Mary Beth Peil, A.J. Shively & More Join Jim Parsons Led A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE at Classic Stage Company

Classic Stage Company announced today additional casting for their fall production of A Man of No Importance. Featuring a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, A Man of No Importance will be the final CSC production directed by John Doyle following his tenure as Artistic Director.

A Man of No Importance will begin performances on Tuesday, October 11, with opening night set for Sunday, October 30 for a limited run through Sunday, December 4. A Man of No Importance is produced by special arrangement with Tom Kirdahy and Mara Isaacs.

Joining the previously announced Jim Parsons in the production will be Alma Cuervo (On Your Feet!), Kara Mikula (The Cradle Will Rock at CSC), Tony nominee Mary Beth Peil
(Macbeth at CSC), Thom Sesma (Pacific Overtures at CSC), Tony nominee A.J. Shively (Paradise Square), Nathaniel Stampley (Paradise Square), Jessica Tyler Wright (Allegro at CSC), and Joel Waggoner (School of Rock). Final casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally's acclaimed musical A Man of No Importance tells the story of an amateur theatre group in 1960s Dublin and their leader, bus driver Alfie Byrne (Jim Parsons). Determined to stage a production of Oscar Wilde's Salome despite the objections of local church authorities, Alfie confronts the forces of bigotry and shame over a love "that dare not speak its name." This evocative and award winning musical illustrates the redemptive power of theater, love, and friendship, all for a man of seemingly no importance.

CSC memberships are available, starting at $25, and include guaranteed access to purchase discounted tickets to all CSC productions annually, including A Man of No Importance. Member and single tickets for A Man of No Importance will go on sale Thursday July 21 at 1pm ET. Single tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. More information on memberships and tickets is available at classicstage.org.

ABOUT Classic Stage Company

Classic Stage Company (CSC) challenges the traditional perception of classic work by exploring and reimagining great stories across the world's repertoire that illuminate our common humanity. As a home for the classics, CSC collaborates with artists to produce work that is inclusive, relevant, and accessible. CSC believes that theater can both reflect and improve society by reaching across cultural divides in order to foster shared empathy
and understanding. 

In 1967, director Christopher Martin founded CSC Repertory in a 100-seat theater at Rutgers Presbyterian Church on West 73rd Street. Following short stints in small spaces, CSC grew to the point where it needed a permanent home. In 1973, the theater moved to its present premises on 13th Street, an intimate space that was formerly an East Village carriage house.

In the 55 years since, CSC has become a leading Off-Broadway theater that is a home for new and established artists, as well as audiences seeking epic stories intimately told.
Productions have been cited by all major Off-Broadway theater awards including the Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Body of Work.

Alma Cuervo

Previous work at CSC: Allegro and Uncle Vanya. New York credits include: Morning's at Seven, Road Show, On Your Feet, Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast, The Heidi Chronicles, Titanic, Ghetto, Quilters, Is There Life After High School?, Bedroom Farce,
and Censored Scenes from King Kong. National tours: On Your Feet, My Fair Lady, Wicked, Cabaret, M. Butterfly. Extensive Off-Broadway and regional work. OBIE for Uncommon Women and Others. Training: Yale School of Drama. Narrator of many audiobooks.

Kara Mikula

Off-Broadway: The Cradle Will Rock and Allegro at Classic Stage Company, directed by John Doyle. National Tours: White Christmas. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Arizona Theatre Company, Bay Street Theater, Gateway Playhouse, KC Starlight, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Ogunquit Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Riverside Theatre, The REV Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, and more. Favorite role: being Aunt Kara. Thanks to Eddie at Take3Talent. Proud member of AEA and AFM/Local 802.  karamikula.com.

DA'VON T. MOODY

is happy to be making his Off-Broadway debut! Originally from DC, his most recent credits include: Rent (Benny) at the Signature Theatre, Gun & Powder
(World Premiere), Grand Hotel, and Ain't Misbehavin'. Olney Theatre: A.D. 16 (World Premiere, Simeon); Ford's Theatre: The Wiz, A Christmas Carol, Amazing Grace (Mr. Tyler), Constellation Theatre: Aida (Mereb); ArtsCentric: Hair (Berger) and Dreamgirls (C.C.
White). Film: Once Again for the First Time. In addition to his work as an actor, Da'Von is a trained clarinetist and guitarist. You can find him on IG @d_moo_d to see more!

Mary Beth Peil

is an Obie Award-winning and two-time Tony Award nominated actress who has made careers from the world of Opera to Stage and Screen. Winning the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions launched two decades as a leading soprano during which she originated the role of Alma in Lee Hoiby's Summer and Smoke, sang with NY City Opera, Young Concert Artists, and many others. She began her second career on Broadway opposite Yul Brynner in The King and I. Other Broadway productions include Nine, Sunday in the Park with George, Women on the Verge, Follies, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
and Anastasia. Off-Broadway as an Ensemble member of The Atlantic Theater Company, she has also performed with CSC, NYTW, The Public, MTC, Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center and Summer Encores. Regional credits include Arena Stage, Long Wharf,
Hartford Stage, La Jolla, The Globe, LA Music Center. On TV she created the roles of Grams in "Dawson's Creek," Jackie in "The Good Wife," and was most recently seen as Martha Graham in "Halston." On film she can be seen in Song of Sway Lake, Mirrors, Flags of our Fathers, The Odd Couple 2, The Stepford Wives, and recently
Jimmy and Caroline, The Home, and Phyllis, Silenced.

Thom Sesma

In fall of 2021 Thom (he/him) appeared in the New York premieres
of Rajiv Joseph's Letters of Suresh (Second Stage) and A Sherlock Carol by
Mark Shanahan (New World Stages). Other credits include Man of La Mancha,
2002 Broadway revival with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio; Twyla Tharp's The Times
They Are A-Changin'; Off-Broadway revivals of Sweeney Todd (Barrow
Street Theatre), Pacific Overtures, ...Arturo Ui (both at Classic Stage Company); and the premieres of Superhero by Tom Kitt and John Logan (Second Stage) and Michael Friedman's Unknown Soldier, opening three days before the pandemic shutdown in March 2020, and Ghosts at Seattle Rep. TV and film credits include "Instinct," "Madam Secretary," "Jessica Jones," "Gotham," "The Good Wife," "Person of Interest," and last years"Cupids." thomsesma.com, @thsesma

A.J. SHIVELY

Broadway: Paradise Square (Tony, OCC, Chita Rivera nom.); 
Bright Star (Drama Desk nom.); La Cage Aux Folles. Off-Broadway/New York:  February House (The Public); Brigadoon (Irish Rep); Unlock'd (Prospect); Things To Ruin (Second Stage). Regional: Berkeley Rep; Kennedy Center; Old Globe; CTG; McCarter. TV/Film: "Julia" (HBO Max); "Bull" (CBS); "Hunters" (Amazon Prime); "Homeland" (Showtime); "Madam Secretary" (CBS); "The Blacklist" (NBC); "Younger" (TV Land); Nobody Walks In LA; From Nowhere; Syrup;  HairBrained. Training: University of Michigan; RADA.

Nathaniel Stampley

Broadway: Paradise Square, Cats, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, The
Color Purple (original and revival), The Lion King (Broadway, West End). Off-Broadway: The
Secret Life of Bees, Atlantic Theater Company; Big Love, Signature Theatre NY; The
First Noel, Classical Theatre of Harlem (AUDELCO nomination). Regional: Paul Robeson, Crossroads Theatre Company; Man of La Mancha (Jeff Award), The Bridges of Madison County (Jeff nomination), Marriott Theatre; Pacific Overtures, Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Violet, Once on This Island and Big River (Jeff nomination), Apple Tree Theatre; Dreamgirls, Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He is a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow (Ten Chimneys Foundation) nathanielstampley.com

Jessica Tyler Wright

CSC: Allegro (Lortel nom for Outstanding Featured Actress). Broadway: War Horse, Sweeney Todd, Company, LoveMusik. Other NY: Candide, Dolores Claiborne, Dear Erich, Lolita My Love, Radio Gals. Tour, Sweeney Todd, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Regional highlights: Paper Mill, Goodspeed, North Shore MT, Cape Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, MTWichita, Williamstown, McCarter, Prince Music Theatre, Seattle 5th Ave, CA Music Circus, TV: Nexium National Commercial, "Blue Bloods." jessicatylerwright.com

Joel Waggoner

Broadway: School of Rock, Be More Chill. Off-Broadway: Southern Comfort (Public Theater). Regional: Knoxville (Asolo Rep). The Joel Waggoner Experience (Joe's Pub). Original web series: Wig Mediums on Broadstream. Original Instagram series "Advent
Carolndar" with Julia Mattison has been featured on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and NPR "Weekend Edition." Original Musicals: Presto Change-o, The SupaDupa Kid. MFA from NYU Tisch. Debut Single "Unlikely Warrior" available on iTunes. 
joelwaggoner.com @joelwaggoner