Eden Espinosa, Antonio Cipriano & More to Star in 21st Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS

Village Theatre has revealed the complete casting for the 21st annual Festival of New Musicals, which takes place August 2-4, 2024, at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah, Wash. Casting for the 2024 Festival includes critically acclaimed Broadway artist Eden Espinosa – recently nominated for Tony and Drama League Awards for Lempicka – as well as notable Broadway artists Antonio Cipriano (Jagged Little Pill) and Jon-Michael Reese (A Strange Loop); nationally touring artists Jade McLeod (Jagged Little Pill) and Clyde Voce (The Color Purple); and many of Seattle’s finest musical theater artists, including Shaunyce Omar (Village: Matilda) and Billie Wildrick (Village: Cabaret).

This year, for the first time in the Festival’s 20-year history, Village Theatre made admission free to the general public — and all free seats were reserved within the first 24 hours. Waitlists are available for all four readings at VillageTheatre.org/Festival and seats will be released up to day-of-show based on availability. Limited seats are still available for donors of $1,000 or more to support the Village Originals new works program.

“A huge congratulations to Brandon Ivie and Arika Matoba in our casting office, as well as to our creative teams,” said Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr. “This year’s Festival promises to celebrate the breadth, diversity, and artistic innovation of new musical theater, and the actors we have assembled are poised to bring these fantastic new shows to life.”

Village Originals has launched more than 180 new musicals into the universe, sending them across the country, to Broadway, and worldwide, and jumpstarting beloved hits like Million Dollar Quartet and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal.

The Oscar Micheaux Project

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 8:00 p.m.

Music by Alphonso Horne
Lyrics by Jesse L. Kearney, Jr. & Peter Mills
Book by Jesse L. Kearney, Jr. & Cara Reichel
Additional Music Peter Mills

Directed by Kimille Howard
Music Directed by Michael Nutting
Stage Managed by Laurel Nichols

CAST
Brandi Birdsong (Essie Robeson), Kataka Corn (Evelyn Preer), Jesimiel R. Jenkins (Paul Robeson), Shaunyce Omar (Blanche Jarvis), Jon-Michael Reese (Oscar Micheaux), Be Russell (Alice B. Russell), Yusef D. Seevers (Swan Micheaux), Chandler T. Thomas (George Johnson/Reverend), and Clyde Voce (Noble Johnson)

Cinematic pioneer Oscar Micheaux’s legacy as Hollywood’s first Black filmmaker comes to syncopated and soulful life in this tuneful and historic new jazz musical.

The Oscar Micheaux Project was originally commissioned and developed by NYC’s Prospect Theater Company and received developmental support from the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals.

Wakeman

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2:00 p.m.

Music, Lyrics, and Book by Jenn Grinels

Directed by Kelly Kitchens
Music Directed by Elisa Money
Stage Managed by Miranda C. Pratt

CAST
Andi Alhadeff (Prisoner), Tom Avery (Perry Wilder), Ethan Carpenter (Canal Worker 1 (Lyons)/Stephen Wiley), Ann Cornelius (Sergeant Evans), Rhys Daly (Jimmy Webb), Mark Emerson (Father), Jade McLeod (Wakeman), Alexander Kilian (Gilbert Webb), CJ Lorentz (Henry Austin), Hanson Mitchell (Robert), Casey Raiha (Hiram Sweet), and Billie Wildrick (Mother)

This incredible true story of American Civil War soldier Rosetta Wakeman — who dressed as a man to fight for the Union army — chronicles her heroic journey with a thrilling modern-folk-rock-meets-Americana score.

We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up: The Hymon & Parfunkel Musical

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 8:00 p.m.

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Gregg Hammer & Louis Pardo
Developed with and Directed by Scott Weinstein
Stage Managed by Laura Karavitis

CAST
Gregg Hammer (Saul Hymon) and Louis Pardo (Bart Parfunkel)

A zany, laugh-out-loud jukebox musical about — and featuring the songs of — a band that never existed, with a hilarious score spoofing your favorite 60s-70s folk artists.

We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up was previously developed at Phoenix Theatre and Chance Theatre.

And Sometimes… Love

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2:00 p.m.
Music & Lyrics by Michael Mott 
Book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña
Inspired by the true story A Love Not Meant For Me by Aryana Rose 

Directed by Peter Flynn
Music Directed by R.J. Tancioco
Stage Managed by Anna Vraney

CAST
Antonio Cipriano (Gianluca Lejeune), Eden Espinosa (Aryana Rose Diaz), and Julia Kuzmich (Valerie Rousseau/Mother Mary)

An intimate and emotional story of a Latina empty-nester working in France who experiences romance for the first time with a man she’s just met: her passionate Italian lover, many years her junior.

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