Swept Away
Nov 25, 2023 - Jan 14, 2024
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Credits
Book by John Logan
Music and Lyrics by The Avett Brothers
Choreographed by David Neumann
Directed by Michael Mayer
By Special Arrangement with Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock, and Madison Wells Live -
Location
Kreeger Theater
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Run Time
Approximately 90 minutes without an intermission
- Program
"SOULFUL...STAGGERING...SPELLBINDING TALE... Swept Away has proved itself worthy of a broadway christening"
When a violent storm sinks their whaling ship off the coast of New Bedford, Mass., the four survivors face a reckoning: how far will they go to stay alive? And can they live with the consequences? With music and lyrics from The Avett Brothers (“America’s Biggest Roots Band,” Rolling Stone), whose 2004 “Mignonette” was inspired by an 1884 shipwreck and the struggle of four men to survive, Swept Away is an electrifying, soul-stirring new musical exploring how facing tragedy can open the door to forgiveness…if only we’ll let it.
Swept Away is made possible through generous funding from Decker Anstrom and Sherry Hiemstra with additional support from Linda A. Baumann, Bonnie Feld, Daniel Korengold, Martha Dippell, and , and Ilene and Steven Rosenthal.
Cast
HUNTER BROWN
MATT DeANGELIS
WAYNE DUVALL
ADRIAN BLAKE ENSCOE
TAUREAN EVERETT
JOHN GALLAGHER, JR.
CAMERON JOHNSON
BRANDON KALM
MICHAEL J. MAINWARING
ORVILLE MENDOZA
TYRONE L. ROBINSON
STARK SANDS
JOHN SYGAR
JAMARI JOHNSON WILLIAMS
HUNTER BROWN
Hunter Brown (Ensemble / u/s Mate) is making his Arena Stage debut! Regional credits include The Wedding Singer (Gateway Playhouse), Escape to Margaritaville (Engeman Theater), and The Full Monty (Argyle Theatre). Hunter played Rolf on the National Tour of The Sound of Music and Nick on the National Tour of Fame: The Musical. Instagram: @brunterhown
MATT DeANGELIS
Matt DeAngelis (Ensemble / u/s Mate) is making his Arena Stage debut. Broadway: Hair (Woof) and Waitress (Earl). West End: Hair (Woof). Tours: Hair (Woof), American Idiot (Rep. From Jingletown), Once (Svec), and Waitress (Earl). Off-Broadway: Secret Life of Bees (Atlantic Theater Company) and Orpheus Descending (TFANA). TV: Person of Interest, Madam Secretary, Daredevil, Evil, For Life, Chicago P.D., and FBI. Love to my wife (and favorite actor) Christine Dwyer and to my amazing dog Chowdah. This and ALL the others are for Janice DeAngelis RIP. #WAMFAM Instagram: @mattdeangelis22
WAYNE DUVALL
Wayne Duvall (Captain) is excited to be coming back to the city of his birth, making his Arena Stage debut reprising his role in Swept Away. On Broadway, Wayne was seen in 1984. Off-Broadway credits include the critically acclaimed The Legend of Georgia McBride and the Encores! productions of Big River and Of Thee I Sing. Regionally, Wayne originated roles in the musicals Bonnie & Clyde and Bright Star. He also starred in The Cake w/ Faith Prince at La Jolla Playhouse and Signature’s production of Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill w/ Christine Lahti. Some of Wayne’s notable film and television appearances are O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Lincoln, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Hunt, Billions, The Blacklist, and The Righteous Gemstones.
ADRIAN BLAKE ENSCOE
Adrian Blake Enscoe (Little Brother) starred opposite Hailee Steinfeld and Jane Krakowski in David Gordon Green’s Peabody Award-winning Dickinson for Apple TV+. He recently shot the lead in the independent film Breed of Greed, directed by Ralph Hemecker. He is also known for being one-third of the indie folk band Bandits on the Run, which has toured internationally and been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf. On the theater side, Adrian originated the role of Little Brother in the world premiere of Swept Away at Berkeley Rep. And has starred in several off-Broadway productions, notably Folk Wandering (ART/NY) and Billy and the Killers (HERE). He is a co-creator of Christopher Sears’ The Moonchildren Opera, an indie folk-opera that recently premiered at the 15th St. Meeting House in NYC, and is currently collaborating with Sears, the other Bandits, and writer Peter Hedges on an upcoming original musical. Instagram: @adrian.blake.enscoe @banditsontherun he/they
TAUREAN EVERETT
Taurean Everett (Ensemble / Dance Captain / u/s Captain) is making his Arena Stage debut! Taurean's Broadway credits include Moulin Rouge!, The Cher Show, Miss Saigon, and Mamma Mia! (Eddie). Tour and regional credits include Priscilla QOTD (First National Tour); Swept Away (Berkeley Rep); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Actors Fund); Guys and Dolls (Carnegie Hall); Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey II in drag, Berkshire Theatre); Can-Can, Damn Yankees, Curtains, and Peter Pan (Paper Mill Playhouse). Taurean is also a runway model on Bravo’s Project Runway (seasons 18 and 20), a promo model for Paramount+’s RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (season 8), and a featured performer on Peacock’s The Amber Ruffin Show. Stay tuned! Instagram: @taureanje
JOHN GALLAGHER, JR.
John Gallagher, Jr. (Mate) won a 2007 Tony Award® for his role in the groundbreaking rock musical Spring Awakening. Other Broadway credits include Long Day’s Journey into Night, Jerusalem, Green Day’s American Idiot, and Rabbit Hole. Off-Broadway credits include Farragut North, Port Authority, and Kimberly Akimbo. He starred in Aaron Sorkin’s HBO drama series The Newsroom, as well as the acclaimed miniseries Olive Kitteridge. He has appeared in such films as Underwater, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Hush, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Short Term 12, Margaret, and Pieces of April. John’s two albums of original music, Six Day Hurricane and 8th and Jane are both available to stream online.
CAMERON JOHNSON
Cameron Johnson (Ensemble / u/s Big Brother & Little Brother) is thrilled to be performing at Arena Stage! His favorite credits include Into the Woods (2022 Broadway revival), Swept Away (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (Fyedka, Stage 42), and The Golden Bride (Misha, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene). He received his BM at Acadia University, and MM at Manhattan School of Music. Instagram: @camgraeme
BRANDON KALM
Brandon Kalm (Ensemble / u/s Big Brother & Little Brother) is so happy to be making his Arena Stage debut with Swept Away after being involved with the amazing former production at Berkeley Rep. Some of his notable credits include both American Psycho and Waitress on Broadway. He also had the pleasure of performing with The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest. In addition, Brandon toured around the world with the traveling production of Green Day’s American Idiot. He has also appeared in various television shows including Z: The Beginning of Everything and The Blacklist. He is a proud Esper Studio Alum. Love to Odd. Instagram: @bkalm
MICHAEL J. MAINWARING
Michael J. Mainwaring (Ensemble / Partial Swing) is delighted to be back at Arena Stage after nine years. He was last seen at Arena in Smokey Joe’s Café. Michael’s DC credits include Passing Strange, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls, the world premiere of In His Hands by Benjamin Benne, Godspell, Sweeney Todd, In the Heights, Matilda, The Mortification of Fovea Munson, Lost in the Stars, Shenandoah, Freedom’s Song, Thunder Knocking on the Door, and Three Little Birds (world premiere). Other regional works include Rent and Spellbound (workshop). Michael wants to thank his beloved voice teacher Kristin Halliday for her guiding light and continued generosity over the years.
ORVILLE MENDOZA
Orville Mendoza (Ensemble / u/s Captain) is making his Arena Stage debut! Orville’s Broadway credits include Peter and the Starcatcher and Pacific Overtures. Off-Broadway, Orville was most recently seen in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Plays for the Plague Year at The Public/NYSF; also at The Public, Romeo and Juliet (Delacorte), Timon of Athens, and the original cast of Sondheim/Weidman’s Road Show. Regionally, Orville performed at The Old Globe in Crime and Punishment – A Comedy; Ebenezer Scrooge’s…Christmas Show; Taming of the Shrew; and The Heart of Rock & Roll (coming to Broadway spring 2024). Other regionals include East West Players, The Muny, 5th Avenue, Goodspeed, Long Wharf, and Kansas City Rep. Television credits include Dead Ringers, Billions, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and featured vocals for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch. www.orvillemendoza.com
TYRONE L. ROBINSON
Tyrone L. Robinson (Ensemble / u/s Captain) A North Carolina native, Tyrone is honored to make his Arena Stage debut in Swept Away. Broadway: King Agnarr in Disney’s Frozen. Tours: The Book of Mormon and Mufasa Standby in The Lion King. Television: New Amsterdam (recurring), The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, Lovecraft Country (HBO), and Law & Order: SVU. Favorite Regionals: Shakespeare Theatre (DC), Dallas Theater Center, Geva Theatre Center, and Goodspeed Musicals (CT). Tyrone co-wrote the musical Show Way with author Jacqueline Woodson which premiered at The Kennedy Center in 2022. Show Way will have a national tour in 2024. Huge thank you to this incredible creative team. Thank you, Elaine. Love you G and Bobo! MFA NYU Tisch. Instagram: @tyronelrobinson
STARK SANDS
Stark Sands (Big Brother) is a two-time Tony Award® nominee, for his performances in Kinky Boots and Journey’s End. Other Broadway credits include & Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Green Day’s American Idiot. Other theater credits include Swept Away (Berkeley Rep), Twelfth Night (Public Theater–Delacorte), and The Tempest (CSC). He starred in the acclaimed HBO miniseries Generation Kill, as well as Fox’s Minority Report. Some of Stark’s other notable film and television appearances include Stephen Spielberg’s The Post, the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers, and the HBO series Six Feet Under and Nip/Tuck. He has won a Grammy Award, a Theatre World Award, and an AEA Bayfield Award. For G, g & d, with deep gratitude for their sacrifice.
JOHN SYGAR
John Sygar (Ensemble / Partial Swing) is a Maryland native, who was last seen at The Kennedy Center in Look Both Ways. Other DC credits include A.D. 16, Beauty and the Beast, Once (Olney Theatre Center); Light Years (Signature Theatre); Spring Awakening (Round House Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (Constellation Theatre Company); Aquarium, Robin Hood, (Imagination Stage); Floyd Collins (1st Stage); and more. He also writes music for the group baseball hat and his solo project Jsyg. Instagram: @jsyg
JAMARI JOHNSON WILLIAMS
Jamari Johnson Williams (Ensemble / Partial Swing) is honored to make his Arena Stage debut! On Broadway he was seen in the Tony Award®-winning Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. Touring credits include the 8-time Tony Award® winner Hadestown (First National), Ain’t Too Proud (First National), Motown (closing cast), and Memphis. Select regional credits include Natasha, Pierre…Great Comet, Hair, The Wiz, South Pacific, and Smokey Joe’s. He is a founding member and youngest board member of his hometown orchestra, the Gifford Youth Orchestra. He hopes to heal others through art, as he once was. Peace. Instagram: @jamaridarling
Creative
JOHN LOGAN
THE AVETT BROTHERS
MICHAEL MAYER
DAVID NEUMANN
BRIAN USIFER
CHRIS MILLER
WILL VAN DYKE
RACHEL HAUCK
SUSAN HILFERTY
KEVIN ADAMS
JOHN SHIVERS
JIM CARNAHAN, C.S.A.
JOSEPH PINZON
JOHANNA McKEON
BRIAN MUNN
MATT DEITCHMAN
MATTHEW LEINER
ALICE M. POLLITT
MARNE ANDERSON
JALON PAYTON
MATTHEW MASTEN
SEAN HUDOCK
MADISON WELLS LIVE
DOLPHUS RAMSEUR
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE
JOHN LOGAN
John Logan (Book) received the Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle, and Drama League awards for his play Red. This play has had more than 400 productions across the U.S. and over 160 foreign productions in 25 languages. He is the author of more than a dozen other plays, including Peter and Alice, I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers, and Never the Sinner. Musical theater work includes Moulin Rouge!, The Last Ship, Superhero, and Swept Away. He is the proud recipient of the O’Neill Theater Center’s 2019 Monte Cristo Award. As a screenwriter, John has been three times nominated for the Oscar and has received Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA, Edgar, and PEN Center awards. His film work includes Skyfall, Spectre, Hugo,The Aviator, Gladiator, Rango, Alien: Covenant, Genius, Coriolanus, Sweeney Todd, The Last Samurai, Any Given Sunday, and RKO 281. He created and produced the television series Penny Dreadful and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels for Showtime.
THE AVETT BROTHERS
The Avett Brothers (Music and Lyrics), three-time Grammy Award nominees, made mainstream waves with their 2009 major label debut, I and Love and You. In 2012, The Carpenter hit #4 on the Billboard 200, followed by Magpie and the Dandelion in 2013, which debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200. In 2016, the band was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The 2017 documentary May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers (co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio) chronicles the process of writing 2016’s True Sadness, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Albums, #1 on Rock Albums, #3 on the Billboard 200, and scored two Grammy nominations. The film was released theatrically and on HBO to rave reviews and is available on DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD. In 2019, the band released their tenth studio album Closer Than Together featuring the single “High Steppin’” which reached #1 on the Americana Radio Singles Chart. The band’s latest album The Third Gleam debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, #1 Rock Albums, #1 Vinyl Albums, and the single “Victory” hit #1 on the Americana Radio Singles Chart. The Avett Brothers stayed connected to fans amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by playing two sold-out drive-in shows at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They will close out the year with their 20th annual New Year’s Eve celebration at Raleigh’s PNC Arena.
MICHAEL MAYER
Michael Mayer (Director) is a Washington, DC native and very happy to make his Arena Stage debut with this production. Recent work includes A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical and Little Shop of Horrors – both currently running in New York; the national tour of his recent Broadway hit Funny Girl and Jeanine Tesori’s opera Grounded at the WNO (which will open the Met Opera season next fall). He’s directed 20 Broadway shows including Spring Awakening, American Idiot, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, A View From the Bridge, Side Man, Burn This, Head Over Heels, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, as well as many shows in off-Broadway, regional, and international theaters. Film and TV credits include Single All the Way, The Seagull, A Home at the End of the World, and Smash (pilot and season one). Metropolitan Opera productions: Rigoletto, La Traviata, and Marnie. He’s the recipient of Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Jefferson, and Carbonell awards. He serves on the Board of SDC.
DAVID NEUMANN
David Neumann (Choreographer) This marks David’s return to Arena Stage after choreographing Cabaret with direction by Molly Smith. Broadway: Hadestown (Chita Rivera Award, Tony®, Drama Desk, Lortel nominations). David’s original work as artistic director of Advanced Beginner Group has been presented in New York at PS 122, New York Live Arts, The Kitchen, Symphony Space, Abrons Arts Center, The Chocolate Factory, and The Whitney. ABG has also performed at the Walker Art Center, Jacob’s Pillow, MASS MoCA, and the American Dance Institute, among others. Recent New York projects include directing Geoff Sobelle in The Object Lesson (New York Theatre Workshop, BAM) and choreography for Underground Railroad Game (Ars Nova), An Octoroon (Soho Rep), and The Antipodes (Signature Theatre). Film: I Am Legend, various Hal Hartley films, A Marriage Story, and White Noise (Noah Baumbach). David is the recipient of three NY Dance & Performance Bessie Awards, including Best Production in 2015 for I Understand Everything Better. He is currently a professor of theatre at Sarah Lawrence College.
BRIAN USIFER
Brian Usifer (Music Supervisor / Music Arrangements & Orchestrations)’s Broadway credits include A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (Arrangements, Orchestrations), Disney’s Frozen (Music Director, Additional Arrangements), Kinky Boots (Music Director, Additional Arrangements, Associate Music Supervisor – Tour, London, and Toronto), and The Book of Mormon (Associate Music Supervisor). Regional credits include Chess at The Kennedy Center, Swept Away at Berkeley Rep, The Heart of Rock & Roll at The Old Globe, Afterwords at Seattle 5th Avenue, and Mr. Chickee's Funny Money at the Atlantic. Other highlights include An Evening with Kristen & Bobby Lopez at Lincoln Center, NBC’s Annie Live! (Additional Orchestrations), and The Wiz Live! (Additional Orchestrations). Brian can be heard as a pianist on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. www.brianusifer.com Instagram: @brianusifer
CHRIS MILLER
Chris Miller (Music Arrangements & Orchestrations) DC native, Arena debut. He is the composer ofTuck Everlasting(Broadway), The Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard, Lortel nominee for Best Musical), Fugitive Songs (Drama Desk nominee for Outstanding Revue), and Dreamland, for the EdTA and Concord Theatricals, cast albums available everywhere. He contributed songs to PBS’s The Electric Company, Sesame Street, andElmo’s World, and scripts for two Barnum & Bailey Circuses. In progress: book, music & lyrics for Ravello (Signature Theatre’s American Musical Voices Project),andThe Goats, a commission for Barbara Whitman/Grove Entertainment;Prairie Songs and April Twilights, for soprano and orchestra setting the poetry of Willa Cather; with Nathan Tysen, Revival, based on a story by Willa Cather, for Playwrights Horizons/TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, and Blown Sideways Through Life (book by Claudia Shear). Instagram: @ckevinmiller
WILL VAN DYKE
Will Van Dyke (Music Director/Conductor/Piano/Accordion) is a Grammy-nominated music producer, songwriter, music director, orchestrator, and arranger working in theater, television, and film. Most recently Will served as the Executive Music Producer for the film Theater Camp. Will has penned the score to The Messenger, Ass, and i at Pioneer Theater Company, as well as The 64 Keys (Cleveland Play House), The Gravedigger’s Lullaby (off-Broadway), Straight (off-Broadway), The Lion King Experience titles (Disney), among others. Will is the Music Supervisor/Orchestrator/Arranger for the hit revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Will also Supervised/Orchestrated/Arranged Pretty Woman on Broadway and Fly at La Jolla Playhouse. Other credits: Kinky Boots, Rent, The Addams Family, Grease, and Wicked. Will writes musicals with Jeff Talbott. For more: www.willvandyke.com or @wvdmusic.
RACHEL HAUCK
RACHEL HAUCK (Set Designer)’s recent work includes the Broadway productions of Hadestown, Good Night, Oscar, How I Learned to Drive, What the Constitution Means to Me, and Latin History for Morons; Sonya Tayeh and Jenn Freeman’s Is It Thursday Yet? (Perelman Arts Center), Hansol Jung’s Merry Me (NYTW), and Jill Sobule and Liza Berkenmeier’s F*ck 7th Grade. She is the recipient of Princess Grace and Lily Awards, an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence, a Tony® nomination and Jeff Award for Good Night, Oscar, and a Tony® Award for the design of Hadestown. Rachel serves on the American Theater Wing Advisory Committee and the Eastern Regional Board of USA829.
SUSAN HILFERTY
Susan Hilferty (Costume Designer) has designed costumes and scenery for over 400 productions across the globe. At Arena: Swept Away and Turn Me Loose. Broadway credits include Wicked, Funny Girl, Present Laughter, Spring Awakening, Lestat, Into the Woods, and August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Her many directorial collaborations include Athol Fugard (over 40 productions), Joe Mantello, Yaël Farber, James Lapine, Michael Mayer, Richard Nelson, Tony Kushner, JoAnne Akalaitis, Arin Arbus, Des McAnuff, Rebecca Taichman, and the late Garland Wright. Hilferty has also designed for opera (Rigoletto, Traviata, and the upcoming Aida for the Metropolitan Opera); dance (Love Stories for Alvin Ailey), and live music events (Taylor Swift’s Speak Now world tour). Hilferty’s many honors include the USITT Lifetime Achievement Award, the Irene Sharaff Award for Lifetime Achievement, an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Design, the Lilly Award, the Ruth Morley Design Award, and Tony®, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk awards forWicked. Hilferty received a 2023 Tony® nomination for Best Costume Design of a Musical for Parade. Hilferty is on the Graduate Design faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, having served as chair for 25 years. www.susanhilferty.com
KEVIN ADAMS
Kevin Adams (Lighting Designer) has designed music videos for Meatloaf, Dokken, Janet Jackson, The Little River Band, The Roches, Arsenio Hall, and Debbie Allen.
JOHN SHIVERS
JOHN SHIVERS (Sound Designer)’s credits include Shucked (2023 Tony® and Drama Desk Award nominee), Beauty and the Beast (worldwide), Pretty Woman (worldwide), Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, Kinky Boots (2013 Tony® Award recipient), Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Leap of Faith, Bonnie and Clyde, Sister Act, 9 to 5, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays. International: Wicked, Tarzan, The Lion King (Shanghai) and (Singapore), Regional: The Muny (2015-present), Trading Places, The Wanderer, 42nd Street, Heart of Rock & Roll, First Wives Club, Nutty Professor, Tales of the City, Emma, Robin & the 7 Hoods, Ace. Associate: Mary Poppins, Hairspray, The Producers, The Lion King, Titanic, Big, How to Succeed…, The Who’s Tommy, The Buddy Holly Story. Other credits: Savion Glover, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Gregory Hines, and engineering at Electric Lady Studios.
JIM CARNAHAN, C.S.A.
JIM CARNAHAN, C.S.A. (New York Casting Director) has cast over 150 Broadway shows. His recent Broadway work includes Merrily We Roll Along; Doubt; Appropriate; Shark is Broken; A Doll’s House; Leopoldstadt; A Beautiful Noise; Funny Girl; New York, New York; Lehman Trilogy; Moulin Rouge!; Harry Potter as well as off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors. Recent/upcoming London includes: Enemy of the People, Plaza Suite, Sinatra: The Musical, Lemonsx5, Best of Enemies, Eureka Day, Mad House. Film: Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid.
JOSEPH PINZON
Joseph Pinzon (DC Casting) is the founder and creative producer of the contemporary circus company Short Round Productions and its award-winning show Filament. With over 25 years of performing experience, he has worked internationally with renowned companies such as Cirque Éloize, Compagnia Finzi Pasca, Cirque du Soleil, and The 7 Fingers. He holds an MS in Arts Leadership from USC, a BA in Psychology from UCLA, and graduated from the National Circus School in Montreal with a specialization in aerial techniques. He was the casting and resident director for Chamäleon Productions (Berlin) and Constellation Immersive (CAA’s experiential affiliate). He is also a member of the Creative & Independent Producer Alliance and a founding board member of the American Circus Alliance. You can see him causing chaos on season 6 of Nailed It! on Netflix, where (spoiler alert) he is a part of the series’ first three-way tie.
JOHANNA McKEON
JOHANNA McKEON (Associate Director) Broadway: Funny Girl, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, King Kong, American Idiot, War Paint, Grey Gardens. Broadway Tours: Funny Girl, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot, Rent. Directing credits include Henry V, Unseen, and Anonymous Biography at The Old Globe and Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Olney Theatre. She directed the premiere of Anne Washburn’s I Have Loved Strangers (Clubbed Thumb, WTF) and the East Coast premiere of Mona Mansour’s We Swim, We Talk, We Go to War (Vineyard Playhouse). She co-founded The Susan Sontag Prize for Translation and is a recipient of Drama League, Boris Sagal, and Fulbright fellowships. MFA UT Austin.
BRIAN MUNN
BRIAN MUNN (Associate Choreographer) is thrilled be working at Arena for the first time and to continue being a part of the journey of Swept Away, having served as the associate choreographer for the world premiere at Berkeley Rep. As an actor, he has appeared onstage both on and off Broadway, in national tours, and at a number of other NYC and regional theaters, as well as a few TV shows. Grateful to David Neumann for the opportunity, much love to wife Eva, and in memory of Mom.
MATT DEITCHMAN
MATT DEITCHMAN (Associate Music Director) is thrilled to work with Arena Stage for the first time. Previously in DC: Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Theatre – Music Director & Cast). Matt is a NYC-based music director, multi-instrumentalist, actor, composer, and orchestrator. As an orchestra musician, he has played for Broadway productions including Parade, A Strange Loop, and Almost Famous. Off-Broadway, Matt was the MD and conductor of Trevor (Stage 42 & Disney+). Recent regional credits include Once (Writers Theatre – Jeff nomination, Music Direction & Ensemble) and Buddy (Marriott Theatre – Jeff nomination, Music Direction). Additional regional work includes Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Lyric Opera of Chicago, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Paramount Theatre, American Stage Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, and many others. Northwestern University alum. mattdeitchman.com Instagram: @mattydeitch
MATTHEW LEINER
Matthew Leiner (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be making his Arena Stage debut with Swept Away after working on the world-premiere production at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. His Broadway credits include productions of Hollywood Arms, The Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked, If/Then, Finding Neverland, School of Rock, King Kong, and West Side Story. He toured for 11 years with productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Sister Act, Mary Poppins, Wicked, and Jersey Boys. Love to Claudia and Archer.
ALICE M. POLLITT
Alice M. Pollitt (Assistant Stage Manager)’s Broadway credits include Ain’t No Mo’, A Strange Loop, West Side Story, King Kong, A Bronx Tale, American Psycho, Noises Off, and Aladdin, as well as the First National Tour of Finding Neverland. Other credits include Disney Theatrical Group, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Public Theater, New York City Center Gala, and Westport Country Playhouse.
MARNE ANDERSON
MARNE ANDERSON (Assistant Stage Manager)’s other Arena Stage highlights include American Prophet, August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, Disney’s Newsies, Jubilee, Indecent, Dave, Two Trains Running, The Great Society, A Raisin in the Sun, Moby Dick, All the Way, King Hedley II, Five Guys Named Moe, Metamorphoses, Arabian Nights, and Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies. Additional DC credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Folger Theatre); Angels in America: Parts 1 and 2 (Round House); and Here There Are Blueberries, King Lear, Jane Anger, The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theatre Company). She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
JALON PAYTON
Jalon Payton (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to Arena Stage for the 2023/24 Season, after being a part of last season’s The High Ground. Recent Baltimore/DC credits include Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville (Everyman Theatre); The Swindlers: A True-ish Tall Tale, The Folks at Home (Baltimore Center Stage); and 10 Seconds (Imagination Stage). Other credits include The Royale, Anton’s Shorts, The Brothers Size, and A Raisin in the Sun at American Players Theatre. Jalon has also stage-managed play readings/workshops with Arena Stage, Taffety Punk Theatre, and Round House Theatre. Jalon is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
MATTHEW MASTEN
MATTHEW MASTEN (Commercial Partner) is a theater and film producer based in New York City. He received a Tony® nomination in 2012 as part of the producing team of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man starring Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones. Most recently, he served as Executive Producer of Michael Mayer’s film adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, adapted for the screen by Stephen Karam and starring Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, and Elisabeth Moss. Past Broadway and Off-Broadway productions include Bill Condon’s acclaimed revival of Side Show, Of Mice and Men starring James Franco and Chris O’Dowd, Buyer & Cellar starring Michael Urie (Off-Broadway and National Tour), My Name is Asher Lev (Outer Critics Circle Award), and the 2014 Original Cast Recording of Side Show. Matthew is a proud graduate of Elon University. he/him/his
SEAN HUDOCK
SEAN HUDOCK (Commercial Partner) is a theater, audio, and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Producing work includes the creation and development of original award-winning plays which have been seen at Arena Stage, Amphibian Stage, Primary Stages, Ars Nova, Berkeley Rep, and beyond. In 2020, he co-founded the immersive audio company Knock at the Gate which has since been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, American Theatre magazine, on NPR, and Good Day New York. As an actor, on screen he starred opposite Seth Numrich, Matt Doyle, and Hale Appleman in Private Romeo, The Chaperone opposite Elizabeth McGovern and Haley Lu Richardson, Comedy Centralr’s Alternatino with Arturo Castro, and on stage in leading roles at Cleveland Play House, SoHo Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Sean has been developing Swept Away alongside Matthew Masten since 2015.
MADISON WELLS LIVE
MADISON WELLS LIVE (Commercial Partner) is the live entertainment arm of Madison Wells, Gigi Pritzker’s award-winning, independent production company with a strong bias towards stories for, by, and about badass women and people who push boundaries. Led by Executive Producer Jamie Forshaw, Madison Wells Live focuses on producing purpose-driven projects through collaboration with partners who are aligned in the belief that great storytelling can provoke, inspire, and move audiences around the world. Broadway credits include Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Water for Elephants, Shucked (Tony® nomination), Company (Tony® Award), The Old Man and The Pool, Pass Over, Hadestown (Tony® Award), The Inheritance (Tony® Award), Million Dollar Quartet (Tony® nomination). West End: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Old Man and The Pool, The Motive, and The Cue. Off-Broadway: Seven Deadly Sins (Drama Desk Award). Regional: Swept Away (Arena Stage/Berkeley Rep). For more information about Madison Wells Live, visit madisonwellsmedia.com.
DOLPHUS RAMSEUR
DOLPHUS RAMSEUR (Avett Brothers Management) Born and raised in North Carolina, music manager and record label owner Dolphus Ramseur has managed The Avett Brothers since 2003 while also fostering the creative visions of musicians including Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sierra Ferrell, Rhiannon Giddens, Heartless Bastards, Amythyst Kiah, Langhorne Slim, and Steep Canyon Rangers. His artists have sold out prestigious venues including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Barclays Center, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Ramseur was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2018 and currently acts as the organization’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. Learn more about Ramseur and his company at ramseur.com.
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE has grown from a storefront stage to an international leader in innovative theatre and has provided a welcoming home for emerging and established artists since 1968. Berkeley Rep’s shows have gone on to win six Tony Awards, seven Obie Awards, nine Drama Desk Awards, one Grammy Award, one Pulitzer Prize, and many other honors. Berkeley Rep received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1997. The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work was launched in 2012. The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre helps build the audiences of tomorrow with its nationally recognized teen programs. Learn more at berkeleyrep.org.
Photos
Videos
Special Performance Notes
Weekday Matinees
Friday, December 8, at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, December 20, at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27, at 12 p.m.
Friday, December 29, at 12 p.m.
Early Curtains
Sunday, December 10, at 1 p.m.
Sunday, December 10, at 6 p.m.
Southwest Nights
Tuesday, November 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 4, at 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Post-Show Conversations
Friday, December 8, at 12 p.m.
Tuesday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 14, at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, December 20, at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27, at 12 p.m.
Audio-Described Performance
Saturday, December 9, at 2 p.m.
Mask-Required Performances
Tuesday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 24, at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27, at 12 p.m.
Saturday, December 30, at 8 p.m.
Swept Away In The News
THE WASHINGTON POST
Arena Stage’s ‘Swept Away,’ ‘Angels in America’ top Helen Hayes nominations
WTOP
Helen Hayes Award nominations ‘swept away’ by Arena Stage in battle of best local theater
NPR ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Truth, forgiveness: 'Swept Away' is a theatrical vessel for Avett Bros' music
WASHINGTON CITY PAPER
Tuneful and tragic, Swept Away looks to be the latest Arena Stage musical to graduate to Broadway.
DRAMA FIENDS PODCAST
Episode 24: Swept Away with Adrian Blake Enscoe
THEATERMANIA
Avett Brothers-Inspired Musical Swept Away Hoists Enthralling Sails
NO DEPRESSION
The Avett Brothers’ Songs Get Theatrical Treatment in ‘Swept Away’
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
The stars of the Avett Brothers musical ‘Swept Away’ embrace their emotional journey
FOX 5 GOOD DAY DC
"Swept Away" sweeps audiences off their feet at Arena Stage
PLAYBILL
Watch: Get Swept Away With the New Avett Brothers Musical at Arena Stage
THE WASHINGTON POST
“TRANSFIXING NEW MUSICAL…waves of roots rock and soulful introspection
come crashing one after the other”
BROADWAYWORLD
Photos: Go Inside Opening Night of The Avett Brothers Musical SWEPT AWAY at Arena Stage
METRO WEEKLY
“SEE WORTHY…The Avett Brothers’ roots rock translates beautifully
to the stage in the new musical adventure”
BROADWAYWORLD
“...with ELITE TALENT across the board, a TRULY STUNNING score, and a MASTERFUL set, Swept Away has tremendous potential as a production with an eye for Broadway”
THE DC LINE
“Gallagher, Duvall, Sands and Enscoe are careful stewards of the Avett Brothers’ beloved songs…their four voices blend remarkably well in group numbers and soar in solo turns.”
BROADWAYWORLD
Interview: Chris Miller and Brian Usifer On Orchestrating The Avett Brothers For The Stage
MARYLAND THEATRE GUIDE
“DELIVERS MASTERFUL THEATRE…you may find yourself swept away”
TALKIN' BROADWAY
"DEEPLY EMOTIONAL story…powered by RICHLY MELODIC score…"
A THEATRE GOER'S THOUGHTS
“DARING and ORIGINAL, CHALLENGING and THOUGHT-PROVOKING…
Swept Away is one of the most stunning pieces of theatre that I’ve ever seen”
DREW MORRIS
"...a RESOUNDING SUCCESS, featuring can’t-miss acting, an intrepid, tragic book, and jaw-dropping production effects"
UNPROFESSIONAL OPINION
“For the entirety of its 90 minutes, I was gripped by its stunningly distilled storytelling..."
PLAYBILL
Photos: Get a 1st Look at Avett Brothers Musical Swept Away, Opening December 6 at Arena Stage
WASHINGTON CITY PAPER
Will Swept Away Rock John Gallagher Jr. and Michael Mayer Back to Broadway?
THE WASHINGTON POST
An Avett Brothers musical is testing the waters. Next stop: Broadway?
PLAYBILL
Avett Brothers Musical Swept Away Starts at Arena Stage November 25
THE WASHINGTON POST
The 36 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week
BROADWAYWORLD
Photos: Go Inside the First Rehearsal for SWEPT AWAY at Arena Stage
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Musicals, Plays and Festivals to Take In This Fall and Spring
PLAYBILL
See Who's Starring in Avett Brothers Musical Swept Away at Arena Stage
PLAYBILL
Avett Brothers Musical Swept Away Unveils Key Art From Rock Poster Artist Ken Taylor
BROADWAYWORLD
Full Cast & Creative Team Set for The Avett Brothers' SWEPT AWAY at Arena Stage
TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES
Theatre News: Mother Play, Harmony, Hadestown, On the Flip Side, Baked and Swept Away
THEATERMANIA
Full Cast and Creative Team Announced for Avett Brothers Musical Swept Away
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Momentum builds for East Coast debut of The Avett Brothers musical ‘Swept Away’
DEADLINE
Broadway-Aimed Avett Brothers Musical ‘Swept Away’ Sets Washington D.C. Cast
THEATERMANIA
John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands to Lead Swept Away at Arena Stage