Cathryn Wake and Joel Waggoner Join Nancy Opel in Regional Theatre Premiere of THE SUFFRAGIST

Exciting talent continues to join the cast of The Suffragist. Broadway veterans Cathryn Wake and Joel Waggoner bring years of experience in music, each with impressive Broadway credits - Wake (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) and Waggoner (School of Rock; Be More Chill).

"I am thrilled that a singer/actor of Cathryn Wake's experience has joined the production to play the role of Alice Paul in The Suffragist. She brings just the right qualities to play this revolutionary woman who made such a difference in women's lives through her persistence in the suffrage fight," says executive producer, Nancy Hill Cobb.

After a delayed scheduling due to Covid-19, The Suffragist will run July 16 to 18, 2021 for its world premiere performance at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The Suffragist follows Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt, Lucy Burns, Inez Milholland, Ida B. Wells and others as they struggle to justify the means for winning women's right to vote. This battle of ideas and leadership is painted in intimate human moments and with musical spectacle, bringing to life the parades, rallies and protests these true revolutionaries used to advance their cause.

Since the pandemic, this will be the first large-scale indoors Iowa stage production presented live and indoors that has been fully sanctioned by Actors' Equity Association, the labor union representing over 51,000 professional stage performers and stage managers across the country. In addition to Wake and Waggoner, The Suffragist will feature Nancy Opel (Tony-nominee Urinetown). These Actors' Equity members will be joined by MaKayla McDonald, a New York soprano who performed the title role in the New York City premiere of Thea Musgrave's The Story of Harriet Tubman.

"The Actors' Equity Association's core concern is for the health and safety of its members. During this past spring, as vaccinations became widely available, they have made decisions about how actors can go back to work safely. I am very happy that they saw the value of this premiere and worked with me on a special agreement to allow three of their members to go back to work under safe conditions," says Hill Cobb.

The cast also features Marjorie Gast as Inez Milholland, Erica Faye as Mary Church Terrell, Dani Schmaltz as Lucy Burns, Kristin Teig Torres as Tacie Paul, and Karla Goettel as Anna Howard Shaw. Filling out the rest of the cast are: Nancy Andreasen, Will Adams, Abby Bastian, Corky Bickel, Melanie Hance Chervek, Kenesha Davis, Blair Debolt, Alex Gassman, Arikson Jacob, Robin Kime, Fred Kiser, Emma Kosssayian, Thayne Lamb, Lauren Leman, Angelica Luz, Carrie Pozdol, Laurel Preston, Jakob Rehaa, Jon Turk, Joel Waggoner, Reubenlyn Williams, and Ian Woolverton-Weiss.

Rehearsals will begin June 25.

Hill Cobb is a retired music professor from University of Northern Iowa who serves as composer in addition to her executive producer role. Cavan Hallman, founding artistic director of Cedar Rapids' Mirrorbox Theatre, wrote the book and lyrics for The Suffragist. The musical is directed by New York-based Off Broadway director, Rachel Klein (Red Roses, Green Gold; Around the World in 80 Days), with Stephanie Klapper as casting director. Terry Trimpe serves as a second executive producer, with associate producer Katie Hallman.

Tickets are on sale through UNItix at (319) 273-4849 or visit gbpac.com/suffragist for more information.

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