Meredith Willson's The Music Man

Who's Who

CAST (in alphabetical order)

JANET ALDRICH (Maud Dunlop, u/s Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn) is thrilled to join the Arena Stage community. She recently appeared in Annie at the Olney, where she reprised her original Broadway role and stood by for Miss Hannigan. She has won four awards including the first Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in a Resident Musical for her performance in D.C.’s Forbidden Broadway. Her career as an actor spans 35 years, seven countries, four languages and six Broadway shows including Annie, Me And My Girl and Broadway directed by Mr. George Abbott. TV/Film appearances include Guiding Light; Saturday Night Live and Jails, Hospitals and Hip Hop. Janet recently moved with her family from NY to Northern Virginia where her daughter is an economics student at UVA and her son is in the drumline in the JMHS “Pride of Vienna” Marching Band. Janet also coaches speakers, actors and singers in the area and adjudicates school drama competitions. back

ALISSA ALTER (Dance Captain, Female Swing, u/s Pick-A-Little Ladies) is so excited to be making her Arena debut! Alissa was in Vienna, VA last summer as the swing for the Guys and Dolls national tour. Other favorite credits include the first national tour of A Chorus Line (Lois, u/s Val, Kristine, Bebe & Connie), Goodspeed Opera House’s 42nd Street (Ethel) and North Shore Music Theatre’s 42nd Street (Phyllis). Alissa graduated from Skidmore College where she studied Dance and Spanish and is an avid improvisor at NYC’s UCB, Magnet and PIT theatres. Much love and thanks to Arena Stage, Molly, Parker, Ashley, Paul Hardt, my girls at MSA, Nikole, mom, dad, BB, Shane and Walter. www.alissaalter.com. For Sassy. back

KATE BALDWIN (Marian Paroo) is delighted to return to Arena Stage after appearing in Molly Smith’s South Pacific. She earned a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her role as Nellie Forbush. Broadway: Finian’s Rainbow, (2010 Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic’s Circle Award nominations), The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Wonderful Town. Regional: Giant (Dallas Theatre Center); The Women (Old Globe); Henry V (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ); I Do, I Do (Westport); She Loves Me (Willliamstown); 1776 (Ford’s Theater). Concerts: New York Pops, American Songbook, Kennedy Center, Feinstein's at the Regency and Birdland. Appearances with Stephen Sondheim in A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim. Television: Law & Order: SVU (guest star), Stephen Sondheim’s Passion (PBS). Solo Recordings: Let’s See What Happens and She Loves Him available at www.psclassics.com. back

IAN BERLIN (Winthrop Paroo) makes his professional debut in The Music Man. Most recently, he appeared as Jojo in Maret School’s production of Seussical Jr. Ian also appeared as Toby in Youthtopia, an original musical developed during a yearlong performance ensemble workshop at Imagination Stage. He has performed in youth productions of Shrek (Lord Farquaad), Pete’s Dragon (Hoagy) and 101 Dalmatians (Jasper) at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, NY, as well as in its youth circus. He studies jazz piano at Levine School of Music and last year – purely by coincidence – began playing the trombone. back

WILL BURTON (Tommy Djilas). Will Burton couldn't be more excited to make his Arena Stage debut in The Music Man this summer! Most recently, he played the role of Zacky Price in a workshop of the new musical Big Fish (dir./choreo. Susan Stroman). Will has performed in numerous productions at the St. Louis Muny, favorites including Fiddler on the Roof; Hello, Dolly!; Miss Saigon and Singin’ in the Rain. He recently graduated from The University of Michigan with a BFA degree in Musical Theatre. Go Blue. Many thanks to his wonderful teachers, Mama, Daddy, Callen, T and da’Brook, KSR and the rest of his friends and family for their relentless love and support. back

COLIN J. CECH (River City Kid, u/s Winthrop Paroo) makes his Arena Stage debut in The Music Man. He most recently was on a D.C. area stage in Washington National Opera’s production of Tosca at the Kennedy Center. In 2010 and 2011 he played Young Scrooge and Turkey Boy in A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre. He also has been active in community theater, recently appearing as Young Guido in Arlington Players production of the musical Nine and was a past participant in the Voices of Now Ensemble at Arena Stage. He is a 14-year-old Alexandria resident but got his acting start as part of the Misi Theater company in Bogota, Colombia, in 2005. back

KURT DOMONEY (Male Swing, u/s Barbershop Quartet) is making his Arena Stage debut! Other Washington performances include Hot Mikado at Ford’s Theatre. On Broadway, he was Don Kerr in the recent revival of A Chorus Line. Off-Broadway appearances include roles in A Naughty Knight, Roadside, All Is Love and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He has also performed regionally at Theatre Under the Stars (Action in West Side Story), Geva Theatre (Billy in Urinetown, Bobby in A Chorus Line), Goodspeed Opera House (Very Good Eddie, A Funny Thing Happened …), Cape Playhouse (Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls) and over 10 productions with Sacramento Music Circus (Skimbleshanks in Cats, Spamalot, Oklahoma!, Les Misérables). Kurt is a graduate of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and is a song-dance coach for www.mtcollegeauditions.com. back

MICHAEL BRIAN DUNN (Jacey Squires, Traveling Salesman) is proud to be making his Arena Stage Debut. Broadway: The Life, Cats, Guys and Dolls (Nicely & Benny), Big River (Dick & Andy), Baby (Danny), Sweeney Todd (u/s Tobias/Pirelli). National/International Tours: Amadeus, HMS Pinafore, If This Hat Could Talk, Stratford Festival Canada: HMS Pinafore, Nina and the Twelve Months, Tokyo (performed in Japanese). Off-Broadway: Perfect Crime (Ensemble Studio Theater), Secrets Every..., Love In Two Countries, Lenny and The Heartbreakers and Death Of Von Richthofen (New York Shakespeare Festival), Gifts of the Magi, Kennedy’s Children. Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse; Maltz/Jupiter, FL; GEVA Theater; Baltimore Center Stage; Actors Theater Louisville; Goodspeed Opera House; Walnut Street, Philadelphia; North Shore Music Theater; Repertory Theater of St. Louis; MUNY; Pittsburgh CLO; San Bernardino CLO; Hartford Symphony and South Coast Rep of CA (Drama Logue Award). Television: Law and Order CI, Trial by Jury, S.V.U.   Film : Julie & Julia, playing Ivan Cousins opposite Jane Lynch and starring Meryl Streep. back

JULIANE GODFREY (Zaneeta Shinn). Ye Gods, Arena debut! A native of Fremont, California, she recently graduated from UCLA with a Theater BA and moved to New York after joining the inaugural season of the revived Woodstock Playhouse. NY Workshop: Volleygirls. Regional: It’s a Wonderful Life (Engeman) and A Chorus Line, Anything Goes and Hair (Woodstock). So much love and thanks to the team at Arena for this incredible opportunity and to Mom (The Music Woman) and Dad for supporting her every step–touch of the way and for putting not only money in her account (thanks) but, more importantly, music in her heart. back

RAYANNE GONZALES (Mrs. Squires) happily returns to Arena Stage following her appearances in Damn Yankees and Señor Discretion Himself. Locally she’s appeared in La Verbena de la Paloma with In Series and Bohemios with Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia. Rayanne made her Broadway debut in The Phantom of the Opera. Her theater credits include North Carolina Theatre and Casa Mañana (Bloody Mary in South Pacific), Geva Theatre (Alma Hix in The Music Man), Natchez Festival (Serena in Porgy and Bess) and first national tour of In the Heights. An alumna of Boston Univ., Longy School of Music and the Banff Centre, Rayanne’s honors include the National Federation of Music Clubs, Metropolitan Opera Auditions and Placido Domingo’s Operalia. For my little Pick-a-Little, Paloma! back

MIA ALESSANDRA GOODMAN (River City Kid, u/s Amaryllis, u/s Gracie Shinn) is thrilled to be working with Arena Stage in her professional debut. She is 10 years old and a fifth-grader in Washington International School’s Spanish-English program. Mia has sung with the Washington Girls Chorus and has taken part in summer programs at Imagination Stage and Theatre Lab. Mia has performed with Baltimore Memorial Players (Molly in Annie) and Falls Church Providence Players (Zuzu and Young Violet in It’s a Wonderful Life). In her free time, she enjoys gymnastics and reading. She would like to say thank you to all of her friends, especially Maggy, for their support. Also, Mia gives many thanks to her loving parents and other family members who have always been there for her! back

JAMIE GOODSON (Gracie Shinn), age 13, is thrilled to have the opportunity to perform at Arena Stage! Jamie has been acting, singing, dancing and playing the piano since age four. This past winter she appeared as Martha Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre. Other D.C.-area appearances include Ragtime at The Kennedy Center and 101 Dalmatians The Musical at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre. The past four summers Jamie attended French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, NY, where she performed such roles as Clio/Kira in Xanadu, Mary in A Secret Garden, Pocahontas in Pocahontas and Nala in A Lion King. Jamie lives in McLean, VA, where she attends Cooper Middle School. back

DANIELLE JORDAN (Ensemble) is beyond thrilled to be joining this wonderful cast and the Arena Stage family! She is excited to be returning to D.C. after a whirlwind year that began right here with the Kennedy Center’s award winning production of Follies! Broadway: Follies. Regional: Hairspray (Cape Playhouse); Oklahoma!, Kiss Me Kate (Paper Mill Playhouse); Ragtime, Peter Pan (PTC); White Christmas (CTC). 1st National Tour: The Music Man. Thank you Arena, Molly, Parker, Ashley, Wu, Eric and Wes...Oh My!! Love to my family and friends. back

NEHAL JOSHI (Marcellus Washburn) is happy to be back after appearing as Ali Hakim in Arena’s record-breaking production of Oklahoma! Also at Arena: Señor Discretion Himself. Select D.C. credits: Mister Roberts (Kennedy Center), Recent Tragic Events (Woolly Mammoth), Carousel (Olney), Mad Dancers (Theatre J). Broadway: Les Miserables (original revival cast), Threepenny Opera (Roundabout). Off-Broadway: Falling for Eve (York). Select Regional: Working (Original 2008 revision; Old Globe, Asolo Rep), Arsenic and Old Lace (Dallas Theatre Center), the 25th and 26th annual Humana Festival of New American Plays (Actors Theatre of Louisville). Film/TV: Blackout (BET), The Wire (HBO). Education: Robinson Sec. school, James Madison University. Proud member of Actors' Equity. He’d like to dedicate his performance to the memory of Phil Mathieu.  back

HEIDI KAPLAN (Amaryllis) is thrilled to make her Arena Stage debut. Other D.C. area performances include Gretl in The Sound of Music at Olney Theatre Center; Molly in the Helen Hayes Award-nominated production of Annie also at Olney Theatre Center; and Tootie, the youngest daughter of the Smith family, in Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre’s production of Meet Me in St. Louis. back

CHRISTINA KIDD (Ensemble, u/s Zaneeta Shinn) is thrilled to make her Arena Stage debut. She would like to extend many thanks to Molly, Parker, Lawrence, Daniel and the rest of the wonderful creative team for putting her on this awesome stage! A D.C. local, Christina was previously seen as a swing for Parade at Ford’s Theatre, performing the roles of Iola and Monteen. Past roles include Amber in Hairspray (Little Theatre of Alexandria); Luisa in The Fantasticks (Springfield Community Theatre); Johanna in Sweeney Todd and Cinderella in Into the Woods (The Theatre Lab) and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker (Virginia Ballet Company). Christina sends love to her devoted parents, Rachel, Dorothy, Ms. Cordova and everyone at VBC. back

TONY LAWSON (Harold Hill-Alternate)  recently played Billy Flynn in Chicago for the Northern Stage in Vermont. On Broadway he sang the Thenardier role in Les Miserables. His National tours include White Christmas, Les Miserables, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera, Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees opposite Dick Van Dyke. He stood-by for Randy Quaid in the pre-Broadway production of Lone Star Love at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Tony has held roles at the Goodspeed Opera House, Paper Mill Playhouse, Alley Theatre, Caldwell Theatre Co, Cincinnati Playhouse, St Paul Ordway and the Atlanta Alliance. This fall he's excited to join the tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, for the third year in-a-row, opposite his wife, actress Krista Severeid. back

JOHN LESCAULT (Mayor Shinn). New York: Le Deserteur (Lincoln Center). D.C. Area: Defiant Requiem, Sancho Panca, Le Deserteur (Kennedy Center); Brother Russia, ‘Art’, Crave, Angels in America (Signature Theatre); From Prague, Yankee Tavern (CATF); Fahrenheit 451, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Our Town, Wintertime Shakespeare, Moses and Joe Papp (Round House Theatre); The School for Scandal, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Elizabeth the Queen, Macbeth (Folger Theatre); Henry V, Richard II, Tamburlaine, Edward II, The Winter’s Tale, Don Carlos (The Shakespeare Theatre); The Disputation, Hannah and Martin (Theatre J); Heaven, The Psychic Life of Savages (Woolly Mammoth Theatre); International: Defiant Requiem (Prague Spring Music Festival). Film/TV: Spielberg’s Lincoln, The Day Lincoln Was Shot, Unsolved Mysteries. Training: BFA/CUA. back

DONNA MIGLIACCIO (Mrs. Paroo) is delighted to be back at Arena Stage, where she last appeared as General Cartwright in its 2000 production of Guys and Dolls and reprised the role in the show’s 50th Anniversary tour. Her most recent area performances were as Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music at the Olney Theatre Center and Betsy Ross in the world premiere of Liberty Smith at Ford’s Theatre. Other Washington appearances include Sara Jane Moore in Assassins (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Supporting Actress) and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Leading Actress), both at Signature Theatre. On Broadway she appeared as Emma Goldman in the 2010 revival of Ragtime. Regional appearances include the Philadelphia Theatre Company (Elegies: A Song Cycle), Arden Theatre (The Dinosaur Musical) and Theatre on the Square (Dirty Blonde). back

JUSTIN LEE MILLER (Olin Britt, Traveling Salesman, u/s Mayor Shinn) is happy to be making his debut at Arena Stage in The Music Man. His recent roles include Jud Fry in Oklahoma! at Portland Center Stage and Jake in Porgy and Bess with Atlanta Opera. Justin appeared in the national tours of The Phantom of the Opera; Strike Up the Band; and Kiss Me, Kate;and the European tour of Porgy and Bess. He has performed with Lyric Opera Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Comique Paris, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theater, North Carolina Theater, Weston Playhouse, Music Theater of Wichita and in the City Center Encores! series. Justin is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Musical Theater Department. back

BURKE MOSES (Harold Hill) is making his Arena Stage debut. He is best known for creating the role of Gaston in the Broadway, Los Angeles and West End companies of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Other Broadway credits include Sky Masterson in the revival of Guys and Dolls, Fred Graham in Kiss Me, Kate and Heracles in Stephen Sondheim’s Frogs. Recent credits include portraying the film noir detective Stone in City of Angels at Goodspeed Opera House, Babe Ruth in the world premiere of Johnny Baseball at American Repertory Theater and Captain Von Trapp in the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Mirvish revival of Sound of Music at Prince of Wales Theater in Toronto. back

SASHA OLINICK (Charlie Cowell, Constable Locke, u/s Harold Hill) is pleased to be making his Arena Stage debut. Recent Washington credits include Mozart in Amadeus, Will in The Book Club Play and Freddy Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley at Round House Theatre; George Washington in Chasing George Washington at the Kennedy Center Theatre for Young Audiences; Mr. Toad in Wind In the Willows at Imagination Stage, Murk in Savage in Limbo at MetroStage and Guy in God’s Ear at Rep Stage. Regional credits includeMaryland Shakespeare Festival, American Shakespeare Center, Trinity Rep, Vermont Stageand theMerry Go Round Playhouse. Sasha has an MFA from the Trinity Rep Conservatory and teaches at Montgomery College, National Conservatory of Dramatic Art and with the Educational Theatre Company. back

KATERINA PAPACOSTAS (Ethel Toffelmeir, u/s Marian Paroo) is thrilled to be making her debut at Arena Stage! Previous regional credits include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Theatre by the Sea), Bebe in A Chorus Line (North Shore Music Theatre), Demeter in Cats (West Virginia Public) and Penny in Hairspray (Mac-Haydn Theatre). She was also seen in New York as Debbi/Liz in the new musical I’ll Be Damned (Players Theatre) and as Franca in The Light in the Piazza (Frederick Loewe Theatre). Katerina graduated from NYU with a Bachelor of Music. She would like to thank Molly and the entire creative team for their extraordinary work and this exceptional opportunity. Love and filakia to Baka, Mamma, Nick and Zoe. back

JOE PECK (Ewart Dunlop, Conductor) is pleased to be making his debut at Arena Stage. He has appeared in productions at the Kennedy Center, Studio Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Shakespeare Theatre, Signature Theatre and Olney Theatre Center, among others. Joe also performs regularly in voiceovers as a narrator. In addition, Joe is a singer-songwriter whose debut CD (Joe Peck: In the City Lights) was released in February. The first two singles from the album have already been heard on radio stations in countries across the globe including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland. back

LAWRENCE REDMOND (Oliver Hix, Traveling Salesman) returns to Arena where he was last seen as Mr. Harari in Ruined. Other Arena efforts include: Christmas Carol 1941, Damn Yankees, Passion Play: a cycle, South Pacific, The Misanthrope, The Great White Hope, Guys and Dolls and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Earlier efforts this season included New Jerusalem at Theater J and Much Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Other area credits include Romeo and Juliet and Richard III at the Shakespeare Theatre Company; Rock ‘n’ Roll at The Studio Theatre, Jerry Springer: The Opera at Studio Theatre 2NDSTAGE; The Trip to Bountiful, Permanent Collection and A Prayer for Owen Meany at Round House Theatre. He is a two-time recipient and multiple nominee of the Helen Hayes Award. back

MICHAEL SCHLESINGER (Olin Britt & Oliver Hix Understudy/Salesman Understudy/As Cast) feels honored to make his debut with Arena Stage and this incredible cast. Favorite roles include Ford’s Theatre’s A Christmas Carol (Peter Cratchit), Oberlin’s The Tempest featuring Patrick Stewart (Cherub) and Interlochen’s South Pacific (Emile), Wonderful Town (Bob Baker) and The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King). Michael most recently appeared in Vienna Theatre Company’s The Fantasticks (El Gallo). He sings regularly with The Washington Chorus, the National Symphony Orchestra and had a cameo with the NSO Pops in last summer's Rodgers and Hammerstein program at the Kennedy Center. His first record, Hear What I See, can be found on iTunes.  Michael thanks his family, friends and lifelong teachers (you know who you are) for their help, love and support. back

SCOTT SHEDENHELM (Ensemble) is excited for his debut with Arena Stage. Scott first performed in The Music Man with Windwood Productions (national tour) and is glad to be back in River City. He was recently seen as Sniper in Paper Mill Playhouse’s world premiere of Disney’s Newsies and their TV performances on The View and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. back

ERIC SHOREY (Ensemble, Salesman, u/s Marcellus Washburn, u/s Jacey Squires) is thrilled to be making his Arena Stage debut! National/international tour credits: Guys and Dolls, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, West Side Story and Cats. Select regional performances include Paper Mill Playhouse (Kiss Me, Kate), Goodspeed Opera House (Half a Sixpence), North Shore Music Theatre (Gypsy, Cats), and Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire (The All-Night Strut). Many thanks to Molly, Parker, Lawrence and the entire Arena team for this wonderful opportunity. back

KRISTEN J. SMITH (Ensemble) First National Tour of South Pacific (Lincoln Center revival) including five weeks at the Kennedy Center in winter 2010-11. NYC: Make Mine Manhattan (Connelly Theatre). Regional: An American in Paris (world premiere-Alley Theatre), White Christmas (Ordway Center), My One and Only (Goodspeed), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Alice), West Side Story (Velma), Singin’ in the Rain (Kathy Selden), 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Pearl Lady), Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel). Love and thanks to Mom, Dad and her fiancé Jeremy. www.kristenjsmith.com. back

TINA STAFFORD (Alma Hix, u/s Mrs. Paroo) recently scintillated Off-Broadway audiences in The York Theatre Company’s Ionescopade, and last summer in I Married Wyatt Earp at the 59E59 Theatre. Other New York performances include New York Classical Theatre (Elizabeth in Richard III), outrageous performances for the FringeNYC (Julie Taymor in The Legend of Julie….) and NYMF 2011 (Cardinal Louis in The Kid Who Would be Pope). Tina has performed regionally at the Westport Country Playhouse (Sr. Felicity in Suddenly Last Summer), La Jolla Playhouse (Khubarika in Zhivago directed by Des McAnuff), Kansas City Rep (Jack’s Mom in Into the Woods directed by Moises Kaufman) and many others. On TV’s All My Children, Tina was Erica Kane’s surly prison guard, Slim. back

BARBARA TIRRELL (Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn) is thrilled to be making her Arena Stage debut. Broadway/Tour appearances include: First National Tour Wicked (Madame Morrible), Fiddler on the Roof (Shandel, u/s Golde), Annie (Sophie, Mrs. Pugh, u/s Hannigan). Off-Broadway: A Man of No Importance (Mitzi Newhouse Theatre), Night of the Hunter (Vineyard Theatre Workshop), No Way to Treat a Lady (Atlantic Theatre Workshop), The Grass Harp, I Remember Mama (York Theatre Mufti). Regional Theater includes Kennedy Center, The Guthrie, Walnut Street, Goodspeed, Pioneer, Casa Mañana, Coconut Grove. TV credits include Guilty (Fox pilot), HBO’s Boardwalk Empire (recurring role of Edith Mauer), Law & Order, Law & Order SVU. Member of Actors’ Equity Association. Thanks to Paul Hardt and Molly Smith. For Charlie, Rose and Mick. back

JESSICA WU (Ensemble) is so happy to be back at Arena Stage after performing in last season’s award-winning Oklahoma! Other credits include - Broadway: A Chorus Line (Connie). National Tours: Tommy Tune’s Dr. Dolittle, Miss Saigon, The King and I with Sandy Duncan, The Wizard of Oz and the first national revival company of A Chorus Line. Regional: Pittsburgh CLO, Houston TUTS, PTC Utah, KC Starlight, Baltimore Center Stage. Bachelor of Music, Steinhardt NYU. So many thanks to my wonderfully supportive family and friends, and a special love to Bill, my T-Rex. back

NICHOLAS YENSON (Ensemble, u/s Tommy Djilas) is delighted to be back in the Fichandler after making his Arena Stage debut in You, Nero. His other stage credits include Ghostlight (New York Musical Theater Festival), The Music Man (Harbor Lights Theater Company), A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theater Center), Lady, Be Good! (42nd Street Moon), Picnic (Hampton Theater Company), Of Mice and Men (Firebelly Productions) and several national tours of Riverdance. Many, many thanks to Molly, Parker, Larry and Mrs. Herbert – middle school trumpet teacher and spellbinder. www.nicholasyenson.com
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CREATIVE TEAM

MEREDITH WILLSON (1902-84) (Book, Music, Lyrics) was born in Mason City, Iowa. He learned to play flute and left to study at Damrosch Institute (later Juilliard). He became principal flutist and piccolo player with John Philip Sousa’s Band and, later, first flutist with the New York Philharmonic. As NBC’s West Coast musical director, his radio programs included The Big Show, starring Tallulah Bankhead, for which he wrote the hit “May the Lord Bless and Keep You.” He composed film scores for The Great Dictator and The Little Foxes, as well as symphonic, band and choral works. He wrote three Broadway musicals: The Music Man, The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Here’s Love. His published works include the memoir But He Doesn’t Know the Territory. back

FRANKLIN LACEY (1917-88) (Book). During the 1940s and early 1950s, Franklin worked in various production positions on Broadway including work as a stage manager for Ziegfeld. He produced and hosted the first talk show, Meet Unusual People, on the West Coast, where he persuaded such stars as Bea Lillie to come from London and provide an hour of amusing and intelligent conversation on Paramount’s KTLA-TV. In the late 1950s, Franklin shifted his talents to Las Vegas, producing a nightclub show for the Flamingo Hilton. He also wrote several popular pageants and penned the long-running London stage play, Pagan in the Parlor. back

MOLLY SMITH (Director) has been instrumental in leading the reinvention of Arena Stage, focusing on the creation of the new Mead Center for American Theater as well as major artistic changes. Arena Stage is a center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Molly has been a leader in new play development for 30 years while at Arena Stage and at Perseverance Theatre in Alaska, the theater she founded and led for 19 years. She has commissioned or championed numerous world premieres, some of which she has directed, including Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive and Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play. Molly’s directorial work has also been seen at the Shaw Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, Tarragon Theatre and Centaur Theatre. back

PARKER ESSE (Choreographer) is thrilled to be returning to Arena Stage. Parker choreographed the critically acclaimed Oklahoma! and was honored with a Helen Hayes Award for Best Choreography. Locally he choreographed the World Premiere of Katie Couric’s The Brand New Kid (Kennedy Center); The Light in the Piazza, Mystery Of Irma Vep and Christmas Carol 1941 (Arena). Assistant Choreographer/Performer: South Pacific, Camelot, Damn Yankees, Animal Crackers (Arena); Mame (Kennedy Center). NYC Associate Choreographer: Tony-nominated revival Finian’s Rainbow (Broadway); A Tale of Two Cities (Broadway); Rated P for Parenthood (Off-Broadway); 101 Dalmatians (National Tour); Finian’s Rainbow and Girl Crazy (NY City Center’s Encores!). Associate Director/Choreographer: Lucky Guy (Goodspeed). Assistant Choreographer: Stairway to Paradise, Juno, On the Town (NY City Center’s Encores!); Dancing in the Dark (Old Globe); Mack and Mabel (Shaw Festival Canada); Pirates! and Babes in Arms (Goodspeed); Pirates! (Paper Mill); Feature Film Deception starring Hugh Jackman. As a performer: Fosse (Broadway). Parker recently choreographed The Buddy Holly Story at Flat Rock Playhouse and was Associate Choreographer for the critically acclaimed production of Follies (Kennedy Center). Upcoming projects include Carousel for Goodspeed’s Summer 2012 production. Thank you to family and friends for their continued love and support. Maria and Jaden, you are my rock! back

LAWRENCE GOLDBERG (Musical Director) is pleased to make his debut at Arena Stage. On Broadway, he has conducted How to Succeed in Business…, The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Phantom of the Opera and Carousel. He was Musical Director for national tours of South Pacific, The Producers, Les Misérables, Sunset Blvd. and Cats, as well as regional productions of Next to Normal, My Fair Lady (Pioneer Theatre); My One and Only (St. Louis MUNY); Pal Joey (Prince Music Theatre) and Dames at Sea (Pittsburgh Public), to name a few. Larry frequently works as arranger, vocal coach and pianist with the Boston Pops, and he is the composer/lyricist of the shows Big Bad Wolf and the Endangered Forest and Grounded For Life, and the Pittsburgh TV show “Let’s Read a Story.” back

EUGENE LEE (Set Designer) has been the production designer at Saturday Night Live  since 1974. He holds B.F.A. degrees from Art Institute of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon, an M.F.A. from Yale, and three honorary doctorates. He has received the Tony Award, American Theater Wing ’s Design Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Achievement and Pell Award. Eugene is represented on Broadway by the musical Wicked. He was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame, and lives with his wife, Brooke, in Providence, where they raised their two sons. back

JUDITH BOWDEN (Costume Designer) was born in London and moved to Canada at 11. She has an undergraduate degree in clothing and textile design from Univ. of Manitoba and a master’s in theater design from Univ. of Alberta. She has designed sets and costumes for theater since 1992 including the Shaw Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Alberta Theatre Projects (four times in the Enbridge playRites Festival), Theatre Calgary, Grand Theatre, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Soul Pepper Theatre, Great Canadian Theatre Company, National Arts Centre, Tarragon Theatre, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People, Canadian Stage Company, Neptune and Citadel Theatre. She received the 2007 Virginia and Myrtle Award in costume design and was short-listed for the 2006 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre. back

DAWN CHIANG (Lighting Designer) has designed at many regional theaters. On Broadway, she designed Zoot Suit; co-designed Tango Pasion and was associate designer for Show Boat, The Life and the original La Cage aux Folles. Her Off-Broadway credits include co-designing the first two seasons of Encores! Dawn was also resident lighting designer for New York City Opera and created delights: Art on 5 Outlets for the Whitney Museum. She has worked on concert tours of Paul Anka, The Carpenters, Diana Ross and Loggins & Messina and received two Drama-Logue awards, an American Theatre Wing Design nom, a Los Angeles Drama Critics’ nom, a San Francisco Bay Area Critics’ nom and a THEA Award. She is a board member of Theatre Communications Group and a senior project manager with Theatre Projects Consultants. back

TIMOTHY M. THOMPSON (Sound Designer) has designed for the Smithsonian Institution and for theater; the past 20 years as sound department head at Arena Stage. Arena designs: Oklahoma!, Sophisticated Ladies, Stick Fly, The Fantasticks, Crowns, A Delicate Balance, The Goat, Proof, A Man’s a Man, Book of Days, South Pacific, The Misanthrope, Anthems, A Moon for the Misbegotten, On the Jump, Blues in the Night, Of Mice and Men and K2. Tim has received Hayes noms for You Can’t Take It with You and The Revengers’ Comedies. Other designs: The Blue Room (Signature), Life in Refusal, Via Dolorosa, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan (Theater J), Voir Dire (Long Wharf), Saki Operas (DiCapo), Life Is a Dream (Univ. of Maryland) and work on Jitney in New York. back

ANNE NESMITH (Wig Designer). Arena Stage: A Time to Kill, The Fantasticks. Recent work includes Necessary Sacrifices (Ford’s Theatre), The Gaming Table (Folger Shakespeare Theatre), Brother Russia (Signature Theatre) and Beatrice et Benedict (Opera Boston). Her designs have been seen locally at Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Lyric Opera of Baltimore, Annapolis Opera and Washington Ballet. Anne was the Resident Wig and Makeup Designer for Baltimore Opera and has constructed wigs for The Greenbird (dir, Julie Taymor), Scooby Doo! Live tour and the Asian tour of 42nd St. Her work has also been seen in three Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Cultures in Motion Programs, the Military Channel’s Great Planes and the US Army’s tour Spirit of America. back

ANITA MAYNARD-LOSH (Associate Director) leads Arena’s education and outreach programs. She trained and taught at ACT in San Francisco, was on faculty at Webster Univ. in St. Louis, headed the theater department at Univ. of Alaska Southeast and was associate artistic director of Perseverance in Juneau, where she directed 18 mainstage productions. The Alaska Native-inspired Macbeth she conceived and directed was performed in English and Tlingit at the National Museum of the American Indian as part of the Shakespeare in Washington Festival. She’s directed readings of new plays at Arena Stage and Kennedy Center and has been assistant director, dialect coach and vocal consultant on numerous productions at Arena Stage. She was dialect coach on Ragtime at the Kennedy Center and the recent Broadway production. back

ASHLEY YEATER (Asst. Choreographer) is thrilled to be back at Arena Stage. She was  last here serving as Asst. Choreographer on the Helen Hayes award winning production , Oklahoma ! Performance credits include Broadway: Follies (Ensemble), The Producers (Usherette). National Tours: A Chorus Line (Sheila), Chicago (Hunyak), The Producers (Usherette), Cats (Bombalurina), Footloose (Ariel). Regional: Follies (Ensemble) at the Kennedy Center, On the Town at City Center Encores! and Dancing in the Dark at Old Globe in San Diego. Love and thanks to my amazing husband, family and friends. back

SUSAN R. WHITE (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be once again working with Molly Smith. Susan is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. back

JENNA HENDERSON (Asst. Stage Manager) previous Arena credits include stage managing You, Nero and R. Buckminster Fuller,and assisting on Ruined, Oklahoma!, The Light in the Piazza, Stick Fly and Legacy of Light. Other Washington credits include: The Comedy of Errors (Folger Theatre); The Little Dog Laughed (Signature Theatre); Shining City and My Children! My Africa! (Studio Theatre); Night Must Fall, The Heiress and The Underpants (Olney Theatre Center). Proud member of Actors’ Equity. back

AMRITA RAMANAN (Dramaturg) is literary manager at Arena Stage. Other dramaturgy credits include Trouble in Mind, Ruined, Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies and Crowns (Arena Stage); Skywriter (2009 Cap Fringe Festival); and Cymbeline (Great River Shakespeare Festival). She completed a New Play Producing Fellowship through the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage, where she served as line producer for the Defining Diversity convening, Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, playwright residencies for Charles Randolph-Wright and Lisa Kron, and co-coordinated the inaugural session of Theater 101 surrounding Arena Stage’s production of every tongue confess. A proud West Coast native, Amrita holds a B.F.A. in dramaturgy and theater history from Univ. of Arizona. She’s a regular contributor to Arena Stage’s blog, Stage Banter, and Sub/Text: Your Virtual Dramaturg. back

STUART HOWARD AND PAUL HARDT (New York Casting) are very happy to be back casting for Molly Smith and Arena Stage after the smashing success of last season’s Oklahoma! They have cast scores of plays and musicals on and off Broadway and in major regional theatres from the Perseverance in Juneau, Alaska to The Asolo Rep. in Sarasota, Florida. back