Will Roland, Veanne Cox, and More Join Corbin Bleu and Danielle Wade in Goodspeed's SUMMER STOCK

Goodspeed Musicals has announced the cast for the world premiere musical comedy Summer Stock, the second production of its 60th anniversary season. Filled with exuberant dance numbers and hits from the American songbook, it is adapted from the MGM/Warner Bros. film Summer Stock and will appear on the Goodspeed stage from July 7 – August 27 in East Haddam, Conn. The official press opening will be July 26, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
 
Forget your troubles—come on, get happy! The tradition of turning a barn into a theater finds fertile new ground in a joyous world premiere inspired by the classic Judy Garland-Gene Kelly movie. When theatrical Gloria invites fellow troupers to the family farm with the idea of putting on a show, her practical sister Jane is stubborn as a mule but relents because the farm needs work—and workers. Sisterhood, budding romance and a Broadway-bound musical are all at risk. But there’s nothing like the sunshine of hits from the American songbook to chase all your cares away!
 
Summer Stock features a book by Emmy and Golden Globe-winning writer and producer Cheri Steinkellner (Goodspeed: Hello! My Baby, TV: Cheers, Broadway: Sister Act: The Musical). It is adapted from the 1950 MGM/Warner Bros. film Summer Stock by George Wells and Sy Gromberg.
 
Jane Falbury will be played by Danielle Wade (Broadway/National Tour: Mean Girls, North American Tour:  Wizard of Oz). Joe Ross will be played by Corbin Bleu (TV: High School Musical; Broadway: Kiss Me Kate, Holiday Inn, Godspell, In the Heights). Gloria Falbury will be played by Arianna Rosario (Broadway: Moulin Rouge, CATS, On Your Feet!). Phil Filmore will be played by Gilbert L. Bailey II (Broadway: The Book of Mormon, A Bronx Tale: The Musical, Beetlejuice: The Musical). Lt. Henry (Pop) Falbury will be played by Stephen Lee Anderson (Goodspeed: Paint Your Wagon; Broadway: Bright Star, Spiderman, Wicked). Margaret Wingate will be played by Veanne Cox (Goodspeed: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman; Broadway: An American in Paris, A Free Man of Color, La Cage aux Folles).  Orville Wingate will be played by Will Roland (Broadway: Be More Chill, Dear Evan Hansen). Montgomery Leach will be played by J. Anthony Crane (Broadway: The Country House, Butley and The Winslow Boy, Sight Unseen).
 
The ensemble will feature Erika Amato (Off-Broadway: Signs of Life, Triumph of Love; National Tour: Flashdance the Musical), Hannah Balagot (International Tour: West Side Story), DeShawn Bowens (Off-Broadway: Dog Man, National Tour: Mean Girls), Ronnie S. Bowman Jr. (Broadway/National Tour: The Music Man, Anastasia, A Chorus Line), Emily Kelly (Goodspeed: Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd), Francesca M. Mancuso, Tommy Martinez (Broadway: Newsies, Off-Broadway/National Tour: Kinky Boots), Corinne Munsch (Off-Broadway: Cheek to Cheek; National Tour:  Bullets Over Broadway, Elf), Gregory North (Broadway: Into the Woods, The Secret Garden, Grand Hotel),  Kaylee Olson (National Tour: Pretty Woman: The Musical, Bullets over Broadway, Anything Goes), Jack Sippel (Broadway: The Prom; National Tour: Memphis, Disney’s Newsies), and Cayel Tregeagle (National Tour: Hello, Dolly!).
 
Swings for this production are Nicholas Cunha and Kennedy Perez.
 
Summer Stock will be directed and choreographed by one of Canada’s most versatile and in-demand creative talents Donna Feore (Stratford Festival: Chicago, Billy Elliot; 5th Avenue Theatre: Broadway Vacation).
 
Music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations will be by three-time Tony Award-winner Doug Besterman (Goodspeed: Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Princesses; Broadway/Orchestrations: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award), The Producers (Tony Award), Fosse (Tony Award)). Music Direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza (Goodspeed: Over 20 productions including Gypsy, 42nd Street, Cabaret, A Grand Night for Singing, Because of Winn Dixie; Broadway: Wicked, Kinky Boots). Scenic Design will be by Wilson Chin (Goodspeed: Anne of Green Gables, Oklahoma!, Anything Goes; Broadway: Cost of Living, Pass Over, Next Fall). Costume Design will be by Tina McCartney (5th Avenue Theatre: Broadway Vacation; Broadway (associate designer): The Inheritance, Beetlejuice: The Musical). Lighting Design will be by Tony Award-winner Jeff Croiter (Goodspeed: Because of Winn Dixie, Holiday Inn, Cyrano; Broadway: Cost of Living, Freestyle Love Supreme, Bandstand). Sound Design will be by Jay Hilton who has designed countless productions at both The Terris Theatre and The Goodspeed and serves as Goodspeed’s Audio Supervisor/Resident Sound Designer. Hair, Wig & Make-up Design will be by Liz Printz (TV/Film: The Wiz Live!).
 
Bradley G. Spachman will be the Production Stage Manager. Casting for this production is by Peter Van Dam, CSA, for Tara Rubin Casting.
 
Summer Stock is produced by special arrangement with VenuWorks Theatricals: Steven Peters and Michael Londra, Principals; Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Executive Producer.
 
Summer Stock will run July 7th – August 27th, 2023. [Official Press Opening: July 26, 2023.]  Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).

Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open weekdays at 10:00 a.m., or online at goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more, visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
 
Summer Stock is underwritten, in part, by The Michael P. Price Endowment Fund at Goodspeed Musicals.

BIOGRAPHIES

Stephen Lee Anderson (Lt. Henry (Pop) Falbury) has appeared in numerous Broadway productions including: (most recently) Bright Star, Spiderman, Wicked, Fiddler on the Roof, Julius Caesar, The Crucible, Footloose, The Capeman, and The Kentucky Cycle. Off-Broadway: The Iceman Cometh (BAM), Violet, Floyd Collins (Playwrights Horizons). He was a member of The Bridge Project, performing in Richard III at The Old Vic in London and BAM (dir: Sam Mendes). Regional: The Kennedy Center, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre (IRNE Award Best Supporting Actor, Bus Stop). Film/TV: The Last Thing Mary Saw, Intrusion, Law and Order, Daredevil, Public Morals, Orange Is The New Black, Elementary, Madam Secretary.

Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil Filmore) Broadway: The Book of Mormon, A Bronx Tale: The Musical, Beetlejuice: The Musical; New York and Regional Theatre: Murray in Clueless The Musical (The New Group), Ozie Powell in The Scottsboro Boys (CTG’s The Ahmanson, The Philadelphia Theatre Company), Harpo in The Color Purple (Milwaukee Rep). Thanks to HCKR, my reps. Love most of all and always to My Jessie and Jade, my Heart and Home. @GLBaileyii to follow.

Corbin Bleu (Joe Ross) is an accomplished actor, singer/songwriter, dancer, voiceover/recording artist, host/television personality and producer. Bleu is best known for his role as Chad Danforth in the Emmy Award-winning High School Musical franchise. Bleu recently starred in TV movies Love, For Real and A Christmas Dance Reunion. In 2022, Bleu special guest-starred in the third and fourth season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. Broadway credits include Godspell, In the Heights and the Tony Award-nominated revival of Kiss Me Kate, and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, which garnered Bleu the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show.

Veanne Cox (Margaret Wingate) Broadway: An American in Paris, A Free Man of Color, La Cage Aux Folles, Caroline or Change, The Dinner Party, Company, Smile. Off Broadway shows at Vineyard, TFANA, Signature, NYTW, The Public, MTC, MCC, Playwright's Horizons, Women's Project, Rattlestick. Shakespeare Theatre Company: Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, Merry Wives of Windsor, Way Of The World, The Beaux Stratagem. TV/FILM include: Summoning Sylvia, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Mandolorian, New Amsterdam, NCIS New Orleans, Seinfeld, Cinderella, Erin Brockovich, You've Got Mail. Web Series: Indoor Boys and Cady Did. She has been nominated for Tony, Emmy, Outer Critics and Helen Hayes Awards and has received special Drama Desk and Obie Awards for excellence in the Theatre.  

Will Roland (Orville Wingate) [he/him] is a Brooklyn-based actor. Broadway: original casts of Be More Chill (Jeremy Heere), and Dear Evan Hansen (Jared Kleinman). Other Stages: The Black Suits at Center Theatre Group and Barrington Stage; LoserSongs; The Panic of ‘29 and The Bus at 59E59. TV/Web: Billions (Seasons 3-7), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Foul Play, Broadway Jackbox. Proud longtime member of Joe Iconis & Family. Passionate about new work: new plays & musicals developed with Ars Nova, Second Stage, Hartford Stage, La Jolla, Arena, NYMF, NAMT, & more. Thanks Steph, Mom, Dad, Val, James, Sam, Jessica, Ira, and my many teachers for their enduring support.

Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury) is thrilled to be making her Goodspeed debut! Broadway: Moulin Rouge, CATS, On Your Feet!. Tour: Cinderella, West Side Story, CATS, OYF!. Select regional credits: MUNY: On Your Feet! (Gloria Estefan), Signature Theatre: RENT (Mimi), Bay Street Theater: Evita (Eva Peron), Kennedy Center: In The Heights (Carla). FILM/TV: West Side Story (Spielberg); Devotion; tick, tick... BOOM!; Vivo; CW: The Waltons; FX: Fosse/Verdon; OWN: Queen Sugar; NETFLIX: Girls5Eva. www.ariannarosario.com @ariannarosario

Danielle Wade (Jane Falbury) is a proud Canadian working in New York City. She will next be introduced on the HBO Max series, JULIA, this upcoming season. Most recently, she starred as Cady Heron in the First National tour of Mean Girls: The Musical after appearing in the Broadway company. You may recognize her as Dorothy from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wizard of Oz. She has played many houses around North America including a turn as Marian Paroo in The Stratford Festival’s The Music Man. Select Credits: NBC’s One Night Only – Broadway Special, Lorene in Tim Rice’s From Here to Eternity (Ogunquit Playhouse), Belle in Beauty and The Beast (DE) and Anne in Anne of Green Gables (DE).

Erika Amato (Ensemble) Goodspeed debut! Favorite credits include - National Tour: Flashdance the Musical (Miss Wilde); Off-Broadway: Signs of Life (Berta), Triumph of Love (Hesione); Regional: An American in Paris (Madame Baurel), R+H’s Cinderella (Madame), Biography (Marion), Into the Woods (Witch), Hairspray (Velma Von Tussle), Sleeping Beauty Wakes (Bad Fairy). TV/Film credits include: Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Quantum Leap, and Enchanted. Erika is also the lead singer of Velvet Chain (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). www.erikaamato.com

HANNAH BALAGOT (Ensemble) [she/her] has admired Goodspeed for a long time and is thrilled to be joining this season. Select credits include Ermengarde in Hello Dolly! (Pioneer Theater), Anybodys in West Side Story (International Tour, Barrington Stage, North Shore Music Theater), Danny Who in Dr. Suess: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Grand Ole Opry), Erma in Anything Goes (Moonlight Stage) and various new collaborative works for stage and film. She is very grateful that we are all able to enjoy theater together again. With special thanks to her family and Jeff for their endless love and support.

DeSHAWN TRAVIS BOWENS (Ensemble) credits include - Off Broadway: Dog Man (George); National Tour: Mean Girls; Regional: Chicago, Mamma Mia! (Fulton), Guys and Dolls (Asolo Repertory Theatre), Newsies, (Marriott); TV/Film: Madame (Dawg Paw Productions). Elon BFA MT alumni! Much love and thanks to God, family, Bloc agency, Goodspeed and the cast and creative team of Summer Stock! For mom! @deshawnbowens

Ronnie S. Bowman JR. (Ensemble), Connecticut native, is ecstatic to be making his Goodspeed debut! A dream becoming a reality. Broadway/Tours: The Music Man (Original 2022 Revival Cast), Anastasia (Original First National Tour Cast), A Chorus Line set by Baayork Lee. Selected Credits: West Side Story (Bernardo), A Chorus Line (Richie), 25th Annual....Spelling Bee (Mitch). Television/Film: Sugar Plum Twist (Hallmark), Rustin (Netflix). All glory to God!! Thanks to my incredible support team of family, friends and the greatest team at DGRW. Proud graduate of The Hartt School. Proverbs 3:5-6. Love you forever, Dad.

Emily Kelly (Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to Goodspeed! Previous shows include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ensemble) and Roar of the Greasepaint… (Associate Choreographer). Favorite credits: Grand Hotel (Encores! City Center), Cabaret (Rosie/Sally US; Asolo Rep), Jersey Boys (Francine; The Fulton), A Chorus Line (Maggie), and the Muny. Originally from Sacramento, CA; proud Indiana University grad! Big thanks to the Summer Stock team and The Collective Talent. Love to Alex and my amazing friends and family! @emckelly

FRANCESCA MANCUSO (Ensemble) Francesca (Frenchie) Mancuso is thrilled to be making her Goodspeed debut. Born and raised in Bucks County, PA, Frenchie was trained as a professional dancer under the direction of Terri-Garcia Lee at Pennsylvania School of the Performing Arts. Graduate of Elon University, BFA in Music Theatre. Recent Credits include: Sheila in A Chorus Line (New London Barn Playhouse), Lise U/S and ensemble in American in Paris (Drury Lane Theatre), Amy in Little Women, Spot Conlon in Newsies and Lorraine in 42nd Street (New London Barn Playhouse), Julia in The Wedding Singer (Elon University). Francesca can also be seen featured in the newest season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel! Special thanks to DGRW, her parents, sisters, and Daniel. Without all of you, none of this would be possible.

Tommy Martinez (Ensemble) is thrilled to be spending the summer at Goodspeed! TV: Hairspray Live!; B’way: Newsies; Off B’way/Tour: Kinky Boots; Regional: Old Globe, Muny, PCLO, Ogunquit, Met

Gala, Fireside, Tuacahn, Arkansas Rep. Endless love to Nimmy and Gigi. Love to Mom, Nana, and Dad. Insta: @atleastimfunny, TikTok: @Iwasbornperfect

Corinne Munsch (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her Goodspeed debut in this glorious show! Previous credits include Cheek to Cheek Off-Broadway with Randy Skinner, Cabaret (Asolo Repertory), The Nutty Professor (Ogunquit Playhouse), Judy in A Chorus Line (Signature Theatre), Beauty and the Beast (Paper Mill Playhouse). Nat’l Tours: Bullets Over Broadway, Elf, Seven Brides.... TV: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Mountains of gratitude to this incredible Summer Stock team, to Sofia and Rebecca at CESD, and to Avery and Pearl at home.

Gregory North (Ensemble) BROADWAY: Into the Woods, Secret Garden, Grand Hotel opposite Cyd Charisse. NY: A Christmas Carol (Madison Square Garden). TOUR: Phantom, Show Boat, Les Misérables. WORLD PREMIERES: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Rock of Ages, The Last Ship. REGIONAL: Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Sacramento Music Circus, Mark Taper, Pioneer Theatre Co., Laguna Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Pasadena Playhouse. FAVORITES: Newsies!, Hunchback, Harvey, Barrymore, Peter Pan, She Loves Me, King Charles III, Grumpy Old Men, Young Frankenstein, 12 Angry Men. FILM/TV: 11.22.63, “Elizabethtown, In Good Company, ER, How to Get Away With Murder, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Astroboy, Feud: Capote’s Women. Thanks CAM & ATB. 

Kaylee Olsen (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be performing in Summer Stock here at Goodspeed! Some of Ms. Olson’s favorite credits include; Spamalot at the Kennedy Center, Crazy for You at Lincoln Center, Merry Widow at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as the First National tours of Pretty Woman: The Musical, Bullets over Broadway and the National Tour of Anything Goes. Ms. Olson would like to congratulate Molly and her dance studio back home, Innovative Dance (@innovativednc), for celebrating their 25th anniversary! Thanks for teaching me so much! Extra love to my family, and many thanks to my friends. @kaylee.is.the.olson www.kayleeolson.com

Jack Sippel (Ensemble) Broadway: The Prom (Dance Captain). National Tours: Memphis, Disney’s Newsies (Mush/Bill). Film: The Prom (Associate Choreographer/Performer), Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical (Kenny/Darcy). Regional: Resident Choreographer and 10+ seasons performing at The Muny; Come Fall in Love (Old Globe); Mary Poppins, West Side Story (Paper Mill Playhouse); Chasing Rainbows (Flat Rock Playhouse); The Met Gala; The Tony Awards; Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Coach/Mentor for the Open Jar Institute. Social: @jackjsippel or jack-sippel.com

Cayel Tregeagle (Ensemble) National Tour: Hello, Dolly!. Regional: Sacramento Music Circus, The Muny, MTWichita, Riverside Theater, Engeman Theater, and Walt Disney World. He holds a BFA in Musical Theater. He would like to thank his parents for teaching him the performing arts, and his husband, Noah, for his love and support.

NICHOLAS CUNHA (Swings) is excited to be making his Goodspeed Debut with such an incredible team! Credits – New York: Cherubini’s Requiem (Lincoln Center), Macbeth (Circle in the Square). Regional: On Your Feet! (Paper Mill Playhouse), White Christmas (Shaw Festival), Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (Quasimodo, Toronto Premiere). Film/TV: PJ Masks (Disney Junior). Concert Performances: The Rolling Stones (50 & Counting Tour), Cirque du Soleil (Luzia). Originally from Toronto, Canada, and a graduate of Circle in the Square in NYC, Nicholas is grateful to his family, friends, and teachers for their guidance and support!

KENNEDY PEREZ (Swings) is overjoyed to be a part of the premiere of Summer Stock and to be making her Goodspeed debut! Favorite previous credits include swinging A Chorus Line (Tokyo tour and Cincinnati Playhouse), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Engeman Theatre), Cinderella (North Shore Music Theatre), and The Prom (Pioneer Theatre). Much gratitude to the cast and crew, her family, and The Collective Talent!

ABOUT GOODSPEED MUSICALS
 

Goodspeed Musicals has achieved international acclaim and is the first theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards for outstanding achievement in musical theatre. Under the leadership of Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director and David B. Byrd, Managing Director, Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the celebration, development and advancement of musical theatre. Goodspeed creates powerful, world-class productions of enlightening new and established works to delight, inspire and challenge audiences on its two stages – The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn., and The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. From Goodspeed, 21 musicals have gone to Broadway (including Man of La Mancha, Annie, Shenandoah and Holiday Inn) and 85 new musicals have been launched. Goodspeed’s Festival of New Musicals, GoodWorks commissioning program and the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed are distinguished cornerstones of the organization that highlight its commitment to nurture creators and the creative process. Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. The organization is supported in part by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts; CT Humanities; The Hoffman Auto Group; The Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; The Shubert Foundation; and WSHU Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Sennheiser, the official audio sponsor; and United Airlines, the official airline of Goodspeed Musicals. For more information, visit www.goodspeed.org.