Full Cast of Arena Stage's THE MUSIC MAN Announced; Burke Moses Joins Cast

Casting is announced for Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's production of Meredith Willson's The Music Man. Artistic Director Molly Smith helms this classic family musical, which stars the previously announced Kate Baldwin (Tony Award nominee for Broadway's Finian's Rainbow) as Marian the librarian, who will be joined by Burke Moses (original Gaston in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast) as Harold Hill. The Music Man runs May 11-July 22, 2012 in the Fichandler Stage.

Cast of The Music Man as of 3/7/2012, in alphabetical order:

Kate Baldwin (Marian Paroo) Broadway: Finian's Rainbow (Tony Award nomination), Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Full Monty. National tour: Irving Berlin's White Christmas. NY: Opening Doors (Carnegie Hall). D.C.: South Pacific (Arena Stage).

Will Burton (Tommy Djilas) Regional: Numerous productions with The Muny, including Kiss Me, Kate; Miss Saigon; Hello, Dolly! and Fiddler on the Roof.

Juliane Godfrey (Zaneeta Shinn) NY Workshop: Volleygirls. Regional: It's a Wonderful Life (Engeman Theater) and A Chorus Line, Anything Goes and Hair (Woodstock Playhouse).

Nehal Joshi (Marcellus Washburn) Broadway: Les Misérables and Threepenny Opera. Off-Broadway: Falling for Eve. D.C.: Oklahoma! and Señor Discretion Himself (Arena Stage), Mister Roberts (Kennedy Center) and Carousel (Olney Theatre Center).

Donna Migliaccio (Mrs. Paroo) Broadway: Ragtime. National tour: Guys and Dolls. D.C.: Numerous area productions, including LiberTy Smith (Ford's Theatre), Into the Woods (Signature Theatre) and Sunday in the Park with George (Kennedy Center). Two-time Helen Hayes Award winner.

Burke Moses (Harold Hill) Broadway: Beauty and the Beast (created the role of Gaston); Kiss Me, Kate (FrEd Graham/Petruchio); Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson) and The Frogs (Herakles). Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks, Way of the World, Wasted and The Most Happy Fella. TV: White Collar (FOX), 30 Rock (NBC) and One Life to Live (ABC).

John Lescault (Mayor Shinn) D.C.: Upcoming Brother Russia (Signature Theatre), over 30 productions with Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theater, Round House Theatre, Signature Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre and Theater J.

Barbara Tirrell (Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn) Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked (also national tour) and Annie. Off-Broadway: A Man of No Importance, Leaving Queens, No Way to Treat a Lady and Night of the Hunter. Regional: Guthrie Theater, Goodspeed Opera House and Walnut Street Theatre.

As previously announced, five D.C.-area youth were cast as a result of an all-day casting call held at Arena Stage. The chosen young actors include Ian Berlin as Winthrop Paroo, Heidi Kaplan as Amaryllis and Jamie Goodson as Gracie Shinn. Colin James Cech and Mia Goodman appear as River City kids.

Rounding out the cast are Sasha Olinick as Charlie Cowell/Constable Locke, Katerina Papacostas as Ethel Toffelmeir, Joe Peck as Ewart Dunlop/Traveling Salesman, Lawrence Redmond as Oliver Hix/Traveling Salesman, Michael Brian Dunn as Jacey Squires, Justin Lee Miller as Olin Britt, Tina Stafford as Alma Hix, Janet Aldrich as Maude Dunlop and Rayanne Gonzales as Mrs. Squires. Eric Shorey, Jessica Wu, Scott Shendenhelm, Kristen J. Smith, Nicholas Yenson and Christina Kidd make up the ensemble cast. Alissa Alter joins the cast as Female Swing with Kurt Domoney as Male Swing.

Led by Molly Smith and with choreography by Parker Esse and musical direction by Lawrence Goldberg, the creative team for The Music Man also includes Set Designer Eugene Lee, Costume Designer Judith Bowden, Lighting Designer Dawn Chiang, Sound Designer Tim Thompson, Associate Director Anita Maynard-Losh, Assistant Choreographer Ashley Yeater, Assistant Music Director Jose Simbulan, Arena Casting Director Dan Pruksarnukul, Stage Manager Susan White and Assistant Stage Manager Jenna Henderson.

Having exhausted all 102 counties in Illinois, "Professor" Harold Hill gives Iowa a try and soon enough convinces River City of its trouble with the "sin and corruption" of the pool hall, trouble that can only be stopped by forming a boys' band. Marian the librarian suspects he's a con man, but she begins to trust him after seeing how he's given confidence to her shy younger brother. Soon, this "Music Man" has transformed the entire town, not only turning the bickering school board into a barbershop quartet, but himself into an honest man. When the stage erupts with "76 Trombones," you'll be cheering along with River City for Harold Hill!

Tickets for The Music Man are $46-$90, subject to change and based on availability, plus applicable fees. For information on savings programs such as student discounts, Southwest Nights, Pay-Your-Age tickets, Family Fun Packs, HOTTIX and Hero's Discounts, visit arenastage.org/shows-tickets/single-tickets/savings-programs/. Tickets may be purchased online at arenastage.org, by phone at 202-488-3300 or at the Sales Office at 1101 Sixth St., SW, D.C.