprises the role of Juror #4 after being with the production since its inception at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. He made his Asolo Rep debut with Ragtime and returned this season for Inherit the Wind and Intimate Apparel. Andreev has performed off- Broadway, on tour and in the PBS broadcast of the Drama-Desk-winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune.  

 

Curtis Bannister returns to his previous role of Juror #8, which he originated in the world premiere production at Theater Latté Da. Bannister made his Asolo Rep debut with the 2024 production of Inherit The Wind and then with Intimate Apparel. He received the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater. Recently, Curtis has performed in Big River (Jim) at Mercury Theater Chicago and Bernstein's MASS (Soloist 1, Celebrant u/s) at The Kennedy Center. He is currently the concert partner of Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley throughout the U.S. and will make his solo concert debut in November 2024 in Washington DC.  

 

Charlie Clark as Juror #3 is making his Asolo Rep debut. He was most recently seen as Bela Zangler in Crazy For You at Artistry. Favorite roles include Bruce in Fun Home, Ross in The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, Dan in Next to Normal, Don in Rapture, Blister, Burn, Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can, Mason in Take Me Out, George in Sunday in the Park with George, Charlie in On Golden Pond, Freddie in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Pastor Jay in Luna Gale, and Benny in Hands on a Hardbody. 

 

James Michael Detmar as Juror #10 reprises his role from the world premiere of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical. In Minneapolis, James performed with The Guthrie Theater, Ordway Theater, Theater Latté Da, Chanhassen Theaters, History Theater, Old Log Theater, and Dudley Riggs BNW. Nationally at Berkeley Rep, The Garry Marshall Theater, and Orlando Theater Project.  

 

Matthew Griffin as Juror #7 is making his Asolo Rep debut. Broadway credits: The Collaboration (u/s Jean-Michel Basquiat), Tina — The Tina Turner Musical (OBC), off-Broadway: This Land was Made (Vineyard Theatre) The New Yorkers at City Center, Born For This (Cutler Majestic), Cruel Intentions the Musical, Much Ado About Nothing, and others, TV Credits: Inventing Anna (Netflix, Co-Star), Godfather of Harlem (EPIX, Co-Star).  

 

Cooper Grodin as Juror #11 is also making his Asolo Rep Debut and in this role. His credits include the title role in Phantom of the Opera in the National Tour, Les Misérables National Tour, The Band's Visit Lab directed by Hal Prince, Shakespeare in the Park's Into the Woods, Carbonell-nominated Best Actor in the Carbonell-winning Best Musical Sunday in the Park with George, Drama Desk-nominated The Golden Land, Henry Award-winning Best Musical Oklahoma! at the Denver Performing Arts Center, and A Little Night Music at Barington Stage. 

 

Alex Hatcher understudies the roles of Juror #1 and Juror #2. He is a current MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and is making his Asolo Rep debut this season! He holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University with a concentration in Musical Theater and Dance. Favorite stage credits include West Side Story (Milwaukee Rep), 1776 (New Rep), Hamlet (LAMDA), and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (BU).  

 

Marcus A Jordan understudies the roles of Juror #8 and Juror #9 and is making his Asolo Rep debut. Regional Credits: Into The Woods (The Baker), Ragtime the Musical (Coalhouse Walker Jr./Booker T. Washington), Rent (Benny Coffin III), and Working, The Musical (Frank). Marcus is a Professor of Musical Theatre at Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University.  

 

Pedro Ka'awaloa makes his return to Asolo Rep understudying the roles of Juror #5 and Juror #6. Credits include The King in the national tour of The King and I and has also performed regionally with notable companies such as Alabama Shakes, Fulton Theatre, and Orlando Shakes. He also actively works as a music director when not on stage and has his own private performing arts studio (Hana Hou Studio).  

 

Brian Kim McCormick makes his return to Asolo Rep as Juror #5. His other credits include Theater Latté Da: NEXT Festival; TheatreSquared: Tiger Style!; Quantum Theatre: Chimerica; Asolo Rep: Man of La Mancha; South Coast Rep: You're a Good Man Charlie Brown; San Diego Rep: Aubergine; Olney Theatre: Labour of Love; NYTW: Dinner with Georgette; Pan Asian Rep: The Emperor's Nightingale; Full Circle Theater: Caught; Theater Mu: The Korean Drama Addict's Guide to Losing Your Virginity, Fast Company, Flower Drum Song; Mixed Blood: Interstate; Ordway Center: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Children's Theatre Company: Mulan Jr.; The Old Log: Charlotte's Web; Chanhassen Dinner Theatre: Les Misérables, Joseph...Dreamcoat, 42nd Street, The Producers.  

 

Conor McGiffin makes his Asolo Rep debut understudying the roles of Juror #4 and Juror #11. He's a proud University of Michigan graduate and his recent productions include Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (TV and Tour), Fiddler On the Rood (First National Tour) and Sunset Boulevard (ACT).  

 

Riley McNutt makes his Asolo Rep debut as Juror #2 as he returns to Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical. Based out of Minneapolis, he most recently was seen in Alice in Wonderland at The Children's Theater Company. He performed off-Broadway, national tours, and on PBS in the Drama Desk Award winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Other regional credits include Theater Latté Da's Next to Normal, A Little Night Music Ragtime, and Hello Dolly!, The Ordway Theater's Beauty and the Beast, Minnesota Orchestra's Carousel, Artistry's Phantom, Les Misérables, Cabaret, A New Brain, La Cage au Foul, and with Flying Foot Forum in Heaven. 

 

Matt Riehle reprises his role of Juror #1, while understudying Juror #3, while making his Asolo Rep debut. Credits include Theater Latté Da for 10 shows, including Next to Normal, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, Once, and Assassins, History Theater (Sweet Land), Artistry (Memphis), and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (Jesus Christ Superstar). 

 

Marc Cedric Smith makes his Asolo Rep debut as Juror #9. Smith is a Pennsylvania native and graduate of the University of Washington, where he studied Voice and Psychology. After college he began modeling but continued to sing with Opera companies and Symphonies around the world. After a Seattle Symphony concert, Marc was asked to join Hal Prince's First National Tour of Show Boat, (US, Canada and London), then Ragtime, Secret Garden, Lion King, Music Man, Aida, Aladdin, Phantom, Tarzan, Little Mermaid and Frozen.  

 

Alexander Swift is making his Asolo Rep debut as Juror #12. Born and raised in NYC, he most recently ended a five-year run with Hamilton performing in Puerto Rico alongside Lin Manuel Miranda, San Francisco, across the U.S., and Canada. Other credits include The National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz, Barrington Stage Company, New York Theatre Workshop, Northshore Music Theatre, Opera North, Geva Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Theatre by The Sea. Graduate of The Boston Conservatory.  

 

Jason Thomas Sofge makes his Asolo Rep debut understudying the roles of Juror #3 and Juror #10. His credits include: The Constable, Fiddler on the Roof (1st National Tour), Elvyra From The House of the Dead (Metropolitan Opera, National Opera de Paris, Staatsoper im Berlin), u/s Maitre D The Merry Widow (Metropolitan Opera), Tommy Fatty, Fatty No Friends (off-Broadway at Soho Playhouse).  

 

Adán Varela reprises his role as Juror #6 as he makes his Asolo Rep debut. Varela has performed with Children's Theatre Company (Carmela Full of Wishes), Theater Latté Da (Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical); Minnesota Opera (Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Roberto Devereux, Silent Night, and others); History Theatre (Christmas of Swing, Not For Sale); Ordway Center (In the Heights), FRANK Theatre (Good Person of Setzuan, The Visit); Second City (Realish Housewives of Edina); Artistry (Les Misérables, Carousel); Lyric Arts (Evita, The Mystery of Edwin Drood); and Hey Rube (So Bright the Night). He has also directed pieces with Morris Park Players (Ragtime); Mixed Precipitation (Hit the Wall, #Matter); and Gadfly Theatre (Lobstermen in Love). 

 

Will Westray understudies the roles of Juror #7 and Juror #12. Westray is in his first year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. He received a degree in musical theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud DMV native. He has recently understudied at Asolo Rep in Inherit the Wind and Born With Teeth. 

THE CREATIVE TEAM FEATURES:

Peter Rothstein (Director), Jenny Kim-Godfrey (Music Director), Inherit the Wind, Man of La Mancha, Kelli Foster Warder (Choreographer) Ragtime, Benjamin Olsen (Scenic Design), Mathew LeFebvre (Costume Design) Intimate Apparel, Paul Whitaker (Lighting Design) Sweeney Todd, Nicholas Tranby (Sound Design), Michelle Hart (Hair, Wig, and Makeup Design), DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Consultant), Drayton Alexander(Dramaturg), Murnane Casting, Chad Eric Murnane, CSA (New York Casting), Céline Rosenthal (Resident Casting Director), Nia Sciarretta* (Production Stage Manager) Rebecca RD Hamlin* (Assistant Stage Manager), and Carl Haan (Associate Music Director).   

   

Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience the World Premiere Production of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical at Asolo Rep May 11 through June 9, 2024. Previews are May 8 – 10, with opening night on May 11, 2024. Visit asolorep.org for a full performance schedule. Tickets start at $35 and are available now in person at Asolo Rep's Box Office at 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, by phone at 941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388, or online at asolorep.org 

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