Kate Baldwin in THE PROM, Julia Murney Directed CHARLIE BROWN & More Set For Sharon Playhouse 2024/25 Season

The Sharon Playhouse, the historic arts and entertainment venue in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut has announced casting for the 2024 season.

"We're thrilled to announce the stellar casts of our four mainstage shows, in a season bursting with great music, heartwarming laughter, and delightful nostalgia. Come join us at The Sharon Playhouse, where every moment will be infused with joy this summer. Don't miss out on the magic!" – Artistic Director, Carl Andress

The 2024 MainStage lineup kicks off with the raucous musical party, Rock of Ages by Chris D'Arienzo with Arrangements and Orchestrations by Ethan Popp, directed by Hunter Foster and choreographed by Shannon Lewis (June 21-July 7). The cast (in alphabetical order) features:  Giuliana Augello as “Sherrie,” Jordan Bollwerk as “Drew,” LaDonna Burns as “Justice,” Tatianna Cordoba as “Regina,” Landry Champlin as “Waitress #1,” Danny Drewes as “Stacee Jaxx,” Jordan Friend as “Lonny,” Annie Gagen as “Constance Sack,” Coulby Jenkins as “Franz Klineman,” Julia Joy as “Ensemble” and Associate Director & Choreographer, Xavier McKnight as “Ja’Keith,” Kilty Reidy as “Dennis Dupree,” Noah Silverman as “Joey Primo,” and Dick Terhune as “Hertz Klineman.”

Next up is the hilarious and heartwarming musical comedy, The Prom by Matthew Sklar, Chad Beguelin & Bob Martin, directed by Carl Andress and choreographed by Krystyna Resavy (July 26-August 11). The cast  (in alphabetical order) is led by two-time TONY Award Nominee, Kate Baldwin as “Dee Dee Allen,” Danny Drewes as “Trent Oliver,” Hannah Jane Moore as “Emma Nolan,” Sophie Nassiri Morvillo as “Alyssa Greene,” Ryan Palmer as “Sheldon Saperstein,” Erick Pinnick as “Tom Hawkins,” Tracy Liz Miller as “Mrs. Greene,” John Scherer as “Barry Glickman,” and Savannah Stevenson as “Angie.” The ensemble features: Zoe Benjamin as “Kaylee,” Anissa Greigo as “Shelby,’ Ethan Pugh as “Kevin,” Nick Traficante as “Nick,” Erik Daughterman, Mackenzie Farrell, Melissa Goldberg, Molly Model (Swing), Jonathan Reyes, Gabi Roller (Associate Choreographer) and Henrique Sobrinho. The company also features eight local High School teen performers: Jo Brinkerhoff, Richie Crane, Carlo Desy, Jakob Kerr-Lucero, Mollie Leonard, Tyler Rosenblum, Jessica Sonner and Mia Tonon.

Then comes the laugh-out-loud perennial favorite, Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, directed by Jackson Gay (August 30-September 8). The cast (in alphabetical order) features: Susan Cella as “Clairee,” Jen Cody as “Truvy,” Etta Grover as “Shelby,” Marinell Madden-Crippen as “M’Lynn,” Emma Simon as “Annelle” and Liza Vann as “Ouiser.”

The fourth show in the lineup is the feel-good musical charmer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown by Clark Gesner, John Gordon, with additional material by Andrew Lippa, based on Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts, directed by Julia Murney and choreographed by Michelle Lemon (September 20-September 29). The cast  (in alphabetical order) features: Courtney Balan as “Lucy,” Nicolas Alan Fernandez as “Snoopy,” Sammy Pignalosa as “Linus,” Daniel Plimpton as “Charlie Brown,” Hayley Podschun as “Sally,” and Jason Williams as “Schroeder.”

Eric Thomas Johnson serves as music director for the season, and Judy Bowman CSA/Judy Bowman Casting serves as the resident casting director for The Sharon Playhouse. 

The 2024 YouthStage lineup includes over 150 young performers appearing in the following titles: a teen adaptation of Shakespeare’s As You Like It directed by Michael Kevin Baldwin with music direction by Jeff Raab, presented at The Equus Effect horse farm in Sharon, CT; Willy Wonka Kids directed and choreographed by Molly Model; MTI’s Broadway Junior Musical Revue Raise Your Voice directed by Ricky Oliver; Disney’s High School Musical JR. directed by Kent Burnham and choreographed by Kimiye Corwin, a new original play for kids, Sassy Cinderella, written by Michael Kevin Baldwin, directed by Sam LaFrage, and Sharon Playhouse Stars, a homegrown original show devised and directed by Sarah Cuoco.

The Playhouse will celebrate the start of the 2024 “Season of Joy” with its annual Spotlight Gala, on Saturday, June 1, honoring former Sharon Playhouse Board President, Bobbie Olsen, featuring special performances by Kate Baldwin, Danny Drewes and Julia Murney, directed by Sarah Combs and choreographed by Amy Van Norstrand with music direction by Eric Thomas Johnson. Later in the season the Playhouse will also present a special star-studded benefit Staged Reading of a soon-to-be announced Broadway comedy taking place on September 13. The 2024 season will conclude with the fourth annual presentation of Writers Playground, a ten-minute play festival of new works written by local playwrights (October 4-5). 

The Sharon Playhouse is a professional, regional, nonprofit theater producing high-quality performances with Broadway-caliber actors as well as talented local community members. Its mission is to entertain the community of Northwest Connecticut and beyond, while also serving as a teaching theater to encourage aspiring actors and other theater artists of all ages to develop their craft.

For tickets and more information visit www.SharonPlayhouse.org.