Grantors

No items found.

Donors

We would like to thank all of the donors that helped make this season possible.

Tributes

Performers

Tay Anderson

Rusty

Jada Austin

Ensemble

Nayda Baez

Urleen

Bryce Bayer

Harry

Bianca Chico

Wendy Jo

Alex Deleo

Ren McCormack

Cameron Hale Elliot

Chuck Cranston

Megan Ann Fernandez

Vi Moore

Tyler Fish

Wes Warnicker

Jada Griffin

Elenor Dunbar / Betty Blast

Mac Hawbaker

Ensemble / Cop / Cowboy Bob

Hailey Hendrickson

Ensemble

Jessica Jennelle

Ensemble

Lea Marinelli

Ariel Moore

Taylor Hilt Mitchell

Travis

Zummy Mohammed

Lyle

John Perez

Rev. Shaw Moore

Brandon Rodriguez

Jeter

Emilia Sargent

Ethel McCormack

Melanie Souza

Betty Blast / Lulu

Troy Wallace

Willard Hewitt

Donovan Whitney

Coach / Principal Dunbar

Associate Choreographer, U/S Ariel, Ethel, Vi - Hailey Hendrickson
U/S Rev. Shaw, Wes, Coach Dunbar - Mac Hawbaker
‍Dance Captain, U/S Chuck - Zummy Mohammed
U/S Wendy Jo - Jessica Jennelle
U/S Lyle - Brandon Rodriguez
‍U/S Urleen - Jada Austin
U/S Rusty - Bianca Chico

‍
‍

Setting

There will be one 15-minute intermission

Songs & Scenes

Act I

"*Footloose"

Ren and the Company

"On Any Sunday"

Rev. Shaw Moore and the Company

"The Girl Gets Around"

Chuck, Ariel, Travis, and Lyle

"*I Can’t Stand Still"

Ren

"Somebody’s Eyes"

Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo, and the Company

"Learning to be Silent"

Vi and Ethel

"Holding Out for a Hero"

Ariel, Rusty, Wendy Jo, and Urleen

"Heaven Help Me"

Shaw

"*I’m Free/Heaven Help Me"

Ren, Shaw, and the Company

Act II

"Let’s Make Believe We’re In Love"

Irene and her Country Kickers, Ren, Ariel, Rusty, Cowboy Bob, & Willard

"Let’s Hear It For the Boy"

Rusty and the Company

"Can You Find It In Your Heart?"

"Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)"

Willard, Bickle, Garvin, Jeter, and Ren

"Almost Paradise"

Ren and Ariel

"Dancing Is Not A Crime"

Ren, Willard, Bickle, Garvin, and Jeter

"I Confess"

Shaw

"Can You Find It In Your Heart? (Reprise)"

Shaw

"Footloose (Finale)"

The Company

Production Staff

Production Stage Manager

Rachel Harrison

Music Director

Jose Simbulan

Assistant Choreographer

Hailey Hendrickson

Assistant Stage Manager

Hope Rose Kelly

Scenic Designer

Jerid Fox

Lighting Designer

Douglas Cox

Assistant Lighting Designer

Brian Barnett Jessica Stevens

Costume Designer

Saawan Tiwari

Sound Designer

Steve Kraack

Properties Designer

Dean Wick

Director of Production

Timon Brown

Assistant Technical Director/Master Carpenter

John Millsap

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

Interim Executive Director

CJ Zygadlo

Associate Artistic Producer

Rachel Harrison‍ Patrick A. Jackson

Director of Marketing & Communications

Avery Anderson

Director of Development

Megan Harris

Director of Community Engagement

Erica Sutherlin

Director of Education

Jose Aviles

Development Manager

Wendeline Casimir

Development Coordinator

Cheyenne DeBarros

Office Manager

Paige Gilley

Communications Coordinator

Kaitryn Wetzel

Education and Community Engagement Associate

John Perez

Health & Safety Manager

Troy Brooks

Graphic Designer

Curtis Waidley

Video Producer

Tyler McElrath

Marketing Assistant

Kenneth Butler Jr.

Box Office Manager

Steve Mountan

Box Office Associate

Jenny Peacock

Bar Manager

Chris Strong

Musicians

Keys

Jose Simbulan

Guitar

Paul Stoddart

Bass

Joe Grady

Drums

Burt Rushing

Drums (Sub)

Melanie Downs

Board of Trustees

Chair

Anastasia C. Hiotis

Vice Chair

Gina Clement

Treasurer

Trevor Wells, CPA

Administrative Officer

Joe Weldon

Board Members

Rev. Michael Alford Ebrahim Busheri Dexter Fabian Alistair Flynn Joel B. Giles Alais L. M. Griffin Will Hough Sherri Smith-Dodgson Cathy P. Swanson Steven W. Walker

Student Advisory Board

Credits

Lighting equipment from PRG Lighting, sound equipment from Sound Associates, rehearsed at The Public Theater’s Rehearsal Studios. Developed as part of Irons in the Fire at Fault Line Theatre in New York City.

Special Thanks

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

“Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an International organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org

United Scenic Artists ● Local USA 829 of the I.A.T.S.E represents the Designers & Scenic Artists for the American Theatre

ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers (IATSE Local 18032), represents the Press Agents, Company Managers, and Theatre Managers employed on this production.

A Message from Director Shain Stroff

Footloose provides a reminder to live in the moment, appreciate the blessings of your family and friends, and understand that everyone you come across in life may be fighting a battle you know nothing about. The old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” couldn’t be more true than within this story. The author and lyricist, Dean Pitchford, says this in his Author’s Notes:
‍
The major characters in Footloose the musical have one trait in common: they are survivors. Their circumstances–no matter how tragic-have not defeated them: and, as a consequence, we, the audience, find them likable, sympathetic . . . human.
‍
There is a moment at the end of the show when Ren quotes various Bible verses to make his argument for allowing an annual High School Dance. The selections he chooses from Ecclesiastes 3 assures us that; “There is a time for everything,
a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance . . . ”
‍
Two years ago, the annual American Stage in the Park production was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I had recently finished notating the choreography for the show, and was preparing to travel to Saint Petersburg to start rehearsals. For the past two years, the binders labeled “Footloose Staging” held the choreography that has been patiently waiting to come to fruition.

I am so grateful to present Footloose the musical to the American Stage audiences under the stars at Demens Landing. There is nothing like the love and energy the audiences of Saint Petersburg contribute to the Park experience. The past five Park shows will always hold a special place in my heart and in my career.
‍
I hope you enjoy the highly anticipated return of Footloose the musical in the park with this incredibly talented company, backed by the fabulous 80’s anthems we all know and love. Please kick off your Sunday shoes and cut Footloose!

Shain Stroff
Director/Choreographer
American Stage

Meet the Cast

Tay Anderson

*

Rusty

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Tay Anderson is thrilled to be making her debut at American Stage! Regional credits include: Bonnie Parker in Bonnie And Clyde The Musical (Garden Theatre), Peggy Jones in The Andrews Brothers and Lois Franklin in Life Could Be A Dream (Winter Park Playhouse), Missy Miller in The Marvelous Wonderettes (Victory Productions), Madame in Cinderella and Mary Bailey in Miracle In Bedford Falls (Orlando Repertory Theatre), Enid in Legally Blonde The Musical and Ethel in 42nd Street (Maine State Music Theatre). She has participated in all four years of the Florida Festival of New Musicals at the Winter Park Playhouse, three as a performer and one as a director. She also won the Orlando Broadway World Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Ambrosia Pilar in A Tennessee Walk (Garden Theatre). Much love to Mom, Dad, CK and Kaycee!

Jada Austin

*

Ensemble

(

U/S Urleen

)

(

U/S Urleen

)

Pronouns:

(she/her)

Nayda Baez

*

Urleen

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Nayda Baez is very excited to make her debut at American Stage! A Florida native and graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy NY, her recent credits include Rosalia and Maria/Anita understudy in West Side Story and Veronica in Heathers (Florida Repertory Theatre), Dapple Cow in Click, Clack, Moo (Emerald Coast Theatre Company), Hermia/Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She'd like to thank the creative team for giving her this opportunity. Bendiciones y amor to Mom and Dad. Enjoy the show!

Bryce Bayer

*

Harry

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Bryce Bayer was most recently seen as an Angel in Kinky Boots at Suncoast Broadway Dinner Theatre. Other regional credits include: Roy in A Chorus Line and an Ursula Puppeteer in The Little Mermaid (St. Louis MUNY). Bryce also appeared in the Florida Festival of New Musicals last summer as Michael Darling in The Lost Girl (Winter Park Playhouse). He received his BFA in Musical Theatre from Millikin University. Special thanks to Bryce's family, friends, and father.

Bianca Chico

*

Wendy Jo

(

U/S Rusty

)

(

U/S Rusty

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Bianca Chico is so happy to be returning for her second park show! A Florida native, she was most recently seen in South Florida’s The Polar Express Train Ride. Other regional credits include Rusty in Footloose (Alhambra Theatre & Dining); Estella in West Side Story (Show Palace Dinner Theatre); Ensemble in Mamma Mia! (American Stage). Bianca also made guest appearances in Disney’s Dance the Magic Holiday & Spring Parade; The Radio City Christmas Spectacular feat. The Rockettes (The Straz Center for the Performing Arts); Norwegian Cruise Line’s Stars at Sea. She has been more active in the dance world recently as an instructor/choreographer in Clearwater. Bianca would like to thank everyone who is involved with bringing back live theatre, you are giving a gift that is unlike any other.

Alex Deleo

*

Ren McCormack

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Alex is grateful to be returning to the stage in Footloose. In 2018, Alex sustained multiple ankle fractures during a performance which halted his career. He moved to St. Pete to be with family, have surgery, and begin physical therapy. "If not for the love and support of my family and friends, I would not be back on stage today.” Credits–Broadway: Wicked, Kinky Boots (TO); Nat’l Tours: We Will Rock You (Ensemble u/s Galileo), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Ensemble u/s Adam/Felicia), Bat Out of Hell (Hollander). Alex has also performed the lead in We Will Rock You (RCCL) worked regionally at The Muny, North Shore Music Theatre, York Theatre, company member of DanceLabNY, seen in the most recent Wicked commercial, signed with MSA. Attended Walnut Hill School for the Arts and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for musical theatre and is currently back in school for business administration. Love to TH.

Cameron Hale Elliot

*

Chuck Cranston

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Cameron is excited to be back for his second production with American Stage, and especially the return of the summer park show! Last seen as Al in A Chorus Line (The Wick, interrupted), he has also been seen as Sky in Mamma Mia! (American Stage, Alhambra Dinner Theatre), Tony in West Side Story (Theater West End), Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (Henegar Center), Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Jack Kelly in Newsies (Titusville Playhouse). Based in NY, he is ready to take on the world and achieve many goals this year and future years to come after our brief theatrical pause. Thanks go out to Shain, the creative team, and American Stage for this extreme honor, and thanks always go out to mom, dad, and family for never doubting he would go far and do great things. Let’s cut Footloose!

Megan Ann Fernandez

*

Vi Moore

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/they

After a ten year hiatus, Megan Fernandez could not be more honored and excited to return to her theatrical roots with American Stage in the Park. After a childhood spent on stage, Megan trained at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she specialized in musical and experimental theatre. She has performed all over the world, including experimental theatre workshops in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Her credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary Magdalene), Hair (Crissy/Company), Once on this Island (Company), Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche Dubois), Julius Caesar (Portia), and Red Light Winter (Christina). In 2004, Megan played Rusty in Footloose at Sarasota's Eight O'Clock Theatre. Eighteen years later, she is back as Vi. When she is not onstage, Megan is a practicing criminal defense attorney with Fernandez Bardine Law as well as a Reiki Master and practitioner with Sacred Spaces Healing.

Tyler Fish

*

Wes Warnicker

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Tyler Fish is excited to return to his hometown of St. Pete and to American Stage in the Park after performing in The Producers as Mr. Marks/Jason Green and others. He was most recently seen in freeFall Theatre’s production of Dames at Sea (Hennesey/Captain). Some other favorite roles include Crazy for You (Bobby Child), Singing in the Rain (Cosmo Brown), The Full Monty (Ethan), Hello Dolly! (Rudolph), 42nd Street (Bert Barry), Annie Get Your Gun (Charlie Davenport), On the Town (Chip), Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Kenny Franks), and Barefoot in the Park (Paul Bratter). Tyler also appeared on HBO’s The Deuce' and performs as a member of the Voices of Gotham chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. He would like to thank his parents for their perpetual support, and sends a special “Life is Good” to his wife Erin.

Jada Griffin

*

Elenor Dunbar / Betty Blast

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Jada Griffin was most recently seen as Goneril in Tampa Rep's King Lear. Other regional credits include Ali in Mamma Mia! (Francis Wilson Playhouse), #25/ The Captain in The Wolves and Mrs. Gottlieb in Dead Man’s Cellphone (University of South Florida), Virginia Woolf in Orlando (USF BRIT program) , and professional voiceover work on a national commercial "#OneUSF" for the University of South Florida. She graduated from University of South Florida with her Bachelor’s in Theatre Performance and continued her study in a musical theatre summer intensive under various accredited instructors of Musiktheater Bavaria, originally based in Germany.

Mac Hawbaker

*

Ensemble / Cop / Cowboy Bob

(

U/S Rev. Shaw, Wes, Coach Dunbar

)

(

U/S Rev. Shaw, Wes, Coach Dunbar

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Mac Hawbaker is excited to be making his American Stage debut. Some of his favorite roles include Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Carlo in My Man Godfrey. He would like to thank American Stage and his fellow cast/crew members for making this opportunity a joyous one to remember. He would also like to thank you, the audience, for continuing to support the art of Theatre.

Hailey Hendrickson

*

Ensemble

(

Associate Choreographer, U/S Ariel, Ethel, Vi

)

(

Associate Choreographer, U/S Ariel, Ethel, Vi

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Hailey Hendrickson is thrilled to be making her American Stage Park debut! Recent credits include Grease (Cha Cha/Radio Singer), Seussical the Musical (Bird Girl 2/ASL), The Merry Widow (Clou Clou), Singin’ in the Rain (Dance Captain/Female Cover), and Young Frankenstein (Assistant Choreographer). Hailey graduated from The University of Tampa with a degree in Musical Theatre. Thank you Shain for this opportunity. Love to Mom, Dad, my fiancé Erick, and the music of my childhood–Kenny Loggins.

Jessica Jennelle

*

Ensemble

(

U/S Wendy Jo

)

(

U/S Wendy Jo

)

Pronouns:

Jessica Jennelle was most recently seen as Ginette in Almost, Maine at West Coast Players. Other roles include The Laramie Project, Medea, and Laughing Stock, all at St. Petersburg College Arts Dept. She also worked on productions such as Pippin and Into the Woods as a Props Master. She is currently studying at St. Petersburg College finishing up her transfer program to University of South Florida. She would like to thank her family, friends and Remi for the endless love and support throughout the years.

Lea Marinelli

*

Ariel Moore

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Lea is delighted to be joining the cast of Footloose for the reopening of American Stage in the park. Her most recent credits include Molly Jensen in Ghost The Musical at Theatre West End and young Judy Garland in Babes In Hollywood at the Winter Park Playhouse in central Florida. A native New Yorker, Lea studied at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in NYC. From there she’s been very fortunate to travel & work all over the US, Europe and Middle East. Credits include, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (UK), Thursford Christmas Spectacular (UK), Lazytown Live! (international tour). She can also be seen dancing in the 2014 film Muppets Most Wanted. In 2017, Lea found a home at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando performing in The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue; Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Live; Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration; Celestina Warbeck & The Banshees.

Taylor Hilt Mitchell

*

Travis

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Taylor Hilt Mitchell “can’t stand still” because he's making his American Stage debut with this incredible cast and creative team! National Tour: Disney's Beauty And The Beast (Tumbling Carpet), The Wizard Of Oz (Mayor of Munchkin City), Seussical: The Musical (Wickersham Brother/Vocal Captain). Alhambra Theatre & Dining: Mamma Mia! (Ensemble). Actor’s Playhouse: It Shoulda Been You (Brian), Evita (Dance Captain), Memphis (Dance Captain/Associate Choreographer), Mamma Mia! (Dance Captain/Associate Choreographer). Barrington Stage: Fiddler on the Roof (Schloime/Boris). Capital Repertory Theatre: A Christmas Story (Chief Male Elf), Mamma Mia! (Dance Captain). Pittsburgh Music Theatre: Newsies (Newsboy). HUGE thanks to Shain, Mom, Marc and his family for their love and support. Proud graduate of Catholic University and proud AEA member.

Zummy Mohammed

*

Lyle

(

Dance Caption, U/S Chuck

)

(

Dance Caption, U/S Chuck

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Zummy Mohammed is very excited to be in his first production with American Stage. He is very thankful for this opportunity and is excited that Footloose is his first contract as an Actors Equity Association member. He was most recently seen as Tateh in Ragtime at the Arden Theatre Company and Nikos/Carlos/Ensemble in Legally Blonde at The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Other regional credits include: Bobby in A Chorus Line, Racetrack Higgins in Newsies and Rodolpho in Matilda. Zummy received his BFA in Musical Theatre from Temple University in 2019, recently moved to New York to pursue his acting career and is very thankful for this opportunity to work with such talented and hardworking artists. Zummy wants to thank American Stage, his friends and family for their support and wishes the cast and crew a great run. Break a leg!

John Perez

*

Rev. Shaw Moore

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

John Perez is an actor and singer based in St. Pete, as well as the Education & Engagement Associate at American Stage. He could not be more excited to be making his AS Park debut! Selected favorite credits include: Piragua Guy (In the Heights), Man 2 (Songs for a New World), Che (Evita), Agwe (Once on this Island), Dentist (Little Shop of Horrors), Jake (Evil Dead: The Musical), as well as world premiere readings of El Wiz, The Impossible Escape Of Don Misterioso, and Saudades.

Brandon Rodriguez

*

Jeter

(

U/S Lyle

)

(

U/S Lyle

)

Pronouns:

he/they

Brandon Rodriguez is making his American Stage debut in Footloose and is excited for the opportunity to perform again. Brandon graduated from The University of Tampa with a B.A in Music and a Minor in Theatre and Dance. He was seen in many productions such as Guys and Dolls, Pirates of Penzance and Theory of Relativity. He has also performed in other shows such as La Traviata (Straz Center); and 40 YEARS OF BROADWAY (Carrolwood Players). He's also had the chance to dance with projectALCHEMY Momentum (Studio @620). Brandon would love to thank his friends and family for the constant support, Thank you to the amazing cast and crew and to remind his students to always follow their dreams!

Emilia Sargent

*

Ethel McCormack

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Emilia Sargent is thrilled to be returning to American Stage. Favorites: Grounded (The Pilot; Best of the Bay and Theatre Tampa Bay awards), Silent Sky (Henrietta Leavitt, TTB award), A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche DuBois, Best of the Bay), Heisenburg (Georgie), A View from the Bridge (Beatrice Carbone), I do! I do! (Agnes), Metamorphosis (Aphrodite), Much Ado About Nothing (Hero), and My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle). SAG/AFTRA member, Emilia has appeared in America’s Most Wanted, 22, and is the spokesperson for Colotraq. M.F.A. in Directing/ Arts Administration from the University of Idaho, she serves as the Producing Artistic Director/CEO of the Tampa Repertory Theatre and runs the Emilia Sargent Studio for Voice and Acting. Her students have soared to premier collegiate programs and professional careers which reach to Broadway. This one is for her girl squad since the 1980s.

Melanie Souza

*

Betty Blast / Lulu

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Melanie Souza is thrilled to be back out in the park after this long hiatus. A native Rhode Islander who now calls Sarasota, FL home, Melanie has graced stages throughout the USA. National Tour: Menopause the Musical (Earth Mother), Favorite Regional: Mamma Mia! (Rosie), Hairspray (Prudy Pingleton), Informed Consent (Dean Hagan, Jillian’s Mother), In the Heights (Abuela Claudia), The Bikinis (Karla), Social Security (Trudy Hayman) with Barbara Eden, Addams Family (Grandma Addams), Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Esther Simowitz), Sister Act (Sr. Mary Lazarus), Stepping Out (Dorothy) with Donna McKecknie and 9 TO 5 (Roz). Love to M & D, John and Carlo for all their love and support.

Troy Wallace

*

Willard Hewitt

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Troy Wallace was most recently seen as Jiff in Kevin Can F*ck Himself on AMC. He was last seen on stage as Fish in The Royale at TheatreSquared. Other regional credits include: John Hunter/Ensemble in Treasure Island (Maine State Music Theatre); George Murchison in A Raisin In The Sun (American Stage Theatre Co); and Sonny In The Heights (Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe). Other Film and TV credits include: Grown Noah in Mandingo (Sundance), Damon in Laugh Now, Cry Later; and Office Jock in Workplace Jargon (Rhino Media). He is a proud member of Actors Equity Association with a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University. Troy co-founded and currently serves as President of the Black Theatre Caucus. He thanks his family, chosen family, and loving partner Ashley for their constant support.

Donovan Whitney

*

Coach / Principal Dunbar

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Donovan Whitney is happy to be returning to American Stage, and to be performing in the park show! Previously he worked at American Stage as an acting and production apprentice, and also as a teaching artist. Florida theater credits include: A Clockwork Orange (Jobsite Theater); Pipeline, Joyful! Joyful! (Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe); Between Riverside and Crazy (American Stage); Evil Dead: The Musical (Stageworks Theatre). Other regional credits include: Prowess (Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis); Jubilee in the Rearview Mirror (Indianapolis Fringe); Paper Swords: A Musical (Indianapolis Fringe); Taming of the Shrew (Catalyst Repertory Theatre).

Meet the Team

Douglas Cox

*

Lighting Designer

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Douglas Cox is an award winning designer for theater, television, opera, music and architecture. He is delighted to be making his American Stage Company debut. He is no stranger to outdoor productions, having lit ABC’s Good Morning America Summer Concert Series in Central Park for over ten seasons, featuring such artists as Taylor Swift, the Backstreet Boys, Dierks Bentley, Demi Lovato and the Broadway casts of Hair and Rent. Recent projects include Rebel Theater’s Mother Emanuel (Best Musical, NY Fringe Festival), Little Rock (Passage Theater), The Wiz (Arkansas Rep), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare and Co.), Rigoletto (Baltimore Opera), Aida, Macbeth and Othello (Syracuse Opera) and Peony Pavilion (Metropolitan Museum of Art). His television design work includes Good Morning America, Sesame Street, and NBA on TNT, among many others. He also specializes in the design of Energy Efficient Theaters and Television Studios, most recently the Studios for New Jersey Public Television. He received an Emmy Award for NBC’s 2012 Election Night coverage and the Lumen Award for Architectural Lighting.

Jerid Fox

*

Scenic Designer

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

After attending Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he studied Film Production with an emphasis in Art Direction, he put his knack for imitation and improvisation to use at Disneyland Resort’s entertainment department. He then moved to Florida, where he has worked as a Scenic Designer, Properties Master, and Scenic Dresser for many popular Tampa Bay theatres and universities.

Rachel Harrison

*

Production Stage Manager

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Now in her 9th season with American Stage, Footloose marks Rachel’s 5th Park production serving as Production Stage Manager. A Florida-based Stage Manager and Sound Designer, Rachel includes among her favorites with American Stage Two Trains Running, Itman Painters, The Royale, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Jitney, A Raisin In the Sun, Pipeline, Silent Sky, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Fun Home, Vietgone, and Skeleton Crew. Rachel also functions as the "chief problem solver” for Your Real Stories Inc., a storytelling company committed to talking across differences through theatrical journalism; and provides production support for numerous projects with JNL Media to tell stories in the digital visual media of video and streaming television. Rachel serves as the Eastern Region Director of the Stage Managers' Association and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and USITT.

Hope Rose Kelly

*

Assistant Stage Manager

(

)

Pronouns:

Companies worked include Hartford Stage Company, Shakespeare & Company, Montana Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, WAM Theatre, Public Theatre in Maine, Stonington Opera House, McCarter Theatre, Wilma Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Hangar Theatre, CLOC. Training: Ithaca College and University of Toronto. Member of Actors’ Equity Association (Delegate for Greater Albany Liaison area) and Stage Managers’ Association: serving as Editor in Chief on the Board and Chair of the International Cohort.

Steve Kraack

*

Sound Designer

(

)

Pronouns:

Jose C. Simbulan

*

Music Director

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Jose most recently served as the Music Director for My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend at Arizona Theatre Company. Other regional credits include: Lookingglass Alice (Baltimore Center Stage); Fall Springs (Barrington Stage Company); Snow Child, OKLAHOMA!, and The Music Man (Arena Stage); Peter & the Starcatcher and Newsies (Connecticut Repertory Theatre); Man of La Mancha (Shakespeare Theatre Company); and Gypsy (Virginia Repertory Theatre). New York credits include the Broadway productions of LESTAT and the revival of A Chorus Line, and concerts for the National Asian Artists Project. In 2019, he was inducted into the Southeastern Theatre Conference Hall of Fame, and just completed his 28th year as the pianist for the SETC Professional Division auditions. He also plays regularly for the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions, Virginia Theatre Association, and Disney Parks and Cruise Line. He is a proud graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Shain Stroff

*

Director/Choreographer

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Shain has been part of the Park Production creative team since 2016 and counts Footloose as his 5th American Stage Park production. He directed and choreographed Hairspray, choreographed and associate-directed Mamma Mia!, and choreographed Spamalot and The Producers. He won the Theatre Tampa Bay award for outstanding choreography for Spamalot and was nominated for outstanding choreography on all the Park productions he has choreographed. Shain recently produced, directed, and choreographed The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Seussical at The Alhambra Theatre. Regional direction/choreography credits include Mame (freeFall Theatre, Saint Petersburg), Rock Odyssey (Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami), Pippin (Show Palace Theatre, Hudson), A Christmas Carol, and many others (Alhambra Theatre, Jacksonville). Shain has been on the production team at the Alhambra Theatre for the past five years, where he has choreographed over 25 productions and currently serves as the associate producer and resident choreographer. He resides in Jacksonville with his partner Nicolas Feyaerts, and two beautiful rescue dogs Nadia and Sammie. His direction and choreography work has been honored with several awards and nominations throughout the state of Florida. This year marks Shain’s 22nd year in the business. He is also a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. Much love and thanks to Nicolas and his family in the Saint Louis area.

‍

Saawan Tiwari

*

Costume Designer

(

)

Pronouns:

they/them

Saawan Tiwari is a Manhattan-based costume designer and graduate of the University of Michigan. They also teach through Roundabout Theatre Company and Big Green Theater. Selected credits - Bruise and Thorn (Pipeline Theatre Company), Far From Canterbury (Barnstormers Theatre), Prospect Hill (Piper Theatre), and Yerma (University of Michigan). Saawan is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ and AAPI communities.

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2021 National Touring Cast

Pre-Show Snack or
Post-Show Dinner?

Don’t let the evening end when the curtain comes down. With The Marquee Local, you can find the perfect place for a pre-show snack, an evening meal, or a post-show cocktail. Enjoy exclusive deals from our local partners as you catch up, discuss the show, and create memories to last a lifetime.

Grab a Bite

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Bayou Market & Cafe

Cajun Restaurant

6630 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg

Cajun fare with daily specials served cafeteria-style

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Cassis St. Pete

French-American Fusion

170 Beach Dr NE, St. Petersburg

Buzzy brasserie & bakery for American & French fare in a Parisian space with outdoor seats

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111 3rd St N, St. Petersburg

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Island Flavors and Tings

Jamaican Restaurant

St. Pete Pier Marketplace; 600 2nd Avenue NE, St. Petersburg

Authentic Jamaican restaurant and grocer serving Caribbean surprises and traditional Jamaican favorites

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210 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg

Pizza & other casual Italian chow comes in a casual, quick-serve setup with late-night hours

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Oak & Stone

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199 Central Ave, St. Petersburg

Bright, airy indoor/outdoor brewpub serving pub grub, artisan pizzas, craft beers & cocktails

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199 Central Ave, St. Petersburg

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The Big Catch at Salt Creek

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1500 2nd Street S, St. Petersburg

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Hops 2.0

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225 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg

Outdoor patio and table games featuring a menu of house-smoked foods and unique side dishes and an emphasis on local craft breweries

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225 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg

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MacDinton's St Pete

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242 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg

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242 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg

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Mary Margaret's Olde Irish Tavern

Irish Pub

29 3rd St N, St. Petersburg

St. Pete’s Irish tavern, featuring eclectic pub fare and Irish classics

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29 3rd St N, St. Petersburg

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The Landing

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200 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg

Elevated patio bar at Jannus Live

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15 3rd St N, St. Petersburg

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15 3rd St N, St. Petersburg

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Abby Wambaugh's THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF 17 SHOWS Will Play Dixon Place This Fall

Emily Wyrwa

August 19, 2025

Abby Wambaugh will perform her debut solo comedy The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows for a limited four-week run at Dixon Place this fall. Wambaugh will perform beginning Oct. 1, following an award-winning run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2024 and 2025.

“When I moved to Copenhagen from Brooklyn seven years ago, I was a teacher who had never even considered trying stand up. To return to the place where so much of this story happened with an Off-Broadway show about beginnings, is nearly unbelievable to me” Wambaugh said in a statement. “I'm so excited to get to do this show in front of the friends and family who were there for the real thing, and — maybe most of all — in front of my high school drama teacher. I'm also thrilled to finally perform it in a country where I don't have to explain what a CVS is.”

The show will be directed by Lara Ricote. In it, Wambaugh discusses waking up in the hospital following a late miscarriage, where, still high on anesthesia, she decided to become a comedian. She spends the next hour sharing her 17 best ideas for a show, exploring her talent for a wide range of comedy styles. Some of her brilliant ideas include “old man learns parkour” and a long impression of the number nine, leading her to explore gender, pregnancy, loss, and creativity.

The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows presented by Emmy Award winner Hannah Gadsby, and produced by Jenney Shamash, Mike & Carlee Productions, and Dixon Place. It was originally produced by Mick Perrin Worldwide.

“I saw this show a year ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it since…except for maybe a couple of days when I was being very self-involved,” Gadsby said in a statement. “Abby is a brilliant, rare talent, and this show is so many good things. It’s genius, it’s refreshing, it is so, so funny. And you have to be in the room to experience the real magic.”

The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25 at Dixon Place on Chrystie Street in New York City. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Drew Droege's MESSY WHITE GAYS Will Open Off-Broadway This Fall

Emily Wyrwa

August 18, 2025

Drew Droege’s satirical play Messy White Gays is making its way Off-Broadway this fall. Droege himself will star alongside Tony Award nominee James Cusati-Moyer, Aaron Jackson, Zane Phillips, and Pete Zias. It will debut on Oct. 6, with opening night set for Nov. 2, at The Duke on 42nd Street.

The play shines a harsh overhead light on the pores of White Gaydom, revealing what happens when throuples crumble, neighbors bicker, and rich and pretty clash with hot and dumb. On a Hell’s Kitchen Sunday morning, Brecken and Caden have murdered their boyfriend and stuffed his body into a Jonathan Adler credenza. But, they’ve still got friends coming over for brunch.

Droege has appeared Off-Broadway in the hit show Titanique, as well as his solo shows Happy Birthday Doug and Bright Colors and Bold Patterns. He is perhaps best known for his Chloe Sevigny parody videos and performs regularly in Los Angeles with The Groundlings, The Golden Girlz Live, and Celebration Theatre. He has also written for Netflix’s AJ And the Queen and Big Mouth.

Messy White Gays previously received a workshop and developmental presentation as part of the 38th Powerhouse Theater Season at Vassar College.

The creative team for Messy White Gays will include set design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by James + AC, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Sinan Refik Zadar, props by Brendan McCann, puppetry by Sam Hill, and special effects by Jeremy Chernick. General management is provided by Sing Out, Louise! Productions, with production management by Libby J’Vera and Michal V. Mendelson as production stage manager. Casting is by Ryan Bernard Tymensky of RBT Casting.

Messy White Gays will begin performances at The Duke theatre on 42nd Street in New York City on Oct. 6, 2025. Official opening is on Nov. 2, 2025. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Jasmine Amy Rogers, Autumn Best, and Matt Manuel Join THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE At New World Stages

Emily Wyrwa

August 18, 2025

Spellers, get ready! Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers will star as Olive Ostrovsky in the first New York revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, alongside Autumn Best as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre and Matt Manuel as Mitch Mahoney.

The trio of stars joins previously announced Kevin McHale as William Barfée, Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear, Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino, and Theaterly 31 alum Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park.

The production will begin previews at New World Stages on Nov. 7 with opening night set for Nov. 17. It will play a strictly limited 14-week engagement through Feb. 15, 2026.

Rogers was last seen in the titular role in BOOP! She was nominated for the 2025 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance. She also played Anita in the Pasadena Playhouse production of Jelly’s Last Jam and Gretchen Wieners in the National Tour of Mean Girls. She was also a Jimmy Awards’ finalist. Best is known for her role in Netflix’s film Woman of the Hour, and has been seen in the CW series 4400. As an actress with a limb difference, she is a passionate advocate for creatives with disabilities. Manuel was last seen on Broadway in Ain’t Too Proud, and has toured in Girl from the North Country, Motown the Musical, and May We All. He’s been seen on screen in Only Murders in the Building.

Spelling Bee features a book by Rachel Sheinkin and a score by Tony Award winner William Finn. The new production is directed & choreographed by Danny Mefford. The beloved musical won two Tony Awards during its 2005 Broadway run, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a musical for Dan Fogler as William Barfée, and Best Book of a Musical for Sheinkin.

It tells the story of six unique and impassioned contestants as they vie for the crown at the Putnam County spelling bee. They spell their way through vexing vocabulary, personal stories, and a bit of audience participation. This production marks the show’s return to New York for its 20th anniversary.

The creative team will feature Scenic Design by Teresa L. Williams, Costume Design by Emily Rebholz, Lighting Design by David Weiner, and Sound Design by Haley Parcher. The Music Supervisor is Carmel Dean, and the Music Director is Elizabeth Doran. Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting, General Management is by 321 Theatrical Management, and the Production Stage Manager is Rachel Zucker.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee begins performances at New World Stages on West 50th Street in New York City on Nov. 7. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Theatrely News

EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon

Theatrely News

READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT

Theatrely News

"Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes"

EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon

By: Maia Penzer

14 July 2023

Finally, summer has arrived, which can only mean one thing: it's time for camp! Theater Camp, that is. Theatrely has a sneak peak at the new film which hits select theaters today.

The new original comedy starring Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Molly Gordon we guarantee will have you laughing non-stop. The AdirondACTS, a run-down theater camp in upstate New York, is attended by theater-loving children who must work hard to keep their beloved theater camp afloat after the founder, Joan, falls into a coma.

The film stars Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as Amos Klobuchar and Rebecca-Diane, respectively, as well as Noah Galvin as Glenn Wintrop, Jimmy Tatro as Troy Rubinsky, Patti Harrison as Caroline Krauss, Nathan Lee Graham as Clive DeWitt, Ayo Edebiri as Janet Walch, Owen Thiele as Gigi Charbonier, Caroline Aaron as Rita Cohen, Amy Sedaris as Joan Rubinsky, and Alan Kim as Alan Park.

Theater Camp was directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Ben Platt. Music is by James McAlister and Mark Sonnenblick. On January 21, 2023, Theater Camp had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

You can purchase tickets to the new film from our friends at Hollywood.com here.

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READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT

By: Kobi Kassal

29 May 2023

Actor Sean Hayes is what we in the biz call booked and blessed. On top of his Tony-nominated performance as Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar, Hayes has partnered with Todd Milliner and Carlyn Greenwald for the release of their new YA novel Time Out.

Heralded by many as Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights, Time Out follows hometown basketball hero Barclay Elliot who decides to use a pep rally to come out to his school. When the response is not what he had hoped and the hostility continually growing, he turns to his best friend Amy who brings him to her voting rights group at school. There he finds Christopher and… you will just have to grab a copy and find out what happens next. Luckily for you, Time Out hits shelves on May 30 and to hold you over until then we have a special except from the book just for Theatrely:

The good thing about not being on the team the past two weeks has been that I’ve had time to start picking up shifts again at Beau’s diner and save up a little for college now that my scholarship dreams are over.

The bad part is it’s the perfect place to see how my actions at the pep rally have rotted the townspeople’s brains too.

During Amy’s very intense musical theater phase in middle school, her parents took her to New York City. And of course she came back home buzzing about Broadway and how beautiful the piss smell was and everything artsy people say about New York. But she also vividly described some diner she waited three hours to get into where the waitstaff would all perform songs for the customers as a way to practice for auditions. The regulars would have favorite staff members and stan them the way Amy stans all her emo musicians.

Working at Beau’s used to feel kind of like that, like I was part of a performance team I didn’t know I signed up for. The job started off pretty basic over the summer—I wanted to save up for basketball supplies, and Amy worked there and said it was boring ever since her e-girl coworker friend graduated. But I couldn’t get through a single lunch rush table without someone calling me over and wanting the inside scoop on the Wildcats and how we were preparing for the home opener, wanting me to sign an article in the paper or take a photo. Every friendly face just made the resolve grow inside me. People love and support the Wildcats; they would do the same for me.

Yeah, right.

Now just like school, customers have been glaring at me, making comments about letting everyone down, about being selfish, about my actions being “unfortunate,” and the tips have been essentially nonexistent. The Wildcats have been obliterated in half their games since I quit, carrying a 2–3 record when last year we were 5–0, and the comments make my feet feel like lead weights I have to drag through every shift.

Today is no different. It’s Thursday, the usual dinner rush at Beau’s, and I try to stay focused on the stress of balancing seven milkshakes on one platter. A group of regulars, some construction workers, keep loudly wondering why I won’t come back to the team while I refuse proper eye contact.

One of the guys looks up at me as I drop the bill off. “So, what’s the deal? Does being queer keep ya from physically being able to play?”

They all snicker as they pull out crumpled bills. I stuff my hands into my pockets, holding my tongue.

When they leave, I hold my breath as I take their bill.

Sure enough, no tip.

“What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath.

“Language,” Amy says as she glides past me, imitating the way Richard says it to her every shift, and adds, “even though they are dicks.” At least Amy’s been ranting about it every free chance she gets. It was one thing when the student body was being shitty about me leaving the team, but the town being like this is even more infuriating. She doesn’t understand how these fully grown adults can really care that much about high school basketball and thinks they need a new fucking hobby. I finally agree with her.

[She’s wearing red lipstick to go with her raccoon-adjacent eyeliner as she rushes off to prepare milkshakes for a pack of middle schoolers. I catch her mid–death glare as all three of the kids rotate in their chairs, making the old things squeal. My anger fades a bit as I can’t help but chuckle; Amy’s pissed-off reaction to Richard telling her to smile more was said raccoon makeup, and her tolerance for buffoonery has been at a negative five to start and declining fast.

I rest my arms on the counter and try not to look as exhausted as I feel.

“Excuse me!” an old lady screeches, making me jump.

Amy covers up a laugh as I head to the old lady and her husband’s table. They’ve got finished plates, full waters. Not sure what the problem is. Or I do, which is worse.

“Yes?” I say trying to suppress my annoyance.

“Could you be bothered to serve us?”

Only five more hours on shift. I have a break in three minutes. I’ll be with Devin at Georgia Tech tomorrow. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” I say, so careful to keep my words even, but I can feel my hands balling into fists. “What would you—?”

And suddenly Amy swoops in, dropping two mugs of coffee down. “Sorry about that, you two,” she says, her voice extra high. “The machine was conking out on us, but it’s fine now.”

Once the coffee is down, she hooks onto a chunk of my shirt, steering us back to the bar.

“Thanks,” I mutter, embarrassed to have forgotten something so basic. Again.

“Just keep it together, man,” she says. “Maybe you’d be better off with that creepy night shift where all the truckers and serial killers come in.”

Honestly, at least the serial killers wouldn’t care about my jump shot.

It’s a few minutes before my break, but clearly I need it. “I’ll be in the back room.”

Right before I can head that way though, someone straight-up bursts into the diner and rushes over to me at the bar. It’s a middle-aged dad type, sunburned skin, beer belly, and stained T-shirt.

“Pickup order?” I ask.

“You should be ashamed,” he sneers at me. He has a really strong Southern accent, but it’s not Georgian. “Think you’re so high and mighty, that nothing’ll ever affect you? My kid’ll never go to college because of you and your lifestyle. Fuck you, Barclay Ell—”

And before this man can finish cursing my name, Pat of all people runs in, wide-eyed in humiliation. “Jesus, Dad, please don’t—”

I pin my gaze on him, remembering how he cowered on the bench as Ostrowski went off, how he didn’t even try to approach me. “Don’t even bother,” I snap.

I shove a to-go bag into his dad’s arms, relieved it’s prepaid, and storm off to the break room.]

Amy finds me head in my arms a minute or two later. I look up, rubbing my eyes. “Please spare me the pity.”

She snorts and hands me a milkshake. Mint chocolate chip. “Wouldn’t dare.” She takes a seat and rolls her shoulders and neck, cracks sounding through the tiny room. “Do you want a distraction or a shoulder to cry on?”

For more information, and to purchase your copy of Time Out, click here.

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Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes

By: Kaitlyn Riggio

5 July 2022

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States in March 2020, Broadway veteran stage manager Richard Hester watched the nation’s anxiety unfold on social media.

“No one knew what the virus was going to do,” Hester said. Some people were “losing their minds in abject terror, and then there were some people who were completely denying the whole thing.”

For Hester, the reaction at times felt like something out of a movie. “It was like the Black Plague,” he said. “Some people thought it was going to be like that Monty Python sketch: ‘bring out your dead, bring out your dead.’”

While Hester was also unsure about how the virus would unfold, he felt that his “job as a stage manager is to naturally defuse drama.” Hester brought this approach off the stage and onto social media in the wake of the pandemic.

“I just sort of synthesized everything that was happening into what I thought was a manageable bite, so people could get it,” Hester said. This became a daily exercise for a year. Over two years after the beginning of the pandemic, Hester’s accounts are compiled in the book, Hold Please: Stage Managing A Pandemic. Released earlier this year, the book documents the events of the past two years, filtering national events and day-to-day occurrences through a stage manager’s eyes and storytelling.

When Hester started this project, he had no intention of writing a book. He was originally writing every day because there was nothing else to do. “I am somebody who needs a job or needs a structure,” Hester said.

Surprised to find that people began expecting his daily posts, he began publishing his daily writing to his followers through a Substack newsletter. As his following grew, Hester had to get used to writing for an audience. “I started second guessing myself a lot of the time,” Hester said. “It just sort of put a weird pressure on it.”

Hester said he got especially nervous before publishing posts in which he wrote about more personal topics. For example, some of his posts focused on his experiences growing up in South Africa while others centered on potentially divisive topics, such as the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite some of this discomfort, Hester’s more personal posts were often the ones that got the most response. The experience offered him a writing lesson. “I stopped worrying about the audience and just wrote what I wanted to write about,” Hester said. “All of that pressure that I think as artists we put on ourselves, I got used to it.”

One of Hester’s favorite anecdotes featured in the book centers on a woman who dances in Washington Square Park on a canvas, rain or shine. He said he was “mesmerized by her,” which inspired him to write about her. “It was literally snowing and she was barefoot on her canvas dancing, and that seems to me just a spectacularly beautiful metaphor for everything that we all try and do, and she was living that to the fullest.”

During the creation of Hold Please, Hester got the unique opportunity to reflect in-depth on the first year of the pandemic by looking back at his accounts. He realized that post people would not remember the details of the lockdown; people would “remember it as a gap in their lives, but they weren’t going to remember it beat by beat.”

“Reliving each of those moments made me realize just how full a year it was, even though none of us were doing anything outside,” he adds. “We were all on our couches.” Readers will use the book as a way to relive moments of the pandemic’s first year “without having to wallow in the misery of it,” he hopes.

“I talk about the misery of it, but that’s not the focus of what I wrote... it was about hope and moving forward,” Hester said. “In these times when everything is so difficult, we will figure out a way to get through and we will move forward.”

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