Progressive Theater Announces The Cast Of THE VIEW UPSTAIRS

Progressive Theater presents THE VIEW UPSTAIRS written by Max Vernon. This musical takes a fictional approach to this horrific story while highlighting the vibrant UpStairs Lounge community. When Wes, a young fashion designer from 2017, buys an abandoned building in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he finds himself transported to the UpStairs Lounge. As this forgotten community comes to life, Wes embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-exploration that spans two generations of queer history. This smash Off Broadway hit features a gritty, glam rock score and a tight-knit ensemble of unforgettable characters.The View UpStairs asks what has been gained and lost in the fight for equality, and how the past can help guide all of us through an uncertain future.

Progressive Theater last presented a gut wrenching musical about the infamous case of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS just a month before the killing of George Floyd. Progressive Theater presents work that shines light on truth and shows the parallels of the past and present. That's why it's no surprise Progressive Theater is slated to present THE VIEW UPSTAIRS, a musical, by Max Vernon on June 25th and 26th in Maplewood, NJ. The show will be directed by Progressive Theater's Artistic Director, Gregory Omar Osborne, and music directed by Gail Lou.

The musical features a cast of 10 actors: Shaq Hester (Wes), Randy Campo (Patrick), Michael Giorgio (Buddy), Demetrius Kee (Willie), Autumn Jones (Henri), David Rivera Jr (Freddy), Jo Wymer (Inez/Realtor), Tommy Nichols (Richard), James Devoursney (Dale) and Dan Drew (Cop).

Shaq Hester (Wes) is thrilled to make his Progressive Theater debut. Off-Broadway: Antigone in Ferguson (Theater of War) Other: A Message From a Wanderer (TEDXBroadway/Radial Park), Treemonisha (Trilogy Opera), Five Guys Named Moe (Workshop Theatre -SC). Master of Music, Indiana University - Jacobs School of Music. Instagram: @shaqhester

Randy Campo (Patrick) is a NYC/NJ based actor/performer. He is delighted to be making his Progressive Theatre debut in The View Upstairs. A 2021 Rutgers graduate, his favorite theatre credits include: She Loves Me (Arpad), Sweeney Todd (Tobias), Legally Blonde (Emmett), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), and Godspell (All Good Gifts) for which he received the 2018 BroadwayWorld Regional award for Best Actor in a Musical. Sending love to his family and Craig, for their endless support. Heartfelt thanks to Gregory for this opportunity as well the entire cast and crew of TVU.

Michael Giorgio (Buddy) is an experienced actor and voiceover artist. Select NY Theater: Polikushka (Gallery Players); Czestochowa Musical Chairs (Gene Frankel Theater); Gravitity-A Test (Kraine); Myth (Horace Mann Theater); Slumming It (Dixon Place Regional): More Fun Than Bowling & Darkness To Light (12 Miles West);TheNormal Heart (George Street 99); America For Sale (PEP) Film: 3 Dollars (Eddie) - Phat Cat Films; The Divine Instrument (Ben) - ReelRegal Prods.; Pocket Full of Sunshine (Diner Owner) - King Mountain Prods. TV/Webisode: Ghosts of Fort Greene (Eddie) - The Arthouse

Demetrius Kee (Willie) recently was seen in the HP21 Short Play Festival as Robert in the play Till Death Due we Part? His other credits include Going Viral (Deathdrop4dkids/Voice4), Dante (Devon), Sister Act (TJ), The Mountaintop, Once upon a Mattress (Jester/Nightingale), Big River: The Musical (Crossing Soloist (u/s)/Ensemble), Gospel at Colonus (Oedipus Singer), Houdini among the Spirits: The New Musical Equity Workshop (Ensemble), and Patterson Falls (Robert Edmund Jones). Instagram: @demetriustrk, Facebook: @Demetrius Kee

Autumn Jones (Henri) is a singer-songwriter from Maplewood, NJ, and a recent graduate from Berklee College of Music. The soulful R&B she creates is an expression of her life experiences as told through her stories and in each of her songs, which are available on all major platforms. Autumn has toured across the county & abroad in venues most notably; City Winery, Hard Rock Cafe Silvana in Harlem, Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan, Radio City in Valencia and the annual Maplewoodstock festival. She also opened for Vivian Green and Jon B. at the acclaimed SOPAC in South Orange, NJ. Her recent release, "Bittersweet" was selected as a finalist in the Tracks Music Awards for Best Music Video. She's excited to challenge herself in returning to theater her first ever major role in a musical.

David Rivera, Jr. (Freddy) is an actor, director, and educator who is currently pursuing a BA Theatre degree with a teaching certificate from Kean University. His favorite acting credits include dEAD dOG pARK (Ricky), Sunday in the Park with George (Franz/Bob Greensburg), Sister Act (Eddie Souther/Dance Captain), and Anna in the Tropics (Palomo). His directing credits include Take Down the Fence and Time Flies from Directors Workshop. He would like to thank everyone involved in making this production happen, as well as his family and friends for their constant support.

JO WYMER (Inez/Realtor) a 2x AMA award winner & 2x Grammy nominee for her original music written for TV & Film. Love to Dan & son, Hudson Eder. Recent credits: National & International touring cast of In The Heights (Abuela Claudia), Mamma Mia (Rosie Mulligan), and Every Wednesday Night (Teresa/Gloria Genovese).

Tommy Nichols (Richard) has appeared on stage in NYC and around the country, in GODSPELL, CABARET, THE PRODUCERS, PECOS BILL, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, and THE PIED PIPER, among many others. He often performs cabaret shows at Don't Tell Mama in NYC, and hopes to return there again sometime soon in post-pandemic times. Tommy wrote shows for ABC's Disney Saturday Morning, including DOUG, PB&J OTTER, and STANLEY. His play, INCIDENT ON WEST 43RD STREET, was showcased in 2019 at Equity Library Theater. Tommy spent his early years in theater following in the footsteps of Matthew Broderick, always called in to audition when Matthew was moving on to his next great project. This experience features prominently in the new musical Tommy is writing about his own life, titled (what else?) THE TOMMY SHOW. He lives in South Orange, NJ, and considers his 3 adult children, Kate, Max and Harry, his greatest accomplishment in life.

James DeVoursney (Dale) is honored to make his debut with Progressive Theater! His previous work includes Todd in The UVX by Luxury Universal Experience, The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz at Saint Michael's Playhouse, and Warren in Ordinary Days. James also toured as a Tour Actor/Director with Missoula Children's Theatre. He has a BA in Theatre and Psychology from Saint Michael's College. When not performing. James is working towards his EMT certification. More at backstage.com/u/james-devoursney

Daniel Drew (Cop) is an actor, singer and traditional Irish Dancer, born in Newark, NJ, He began performing at a young age, first in his local church choir, and then at a number of productions at Rutgers University in Newark. He later went on to attend Rutgers University where he sang for the Rutgers University Men's Glee Club under the direction of Dr. Patrick Gardner, performing such works as Straivnsky's Oedipus Rex, Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Das Berliner Requiem, and the Brahms Nanie. In the last few years his focus has shifted back toward the theater and he has performed in several regional productions, most notably appearing as Huey Calhoun in Vanguard Theater Company's production of Memphis: The Musical as well as playing Paris in the New York Musical Theater Festival production Searching for Romeo. a??

Progressive Theater aims to tell culturally enriched stories that empower people of color and other marginalized communities, while captivating audiences with the focus being the change we want to see. That change is simply representation on stage, behind the scenes and in the audience. Gregory Omar Osborne, Founder and Artistic Director, says, "Everyone deserves a chance to see a resemblance of themselves or their communities in arts and entertainment."

A free community screening of UPSTAIRS INFERNO will be held at The Woodland in Maplewood, NJ on June 12th, 2021. Two weeks following the screening, THE VIEW UPSTAIRS, musical, will be presented at the same location June 25th and 26th, 2021.

Registration for all events can be found here: https://www.onthestage.com/progressive-theater-a-nj-nonprofit-corporation/season

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