THE BOOK OF MORMON National Tour Cast Unveiled - Creel, Gertner, Ware, Henson, Mambo & More!

Original Broadway cast member Jared Gertner will star as Elder Cunningham in the First National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, launching in Denver from August 14-September 2 at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Gertner will join previously announced Gavin Creel as Elder Price. Samantha Marie Ware joins as Nabulungi, as well as Grey Henson as Elder McKinley and Kevin Mambo as Mafala Hatimbi.

THE BOOK OF MORMON national tour will also feature Mike McGowan, Derrick Williams, Jon Bass, Jacob ben Widmar, Colin Bradbury, Josh Breckenridge, JR Bruno, Michael Buchanan, JoNathan Cullen, Bobby Daye, Talitha Farrow, Phyre Hawkins, Mykal Kilgore, Daniel LeClaire, Antyon LeMonte, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Laiona Michelle, Kevin Michael Murphy, Michael Schwitter, Jeffrey David Sears, Marisha Wallace, Bud Weber, Christian Dante White, and Jamaal Wilson. Additional casting will be announced soon.

Winner of nine Tony® Awards including Best Musical, THE BOOK OF MORMON will travel to over fifteen cities during the 2012-2013 season including:

Denver, CO The Ellie Caulkins Opera House August 14 – September 2, 2012
Los Angeles, CA The Pantages Theatre September 5 – November 25, 2012
San Francisco, CA The Curran Theatre November 27– December 30, 2012
Portland, OR Keller Auditorium January 1– January 6, 2013
Seattle, WA The Paramount January 8– January 20, 2013
Des Moines, IA Civic Center of Greater Des Moines January 24– February 3, 2013
Minneapolis, MN The Orpheum Theatre February 5– February 17, 2013
St. Louis, MO The Fox Theatre February 19– March 3, 2013
Rochester, NY The Auditorium Theatre March 5– March 10, 2013
Detroit, MI The Fisher Theatre March 12– March 24, 2013
Pittsburgh, PA The Benedum Center March 26– April 7, 2013
Boston, MA The Boston Opera House April 9– April 28, 2013
Toronto, ON TBD April 30– June 9, 2013
Buffalo, NY Shea's Performing Arts Center June 11– June 16, 2013
Cleveland, OH The Palace Theatre June 18– July 7, 2013
Washington DC The Kennedy Center July 9– August 18, 2013

Additional engagements will be announced at a later date.

THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of the landmark animated series, “South Park.” Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The musical is choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

THE BOOK OF MORMON is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

THE BOOK OF MORMON features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.

Biographies:

Jared Gertner (Elder Cunningham) was the Cunningham standby in the Original Broadway Cast of Mormon and eventually took over the role. OTHER NY: …Spelling Bee (Broadway), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), and the Off-Broadway improv show, Don’t Quit Your Night Job. REGIONAL: San Francisco/Boston company of…Spelling Bee (IRNE award, Best Actor), Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed, Cincinnati Playhouse, St Louis Rep, First Stage Milwaukee, Fulton, The Gem, Pennylvania Centre Stage. TV/FILM: Ugly Betty, The Good Wife, The Suicide Auditions, Between Love and Goodbye, and the web series, Submissions Only. EDUCATION: NYU/Tisch. FOR: Mom, Dad, and Jeffrey.

Gavin Creel (Elder Price). Broadway: HAIR (Tony® Nomination), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony® Nomination), La Cage Aux Folles. West End: HAIR, Mary Poppins. Off-Broadway: Bat Boy, Mystery Plays (2nd Stage). National Tour: Fame. Regional: Bounce (Goodman Theatre/Kennedy Center), Prometheus Bound (A.R.T.), Mystery Plays (Yale Rep). TV: “Eloise at the Plaza”, “Eloise at Christmastime.” both co-starring Julie Andrews. Original Recorings: “GoodTimeNation,” “Quiet,” “Get Out,” & the single, “Noise.” Co-Founder: Broadway Impact. School: University of Michigan. Dog: Wally.

SAMANTHA MARIE WARE (Nabulungi) debuted in Vegas with the role of Nala in Disney’s The Lion King. A proud AEA member! Other credits include Velma in Chicago, Mimi in RENT, Rusty in Footloose. She gives much love and thanks to family and friends everywhere for all their love and support.

GREY HENSON (Elder McKinley). Professional and touring debut! Grey is a recent Carnegie Mellon graduate (2012), holding a BFA in Acting/Musical Theatre. Favorite Roles: Assassins (Sam Byck), Sweeney Todd (Beadle Bamford). So much love and gratitude to my family, friends and everyone at CMU. Finally, a big thanks to the BOM team for this amazing experience. Over. The. Moon.

Kevin Mambo (Mafala Hatimbi). Two- time Emmy winner for “Guiding Light.” Broadway: Fela! Off-Broadway: Ruined. Film/TV: Cadillac Records, “One Life to Live” (recurring), “Soul Food” (recurring). “Any Day Now.” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Deadline,” “Trial By Jury,” “Special Victims Unit,” “Spin City,” “Family Matters,” “Freshman Dorm,” The Firing Squad, One of Us Tripped. Other NY theatre includes Hoodoo Love (Cherry Lane), Once Around the Sun (Zipper), Roberto Zucco (Empire Theatre Co.). The Last Detail (Lucille Lortel). Fela Is a Weapon (Shrine). Upcoming Recordings from Blaz & the 88Sound, Audio Deluxe, Blak Astronauts and Mamborena.

Mike McGowan (Missionary Training Center Voice/Price's Dad/Joseph Smith/Mission President). Broadway: Ragtime (Whitman), Grease (Vince), Apple Tree, Priscilla (Frank), Producers. NYC: Bernstein’s Mass (Naxos recording, Grammy nom.), Thou Swell (Lincoln Center), Body Beautiful (York, recording), Grey Gardens (Playwrights’ Horizons), Ringling Bros. (Ringmaster), Macbeth (Macbeth). Regional: Kiss Me Kate (Petruchio/Fred), Carnival (Marco), Candide (Max/ Vanderdendur), Master Class (Tony), Jekyll & Hyde (Jekyll/Hyde), Night Music (Carl-Magnus), Tommy (Capt. Walker), MUD (Lloyd). Film: The Producers. Television: “Electric Company,” “Delocated,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Derrick Williams (General). Derrick is thrilled to be joining The Book Of Mormon family. He was last seen in the Las Vegas Company of The Lion King playing the role of Mufasa. Broadway credits include Wicked (Fiyero), Aida, Swing. National Tours: Wicked, Aida, Smokey Joes Café. TV credits: “Numbers,” “Ghost Whisper,” and “Chapelle Show” on Comedy Central." For My Family".

JON BASS (Standby Elder Cunningham) is an actor from New York City. New York: Billy Witch (Studio 42), Friends In Transient Places (Ars Nova), Heart Torture Station (Women’s Project). Regional: Comedy of Errors, Western Country, Map of Virtues (Williamstown Theatre Festival). B.F.A Boston University. He would like to thank this wonderful cast and crew for being so Awesome! His family is cool too.

Jacob ben Widmar (Ensemble). Broadway/ Tour: Xanadu (u/s Whoopi Goldberg), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (u/s Mike Nulty), Mary Poppins (u/s Robertson Ay), No,No, Nanette (Encores!). Original productions of White Noise (La Petit), White Christmas (Pantages, LA) and originated the role of Teddy in Dancing in the Dark (Old Globe). Regional: Billy Lawlor in 42nd street (Robbie Award Nom.), Production Tenor in Singin' in the Rain (Goodspeed), Paper Mill Playhouse, Reprise!, AMTSJ and Sacramento Music Circus. Proud Graduate of Brigham Young University.
Colin Bradbury (Swing, Dance Captain) is psyched to join BOM! Favorites: Come Fly Away (OBC); Sinatra: Dance With Me (Asst. Dance Supervisor); A Chorus Line (1st National); Heatwave: The Jack Cole Project (World Premiere); Radio City Christmas Spectacular (RCMH); Girl Crazy (Encores); Yank! (Workshop); White Christmas (LA, St Paul, Boston); 42 Street (Japan/US National); Papermill; TUTS; PCLO; Gateway; McCarter. Endless thanks to his family and Olives to Brian!
Josh Breckenridge (Ensemble). Broadway: The Scottsboro Boys (Olen); The Ritz. Off-Broadway: Scottsboro Boys (Vineyard); Saved! (Shane, Playwrights Horizons). Regional: The Whipping Man (John, KC Rep); Tales of the City (Jon, ACT/O'Neill Theatre Ctr); Scottsboro Boys (Guthrie); Hairspray (Seaweed, Marriot Lincolnshire); Smokey Joe’s Café (Cape Playhouse); Dreamgirls (C.C.,NCT); Memphis (La Jolla Playhouse, 5th Avenue). Film: Finding Me: Truth. BFA: CCM

JR BRUNO (Ensemble). First National Tour! Broadway: West Side Story. Favorite
Regional/European: [title of show], Avenue Q, ...Spelling Bee, Into the Woods. Graduate of the B-W Conservatory of Music. Thank you to my friends, family, colleagues, and teachers. Thank you The Book of Mormon team for being amazing! Special thank you to Mom, Dad, Jade, T.J., and the J-Man.

Michael Buchanan (Ensemble). Broadway: The Addams Family, Cry-Baby. Off- Broadway: Fat Camp, Play It Cool. National Tour: The Addams Family. Other credits: White Noise (Chicago), The Addams Family (Chicago), HAIR-Woof (Arizona Theatre Co.), Urinetown-Bobby (2006 Joseph Jefferson Award Winner-Best Actor in a Musical), Mame (Kennedy Center), Pirates of Penzance (Guthrie), West Side Story (Tony), The Fantasticks (Matt).

JoNathan Cullen (Standby Elder Price). Next to Normal (Henry, MTC); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Stage West Calgary); Billy Elliot (First National Tour); West Side Story (Theatre St. John's); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Charlottetown); Oberon, Anything Goes, Metamorphoses (Theatre Sheridan); TV: Bomb Girls (Global); Training: Sheridan College Music Theatre Program. Thanks to Bruce and the gang at TH, and to my mom and brother for teaching me to believe.

Bobby Daye (Ensemble). Broadway credits include The Book of Mormon, Shrek the Musical, The Color Purple, The Lion King, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Dreamgirls and The Wiz.
Recipient of an Outstanding Individual Performance Award for his work in the 2010 NYMF production of The Great Unknown. Penned the theme song to the ABC-TV soap Loving, performed by Johnny Mathis. Numerous television commercials and radio voiceovers.

Talitha Farrow (Swing). National Tours: Dreamgirls (Effie White u/s), Hairspray (Cindy Watkins/Dynamite) Regional Favorites: Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph…, Parade. AMDA-NY Alum! She would like to thank her loving family and beautiful friends for all their love and constant support. Also, Dulcina Eisen Associates for always believing. PK for life!!

Phyre Hawkins (Ensemble). HAIR (Broadway, West End, National Tour), The Color Purple (1st National Tour), Avenue Q (Las Vegas), Black Nativity, Macbeth, and Trojan Women (The Classical Theatre of Harlem). She is a proud AEA member and excited to be touring with BOM. Much LOVE to my family and friends, who keep me grounded.

Mykal Kilgore (Ensemble) is a good old Florida boy… never meaning no harm! Theater credits: HAIR (Broadway), King Lear (EPBB), 5 Guys Named Moe (Casa Mañana), From My Hometown (Milwaukee Rep), and developmental readings of Motown (dir. Charles Randolph-Wright), Pippin (dir. Diane Paulus), and Rocket Science (dir. Kathleen Marshall). Thanks and Love to my Fam, Teachers, Loves, and Shugs!!!

Daniel LeCLAIRE (Ensemble). Credits: “Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl” (Singer/Dancer), Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl (Fender), All American Rejects "Beekeeper's Daughter" Music Video (Feat. Dancer), L.A.'s critically acclaimed For The Record Series: Tarantino and John Hughes, Broadway Rocks Anaheim (choreographer). Thank you AEA and Shelli at MSA Agency. For Mom, Dad, Mark and Family! LA Represent!

Antyon LeMonte (Swing) is thrilled to join The Book of Mormon. Credits include: Hairspray (National Tour, 2007), "American Idol" (Fox, 2009), La Cage (The Arts Center Hilton Head), Aida (Gateway Playhouse), Mama, I Want to Sing! (New World Stages NYC). He sends his love and thanks to his family, friends & Beau for their continuous love and support.

Douglas Lyons (Ensemble, Assistant Dance Captain) is a transfer missionary directly from the Original Broadway Cast of The Book of Mormon. National Tours: RENT, Dreamgirls (Apollo Theatre). Fav' Regional/Workshops: To Kill a Mockingbird (Hartford Stage Co.), Pirates (Huntington Theatre Co.), Band Geeks (Goodspeed Musicals), Holler if ya Hear Me (Directed by Kenny Leon). BFA, The Hartt School. Parents & CLA I love you. "Dream Big, Dream Fierce."

Kimberly Marable (Ensemble) is thrilled to be ringing doorbells everywhere! Broadway: Sister Act (Deloris u/s, performed opposite Carolee Carmello). National/International Tours: Dreamgirls, Hairspray, and The Wedding Singer. A Brooklyn native and Dartmouth College graduate. Kimberly is humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and will forever thank family, friends, CLA, and MA for their endless love and support. BII.

Laiona Michelle (Ensemble). Recipient of a NAACP. Nominated Best Lead Actress by the Helen Hayes 2005 Awards for Yellowman (Arena Stage). World Premieres: Dan Dietz's Clementine in the Lower 9 and Robert O'Hara's Booty Candy. Additional Theatre: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Shakespeare Theatre Company and Goodspeed Opera House. TV and Film: “Law and Order” and “All My Children.”

KEVIN Michael Murphy (Ensemble). Credits: Awesome 80s Prom (Off-Bway), various musical/comedy shows at NYMF, NYCFringe, and UCB, as well as the creator of the critically acclaimed concert series, If It Only Even Runs a Minute. B.M.-JMU, M.A.- NYU(Steinhardt) Thanks to the entire BOM team, Phoenix Artists, and the most supportive parents a guy could ever want.

MIKE SCHWITTER (Swing) is grateful and thrilled to be making his tour debut with this cast and crew. Regional credits include Next to Normal (Gabe; Regional Premier), Love Changes Everything and Jesus Christ Superstar at Pittsburgh CLO, Make Someone Happy. Other favorites: HAIR, Evita, Anything Goes, Urinetown. Many thanks to my friends and dedicated, with love, to my incredible family for their support.

JEFFREY DAVID SEARS (Ensemble) is ridiculously psyched to be a part of such a momentous production, with such a brilliant creative team. Off-Broadway: Avenue Q (Princeton/Rod). Regional: City of Angels (Jimmy Powers) Goodspeed. Carnegie Mellon University. BFA University of Kansas. All his humor and humility come from great friends, beautiful parents and a really awesome big brother.

Marisha Wallace (Ensemble). Marisha is ecstatic to be a part of Book of Mormon! Off Broadway: Sistas (Simone/Gloria/Tamika). Regional: Portland Center Stage: Oklahoma! (Ado Annie), One Night with Janis Joplin (Blues Singer/ Vocalist); Rent (Joanne), Dreamgirls (Effie), HAIR (Dionne). East Carolina University Alum! Thanks to Mom, Dad, Brother and Sister, Michael, BOM Team, and love of my life Dom! Blessed and Highly Favored!

Bud Weber (Ensemble) is psyched to be a part of this amazing show. He would like to thank the creative team, Carrie Gardner, Abrams Artists and his friends and family for their constant love and support!

Christian Dante White (Ensemble). Broadway: Scottsboro Boys (Original Charlie and Victoria) NY: The Wiz (Scarecrow), Lost In the Stars, Cotton Club Parade. Off-Broadway: Scottsboro Boys. Jersey Boys (Vegas) National Tour: Hairspray (Seaweed). TV: "A Mann's World" (NBC, Pilot). Thank you: Headline, Mom, Family, dedicated to Grandma.

Jamaal Wilson (Swing). Tours/Regional: Dreamgirls; The All Night Strut; Sundiata, The Lion King of Mali (Sundiata); Olympic Spirit: The Jesse Owens Story (Jesse Owens); Junie B. Jones. Other: POPart, The Musical; For the Love of Christ, etc. Multiple concerts throughout US, Germany & London. Much love to Mom & family for your support.