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Carousel Cast and Creative Team

Carousel Cast and Creative Team

Meet the Cast       Meet the Creative Team

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Cast

Ronn Carroll
RONN CARROLL* (Starkeeper, Dr. Seldon) returns to Goodspeed in the show that marked his first appearance on the New York Stage. Among his twenty Broadway shows: Oklahoma; Annie Get Your Gun; Crazy For You; Steel Pier; Promises, Promises; Gypsy; The Rink; On Golden Pond. Favorite Off-Broadway credits: Greater Tuna, Love’s Labour's Lost, A Man of No Importance. Goodspeed: 1776 (Franklin), and Camelot (Pellinore), How To Succeed... (Biggley).
   
Erin Davie ERIN DAVIE* (Julie Jordan) is happy to return to Goodspeed where she last appeared as Guenevere in Camelot. Broadway: Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music revival, Young Little Edie in Grey Gardens (Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut), Niki Harris in Curtains. Off-Broadway: The Glorious Ones, LCT; Encores! Applause (Eve Harrington). National Tours: Guys and Dolls, Swing!, The Music of Andrew Webber. Regional: Sunday in the Park with George (Dot), A Time to Kill (Carla), Camelot (Guenevere), The Apple Tree (Eve), A Little Night Music (Anne), Carousel (Julie), Jekyll & Hyde (Emma), The Student Prince. TV: “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order.”
   
Jenn Gambatese
 JENN GAMBATESE* (Carrie) starred on Broadway as Jane in Tarzan and Natalie in All Shook Up. She recorded the original albums of both these shows, as well as Hairspray—where she created the role of Brenda, and then played Penny Pingleton. Other Broadway: Is He Dead?, A Year with Frog and Toad, and  Footloose. Favorite Off-Broadway and Regional credits include The School for Lies (CSC), We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Yale Rep), and Annie Get Your Gun (Goodspeed Musicals). Jenn is proud to be an NYU alum, a member of AEA, Curtis Cregan's wife, and Josephine's mother...and grateful for life's "blessons"!
   
Anne Kanengeiser ANNE KANENGEISER* (Nettie) Goodspeed Debut!! Broadway: Ragtime (u/s Mother); Little Women (Standby/Maureen McGovern). National Tours: The Phantom of the Opera (Mme Giry); Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts). Regional: Eleanor Roosevelt in Eleanor: An American Love Story, Ford’s Theatre D.C. (Helen Hayes Award); Fosca, Passion, Signature Theatre D.C. (Helen Hayes Award); Kiss Me, Kate (Lili/Kate); Victor/Victoria (Victoria Grant); Sweeney Todd (Beggarwoman); 1776 (Abigail Adams); The King and I (Anna). NYC:  9th Annual Will-A-Thon, Workshop Theater Co (Lady Macbeth, Aemilia, Calphurnia, Gertrude). TV: “Law & Order: SVU,” “Guiding Light.” Gratitude and Love to the Maestro and all my family!
   
Jeff Kready  JEFF KREADY* (Enoch) Broadway: Billy Elliot (Tony Elliot), Sunday in the Park with George revival, Les Misérables revival (Jean Valjean u/s). National Tour: Billy Elliot. Off-Broadway: Tokio Confidential (Atlantic Theater). Favorite regional credits: In This House (World premiere, Two River Theater), Godspell (Jesus), Anything Goes (Billy), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), Cats (Rum Tum Tugger), 42nd Street (Billy). TV: “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO). Education: BA in Voice Performance and Vocal Music Education from Washburn University. Currently enrolled at Central Baptist Theological Seminary - always seeking Proverbs 4:5. Onetime Kansas music teacher, now proud member Actor’s Equity Association. Thanks to The Mine. @JK_Ready jeffkready.com
   
Deanne Lorette
DEANNE LORETTE* (Mrs. Mullin) Goodspeed debut! Broadway: La Bete with Mark Rylance and David Hyde Pierce. Off-Broadway: Sheila in Keen Company’s acclaimed production of Benefactors; and has appeared with The Drama League. She has appeared in leading roles across the country at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Fulton Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Pennsylvania Shakespeare, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Syracuse Stage, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, Pioneer Theatre Company, Playmakers Repertory Company, Virginia Stage, Two River Theatre, California Shakespeare, Utah Shakespearean Festival, and South Coast Repertory. TV: “Guiding Light.” Film: The Passion.
   
Tally Sessions
 TALLY SESSIONS* (Jigger) Broadway: The House of Blue Leaves. National Tours: South Pacific, Legally Blonde, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Off-Broadway: Queen of the Mist (Transport Group), Yank! (York Theatre), The Mad Show (York Theatre), Anyone Can Whistle (Encores!), Godspell. Regional: The Old Globe (Robin and the Seven Hoods), Signature Theatre (The Gospel According to Fishman, Assassins), Goodspeed Opera House (Lizzie Borden), Westport Country Playhouse (The Immigrant), Paper Mill Playhouse (Little Shop of Horrors), Arvada Center (Chess), Pioneer Theatre (White Christmas), Florida Stage (The Spitfire Grill), Actors’ Playhouse (Floyd Collins, The Full Monty, Urinetown, Beauty and the Beast), SpeakEasy Stage (The Last Five Years).
   
James Snyder
 

JAMES SNYDER* (Billy) Broadway: Cry-Baby in CryBbaby; also world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse. TV: "Blue Bloods," "Drop Dead Diva," "CSI." Other stage: Fanny (NY City Center), Broadway: Three Generations (Kennedy Center); Rock of Ages (LA, Las Vegas); Oedipus the King, Mama! (Troubadour Theater Co.); Happy Days, The Fantasticks (Sacramento Music Circus); Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes. Film: She's The Man, Meth Head, An American in China, Shuttle, and Pretty Persuasion, (Sundance). Other TV: "Without A Trace," "Cold Case," "Gilmore Girls," "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."  Recordings: solo album on iTunes, "Bare." He loves his family!

   
Jessica Bishop
JESSICA BISHOP* (Ensemble) Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera (Meg Giry), West Side Story revival (Velma, Anybodys cover). National Tour/Off-Broadway: Phantom (Meg), Freckleface Strawberry (original cast album). Regional: Our Town with Hal Holbrook (Emily cover). TV: “Sondheim: The 80th Birthday Concert” (PBS). American Ballet Theatre and Coca-Cola Scholar. Attended The Hartt School. Love to BLB. God’s love to you! www.jessica-bishop.com
   
Beth Crandall
BETH CRANDALL* (Ensemble) is excited to be making her Goodspeed debut! Broadway: West Side Story. First National Tours: West Side Story, Wonderful Town. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Barrington Stage Co, Atlanta TOTS.  BFA from NYU/Tisch. Thanks to the creative team, cast and crew, Paul Hardt, and MSA. Love to Mom, Dad, and Alex. BethCrandall.com
   
Belle Doraz
BELLE DORAZ (Snow Child) returns to Goodspeed after her debut as the understudy to Young Kim in 2011’s Show Boat. Belle has been active in regional theater throughout her childhood. Most recently, she played the lead of Mary Lenox in The Secret Garden at The Missoula Children’s Theater. Other roles include Charlie in Oliver! with the Backstage Players and the title role in Cinderella at Allegro Performing Arts. Belle enjoys being with her friends, dance classes, volunteering as a reading mentor, and playing lacrosse. She thanks everyone at Goodspeed for this tremendous opportunity and her family for their encouragement and support.
   
Jennifer Evans
JENNIFER EVANS* (Ensemble) Broadway: Ragtime, A Tale of Two Cities. Tours: Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Annie, My Fair Lady, The Best Little Whorehouse... (starring Ann-Margret), Show Boat (Magnolia). Regional: Romance/Romance (Josefine and Monica/Cape May Stage), My Own Song (Audrey/Flat Rock Playhouse), Oklahoma (Laurey/TOTS), Palm Beach (Tessa/La Jolla Playhouse), Meet Me in St. Louis (Rose/Westchester Broadway), Very Good Eddie and Where's Charley (Goodspeed). A proud Equity member, Jennifer thanks her mother and Mark.
   
Eloise Kropp

ELOISE KROPP (Louise, Ensemble) is excited to be making her Goodspeed Opera House debut. Previous credits include Music Theatre Wichita: Gypsy (Dainty June), Music Man (Zaneeta); Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma: Hairspray (Amber), Music Man (Zaneeta), Xanadu (Erato). Eloise just completed her sophomore year in the Musical Theatre Program at the University of Oklahoma. Much love and thanks to my family, ARR, JBR, and Peggy.

   
Edward Lawrence EDWARD LAWRENCE (Ensemble) hails from Gillette, Wyoming and trained at Interlochen Arts Academy and Marymount Manhattan College. Credits include West Side Story European/Asia Tour (Soloist); Cats National Tour, Gateway Playhouse (Alonzo); Annie Get Your Gun. Love and Thanks: Mom, Dad, and everyone on my journey in life, love, and happiness.
   
Leisa Mather
 LEISA MATHER* (Ensemble) Recently, The Price with Robert Prosky; later, Dominic Chianese (Walnut Street Theater, Old Globe Theater), The Sound of Music (Drury Lane Theater), Forbidden Broadway (Royal George Theater, Jeff nominated), and Legally Blonde (Westchester Broadway). Ragtime National Tour. The Visit (with Chita Rivera, Goodman Theatre); Harold and Maude (with Estelle Parsons, Paper Mill Playhouse); Yelena in Uncle Vanya; Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and 13 men in Around the World in 80 Days.
   
Ethan Pancoast ETHAN PANCOAST (Snow Child) is thrilled to be  making his Goodspeed debut. He is a 3rd grader at West Hill Elementary in Rocky Hill. Ethan studies violin with the Hartford Conservatory and played at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2011. He spent the last holiday season playing Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol at the Hartford Stage. He also filmed a holiday promo with Mike Ditka on ESPN which aired during "NFL Countdown." Ethan loves playing baseball and dreams of playing professionally one day. Thanks to his Mom, Dad, Mama, Papa and Addison for their love and support.
   
Jonathan Rayson

JONATHAN RAYSON* (Ensemble) Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour); A Year with Frog and Toad. National Tour: Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour); Legally Blonde (Aaron, Emmet u/s). Off-Broadway: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Adrift in Macao. Regional: Next to Normal (Dan) at Pioneer Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Kauffman Center; Paper Mill’s Hello, Dolly! (Cornelius). Jonathan’s solo CD, Shiny and New, featuring pop songs from the 70s, is available on iTunes. www.jonathanrayson.com

   
Sam Rogers SAM ROGERS* (Ensemble) Originally from Portland, Oregon, Sam received his training at The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre and The Julliard School. Broadway credtis include West Side Story (2009 Revival). Regional credits include Show Boat at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Shout!, White Christmas, and The Pirates of Penzance at the Marriott Theatre.
   
Michael Scirrotto
 MICHAEL SCIRROTTO* (Ensemble) NY: Camelot, Lincoln Center.1st National Tours: A Chorus Line (Larry), West Side Story (Pepe/Bernardo u/s). Regional: On The Town, Paper Mill Playhouse (MC, Rajah Bimmy, Ozzy u/s); Evita, Maltz Jupiter (Tango Dancer); A Chorus Line, Northern Stage (Paul) and Hilton Head (Mike); Cats, Northern Stage (Alonzo). Sailaway, Tokyo Disney. Proud Graduate of A.W. Dreyfoos HSOA and New World SOA (BFA Musical Theater). A very special thanks to Paul Hardt, Rob, and Parker!!!
   
Jet Thomason
JET THOMASON* (Ensemble) is proud to be returning to Goodspeed after performing in last year's production of Show Boat. Favorite regional credits include A Chorus Line (Zach), The World Goes 'Round (Man 2), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Ruben/Pharaoh), and Damn Yankees (Rocky). He was also the understudy for Che in the Mational Tour of Evita. Jet is the creator of the musical theatre documentary N.Y. Libretto. nylibretto.com
   
Fred Thornley IV FRED THORNLEY IV (Snow Child) age 6, attends first grade at Noah Webster Micro Society Magnet School in Hartford. He studies acting and dancing at The Hart School of Community Dance in West Hartford and is part of the Tiny Tap group. He appeared at Hartford Stage in A Christmas Carol as Tiny Tim in the 2010 production and as Cider Boy/Ignorant Child in the 2011 production.   
   
Travis Waldschmidt
TRAVIS WALDSCHMIDT* (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his Goodspeed debut! Recently he has been seen in the national tours of 9 to 5: The Musical, the world tour of West Side Story, and Disney's High School Musical. Regional Credits include: High School Musical 2, A Chorus Line, and Bye Bye Birdie. Film/TV credits: Twister, Festival, and "Wiener & Wiener." Select dance works by Shen Wei, Pilobolus, and William Forsythe. Much love to my friends and family!
   
Aaron Young
AARON YOUNG* (Ensemble) is happily returning to Goodspeed after appearing in the 2010 production of Annie Get Your Gun. Tour: Cabaret. Other Regional: Pittsbugh CLO, 5th Ave. Theatre, North Carolina Theatre, Ordway Center, Westchester Broadway. Favorite roles include Joseph in Joseph...Dreamcoat, Prince Charming in Cinderella, and Rolf in The Sound of Music. Last fall, Aaron toured Japan as a soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic. Love and thanks to the Goodspeed family!
   
Maria Briggs  MARIA BRIGGS (Swing) is thrilled to be working at Goodspeed Opera House! Tours: Radio City Rockettes. Regional favorites: The Music Man, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Singin’ in the Rain, Yankee Doodle, and Dreamgirls. Concert Dance: Continental Ballet. AMDA graduate. Much love to those supporting me through this wonderful journey. Yay!
   
Andrew Scott Holmes  ANDREW SCOTT HOLMES (Swing) is thrilled to be making his Goodspeed debut in Carousel. Andrew would like to give a huge “thanks” to his family and friends for all their support. Additional thanks to FSPA, Dancing Arts Center, Vicky, Scott, and the rest of the Baldwin Wallace faculty.

 

Creative Team

Rob Ruggiero

ROB RUGGIERO (Director)   is thrilled to be returning to Goodspeed this season after having directed productions of 1776, Big River, Camelot , Annie Get Your Gun and last season’s highly acclaimed production of Show Boat. His Broadway credits include Looped, starring Valerie Harper (in a Tony nominated performance) and High (starring stage and screen star Kathleen Turner), which premiered here in Connecticut.  Other New York credits include All Under Heaven (also starring Valerie Harper), as well as conceiving and directing the original musical revue Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn (Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award nominations).  Regionally, Mr. Ruggiero has earned national recognition for his work on both plays and musicals, having received numerous awards including four Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, a Joseph Jefferson Award in Chicago, and currently having the distinction of being the only director to have received four Kevin Kline Awards in St. Louis.  Connecticut audiences are also familiar with Mr. Ruggiero's work through his association with TheaterWorks in Hartford, where he has been a key partner in the artistic leadership since 1993. He conceived and directed the highly successful Ella (Kevin Kline and Joseph Jefferson Awards) at TheaterWorks, which has been produced at over twenty major regional theaters around the country. Upcoming projects include a production of The King & I at The MUNY in St. Louis and Venus in Fur at TheaterWorks this fall.

   

 

PARKER ESSE (Choreographer) is thrilled to be back! Previous Goodspeed productions: Associate Director/Choreographer, Lucky Guy; Assistant Choreographer Pirates of Penzance and Babes in Arms. Choreographer: Oklahoma!, Arena Stage (Helen Hayes Award, Best Choreography); Katie Couric’s The Brand New Kid (Kennedy Center); The Music Man, The Light in the Piazza, The Mystery of Irma Vep, A Christmas Carol 1941 (Arena Stage), The Buddy Holly Story (Flat Rock Playhouse). Associate Choreographer: Finian’s Rainbow and A Tale of Two Cities (Broadway), Rated P for Parenthood (Off-Broadway), 101 Dalmatians (National Tour), Follies (Kennedy Center), 5 Encores! productions, and the film Deception starring Hugh Jackman. Love to Maria and Jaden!

   
 

MICHAEL O'FLAHERTY (Music Director) is in his 21st season as Goodspeed's Resident Music Director. Broadway: By Jeeves, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, A Streetcar Named Desire. Also: Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Ford's Theatre, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Kennedy Center, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and the Smithsonian Institution. Musical Supervisor and Cabaret Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival for 11 years. His original musical Genesius, for which he wrote music and lyrics, was recently showcased in NYC.

   

MICHAEL SCHWEIKARDT (Scenic Design) For Goodspeed: Show Boat, Hello! My BabyAnnie Get Your Gun, 1776, Big River, Camelot. World premieres of Nobody Loves You and Duncan Sheik’s Whisper House, The Old Globe. Motherhood The Musical, G4 Productions. Ella, a musical about Ella Fitzgerald, appearing in cities all across the country. Bloodsong of Love, Ars Nova. Barnum, The Asolo. American premieres of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold and The Bird Sanctuary. Oklahoma! starring Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase, and National and International Tours of James Taylor’s One Man Band. msportfolio.com

   
 

ALEJO VIETTI (Costume Design) Goodspeed: 1776, Big River, Annie Get Your Gun, Camelot, and Meet John Doe. New York: New York City Opera, Manhattan Theatre Club, Primary Stages, MCC, Radio City Rockettes, The New Group, Atlantic Theatre Company, Rattlestick, and The Irish Rep, among others. Selected Regional: Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, Guthrie, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public. Others: Minnesota Opera, Colorado Ballet, Donetsk Opera Ukraine, Edinburgh Fringe, Ringling Brothers Boom’A’Ring. TDF Young Master Award.

   

JOHN LASITER (Lighting Design) Connecticut: Goodspeed (1776,  Big River,  Camelot, Carnival!,  Annie Get Your Gun, Show Boat, City of Angels, Hello! My Baby), Long Wharf, Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks. Broadway: High. Off-Broadway: Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn, Alarm Dog Repertory Company, Blue Light Theater Company, Music Theatre Group. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Arizona Repertory, Asolo Repertory, Centerstage Baltimore, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theater Center, Florida Stage, George Street Playhouse, Geva, Milwaukee Repertory, New Mexico Repertory, Northlight, Pittsburgh Public, South Coast Repertory, Syracuse Stage, Virginia Stage. johnlasiter.com.
   
  JAY HILTON (Sound Design) is proud of his long association with Goodspeed, having designed countless productions at the Goodspeed Opera House and Norma Terris Theatre. In addition to his design duties Jay serves as the Lighting & Sound Supervisor for all of Goodspeed’s productions. Jay’s work has been heard on Broadway, National Tours, and at regional theatres from coast to coast. Jay and his wife, Goodspeed’s Line Producer Donna Lynn Hilton, make their home (and garden) in Hadlyme.
   
 

CHARLES LaPOINTE (Hair & Wig Design) Broadway: Clybourne Park, Magic/Bird, A Streetcar Named Desire, Bring it On, Newsies, Memphis, The Miracle Worker, Looped, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Rivals, Henry IV, Cymbeline, Sight Unseen, Julius Caesar, 33 Variations, Desire Under the Elms, Radio Golf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the London production, A Raisin in the Sun, The Color Purple, Jersey Boys and all tours, The Apple Tree, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, High Fidelity, In the Heights, Good Vibrations, Guys and Dolls, Xanadu. Tours: Jersey Boys: Tour 1; Chicago: Las Vegas, London, Toronto, Melbourne; Dirty Dancing; Xanadu; The Color Purple; Little House on the Prairie; Ella. Many Regional and Off Broadway credits.

 
   
 

DAN DeLANGE (Orchestrator) has scored music for Paul Williams, Julie Andrews, Rosie O'Donnell, Jerry Herman, Harvey Schmitt, Peter Link, and the Jim Henson Company. He orchestrated the premiere of Charles Strouse’s You Never Know, conducted the Broadway National Tour of Chicago, and was music director/conductor for Musical America's National Tours of Crazy For You, Beauty and the Beast, and Singin' in the Rain. Graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. DanDeLangeOrchestrations.com

 

 

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.