Erika Henningsen, Kyle Selig & More to be Featured in Theatre Aspen 2023 Holiday Events

Theatre Aspen will present the return of their celebrated cabaret series for its third year, “A Christmas Carol Cabaret,” and introduced a new family show, “Once Upon a Time: Whimsical Wintertime Tales,” for kids 4-10-years-old, both at the Hotel Jerome (330 E Main St, Aspen, CO) this December.

 

“A Christmas Carol Cabaret” will begin at the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Jerome at 7 PM each evening with a chef’s dinner followed by a 60-minute musical revue featuring Broadway and holiday favorites. Adult tickets for the dinner and performance are $275; and tickets for kids 12-years-old and under are $145.

 

The holiday cabaret has a cast and creative team with a combined 50 Broadway and touring credits including Erin Davie (Broadway: Diana the Musical; Side Show), Erika Henningsen (Broadway: Mean Girls), Nehal Joshi (Broadway’s The Cottage; The Phantom of the Opera), Julia Knitel (Broadway & Theatre Aspen: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Kyle Selig (Broadway: Mean Girls), and Nathaniel Stampley (Broadway: CATS; The Color Purple) with direction by Patrick O’Neill (The Muny, The Boston Pops, The Old Globe) and musical direction by Phil Reno (Broadway: Something Rotten!; Elf).

                                  

 

A second-holiday event, “Once Upon a Time: Whimsical Wintertime Tales,” best for families with children ages 4-10, will be held each afternoon on December 21-23 at 4 PM in Hotel Jerome’s Ballroom. Theatre Aspen’s Fairytale Makers present “Once Upon a Time” a collection of six classic stories, adapted by Vanessa Vivas - an alumni of Theatre Aspen’s apprentice program, as you have never heard them before. After the performance stay for the “meet and greet” with the cast, all local Aspenites right after the show. Tickets are $95 for adults and $65 for kids 12 and under, including a complimentary cocktail/mocktail and sweet treats.

 

The cast includes John Konstantopoulos, Charlie Nottingham, Elle Presutti, and Karli Ulto. The event will be directed by Vanessa Strahan, Director of Education at Theatre Aspen.

 

"Now in its third year, our holiday cabarets at the Hotel Jerome are a favorite Aspen holiday tradition,” said Producing Director Jed Bernstein. “This year’s edition will be particularly exciting because of the caliber of Broadway talent joining us. We are also excited to announce our new 'Once Upon a Time: Whimsical Wintertime Tales,' après ski performance, a delightful family show designed for kids aged 4-10. A magical way to spend the holidays.”

 

For tickets and more information on both of the holiday events, including full dinner menus, visit TheatreAspen.org or call 970-300-4474.

 

As Theatre Aspen concludes its 40th Anniversary season in 2023, it continues to rekindle a sense of discovery in audiences who live in and visit the Roaring Fork Valley by producing big theatre in a small space with intimate storytelling. Each season, Theatre Aspen promises to bring world-class theatre dramatically closer, with innovative and imaginative productions of both plays and musicals. These productions are complemented by an assortment of community events, including cabarets, educational programs and performances, collaborations with other Aspen arts organizations, and new works presentations. Theatre Aspen also boasts an impressive Apprentice Program, one of the largest in the country, devoted to training the next generation of theatrical artists and administrators. For more information on Theatre Aspen, visit TheatreAspen.org or call (970) 925-9313.

 

 

CAST & CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES

 

Erin Davie

Broadway: Camilla Parker Bowles in Diana, Yvonne/Naomi in Sunday in the Park with George Violet Hilton in Side Show, Rosa Bud in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music Young Little Edie in Grey Gardens (Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut), Niki Harris in Curtains. Off-Broadway: The Glorious Ones (Lincoln Center Theater), Applause (Eve Harrington; Encores). Tours: Swing!, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Guys and Dolls. Regional: The Bridges of Madison County at Signature Theatre, Sideshow at La Jolla Playhouse/Kennedy Center, A Time to Kill at Arena Stage, Sunday in the Park with George at the St. Louis Rep, Carousel at Goodspeed, Leading Ladies at Gulf Shore Playhouse, South Pacific at the Maltz Jupiter Theater, 90 Years of MUNY Magic, Camelot , The Apple Tree, Jekyll & Hyde, The Student Prince. She can be heard on Cast albums: Sunday in the Park with George 2017 revival, Side Show revival Grey Gardens, A Little Night Music revival, The Glorious Ones. TV: “New Amsterdam,” “The First Lady,” “Tales of the City,” “Orange is the New Black,” “Law & Order,” “The Good Wife.” FILM: Angelfish, King Jack, Easter Mysteries.

 

Erika Henningsen

is a Bay Area native and is most known for originating the starring role of Cady Heron in the hit, Tony-nominated musical, Mean Girls. Other theater credits include Fantine opposite Ramin Karimloo in the recent revival of Les Misérables. She made her New York City debut as Kim Ravenal in Show Boat with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center, conducted by Ted Sperling. Other roles: Nellie Forbush in South Pacific & Sophie in Mamma Mia! (PCLO), Nina in the Dear World opposite Tyne Daly.  Her solo show, "Raise Your Standards" has played to sold out venues in New York City, San Francisco & Indianapolis. She has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras across the country, including the Atlanta Symphony, the Virginia Symphonic Orchestra and is set to debut with the Gulf Coast Symphony this February. She can be seen on the acclaimed, Emmy-winning series “Girls5Eva,” as well as CBS' “Blue Bloods,” HBO’s “That Damn Michael Che” and Tracy Oliver’s original comedy, “Harlem” for Amazon. Erika can be heard as the leading voice actor in A24’s upcoming musical animation series, “Hazbin Hotel,” to be released on Amazon Prime this January.

 

Nehal Joshi

has appeared on Broadway 8 times including most recently starring in The Cottage directed by Jason Alexander. His other Broadway credits include All My Sons (w/ Annette Bening), Phantom of the Opera (The Closing Cast), Flying Over Sunset, School of Rock, Gettin’ the Band Back Together, Les Misérables (Original Revival Cast) and Threepenny Opera.  Off-Broadway he appeared in Cyrano with Peter Dinklage (later made into a feature film), Working(Drama Desk Award) Grand Hotel (Encores!), and Chekhov’s Three Sisters.  Regionally, his credits include: Arena Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, The Shakespeare Theatre Company and The Kennedy Center.  He was the voice of the Worgen Vendors on the video game: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.  His tv and film credits include: “Law & Order SVU” (NBC), “The Wire” (HBO),” Search Party” (HBO), and the feature, Blackout.  He was born in the Washington DC area and studied Biology at James Madison University.  He took a vow of poverty and became a stage actor. Ig: @nehaljoshi.

 

Julia Knitel

is so thrilled to be back in Aspen (& in the snow this time!) after playing Carole King in Theatre Aspen’s Beautiful this summer. Before that, she played Carole King both on Broadway & on the 1st National tour. Other Broadway/National Tour: Come From Away, Bye Bye Birdie. Off-Broadway: A Letter to Harvey Milk (Lortel nom), The Panic of ‘29. Select Regional: Gypsy (The Muny - St Louis Theatre Circle nom), The Constant Wife (Denver Center), The Producers (Casa Mañana). TV/Film: “The Other Two”, Miles.

 

Kyle Selig

Broadway: Originated the role of Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls, Elder Price in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. National Tour/Regional: The Book of Mormon, October Sky, Joan of Arc: Into the Fire by David Byrne, West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl. Film/television: Dylan in the Fox mocu-comedy, "Welcome to Flatch,” “Monster High,” “Cat Person,” “The Housewives of the North Pole,” "Christmas in Tahoe" for Hallmark Channel, “Madame Secretary,” “Evil.” 2010 Jimmy Award winner and Graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.

 

Nathaniel Stampley

Broadway credits include: Paradise Square, CATS, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, The Color Purple (original production and the revival), The Lion King (Broadway and the West End). Off- Broadway performances: A Man of No Importance, Classic Stage Company; The Secret Life of Bees, Atlantic Theater Company; Big Love, Signature Theatre (NY); and The First Noel, Classical Theatre of Harlem (AUDELCO nomination). Regional performances: Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre; Paul Robeson, Crossroads Theatre; Man of La Mancha (Joseph Jefferson Award Actor in a Principal Role-Musical), The Bridges of Madison County (Jeff nomination), Gypsy, Marriott Theatre; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, The A.R.T.; Abyssinia, North Shore Music Theatre; Pacific Overtures, Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Violet, Once on This Island and Big River (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination), Apple Tree Theatre; Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, and Man of La Mancha; The Skylight Music Theater’s Harriet, the Woman Called Moses, El Capitan, Girl Crazy, and The King and I. He recorded with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra (Naxos); Lincoln Center; The Weill Music Institute concert series at Carnegie Hall: Musical Explorers and Link Up with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Other concerts include Lyrics and Lyricists at the 92Y, the Grand Teton Music Festival, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra, El Paso Symphony Orchestra, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, The Sound of Music at the Blossom Music Festival and Bernstein’s Mass (Deutsche Grammophon), West Side Storywith the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yannick NézetSéguin. He also has appeared on the hit television shows, “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC), “The Blacklist” (NBC), “Billions” (HBO), and “Blue Bloods” (CBS). He is an Artistic Associate at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He is also a Lunt- Fontanne Fellow awarded by the Ten Chimneys Foundation.

 

PATRICK O’NEILL

(Director) was last represented on Broadway as the Associate Choreographer of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical School of Rock, which he also staged in Sydney, Melbourne, and Seoul. He served as the Associate Choreographer on the Broadway bound musical The Heart of Rock and Roll, celebrating the music of Huey Lewis, and on Ever After, an adaptation of the 1998 film. He has staged concerts for Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara with the Boston Pops and for Mario Cantone on ABC’s “The View” celebrating Barbara Walters and opening the show’s 14th Season. As a teacher, he has served on staff for Britney Spears’ and Usher’s performing arts. He will direct the London premiere of On the Edge a new musical which he also co-wrote. In development: Radio930, story that centers around a group of young East German rebels who use banned Western rock music to bring about the fall of the Berlin Wall and Vacancy a story that sheds light on the life of Norman Bates from the Alfred Hitchcock classic, Psycho. www.patrickoneill.me / @itspatrickoneill

 

Phil Reno

(Music Director) has been the Music Director/Conductor for numerous Broadway shows: Something Rotten!; Promises, Promises; Elf!; The Drowsy Chaperone; The Producers; Thou Shalt Not; Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and Back with a Vengeance; and CATS. At holiday time you may have seen him conducting the iconic Radio City Christmas Spectacular for six seasons. Off-Broadway: The Diva Is Dismissed (Public), A New Brain (Lincoln Center), Chess (Master Theater), Enter Laughing (York Theatre). National Tours: Joseph…. (with Donny Osmond), world premiere Music of the Night, Starlight Express, and Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity. Regional: Minsky’s (pre-Broadway premiere at Ahmanson), Happy Days (premiere at Garry Marshall Theatre) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (premiere at Old Globe), Melissa Manchester’s I Sent a Letter to My Love (premiere at North Shore), Grumpy Old Men (US premiere). Television: Music Director/Conductor “Broadway Under the Stars,” CBS 2002-2006; CBS “Tree Lighting in Bryant Park 2006-2011.” Film:The Producers. Phil has conducted seven original cast recordings and was nominated twice for a Grammy Award for his work as producer of the cast albums of The Drowsy Chaperone and Something Rotten!