Who’s Who in the Cast

Ben Cherry

BEN CHERRY (Will) Broadway: Indecent, Fiddler on the Roof. National tour: Mary Poppins. Off-Broadway: Goldstein. Select regional: The Repertory Theatre of St Louis: Angels in America, Part 1 and 2; The Guthrie: Indecent; Pioneer Theatre Company: Oslo, Lifespan of the Fact; Arena Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Kansas City Rep: Indecent; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Mothers and Sons; The Arden: Passion; Utah Shakespeare Festival (four seasons): Henry V, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Secret Garden, The Tempest; Milwaukee Repertory Theatre: Route 66, Life Could Be a Dream, The Andrews Brothers; Delaware Theatre Company: The Nerd, 10 Months. Television: “The Following,” “Smash,” “I Love You…But I Lied.” Awards: MAC Award, Best Debut. Training: The University of Michigan, North Carolina School of the Arts. BenCherry.com

Laura J. Hall

LAURA J. HALL (Tory) is thrilled to return to PTC for her fourth mainstage production, and her first time playing a non-British person! Other PTC productions include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Something’s Afoot, A Christmas Carol: The Musical, and the Play-By-Play reading of The Fifth Domain (not British, but technically not on this stage...it tracks). She made her Broadway debut in Wonderland, toured with Diane Paulus’ revival of Pippin, and has worked regionally at Sacramento Music Circus, Gateway Performing Arts Center, Adirondack Theatre Festival, and Weathervane Theatre. Back in New York, Hall frequently collaborates with composers, lyricists, and playwrights in developing new work. TV: “The Blacklist,” “Shades of Blue,” and “The Today Show.” Hall is also the proud co-founder of Uproar Theatrics, a new theatrical licensing company. Heartfelt thanks to Bob and Karen. Instagram: @laurahappyhall

Vince McGill

VINCE McGILL (Ray) is thrilled to be returning to PTC. He appeared in 2019’s Sweat. He has also appeared on stages across the country, including the Dallas Theater Center, The Barter Theatre, ZACH Theatre, Shakespeare Dallas, Lyric Stage, and the African American Repertory Theater. Favorite roles include Brucie in Sweat, Harmon Wilks in Radio Golf, Floyd Barton in Seven Guitars, Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun, and Othello. Awards include Best Actor in both Austin and Dallas, Texas.

Elizabeth Ramos

ELIZABETH RAMOS (Ana) is very excited to return to PTC having previously appeared as Miss Mary Bennet in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley directed by Julie Kramer. She also had the pleasure of doing PTC’s 2018 Play-by-Play Series in Matthew Ivan Bennett’s Art & Class directed by Jennifer Curfman. Off-Broadway: Then They Forgot About the Rest (INTAR, Dir. David Mendizábal); The Idea of Me (Cherry Lane Theatre, Dir. Jose Zayas); A Month in the Country (Classic Stage Company, Dir. Erica Schmidt). Regional: Native Gardens (Gulfshore Playhouse, Dir. Kristen Coury); Tiny Beautiful Things (Long Wharf Theatre, Dir. Ken Rus Schmoll); The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Two River Theatre, Dir. Ken Rus Schmoll); Fade (TheaterWorks, Dir. Jerry Ruiz). Television credits include “Law and Order: SVU” and the upcoming horror-comedy feature film STAG directed by Alex Spieth. Training: Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprenticeship and BFA from CSU Fullerton.

T. Ryder Smith

T. RYDER SMITH (Jule) Previously at PTC: Much Ado About Nothing. Broadway: Oslo, War Horse, Equus. Off-Broadway: world premieres by Sarah Ruhl, David Greenspan, Christina Masciotti, Katori Hall, Richard Foreman, Anne Washburn, Romulus Linney. T. has received the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Ensemble, Lebensraum; OBIE Award, Outstanding Ensemble, Oslo; Craig Noel Award, Outstanding Lead Performance, Lincolnesque; Drama Desk Nomination, Outstanding Solo Performance, Underneath the Lintel. Regional theater: world premieres of Salome, Big Love, Creditors, We Are Pussy Riot, and Scenes from Court Life. Film/TV: The Report, “Bull,” “Hunters,” “Instinct,” “The Blacklist,” “White Collar,” the PBS series “The Abolitionists,” and Brainscan. Experimental films by Daniel Fish, Marie Losier, and Lawrence Krauser. Vocal: “The Venture Bros.” TV series, the “Bioshock” video games, and numerous audiobooks (2021 Audie Award, narrator, Fire in Paradise). Upcoming: feature film Ikonophile Z; the hinge collective film SOR; Rachel Rose’s installation/film Enclosure.

ELLEN SIMON (Playwright) wrote the screenplays for One Fine Day and Moonlight and Valentino, based upon her stage play. She also worked on How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, as well as doing rewrites for numerous other films. Her plays have been performed at Duke Broadway Preview Series, Stages Repertory in Houston, and The Pasadena Playhouse. Ellen wrote for the television series, “thirtysomething,” and created a sitcom pilot for NBC. She is most grateful to Karen Azenberg and PTC for the 2018 staged reading of Ass in their Play-by-Play series, and now for their mainstage production.

KAREN AZENBERG (Director) This marks Karen Azenberg’s tenth season as Artistic Director of PTC. Favorite projects include the world premieres of Alabama Story and “i”; the regional premieres of Sting’s The Last Ship and Les Misérables; and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Newsies, Sweet Charity, and The Play That Goes Wrong. Originally from New York, her work there includes Lyrics and Lyricists (92nd St. Y), Blocks (a collaboration with Jonathan Larson), Prom Queens Unchained, and choreography for Richard Greenberg’s The Dazzle (Roundabout Theatre Company). Among her other credits are National Tours of Carousel and Brigadoon, West Side Story (over 15 productions), and productions at Indiana Repertory, Geva Theatre Center, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Goodspeed, and Utah Shakespeare Festival. Karen is a past president of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). Her favorite productions are her son Alexander and her daughter Emelia.

WILL VAN DYKE (Composer) currently serves as the Music Supervisor/Orchestrator/Arranger of the hit revival of Little Shop Of Horrors Off-Broadway. Will also Orchestrated and Arranged Pretty Woman on Broadway and continues to supervise worldwide. Other credits: Kinky Boots, Rent, The Addams Family, Grease, and Wicked. As a composer: “i” (Pioneer), The Gravedigger’s Lullaby (TACT), Straight (Acorn), Writing Kevin Taylor (Village), The Lion King Experience titles (Disney). Will also writes musicals with Jeff Talbott and has a band. His EPs The Mayor and Forks Don’t Break are available everywhere you stream music. For more info and music: willvandyke.com or @wvdmusic.

JO WINIARSKI (Scenic Designer) Jo’s previous designs at PTC were this past winter’s Holiday Windows, The Lifespan of a Fact, and Ain’t Misbehavin’. Jo’s Off-Broadway credits include Accidentally Brave, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Other New York credits include Abingdon Theatre Company, New Georges, The New Group, Keen Company, and Clubbed Thumb. Regional design credits include Guthrie Theater; Arizona Theatre Company; Utah Shakespeare Festival (over 40 shows); The Old Globe; Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Dallas Theater Center; and Geva Theatre Center. Additional credits include Wishes for Disney Cruise Line. Jo was art director on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (episodes 1-844) and received an Emmy nomination for “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All.”

PHILLIP R. LOWE (Costume Designer) is an MFA graduate of Utah State University and was the Kennedy Center’s 2002 recipient of the National Barbizon Award for his costume design of The Lion in Winter. Phil spent five seasons as Costume Director for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre where his favorite credits include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma!, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Seussical. Phil has also designed over 25 productions for SLC’s Plan-B Theatre Company, including the world premiere of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. Other local credits include: La Cage aux Folles, White Christmas and Urinetown at Park City’s Egyptian Theatre, Musical of Musicals: The Musical, and Xanadu at The Grand Theatre, and Iphigenia in Tauris for the Classical Greek Theatre Festival.

PAUL MILLER (Lighting Designer) Previously at Pioneer: Cagney, Mamma Mia, Sweeney Todd, Curious Incident…, I Hate Hamlet, A Few Good Men, Much Ado About Nothing, In The Heights. Broadway: Amazing Grace, The Illusionists, Legally Blonde, Freshly Squeezed, Laughing Room Only, Elf (The Theatre at MSG); Off-Broadway: Desperate Measures, Clinton!, Pageant, Vanities - the Musical, Waiting for Godot, Addicted, Nunsense, Balancing Act, City Center Encores!. Regional: The Old Globe, Dallas Theatre Center, Chicago Shakespeare, Idaho Shakespeare, Asolo Repertory, American Conservatory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Westport Playhouse. Television: Live from Lincoln Center, Netflix, New Year’s Eve from Time’s Square for the last 20 years. International: Stratford Festival, London’s West End, Vienna, Milan (Teatro alla Scala), Brazil, The Philippines, South Africa, and China.

MICAH LAMBERT MAXSON (Sound Designer) Micah hails from Ogden, Utah where in three years he earned his BA in Theatre Arts, emphasizing in Sound Design, at Weber State University. During his time there, Micah facilitated his education by honing his skills as an audio engineer, working for premier audio production companies in the Salt Lake area, in addition to working directly for performance venues across the Wasatch Front. After graduating in 2018, Micah went on to work with Carnival Cruise Line in an international capacity as a production engineer and audio technician, facilitating hundreds of shows across dozens of Caribbean ports. Micah is happy to be home and remembers fondly attending PTC shows as a high school student where he proudly works now.

SAMANTHA M. WOOTTEN (Hair & Makeup Design) is excited to join PTC and the University of Utah as Wig Master. Previous career highlights include Wig Master for the Washington National Opera in D.C., Wig and Makeup Designer for Glimmerglass Opera in N.Y., Associate Wig Master for the Los Angeles Opera in CA, and Wig Master for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

MARY P. COSTELLO (Production Stage Manager) has worked on over 60 productions during 11 seasons with PTC. Favorites include Sting’s The Last Ship, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Les Misèrables, In the Heights, Next to Normal, and Rent. Other stage management teams: Indiana Repertory Theatre, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Boston Theatre Works, Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Proud Equity member. #blacklivesmatter #translivesmatter

JENNIFER GREGORY (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be a part of PTC. Prior to this, she stage-managed in Chicago, where her credits included X-Marks the Spot (Tour, Chicago Children’s Theatre); Bloomsday, Frankenstein, Puff: Believe It or Not, The Skin of Our Teeth, and Born Yesterday (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); A Parcel from America (Irish Theatre of Chicago); The Little Flower of East Orange (Eclipse Theatre Company); and Disgraced, A Christmas Carol, Another Word for Beauty, The Matchmaker, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, and War Paint (Goodman Theatre). Outside of Chicago, Jennifer has also worked at Mason Street Warehouse, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, and PTC for the season opener Ain’t Misbehavin’.

EMILY NACRISSA GRIFFITH (1st Assistant Stage Manager) graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts with emphases in performance and design/technology. Griffith earned the Kennedy Center’s Meritorious Achievement Award for her work as the production stage manager of UVU’s Next to Normal, which received the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival national award for Outstanding Production.

MAXWELL PARIS (2nd Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working for Pioneer as an Assistant Stage Manager. He is a junior in the stage management program at the University of Utah and has worked as a dresser for PTC for three seasons. Some of his favorite dressing credits include: La Cage Aux Folles, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, and Mamma Mia!. He has also enjoyed working as a stage manager at the U for It Doesn’t Rain Enough and The Odyssey. He thanks his friends and family for their endless support, and Amber for her continuous guidance.

BOB CLINE (Casting) is the founder of Bob Cline Casting in New York. He has cast film, TV, commercials, over 75 national tours, and numerous regional theaters across the country and has been associated with the casting for PTC for many years. Cline is currently a proud faculty member in Pace University’s theatre program, in charge of the senior BFA musical theatre majors. He is the Associate Director of Broadway Artists Alliance, enjoys working with The Open Jar Institute, and often teaches through The Growing Studio and The Actor’s Loft.

PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY (PTC): Now celebrating its 60th season, the award-winning PTC is Utah’s premier professional theatre and a leading arts organization of the West. Led by Artistic Director Karen Azenberg and Interim Managing Director Diane L. Parisi, PTC promotes community-building and education through presenting world-class productions; developing new socially resonant and universal work; hosting talks, lectures, and workshops that engage a versatile and inclusive demographic, while celebrating diversity in culture and society; and serving as the connecting bridge between art and scholarship as an affiliate of the University of Utah.

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA): founded in 1913, represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers nationwide. Equity seeks to foster 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. #equityworks