WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
TO STAR
Grant Gustin Isabelle McCalla
Gregg Edelman Paul Alexander
Nolan Stan Brown Joe De Paul
Sara Gettelfinger Wade McCollum
(New York, New York) — Producers Peter Schneider, Jennifer Costello, Grove Entertainment, Frank Marshall, Isaac Robert Hurwitz, and Seth A. Goldstein are proud to announce that the Broadway premiere of the new musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will star Grant Gustin (“The Flash”, “Glee”) making his Broadway debut, Isabelle McCalla (The Prom, Shucked), four-time Tony Award nominee Gregg Edelman (City of Angels), Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle Award nominee Paul Alexander Nolan (Slave Play), Stan Brown (“Homicide: Life in the Streets”), Joe De Paul (Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion), Sara Gettelfinger (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Wade McCollum (Wicked). Additional casting to be announced soon.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is based on the critically acclaimed and New York Times Bestselling novel by Sara Gruen. The new musical has a book by three-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Tale of Despereaux) and is directed by Tony Award nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo). WATER FOR ELEPHANTS begins previews on Saturday, February 24, 2024, and opens on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street).
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features circus design by Shana Carroll (The 7 Fingers), choreography by Jesse Robb (Miss Saigon) and Shana Carroll, scenic design by Drama Desk Award winner Takeshi Kata (Clyde’s), costume design by David Israel Reynoso (Sleep No More), lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Bradley King (Hadestown), sound design by Tony Award nominee Walter Trarbach (Spongebob Squarepants), projections by David Bengali (The Thanksgiving Play), hair & makeup design by Campbell Young Associates (A Beautiful Noise), puppetry design by Camille Labarre (Into the Woods), music supervision and arrangements by Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Some Like It Hot) and Benedict Braxton-Smith (Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Daryl Waters (New York, New York), music direction by Elizabeth Doran, fight direction by Cha Ramos (Jagged Little Pill), production stage management by Timothy R. Semon (Company), and casting by Tara Rubin Casting.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS had its world premiere in Atlanta on The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre, running from June 7, 2023, through July 9, 2023. The critically acclaimed production had The Atlanta Journal-Constitution raving, “WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a triumph! Truly dazzles.”
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
GRANT GUSTIN (Jacob Jankowski). Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Grant always enjoyed performing. While attending Granby High School, he attended the prestigious Governor’s School for the Arts program to focus on musical theatre and appeared in Cabaret, All Shook Up, and Little Shop of Horrors. After graduation, Gustin was admitted into the BFA Music Theatre Program at Elon University in North Carolina. It was during his sophomore year that he decided to audition for the Broadway revival tour of West Side Story and was awarded the role of Baby John and toured across the country with over 400 performances. After wrapping the tour, Grant joined the third season of the popular musical series, “Glee” in which he played Sebastian Smythe, the lead of Dalton Academy's Warblers singing group. On the film side, Grant was seen in the independent film Krystal, directed by William H. Macy. The cast included Felicity Huffman, Rosario Dawson, Nick Robinson, and Kathy Bates. Grant was also part of the ensemble cast of the indie drama Affluenza, directed by Kevin Asch. Grant starred for nine seasons on the globally successful series, “The Flash.” His role as Barry Allen brought Grant widespread acclaim as well as several awards. Grant has also made several crossover appearances on “Arrow," "Legends of Tomorrow," and "Supergirl," as well as having guested on such series as “90210” and “CSI: Miami.”
ISABELLE McCALLA (Marlena) is currently starring as Maizy in Shucked on Broadway. She originated the role of Alyssa Greene in The Prom and played Princess Jasmine in Aladdin both on Broadway and the North American Tour. She originated the role of Marlena in the world premiere of Water for Elephants at the Alliance Theatre this past summer. Other stage credits include Meg in Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse, Ariel Moore in Footloose (Kennedy Center), and Tink in Fly (La Jolla Playhouse). TV: “Extrapolations” (AppleTV+), “And Just Like That” (HBO), “Law & Order,” (NBC), “Bull” (CBS). @izzymccalla
GREGG EDELMAN (Mr. Jankowski) has been part of the New York theatre scene for the past forty years. His performances have earned him four TONY nominations, the Drama Desk Award, as well as many other honors. He has starred in such shows as City Of Angels, 1776, Into The Woods, Les Misérables, Wonderful Town, to name a few. Other productions around town include Richard Greenberg’s The Perplexed at MTC, Candide at the New York City Opera and the world premiere of A.R. Gurney’s Black Tie. His filmography includes She Came To Me, She Said, Little Children, Liberal Arts, among many others, and his work on television includes “The Sinner,” “House Of Cards,” all the “Law and Order” programs, among many others. He is an Artistic Associate at the Berkshire Theatre Group and has directed numerous shows there including Constellations, Once, What We May Be, White Christmas, and Arsenic and Old Lace, among others.
PAUL ALEXANDER NOLAN (August). Paul Alexander Nolan’s role as August in Water for Elephants will mark his 10th Broadway show. Most recently, he played prosecutor Hugh Dorsey in the 2023 Tony-winning revival of Parade. In 2021, he reprised his role as Jim in the most Tony-nominated play in history, Slave Play, and toured with that production to the Mark Taper Forum in LA. Other Broadway roles include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Guy in Once, Jimmy Ray in Bright Star (Drama Desk nomination), Pasha/Strelnikov in Doctor Zhivago (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Billy Flynn in Chicago, and Tully in Escape to Margaritaville. Off Broadway: Original casts of Daddy Long Legs and Slave Play. Recent regional: Life After at Chicago's Goodman Theatre and Ahrens and Flaherty’s new musical, Knoxville, at Asolo Rep, directed by the late Frank Galati. Paul can be heard on 6 original cast albums. TV credits include “The Code,” “Madam Secretary” and “Instinct” for CBS.
STAN BROWN (Camel) is grateful to make a Broadway debut at 60-years-old. Favorite credits include Cherry Lane's "Open Heart," NBC's "Homicide: Life in the Streets," "In the Heat of the Night," and the acclaimed series "I’ll Fly Away". Film credits include Modern Love (dir. Robby Benson) and Getting In (dir. Doug Liman). In the award-winning short film, The Bespoke Tailoring of Mr. Bellamy (dir. Alexander Jeffery), Stan's portrayal won the Louisiana Film Prize's Best Actor award. The film was also shortlisted for the Academy Award ballot. Stan holds the Inaugural W. Rockwell Wirtz Professorship in Acting at Northwestern University. He holds an MFA in Acting from the University of South Carolina, received classical training as an Acting Fellow at Washington D.C. 's Shakespeare Theatre, and did postgraduate research in Contemporary Shakespearean Performance at Warwick University (Coventry, England). Stan's work caught the attention of the late Cicely Berry, former Head of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company (England), who became his mentor and personally invited him to continue his research with the Voice Department at the RSC.
JOE De PAUL (Walter). Canadian clown, actor, teacher, director Joe De Paul has performed in various productions across North America and Europe, ranging from classical theatre to new works, receiving the META award for Best Actor for Head À Tëte. Joe has appeared on screen in projects such as Bonnano, A God Father Story, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Sirens, Space Cases, Sublet, Frankenstein and Me, Are you afraid of the Dark?, Clutch, Indoors, and Vendetta: The New mafia. In 1999 Joe really did run away with the circus and began his career as a clown performing in numerous Cirque du Soleil productions, including his debut in the North American tour and in the Emmy award winning film version of Dralion. Joe’s unique physical comedy has brought him critical acclaim in various circuses and cabarets in North America and Europe including Salto Natale in Zurich, Palazzo in Germany, and Cirque Zanzibar in France. Joe has toured from Spain to Finland with Los Galindos circus. Joe co-founded the “Collectif Clown International de Marseille” for the research and development of new works. He has taught at the Geneva Circus School, National Theatre School of Canada, L’École National du Cirque and Concordia University. He has directed clowns for Cirque du Soleil’s Ama Luna, Ka, Drawn to Life and directed and starred in over 15 productions of Teatro Zinzanni in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago. Joe has authored and toured internationally two full length productions, Placebo and Thank God for Tim and Joe. Joe was a proud member of the world premiere for Water for Elephants at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in the Spring of 2023.
SARA GETTELFINGER (Barbara) most recently starred as Barbara in the world premiere of Water for Elephants (directed by Jessica Stone at The Alliance Theatre) and as Star in the regional premiere of The Cher Show (Ogunquit Playhouse). Broadway/National Tours: The Addams Family (Morticia), A Free Man of Color (Dona Athene opposite Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def), The 101 Dalmatians Musical (Cruella de Vil), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Jolene Oakes opposite John Lithgow), Nine (Carla, with Antonio Banderas and John Stamos), The Boys from Syracuse, Seussical, Fosse. Other NYC/Regional: Atomic,Carnival!, Tenderloin, Chicago, Grey Gardens, Anything Goes, Catch Me If You Can, Pippin. TV/Film: “Guiding Light,” “Ed,” “Without a Trace,” “Georgetown,” “The Big C,” “Forbidden Love,” and “Sex and the City.”
WADE McCOLLUM (Wade). Broadway: Wicked (Witch’s Father, Wizard/Dr. Dillamond cover) London’s West End: World Premiere of It Happened in Key West (Carl) Broadway Tours: Lincoln Center Theatre’s My Fair Lady (Karpathy/Higgins cover), Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (Tick/Mitzi), Jersey Boys (Norm). Off-Broadway: Make Me Gorgeous, (Kate/Kenneth Marlowe), Triassic Parq (Velociraptor of Faith), Secondary Dominance (The Muse), and McCollum’s Lortel Nominated and Norton Award-winning performance as Ernest in Ernest Shackleton Loves Me. World Premieres: Water For Elephants, Alliance Theatre (Wade); Michael Weller’s A Welcome Guest, CATF (Shimeus); Rob Askins’ The Carpenter, Alley Theatre (Gene); Fly By Night, TheatreWorks Palo Alto (The Narrator). Select Theatre: I Am My Own Wife, PCS (Charlotte/Others); A Lie Of The Mind, PCPA (Jake); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Willamette Rep (Puck); Batboy the Musical, PCS (Batboy); The Rocky Horror Show, Triangle Productions (Frank-N-Furter); The Santaland Diaries, Syracuse Stage (Crumpet); Cabaret, Dallas Theatre Center (Emcee) - Dallas/Fort Worth Theatre Critics Award; Hedwig And The Angry Inch, Triangle Productions and L.A.’s Celebration Theatre (Hedwig) - Drammy, Ovation, Los Angeles Critics Circle, and Garland Awards. Select TV and film: “FBI: MW,” “Madame Secretary,” “The Knick,” “Nightcap,” “At Home with Amy Sedaris,” Options, “Prodigal Son,” Delicate Instruments, “Submissions Only,” and Ernest Shackleton Loves Me.
CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES
RICK ELICE (Book). On Broadway: Jersey Boys (Best Musical, 2006 Tony Award, 2007 Grammy Award and 2009 Olivier Award); The Addams Family; Peter and the Starcatcher (winner of five 2012 Tony Awards); and The Cher Show (currently on tour in the UK). In the pipeline: The Princess Bride and Smash, co-written with Bob Martin; Silver Linings Playbook, a musical adaptation of the popular film; The Marvels, a musical adaptation of the popular novel. In London, Rick’s new play, Doubting Tom, and an original musical, Treasure, written with 2021 Ed Kleban Award-winner Benjamin Scheuer, are slated for 2024. From 1982-1999, as creative director at Serino Coyne Inc, Rick created and produced ad campaigns for more than 300 Broadway shows, from A Chorus Line to The Lion King. From 1999-2009, he served as creative consultant for The Walt Disney Studio. Charter member, American Repertory Theatre. Trustee, The Actors’ Fund. BA, Cornell University; MFA, Yale Drama School; Teaching Fellow, Harvard University. Rick’s book, Finding Roger, An Improbably Theatrical Love Story, a tribute to his extraordinary husband, the late Roger Rees, is published by Kingswell.
PIGPEN THEATRE CO. (Music & Lyrics) began creating their unique brand of theatre, music, and film as freshmen at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2007. They have since performed, produced, and licensed their original plays in New York City and all over the world — earning them critic’s picks from The New York Times, Time Out New York, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, and many more, ranking them in the top ten theatrical events of 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. They were the first group to win the NYC Fringe Festival’s top honor for a play two years in a row (2010/11) and have gone on to win IRNE (2012, 2015) and Jeff Awards (2014) for their theatrical productions. In 2016, Sir Trevor Nunn invited PigPen to be a part of his first American acting company for a production of Shakespeare’s Pericles. PigPen’s debut album, “Bremen,” was named #10 album of the year in The Huffington Post’s 2012 Grammy preview sending PigPen on tour playing to sold-out crowds across the country. American Songwriter premiered their follow-up EP, “The Way I’m Running,” in 2013 while the band was playing a series of concerts that became one of the most popular residencies of the past decade at the legendary Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago. In 2015, PigPen released their sophomore album, “Whole Sun,” performed at Mumford & Sons’ return to the Gentlemen of the Road Festival and made their feature film debut in Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and the Flash starring Meryl Streep. In 2018, PigPen announced that they are creating two stage musicals based on beloved novels: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (in partnership with Universal Theatrical Group) and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (in collaboration with Rick Elice). The Tale of Despereaux world premiered at The Old Globe in the summer of 2019 and transferred to Berkeley Repertory Theatre to close out the year. 2021 saw PigPen premiere their interactive theatrical experience, The Phantom Folktales, aboard Richard Branson’s groundbreaking cruise line, Virgin Voyages. That summer also marked the beginning of their three-year residency as artists and curators at New York City’s newest and most unique public park: Little Island.
SARA GRUEN (Novel) is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of At the Water’s Edge, Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes. Her works have been translated into forty-three languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Water for Elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Rob Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz in 2011. Originally from Canada, Sara now lives in Western North Carolina with her husband and three sons, along with their dogs, cats, horses, birds, and the sweetest ass — er, Jackass — donkey in the Western Hemisphere.
JESSICA STONE (Director). Most recently, Stone was nominated for a Tony Award for directing the original Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, which won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Stone worked as an actress on and off-Broadway, in television and in film for decades before transitioning to directing. Broadway credits included Anything Goes, Butley, The Odd Couple, The Smell of the Kill, Design for Living, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Grease. Her directing career began in earnest with her all-male 2010 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She has since been directing all over the country at such theaters as The Old Globe, A.C.T, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company, Two River Theatre Company, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival among others. Productions include As You Like It, Kate Hamill’s Vanity Fair, Barefoot in the Park, Dancing at Lughnasa, Bad Dates, Ken Ludwig’s Robin Hood! (World premiere), Ripcord, Bad Jews, Arms and the Man, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Charlotte’s Web, June Moon, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Absurd Person Singular, and Kimberly Akimbo (off-Broadway premiere at the Atlantic). She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.
SHANA CARROLL (Co-Choreographer & Circus Design) is Co-Founding Artistic Director of the Montreal based circus company The 7 Fingers. Since its founding in 2002, Carroll has written, directed and choreographed 12 of their touring and/or resident shows, 3 of which (Passengers, Duel Reality, Dear San Francisco) are currently running, and which also includes Sequence 8 at NY City Center and Traces off-Broadway run at Union Square Theatre. Carroll received a Drama Desk Nomination for Choreography and Best Theatrical Experience for their show Traces. Outside The 7 Fingers, Carroll directed Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever ice show Crystal, in addition to their performance at the Academy Awards in 2012. Also, for Cirque du Soleil, Carroll was circus choreographer and designer for their shows Iris (Los Angeles) and Paramour (Broadway). Other credits include: Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Recipient); Soul of the Ocean (Moment Factory); Cité Mémoire (Lemieux-Pilon); and the Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies (medieval segment). Prior to directing and choreography, Carroll was herself a trapeze artist, performing for over 20 years in the air with circuses and dance companies around the world, most notably as the original solo trapeze artist for Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco. She also appeared in Cirque du Soleil produced television and film. Now based in Montreal, where she relocated in 1991 to attend l’École Nationale de Cirque, Carroll is originally from Berkeley, California. In 2023, Carroll was inducted into the Ordre of Arts and Letters of Quebec, a distinction honoring those who have contributed to artistic and cultural development in the province of Quebec.
JESSE ROBB (Co-Choreographer) hails from Canada with a wide resume covering a variety of work across Cirque Du Soleil, Disney, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd., Mirvish Productions, Momix, Prime Video, Opera Philadelphia, RWS Entertainment Group, and Turner Classic Movies. On Broadway, Jesse was the associate choreographer to Bob Avian for the Tony nominated revival of Miss Saigon and staged the subsequent North American tour and Austrian companies. Jesse is also the Associate Musical Stager for the North American tour of Les Misérables and will stage the upcoming South Korean production. His work has been produced regionally at Theatre Calgary, Ogunquit Playhouse, The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Ordway, Cape Playhouse, and the Berkshire Theatre Festival among others. His production of Spamalot is currently running through November 2023 at The Stratford Festival of Canada. Jesse is thrilled to help bring Water for Elephants to life. Many thanks to his parents, Les and Roberta Robb, for their unwavering support.
TAKESHI KATA (Scenic Design) is a theatrical set designer based in Los Angeles, CA. He has worked on over 200 productions of plays, musicals, opera, and dance across the country and abroad. Recent Projects include A Prayer for the French Republic (MTC), Until the Flood (FIND festival, Shaubühne, Berlin), Clyde’s (Helen Hayes), Derren Brown’s Secret (Cort), Bug (Steppenwolf), Angels in America (Berkeley Rep), and Cambodian Rock Band. Kata is the recipient of the 2022 Michael Merrit Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, and has received Drama Desk, Obie, and Jeff Awards. He is an Associate Professor at University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts, where he currently serves as Chair of Design.
DAVID ISRAEL REYNOSO (Costume Design) is an internationally renowned, scenic / costume / exhibit designer and the founder of OPTIKA MODERNA. Mr. Reynoso is the Obie Award–winning costume designer of Punchdrunk's Sleep No More (Boston, NY and Shanghai) and The Burnt City (London); Some of his celebrated theatrical designs include: The Wanderers, starring Katie Holmes (Roundabout Theatre), Into the Woods (Signature Theatre - Helen Hayes nomination); Jekyll & Hyde (Finnish National Ballet); to the yellow house, Queens, Tiger Style! Healing Wars, The Darrell Hammond Project (La Jolla Playhouse); Hair, El Borracho, Red Velvet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Barefoot in the Park, Time and the Conways, Arms and the Man (The Old Globe), Ghosts, In the Heights (Seattle Repertory Theater), Sanctuary City (Berkeley Rep, Arena Stage). Other: Alliance Theatre, American Repertory Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Portland Center Stage, Two River Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse and more. He is the creator/director of La Lucha, Teatro Piñata, Portaleza, Las Quinceañeras, and Waking La Llorona; Other work includes designs for Meow Wolf, Museum of Us, New Children's Museum, and globally recognized theme parks.
BRADLEY KING (Lighting Design) is a parent, proud union member, and lighting designer based in NYC. Broadway: Fat Ham (Tony nominee), Hadestown (Tony, Drama Desk winner), The Great Comet (Tony, Drama Desk winner), Flying Over Sunset (Tony nominee), Bernhardt/Hamlet. Recent Off Broadway: Endlings (NYTW), Evita (City Center Encores), Alice by Heart (MCC), Apologia, The Last Match (Roundabout), The Treasurer (Playwrights Horizons), shows for Atlantic Theater Company, LAByrinth, The Kitchen, Signature Theater, the Vineyard, CSC, and many others. Regional: The Alley, ART, The Guthrie, Long Wharf, The McCarter, The Old Globe, TUTS, Yale Rep, and many others. International: UK, Canada, China. Two-time Tony, Drama Desk, and OCC Award winner; three-time Lortel nominee. MFA, NYU. USA829 member.
WALTER TRARBACH (Sound Design). Credits Include: SpongeBob SquarePants (Tony Nomination), The Farnsworth Invention, Cymbeline, Real Women Have Curves, The Harder They Come, Dave, Queen of the Mist, and Almost Maine. Co-Sound Designs credits include: Ain’t Too Proud, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and Doctor Zhivago. Regional Credits include: La Jolla Playhouse, American Repertory Theater, Huntington Theater Company, The Fifth Avenue, Williamstown Theater Festival, DC's Shakespeare Theatre Company, George Street Playhouse, Bay Street Theater. Walter is married to photographer Kimberly Witham.
DAVID BENGALI (Projection Design). Broadway: The Thanksgiving Play, 1776. Off-Broadway including: Twilight: LA 1992 (Signature - Henry Hewes Award, Drama Desk Nom.); Monsoon Wedding (Saint Anns Warehouse); Anthony Rapp’s Without You (New World Stages); The Visitor (The Public Theater - Lortel Nom.); Circle Jerk (Fake Friends - Obie Award, Drama League Nom.); Einstein’s Dreams (Prospect/59E59 - Drama Desk Nom.); Van Gogh’s Ear (ERC - Drama Desk Nom.); The Great Leap (Atlantic); Here There Are Blueberries (NYTW / Tectonic Theater Project); Regional including: La Jolla Playhouse, A.R.T., Yale Rep, Dallas Theater Center, Alliance; National Tours of: Peter Pan; 1776; Rockin’ Road To Dublin.
Campbell Young Associates (Hair & Makeup Design). Select Credits: Broadway: The Shark is Broken, Funny Girl, The Music Man, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, Bad Cinderella, Almost Famous, Les Misérables, Hello, Dolly!. Broadway/West End: Back to the Future, Leopoldstadt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Company, Girl from the North Country, A Christmas Carol, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Drama Desk Design Award), The Ferryman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Groundhog Day, Matilda, Ghost, Billy Elliot. West End: Get Up Stand Up!, The Prince of Egypt. Film/TV: “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Gilded Age,” “The Politician,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “The Leftovers,” “Smash,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Downton Abbey,” “Doctor Who,” “Will and Grace,” and Dirty Dancing.
CAMILLE LABARRE (Puppet Design) is Founder and Creative Director of LAB LAB, a puppet and prop shop in NYC. Broadway: The Skin of Our Teeth, Into the Woods (Assistant Puppet Designer / Builder). Selected Off-Broadway: Encores! At NYC Center - Into the Woods (Assistant Puppet Designer / Builder). Regional: Alliance Theater. Selected TV: “Sesame Street,” “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” (Puppet / Prop Builder). Selected Ads: Amazon Prime Day, Honda Holiday, Dunkin’ x NHL, Hershey’s (Puppet / Prop Builder). Selected Live Events: Thom Browne SS 2022 - New York Fashion Week (Puppet Builder).
MARY-MITCHELL CAMPBELL (Co-Music Supervisor & Co-Arranger). Broadway: Some Like It Hot, Mean Girls, The Prom, Finding Neverland, Big Fish, Company, Sweeney Todd, Tuck Everlasting, The Addams Family. Drama Desk Award for Best Orchestrations for Company. Music director for City Center Encores! She is the founder of ArtsIgnite (artsignite.org) which helps young people develop agency through the arts and is passionate about arts education and equality in the arts. She is also a founding member of MUSE (museonline.org) and MAESTRA (maestramusic.org) and loves seeing more inclusivity in orchestras.
BENEDICT BRAXTON-SMITH (Co-Music Supervisor & Co-Arranger) is an Australian-made Music Director, Orchestrator, and Composer (among other things). Broadway/NYC: For The Girls, My Golden Age (Jessica Vosk at Carnegie Hall), Cyrano, Kristin Chenoweth’s Christmas At The MET. Touring: Mean Girls First National. TV/Streaming: “Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020” (HBOmax), “Stars on Stage: Gavin Creel” (PBS), “Take Me To The World: Sondheim’s 90th Birthday Celebration”. Albums: “Wake Me When We Get There” (Big Sky City Lights), “A Very Coco Christmas” (Jessica Vosk). Benedict is an NYU Tisch GMTWP Graduate, and a proud immigrant. Wouldn’t be here without Mum, UP&AG, Erin, and Austin.
Daryl Waters (Orchestrator) received the Tony and Drama Desk Orchestration awards for Memphis. Other Broadway credits include New York, New York (Tony nomination for Best Orchestrations); Music Supervision/ Orchestrations/ Arrangements for The Cher Show (Drama Desk nomination for Best Orchestrations): Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (Tony nomination for Best Orchestrations); Holler If Ya Hear Me; Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk; and Street Corner Symphony. He was the Music Supervisor and Conductor for After Midnight and Dance Music Arranger for The Color Purple and Jelly’s Last Jam. His composing credits include Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk (Tony nomination for Best Original Score) and Drowning Crow. Mr. Waters is a graduate of Livingstone College, a Historically Black College in Salisbury, NC, and a proud founding member of MUSE (Musicians United for Social Equity), an organization that promotes diversity in the music departments of theatrical productions.
ELIZABETH DORAN (Music Director). Broadway: SIX, Mean Girls, Tuck Everlasting, Allegiance, Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: Sweet Charity (The New Group). Regional: Alliance, Goodman, Court, Porchlight, Timeline, Huntington. Film/TV: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Proud Northwestern graduate.
Cha Ramos (Fight Director) is a fight director, intimacy director, dramaturg, playwright, performer, and instructor, with an MFA in Theatre from Columbia University. Notable credits include: fight and intimacy direction for Dom Juan (Fisher Center at Bard College); associate intimacy direction for COMPANY and Jagged Little Pill (Broadway); dramaturgy for new works by José Rivera and Leslie Ayvazian; performing with the Vixens En Garde all-female sword-fighting Shakespeare comedy troupe; and ongoing development of her three original plays. With immense gratitude to my family (both given and found), to my ancestors, and to the mentor-colleagues who have fortified me. I choose the ride.