Music Connects Us All! Meet the Full Company of THE BAND'S VISIT, Opening Tonight on Broadway

The critically acclaimed new Broadway musical THE BAND'S VISIT opens tonight, November 9, 2017, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Get ready for tonight's official bows and scroll down to learn more about the company, plus watch highlights from the show!

THE BAND'S VISIT features music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek, a book by NY Drama Critics Circle, Lortel and Outer Critics Circle awards winner Itamar Moses, based on the screenplay by Eran Kolirin, and is directed by Drama Desk, Lortel, Joe A. Callaway and Obie Award winner David Cromer.

The Broadway company of THE BAND'S VISIT includes Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub, John Cariani, Ari'el Stachel, George Abud, Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Andrew Polk, Bill Army, Rachel Prather, Jonathan Raviv, Sharone Sayegh, Kristen Sieh, Alok Tewari, Pomme Koch, Ahmad Maksoud, Madison Micucci and James Rana. Musicians include Andrea Grody, Alexandra Eckhardt, Ossama Farouk, Philip Mayer, Sam Sadigursky, Jeff Theiss, Harvey Valdes and David Garo Yellin.

After a mix-up at the border, an Egyptian Police Band is sent to a remote village in the middle of the Israeli desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, these unlikely travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways. THE BAND'S VISIT celebrates the deeply human ways music, longing and laughter can connect us all.

Katrina Lenk (Dina) originated the role of "Dina" in Atlantic Theater Company's Off-Broadway production of The Band's Visit (Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress in a Musical, Dorothy Loudon and Clarence Derwent Awards). Broadway: Indecent, Once, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, The Miracle Worker. Off-Broadway/Regional includes: Indecent (Vineyard Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep), Touch (59E59), iWitness (Mark Taper Forum), Lost Land (Steppenwolf Theatre), Elemeno Pea, The Caucasian Chalk Circle (South Coast Rep), Camille (Bard SummerScape), and Lovelace: A Rock Opera (LA Weekly, LADCC and Garland Awards). TV/Film: "The Good Fight," "The Get Down," "Elementary," "The Blacklist," Look Away, Evol, FracKtured, Crime Fiction, among others. She is co-creator of the comedy web series "Miss Teri" and a member of several bands including her own, moxy phinx.

Tony Shalhoub (Tewfiq) is a Golden Globe Award-winning actor with a diverse resumé of engaging roles. Mr. Shalhoub recently starred in The Price on Broadway with Mark Ruffalo, Jessica Hecht and Danny DeVito, following the world premiere of The Band's Visit Off-Broadway. He is perhaps best known for his starring role as the obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk in the popular television series "Monk," for which he won a Golden Globe Award and three Primetime Emmy Awards. Additional television credits include "Nurse Jackie," "Too Big to Fail" and "Wings." Shalhoub's feature film credits include Big Night, The Siege, Galaxy Quest, Men in Black, Men in Black II andPain & Gain. Shalhoub voiced the character of Luigi in the popular animated movies Cars, Cars II and Cars III. Also, he voiced the role of Splinter in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie franchise. Recently, he completed filming an untitled feature, starring Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver, and Final Portrait, directed by Stanley Tucci. Shalhoub appeared in the theatrical productions of Act One and Golden Boy on Broadway, receiving Tony Award nominations for both. In late 2015, he appeared Off-Broadway in The Mystery of Love & Sex with Diane Lane. Shalhoub currently lives in New York City.

John Cariani (Itzik) Broadway: Something Rotten! (OCC nom); Fiddler on the Roof (Tony nom.; OCC Award). Off-Broadway: The Atlantic, The Public/NYSF, Transport Group. Regional: Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Center Theatre Group, Barrington Stage Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Television: best known for recurring roles on Law & Order, Numb3rs, and The Onion News Network. Several films. Playwright: Almost, Maine; Last Gas; Love/Sick; cul-de-sac, all available through DPS.

Ari'el Stachel (Haled) is making his Broadway debut after originating the role of Haled at the Atlantic Theatre Company (Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Award nominations). Regional: The Golem of Havana (Barrington Stage Company). Workshops: We Live in Cairo (NYTW), The Visitor (Public Theatre). TV: "Blue Bloods" (CBS), "Jessica Jones" (Netflix). New Studio graduate at NYU.

George Abud (Camal). Proud Lebanese-American actor. Broadway: The Visit starring Chita Rivera and Roger Rees (OBC Recording). International: The New Prince with Barbara Walsh, Paulo Szot and Marc Kudisch (Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam). Off-Broadway: The Band's Visit starring Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk (World Premiere, Atlantic Theater Company); Peer Gynt opposite Gabriel Ebert, Nathan The Wise opposite F. Murray Abraham, and Allegro directed by J.H. Doyle (Classic Stage Company). Regional: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck, Geva Theatre Center); Fiddler on the Roof (Human Race Theatre); Man of La Mancha and Oliver Twist (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ). This is dedicated to Andy Baroud, a man from Machghara, whom I loved very much.

Etai Benson (Papi) is a New York-based Israeli-American actor. He most recently starred as Adam Hochberg in the national tour of An American in Paris. Other theatre credits include: Boq in Wicked (Broadway), The Fortress of Solitude (world premiere, Dallas Theatre Center), My Name is Asher Lev (GableStage), Next to Normal (Weston Playhouse), A Room With a View (world premiere, The Old Globe), She Loves Me (Caramoor Center). Additionally, he acts as Programming Associate for SeriesFest, an independent television and content festival recently hailed by IndieWire as "the Sundance of television." Etai holds a BFA from the University of Michigan and trained at the legendary Moscow Art Theatre.

Adam Kantor (Telephone Guy) most recently played the role of Motel Kamzoil in the critically acclaimed Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof directed by Bartlett Sher. Adam made his Broadway debut playing Mark in the final cast of Rent, which was preserved on DVD by Sony Pictures' Rent Filmed Live on Broadway. He reunited with RENT director Michael Greif in Next To Normal on Broadway, in which he played Henry. Adam played Jamie in the acclaimed NYC revival of The Last Five Years, directed by its writer Jason Robert Brown, starring opposite Betsy Wolfe at Second Stage. Also Off-Broadway, he played Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q. At The Old Globe, he played Proteus in Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona directed by Mark Lamos, and Jeff in the world premiere of i by Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter. Adam played Eddie in the world premiere production of Diner by Sheryl Crow and Barry Levinson, directed by Kathleen Marshall. On TV he was seen in Showtime's "Billions" as Pununzio, and CBS' "The Good Wife" in the role of Ezra. Adam was a co-founder of the nonprofit arts organization, Broadway In South Africa, which provided arts education to underprivileged youth in the townships of South Africa. He graduated from Northwestern University and also studied at the British-American Dramatic Academy in Oxford, England.

Andrew Polk (Avrum). New York: The Band's Visit (Atlantic Theatre Company); Burning, Mouth To Mouth and The Accomplices (Drama Desk nomination, The New Group); Diner The Musical (workshop); Walmartopia (Minetta Lane); The Green Zone (Lincoln Center); Flight (Lortel); Vick's Boy (Rattlestick); among others. Regional: The Homecoming, Speed-The-Plow (A.C.T.); At Home At The Zoo (Philadelphia Theatre Co.); A New War (Long Wharf); Dinner with Friends (Alley Theatre); Angels in America (Alliance); Arena Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, among many others. Film: Three Generations, Norman, The Humbling, Rebel In The Rye, Jamie Marks Is Dead, Love Is Strange, Shelter among others. TV: "House of Cards" (Harry Marshall - Season 4&5), "Instinct" (new on CBS), "The Punisher" (new on Netflix), "Madame Secretary," "Hell On Wheels," "The Good Wife," "Blue Bloods," "Person of Interest," "The Blacklist," "The Closer," "30 Rock," all "Law & Order" shows, among others. Training: London's Webber-Douglas Academy (Fulbright Scholar). Associate Artist at American Conservatory Theater. Founder of The Cape Cod Theatre Project.

Bill Army (Zelger) Broadway: Act One (Lincoln Center Theater directed by James Lapine); Relatively Speaking, an evening of three one-act plays by Ethan Coen, Elaine May, and Woody Allen, directed by John Turturro. Off-Broadway: The Band's Visit (The Atlantic Theater Company); The Changeling (Red Bull Theater); Old Jews Telling Jokes; All's Well That Ends Well and Measure for Measure (The Public Theater). Company Member of the Potomac Theater Project since 2007: Scenes from an Execution, Vinegar Tom, Gertrude - The Cry, The Europeans, and No End of Blame.. "Deadbeat" (Hulu), "Cohab" (Webseries). MFA: NYU.

Rachel Prather (Julia). Off-Broadway: The Band's Visit (Julia/Ticket Girl). National tours: Once (Girl standby); Peter and the Starcatcher (u/s Molly/Ted/Prentiss/Bumbrake). Regional: Fiddler on the Roof (Tzeitel); Nine. Graduate of the Boston Conservatory.

Jonathan Raviv (Sammy). New York work includes: The Boy Who Danced On Air at Abingdon Theatre Company (New York Premiere), The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical at The Lucille Lortel (Drama Desk nomination for Best Musical), The Band's Visit at the Atlantic Theater Company (World Premiere), Martyrs Street at Theater for the New City, The Ragged Claws at Cherry Lane, Lies My Father Told Me with the National Yiddish Theatre and My Name Is Asher Lev at The Westside Theatre (Outer Critics Circle award for Best Play). Other regional credits include: The Boy Who Danced On Air at Diversionary Theatre (World Premiere), Love's Labour's Lost at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Fiddler on the Roof with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Oklahoma! at Portland Center Stage, Homebody/Kabul with Curious Theatre Company, Arabian Nights at Berkeley Rep., The Chosen at Chicago's Writers' Theatre, Lady Madeline at Steppenwolf Theatre and The Light In The Piazza at both Arena Stage & Goodman Theatre. Television credits include: "The Blacklist," "Zero Hour," and "Pan Am."

Sharone Sayegh (Anna) is honored to be bringing The Band's Visit to Broadway. As an actor of Israeli/Iraqi descent, it's incredibly exciting to bring this new Middle Eastern musical to life. Broadway: Mamma Mia! Off-Broadway: Anna in The Band's Visit (Atlantic Theater Co, World Premiere), title role in Scheherazade (Prospect Theater Co) and the world premiere of The Wildness (Ars Nova). Regional: Maria Elena in Buddy (The Muny), Aouda in 80 Days (Florida Rep), Vidya in Disconnect (San Jose Rep, BACC Nom.). Workshops: Margaritaville (Dir. Christopher Ashley), Hazel (Dir. Lucie Arnaz), Sheila Levine (Dir. Susan Stroman), Hooray For Iceboy (Dir. John Rando), War is F*cking Awesome (Dir. Leisl Tommy), Bengal Tiger... (Lark). BFA: Syracuse University. This one's for Eema, Abba, ha mishpacha, and her Yossi.

Kristen Sieh (Iris) is a founding member of The TEAM, with whom she has written and performed numerous new works, including RoosevElvis (The Royal Court, Walker Arts Center, The A.R.T., The Vineyard, etc.). Other credits include: The Public Theater (Fortress of Solitude, February House), Classic Stage Company (Iphigenia in Anne Washburn's Iphigenia in Aulis), The Foundry (O, Earth), Half Straddle (Ghost Rings), Pig Iron (Viola in Twelfth Night), Ripe Time (The World is Round at BAM), Elevator Repair Service (Gatz, The Sound and the Fury, etc.), Playwrights Horizons/Clubbed Thumb (Men on Boats), Banana, Bag & Bodice (Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage), The Builders Association, The New Group, The O'Neill Center, The 52nd St. Project, and others. Regional credits include Syracuse Stage, Denver Center Theater, Long Wharf, and Baltimore Center Stage. Television: "House of Cards," "Orange is the New Black," "The Blacklist," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Law & Order."

Alok Tewari (Simon). Theatre credits include Monsoon Wedding (Berkeley Repertory); The Strangest (Semitic Root); The Band's Visit (Atlantic Theater Company); Awake and Sing! (The Public Theater/NAATCO); The Queen, Martyrs Street, and Blind Angels (Theater for the New City); A Fable, Through the Yellow Hour, and War (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater); Bunty Berman Presents, Rafta, Rafta..., and Marie and Bruce (The New Group); Night Over Erzinga and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Lark); Masked (Buenos Aires); Inana (Denver Center Theatre Company); Betrothed (Ripe Time); and Marco Polo (The Group, Argentina). Television credits include "Iron Fist," "House of Cards," "Royal Pains," "The Blacklist," "Madam Secretary," "Deadbeat," "Blue Bloods," "30 Rock," "Homeland," "Fringe," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "Guiding Light." Films include Shelter and Brooklyn's Finest.

Sam Sadigursky (Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute) lives in New York and likes to play with people like Fred Hersch, Brad Mehldau, Darcy James Argue, Matt Mitchell, Emilio Teubal, Pablo Mayor, The Mingus Orchestra, Jamie Baum, Gabriel Kahane, and Lucia Pulido. He's released four albums of his own music for New Amsterdam Records, a collaborative album with Laurent Coq called Crosswords, and Follow the Stick for BJU Records, and appears on over thirty albums as a sideman. He was recently named a Rising Star on clarinet by Downbeat Magazine and has three Grammy nominations for his work with Darcy James Argue. He is the author of three books for clarinet and has also played for many Broadway shows, most recently Fiddler on the Roof, Matilda, Amelie, and Hello Dolly.

Harvey Valdes' (Oud, Guitars) eclectic musical journey spans the East and the West, the electric and the acoustic, the ensemble and the solo voice. As an oud player, Harvey worked extensively with Middle Eastern Jazz Ensemble, Anistar, developing a repertoire that blended Middle Eastern forms with jazz improvisation. As an Associate Artist with renowned experimental theater company, The Wooster Group, Harvey played electric guitar for the company's adventurous take on Francesco Cavalli's 1641 baroque opera, La Didone. Both his solo guitar album of jazz standards, Roundabout, and album of original compositions, PointCounterPoint, for guitar, violin and drums received rave reviews from All About Jazz, Jazziz Magazine, Downtown Music Gallery, Guitar Moderne, and Just Jazz Guitar.

Garo Yellin (Cello) The fourth of three children, cellist Garo Yellin had learned the entire repertoire of classical music by the age of three, and by age six could play music not yet composed, but "still germinating in the minds of others", as he put it. His subsequent triumphs are well-known: Gold Medal at the Leningrad Junior Competition despite not showing up; the debut concert at Carnegie Hall in 1971, where President Nixon requested 936 encores lasting eight days, and in 1974 Yellin's physical resurrection of J.S. Bach prompted Leonard Bernstein to write that "only a genius can bring another genius back to life." Since 1991, he has been a Professor at the University of Prague at Dayton, where he has been allowed to teach music theory by injection.

Pomme Koch (Understudy) Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Baghdaddy, Becket, A Tale Told By An Idiot. Regional: A.C.T., Theatre Calgary, O'Neill Center, Marin Theatre Company, Theater J, San Francisco Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Co., Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Folger Theatre, Round House Theatre, Studio Theatre. TV: "Blue Bloods," "House of Cards." The University of Michigan. Love to Bligh and the Azarmsas. For Margot Koch.

Ahmad Maksoud (Understudy) is an Egyptian-American actor making his Broadway Debut! NYC Credits: The Band's Visit (Atlantic Theater Co.) We Live in Cairo (workshops at New York Theatre Workshop, NAMT Festival at New World Stages, O'Neill Center), This Time (Rising Circle), The Light Princess (New Victory Theater). Regional: Tear a Root from the Earth (Kennedy Center concert presentation), The Life Model (On the Boards, Seattle), Roller Disco, O.P.C. (American Repertory Theater), Arabian Nights (Central Square Theater), The Kite Runner (New Repertory Theater), and workshops at the Huntington Theater Company and the American Repertory Theater. TV: The Good Fight, Madam Secretary, The Blacklist. M.F.A. - A.R.T. Institute at Harvard University.

Madison Micucci (Understudy) is incredibly grateful to make her Broadway debut with such a inspiring "band" of artists. She thanks her family, her friends and her "Wifey" for their boundless love. A proud graduate of the University of Michigan's musical theater department, Madison has recently worked with Barrington Stage, Pioneer Theater Co. Arkansas Rep. and off Broadway with NYMF. She guest starred as "Lisa" on season 3 of Orange Is The New Black, and recently began work on the web series "A Beard Grows In Brooklyn".

James Rana (Understudy) Off-Broadway: The Government Inspector (Red Bull Theater), Serendib (Ensemble Studio Theater), Shogun Macbeth (Pan Asian Rep), Marat/Sade, Macbeth, Mother Courage (Classical Theatre of Harlem), As You Like It (Worth Street Theatre). International: Loves Labors Lost (RSC), Macbeth (Bonn Biennale, Globe Neuss). Regional: The Shakespeare Theatre, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Company, Luna Stage, East Lynne Theater. Film/Television: "Madam Secretary," "Law & Order:SVU," "Chicago Fire," "Third Watch," "Conan O'Brien," "One Life To Live," A Girl Like You With A Boy Like Me. Radio: "Poe: A Celebration" (NPR). Playwright: The Poe Mysteries, A Year in the Trenches. MFA Trinity Rep.

Andrea Grody (Conductor/Keyboards). Broadway debut. Recent projects include the world premieres of The Band's Visit (Atlantic Theater Company), Cake Off (Signature Theatre/Bucks County Playhouse), The Fortress of Solitude(Public Theater/Dallas Theater Center), Unknown Soldier (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Love's Labour's Lost (Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park), and the Public Works production of As You Like It; and the regional premieres of The Great Immensity and Venice (Public Theater). Other favorites include Assassins (Yale Rep) and Robin Hood as Composer/Music Director (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Writing credits include the full-length musical Strange Faces and several songs for The Civilians' Let Me Ascertain You series. Andrea is an Associate Voice Teacher at New York Vocal Coaching. B.A. Princeton University, M.A. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Alexandra Eckhardt (Electric and Acoustic Bass) is thrilled to be playing in the (offstage) Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra. She held the bass chairs on the national tours of The Book of Mormon and In the Heights, and her Broadway subbing credits include Wicked, Hamilton, and Dear Evan Hansen. Alex is also a member of David Yazbek's band, in addition to performing and recording with many artists at venues throughout NYC.

Ossama Farouk (Darbouka, Riq) is a professional drummer who began his life journey in Egypt. A few years ago, he decided to take on a new challenge and move to United States. He is excited to continue his percussive journey with The Band's Visit.

Philip Mayer (Drums, Arabic Percussion). With a background in jazz and American popular music, Philip's interest in drumming traditions from around the world has led him to travel and study extensively in India, Israel, Turkey and Spain. He has worked with Natalie Merchant, of Montreal, Coleman Barks, and The New York Arabic Orchestra.

Jeff Theiss (Associate Conductor/Keyboard)