The 5th Avenue Theatre Creates Musical Radio Play Magic With WONDER BOY

The 5th Avenue Theatre will complete its 2021/22 Season with a musical radio play production of Wonder Boy, a moving and poignant new musical about a transgender man attempting to find a new normal in his identity.

Written by composer and playwright Jaime Jarrett (he/they) (Queer Baby Jesus; Normativity) and recorded in Seattle by a stellar local cast featuring Gloria Alcalá (they/them), Rheanna Atendido (she/her), Rhys Daly (he/him), Rachel Guyer-Mafune (she/her), UJ Mangune (he/they), Aaron M. Davis Norman (they/them), Tyler Rogers (he/they), and Porscha Shaw (she/they), Wonder Boy is directed by Jéhan Òsanyìn (they/them) and features music direction by Michael Nutting (he/him).

Wonder Boy is available for streaming from August 15 - 29, 2022. Digital passes are on sale now through August 12 and can be purchased over the phone at 206-625-1900, in person at the Box Office at 1308 5th Avenue, or online at www.5thavenue.org. Wonder Boy is available to all 2021/22 Season subscribers as part of their current subscription package.

Wonder Boy is the fourth musical radio play created by The 5th. In the 2021 Digital Season, The 5th produced three original musical radio plays including Tidtaya Sinutoke and Isabella Dawis's Half the Sky, which was originally commissioned in The 5th's inaugural First Draft: Raise Your Voice new musical development program; Afterwords, A New Musical, written by Zoe Sarnak and Emily Kaczmarek, which was also produced onstage by The 5th this past spring as part of the current 2021/22 Season; and The Lamplighter, a new musical created by local Seattle writers and performers Justin Huertas, Sara Porkalob, and Kirsten Delohr Helland.

"Musical radio plays are special in countless ways. Not only are they unique opportunities for audiences to immerse themselves in a different approach to musical theater storytelling, but they are pathways for writers, composers, and lyricist to develop and dig deeper into their works," said The 5th Avenue Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry (he/him). "Like the radio plays we produced in our digital season, we are honored to create space for this amazing new musical as it continues along on its creative journey."

"One of the many reasons why I reached out to Jaime about producing Wonder Boy is because I believe so strongly in the story and can already see the incredible things it can do for our community," added Nina Williams-Teramachi (they/them), The 5th's New Musical Producing Associate. "This show is a love letter to the trans and queer community in a time where every aspect of our lives as trans people, and especially trans people of color, are policed. Wonder Boy is a rare piece of musical theater that not only uplifts these voices in a fun, Sci-Fi superhero universe, but also explores the complexities of our relationships to our bodies and queerness. Making joyful queer and trans art is necessary for the community and the future of musical theater."

Jackson is recovering from a break up, growing apart from his twin sister, and attempting to find a new normal in his identity as a transgender man. During this tumultuous time, he craves some kind of protection for his heart. When he ingests an experimental drug, he is transformed into Wonder Boy: a superhero who has the ability to create impenetrable forcefields. He uses his power to protect his college campus, but learns that protecting others (and himself) is more complicated than he thought. Jackson must face his masculinity, his vulnerability, what it means to be a superhero, and what it means to care for others.

About the Cast

Rhys Daly (he/him) makes his 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Jackson/Wonder Boy. He attended the Open Jar Institute and was the Region 7 Musical Theatre Fellow at KCACTF 2019. He was recently seen in Two Mile Hollow with Intiman and Shakespeare: Drum and Colours with Seattle Shakespeare.

Rheanna Atendido (she/her) joins the cast as Naya. She is a singer-songwriter, actor, and playwright from Seattle. As a second-generation Filipino-American, her mission in life is to put BIPOC individuals at the forefront of storytelling. Recent performing credits include: Mamma Mia! AMT: NW Bookshelf (The 5th); Daddy Long Legs, Bright Star (Taproot); Twelfth Night (Seattle Rep); Dance Nation (WET); Head Over Heels (ArtsWest).

Rachel Guyer-Mafune (she/her) joins the cast as Peyton. She is an ACT Core Company member and a fourth generation Seattleite. You may have seen her onstage at Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, ArtsWest, Cafe Nordo, Washington Ensemble Theatre, and ACT Theatre.

UJ Mangune (he/they) returns to The 5th as Ellis. Mangune is a Seattle-born, first-generation Tagalog/Kapangpangan, nonbinary artist committed to a more equitable future. Initially learning from YouTube and local dance studios and theater organizations, UJ has since performed, choreographed, and directed musicals with a focus on true-to-life storytelling across the country.

Gloria Alcalá (they/them) is an actor, singer, writer, instrumentalist, and teaching artist based in Seattle making their debut at The 5th in the ensemble. Regional theater: Songs for a New World (Village Theatre); Cymbeline, Romeo y Julieta tour, The Tempest (Seattle Shakespeare Company); Bright Star (Taproot Theatre); ...Edward Tulane (Seattle Children's Theatre); Native Gardens (Intiman Theatre).

Aaron M. Davis Norman (they/them) (Ensemble) is an educator, artist, and activist originally from Compton, California. Aaron's formal training includes studying at Biola Conservatory of Music, studying with opera singers while living in Heidelberg, Germany, and Cornish College of the Arts. With a background in vocal performance and vocal health/technique, Aaron has performed in many musical arenas and has worked with incredible musicians across Europe, Canada, and the United States. From opera, to musical theatre, to gospel Aaron appreciates any chance he gets to work with other artists. Aaron has been blessed with opportunities to perform under the direction of John Rutter at Carnegie Hall. As an activist, Aaron continues to fight for equitable theatre education programs for youth and for diverse representation on stage and on productions teams. Aaron can currently be found teaching and music directing at Village Theatre KidStage and teaching voice Cornish College of The Arts.

Tyler Rogers (he/they) joins the cast in the ensemble, returning for their second radio play with The 5th Avenue Theatre. You may have seen them in the World Premiere productions of The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion at ArtsWest, Howl's Moving Castle at Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Imaginary Opus with Sound Theatre Company and eSe Teatro.

Porscha Shaw (she/they) returns to The 5th in the ensemble. Shaw is a disabled actor who is a graduate of the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of Washington. She is a native of Texas and a graduate of Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where she majored in drama under the training of Jon Jory. Her Seattle credits include: Disney's Beauty and the Beast; Shout, Sister, Shout!; Nina Simone: Four Women; Richard III; The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion; and Marisol.

About the Writer

Jaime Jarrett (he/they) is a composer/playwright whose mission is to tell honest and imaginative trans and queer stories through music, magic, and science fiction. Writing credits include: Wonder Boy (Musical Theatre Factory, NYMF's Developmental Reading Series, The Dare Tactic); (You Can't) Outrun the Monster (developed with Fresh Ground Pepper, The Ucross Foundation); Queer Baby Jesus, co-written with Nina Roy (The Lounge at Dixon Place); and Normativity (Polyphone Festival '17, NYMF '16). Jaime is a member of Musical Theatre Factory's inaugural Maker's Co-Hort and the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Workshop, and was a member of Theatre Now New York's Musical Theatre Writing Group from 2020-2021. His work has been performed at venues such as Birdland Jazz Club, The Duplex, and Green Room 42. He currently lives in West Philadelphia with his wonderful partner and their deeply anxious cat.

About the Creative Team

Jéhan Òsanyìn (they/them) (Director) is a multilingual playwright, director, actor, ceramicist, and metalsmith. Locally they directed The Book Club Play at Village Theatre, adapted and directed The Effluent Engine for Book-It Repertory Theatre, and will direct The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Seattle Children's Theatre. As an actor they've performed locally with Village Theatre, Intiman Theatre, ArtsWest, and Strawberry Theatre Workshop. They wrote, directed, and performed their autobiographical solo show, Yankee Pickney, with Theater Schmeater. Jéhan is the founding Creative Director of Earthseed, their art studio that uses theater in wild spaces to decolonize those spaces and the bodies that pass through them. Upcoming projects include: adapting The Lower Depths with The Seagull Project and a co-production of José Rivera's Cloud Tectonics produced by Earthseed and Sound Theatre Company.

Michael Nutting (he/him) (Music Director) Past credits include Afterwords, Mamma Mia!, Jasper in Deadland (The 5th), Howard Barnes, String (Village Theatre), Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors (ACT Theatre), and Bright Star (Taproot Theatre). When not music directing, Nutting is an avid composer, arranger/transcriber, and educator.

The creative team also includes Nina Williams-Teramachi (they/them) (New Musical Producing Associate, Casting Director), Erin B. Zatloka (she/her) (Stage Manager), Danny Kam (he/they) (Vocal Coach), and Anessa Marie (she/her) (Orchestrator).

Additional staff includes Andrew Pang (he/him) (Copyist), JR Welden (COVID Safety Manager), and Larcyn Burnett (Production Assistant).

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