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A Sign of the Times Cast and Creative Team

A Sign of the Times Cast and Creative Team

Meet the Cast       Meet the Creative Team

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CAST

Ephie Aardema EPHIE AARDEMA* (Cindy) Last seen here in Steven Schwartz's Snapshots. Broadway: Bridges of Madison County. Off-Broadway/NY: Songbird, Parade (Lincoln Center), Daddy Long Legs, Dear Edwina. Tours: Fiddler on the Roof (Chava), The Sound of Music (Liesl). Labs: Miss You Like Hell (Olivia, La Jolla Playhouse), Darling (Darling), Mozart: a Rock Opera (Constanza). Regional: Originated Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View (Old Globe) and Megan in TJ Brady's new play Two Dollar Bill (Pioneer Theatre Co.) PCLO, Paper Mill Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre Co., St. Louis Rep, NSMT, MSMT, and more. Songwriter, bookworm, IRNE & Norton Award nominee, Congressional Gold Medal, International Tap Champion, youngest-ever graduate of Circle in the Square. For Grandma, with love. Twitter/Instagram: @EphieAardema
 
Nick Bailey NICK BAILEY* (Matt) is excited to make his Goodspeed debut! He hopes you power down your phone, strike up a conversation with a stranger in your row, and enjoy the performance.
 
Bryan Fenkart
BRYAN FENKART* (Dennis) Goodspeed debut. Broadway/1st National Tour: Memphis (Huey) Regional Credits: These Paper Bullets! (World Premiere @ Yale Rep & Atlantic Theatre Company), Diner (World Premiere @ Signature), Piece of My Heart (Signature), Nobody Loves You (2ST). TV/Film: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Red Hook, You Tell Me. Solo Albums: Imperfect Man, Simple & Grey. BFA from MGSA (@ Rutgers). Thanks to Tara Rubin. CE & BD. The 'Rents, Bro, & Cub. @BryanFenkart
   
Robert Lenzi

ROBERT LENZI* (Brian) Broadway: Miles Tuck in Tuck Everlasting, South Pacific (Lincoln Center Theater). Off Broadway: Dogfight (Second Stage Theater), Hello Again (Transport Group). Regional: Tuck Everlasting (Alliance Theater), Road Show (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Into the Woods (co-production Baltimore Center Stage and Westport Country Playhouse). Film: The Last Airbender, Sex and the City 2, The Happening, The Village. Television: "Deception" (NBC), "Blue Bloods" (CBS), "One Life to Live" (ABC), "Live From Lincoln Center" (PBS), “Clubhouse" (CBS). Robert received a BFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University. Special thanks and love to Mom, Dad, and Krystina.

   
Crystal Lucas-Perry

CRYSTAL LUCAS-PERRY* (Tanya) Recent Credits: Hottentotted (Ars Nova), The Convent of Pleasure (Cherry Lane), Estuary (The Public), Storm Still (Brooklyn Yard), Devil Music (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Little Children Dream of God (Roundabout), Sheila’s Day (Lincoln Center). Williamstown Theatre: Far From Heaven (dir. Michael Greif), A Street Car Named Desire (dir. David Cromer), When You’re Here, Finding Robert Hutchens. Other Theatre: The Cherry Orchard, Restoration, Rice and Chicken Parts, Stick Fly, She Stoops To Conquer, The Humans Are In Trouble, A Raisin in the Sun, The History of King John. Film: Roulette, Frank and Azalee Austin (Craft Acting Award). Education: NYU’s Graduate Acting Program (MFA) www.CrystalLucasPerry.com

   
Lauren Boyd LAUREN BOYD* (Ensemble) Goodspeed Debut! Broadway National tours: Wicked (Ensemble), West Side Story (Bebecita, u/s Consuela). Regional Theatre: Musical Theatre West (Anita), Sacramento Music Circus (Ensemble), Disney's Aladdin A Musical Spectacular & Second City Hollywood (Office Hours). Film: Dancing With The Stars, & Todrick Hall (Beyonce's "Formation" Dancer) All my love and gratitude to Dad, Mom, Sissy, and Jesus! Thank you, Anthony & Irene at DDO. Proud AEA member! Psalm 149:3 Instagram: @LaurenMBoyd.
   
Lauren Chapman
LAUREN NICOLE CHAPMAN* (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her Goodspeed debut! Broadway and 1st National Tour: Kinky Boots (Ensemble, U/S Lauren). Other favorite roles include Serena in Legally Blonde, Doralee in 9 to 5, and Corrie Bratter in Barefoot in the Park. Love and gratitude to Abrams Artists and my family for all their support. Laurennicolechapman.com
   
Melessie Clark

MELESSIE CLARK* (Hattie, Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her debut with Goodspeed Musicals! She is a Pittsburgh native and recent graduate of Point Park University, where she received her BFA in Musical Theatre. Her Conservatory credits include Hecuba (Hecuba), The Boyfriend (Hortense), and Chess (Walter). Most recently seen as Lou Bessie in New Horizon Theater’s The Old Settler; her recent works include Kulture Plus’ New York City premiere of Trash Story, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s Dulcy and Ubuntu Holiday, and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s Gypsy and The Wedding Singer. Always giving honor to God, Melessie is grateful to be a part of this company. www.melessieclark.com

   
Drew Franklin
DREW FRANKLIN* (Ensemble) happy to finally be returning to Goodspeed! Previous: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Broadway/NYC: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Original Cast and Recording); Lady, Be Good! (w/Tommy Tune); Where’s Charley?; Elf (Madison Square Garden); Radio City Christmas Spectacular. National Tours of White Christmas, Elf, Cats.  Gratitude to Gabe and JoAnn. Don't ignore the Sign of these Times. Love.
   
Jeremy Gaston

JEREMY GASTON* (Jaime, Ensemble) National/International tours: We Will Rock You (Britney Spears), Smokey Joe's Café 20th Anniv. (Victor u/s), Sister Act 1st nat'l (Eddie, Curtis, TJ u/s), Shrek (Donkey), Sunfish (Monk, Storyteller), Jesus Christ Superstar (Priest u/s, Apostle). Regional: Rock of Ages (Mayor, Ja'Keith, Strip Club DJ), Once On This Island (Daniel), Rent (Benny), Grease (Teen Angel, Johnny Casino), Buddy Holly Story (Apollo Performer). TV: Good Morning America with Katie Couric. Jeremy holds a BFA from Wright State University. A special thanks to Dave at Daniel Hoff Agency & Tara Rubin Casting. Much love to family & friends for their endless support. Jeremiah 29:11 @jeremyallyngaston

   
Alexandra Matteo

ALEXANDRA MATTEO* (Ensemble) is thrilled to be spending her summer at Goodspeed working on such a fun new show. Previous credits include Broadway/1st national tours: Annie (u/s Grace, Lily, STB), Anything Goes, Addams Family (u/s Wednesday), Dirty Dancing (u/s Baby, Lisa). Regional: The Muny. Alumni of The Boston Conservatory. Much love and appreciation to her team at The Mine. Thank you to Jarrod, her wonderful family and friends for their unconditional love and support. www.alexandramatteo.com Instagram: @alexandramatteo

   
Keven Quillon

KEVEN QUILLON* (Ensemble) is originally from Charlottesville, Virginia and is thrilled to be making his Goodspeed debut! Broadway credits include: A Christmas Story (MSG), Annie, Shrek: The Musical and Grease. First National Tours: Shrek: The Musical, Sweet Charity, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, We Will Rock You (Las Vegas), White Christmas (Los Angeles). Pre-Broadway: The Bandstand (Paper Mill Playhouse), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Denver Center). Workshops: The Bandstand, Leap Of Faith, An Officer and A Gentleman. Thank you Mom, Gabe, JoAnn, Bruce, CGF Talent and TRC. @kevenq

   
Kevin Santos

KEVIN SANTOS* (Ensemble) is twitchin’ to hang loose with this outta-sight, groovy, decked-out cherry of a show, ya dig? Born and raised in the fabulous Las Vegas, he began dancing at the performing arts high school, Las Vegas Academy, before attending NYU's CAP21, where he received a BFA in Drama, graduating with honors. Broadway: In the Heights (Ensemble, u/s Sonny and Piragua Guy). National Tours: A Chorus Line (Paul), 2008 Denver Ovation Award Best Supporting Actor; West Side Story (Shark, u/s Chino). Regional: The King and I (Lyric Opera); Grease (Paper Mill); Aida (KC Starlight); and Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles (North Shore). TV: Smash and Difficult People. Thank you to Tara and Goodspeed for this incredible opportunity, and especially to the incomparable JoAnn Hunter for bringing me along on another adventure! Huge thanks to Chris Nichols at Revolution Talent for his continued support and guidance! All my love and gratitude to Pa, Przybocki and Jensen! Follow his foolish photographic journey on Instagram @kevinsantos_therevival

   
Dave Schoonover
DAVE SCHOONOVER* (Orville, Ensemble) couldn't be happier to have you in the audience for his Goodspeed debut. Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks (El Gallo standby). National Tours: Young Frankenstein (Dr. Frankenstein u/s), Cats (Tugger).  Regional credits include Alliance Theatre and Ahmanson Theatre, Harmony; TUTS, Annie (Rooster); The Muny, Pirates!; Ogunquit Playhouse, Young Frankenstein (Dr. Frankenstein); Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Sweeney Todd (Pirelli); Westchester Broadway Theatre, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Bob Wallace); Arrowrock Lyceum, Little Shop of Horrors (Orin); Forestburgh Playhouse, The Music Man (Harold Hill). BFA Wisconsin Stevens Point. Proud AEA member.
   
Alet Taylor
ALET TAYLOR* (Ensemble) is thrilled to work at Goodspeed. She was most recently seen drunk and rich as both “Annette” in God of Carnage (Northport Playhouse) and “Sasha” on The Path (Hulu). Other credits of behaving badly include “Lick-Me/Bite-Me” in The Producers (National Tour - Max Company), “Hold-Me/Touch-Me” in The Producers (Vegas Company), “Buck” in Justin Love (LA Ovation Nom - Best Actress) and “Carly” in Having It All (LA Ovation Nom - Best Actress). The Penguin killed her on Gotham (Fox) and an earthquake killed her in San Andreas Fault (SyFy). Alet is a mom and a writer (alettaylor.com).
 

CREATIVE TEAM

Bruce Vilanch
BRUCE VILANCH (Book) is a writer, actor, comedian, stripper (it pays), Muppet impersonator, and all-around suspicious individual. For six years, he was a Hollywood Square, just to the left of Whoopi, if that's possible. For two years, he ironed his way across America and toiled on Broadway as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. For twenty-three years, he wrote the Oscar telecast, winning two Emmys in the process, and four other Emmys for things that now show up on YouTube. There is a documentary about all this called Get Bruce, made by the Weinstein Brothers some years ago. Very netflixable. He would be remiss if he didn't mention his luminous flop Platinum, which he co-wrote when a toddler. Never believe a biography that doesn't mention the flops.
   
Gabriel Barre

GABRIEL BARRE (Director) Broadway: Amazing Grace. Off-Broadway: Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party; Son of a Gun; Cyrano; Summer of ’42; Stars in Your Eyes; Honky-Tonk Highway; john & jen; and Almost, Maine. National Tours: Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt, Pippin. Goodspeed: Pippin, Sweeney Todd, Finian’s Rainbow, Houdini, and many other new musicals. Other Regional: Flower Drum Song, Little Shop of Horrors, American Musical Theatre of San Jose; Private Lives, Seattle Repertory Theatre; Tom Jones, Memphis, Camelot, North Shore Music Theatre; Stand By Your Man, Ryman Auditorium; Hay Fever, Pericles, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. International: Carmen, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida, Karlin Theatre, Prague; Tears of Heaven, Seoul, Korea. Currently: Magic to Do, Princess Cruises; The Scarlet Pimpernel, Tokyo, Japan; Billy Elliot, Mexico City, Mexico. As an actor he has been nominated for a Tony Award and has appeared often in film and on TV.

   
Joann M. Hunter JOANN M. HUNTER (Choreographer) is thrilled to be back at Goodspeed since her last stint here with Princesses. Broadway, School Of Rock, Disaster, On A Clear Day…Broadway Bound. Off Broadway – Dedalus LoungeThe Twelve (workshop). National Tour/Regional: Harmony by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman at the Ahmanson Theatre, LA, World premiere of Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes’ The Nutty Professor directed by Jerry Lewis. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Grease, Oliver & Curtains (PMP/TUTS). She has directed Debra Monk in her one woman show with special guest Ron Rifkin, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, and David Hyde Pierce. In development for RFP of “Rock And Roll Refugee” about the life of Genya Raven, Lourds Lane superhero rock musical Chix 6 and Perfect Spiral, a ballet with words about the will to do what you were born to do regardless of a possible outcome, the loss of your own identity. Assoc. Broadway Choreographer – Spring Awakening, Curtains, The Wedding Singer, All Shook Up. As a performer, 12 Broadway shows to her credit.
   

RICK FOX (Music Director) Broadway: Doctor Zhivago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Blood Brothers. Off Broadway: Once Around The City, Second Stage. Director of Music, Stratford Festival, Canada 2008-2013; Music Director/Conductor for shows including West Side Story; Evita; Camelot; Jesus Christ Superstar; Cabaret; Kiss Me, Kate. Composed score for Des McAnuf’s Caesar and Cleopatra starring Christopher Plummer. Music Director for numerous Canadian Premieres (Toronto) including The Lion King, The Producers, Rent, Tommy, Phantom of the Opera. Regionals includes La Jolla Playhouse, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Arena Stage, Center Theatre Group, L.A. Music Direction. Orchestrations for Colm Wilkinson, Patti LuPone PBS Special.

   

PAUL TATE DePOO III (Scenic Design) Goodspeed: A Sign of the Times, Guys and Dolls. Asolo Rep: Josephine. MUNY: Young Frankenstein. Off-Broadway: Himself and Nora, Romance Language, Pageant the Musical, Sex of the Baby. Signature: Titanic, Girlstar. Delaware Theatre: War of the Roses. Classic Stage: Othello. Maltz: Me and My Girl; The Producers; The Wiz; Les Misérables; Will Roger’s Follies; Annie; Music Man; Hello, Dolly!. Bard Opera: Turnadot. Yale: Rocky Horror. Broadway Associate Designer: Lincoln Center’s Sweeney Todd, Lady Day, How To Succeed, Nice Work, Bengal Tiger, Follies, Anything Goes. A member of Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab, United Scenic Artists, and Live Design Magazine’s ‘Designer to Watch’. www.pauldepoo.com
 

 

 

JENNIFER CAPRIO (Costume Design) Goodspeed: A Wonderful Life, LMNOP. Broadway: Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. West End: The Lion (St. James). Current National Tours: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Lion. Off-Broadway: Perfect Arrangement, In Transit (Primary Stages); Little Children Dream of God (Roundabout); Little Miss Sunshine, ...Spelling Bee (Second Stage). Regional: The Guthrie Theater, Alley Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Utah Shakespeare Festival, PlayMakers Rep, Asolo Repertory Theater, Geva, Opera: Minnesota Opera, Mill City Summer Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Boston. Teaching: NYU Tisch/Playwrights Horizons. Training: MFA, Carnegie Mellon; BFA, Ithaca College.

   

KEN BILLINGTON (Lighting Design) has almost 100 Broadway shows to his credit, including such theatre milestones as Sweeney Todd and the longest-running American musical in history, Chicago. Other Broadway productions include Amazing Grace, Sondheim on Sondheim, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Footloose, to name a few. Many touring productions have included Chicago (world-wide), Riverdance (Lighting Supervisor), White Christmas, and Annie. Other projects: Hugh Jackman in Concert, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (1979 to 2006), Fantasmic! at Disneyland, and New York’s Tavern on the Green. Ken’s many awards include the Tony and the Lumen for his architectural work. In 2015, Ken was inducted into The Theatre Hall of Fame.
   
  BENJAMIN PEARCY FOR 59 PRODUCTIONS LTD (Projection Design) is a creative studio specializing in design for performance, exhibitions, and live events. Theatre/Events include An American in Paris (Tony Award: Best Scenic Design); Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Big Fish The Musical (Broadway); War Horse (World Tour); United Nations Global Goals Launch (UN Headquarters, NY); London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Opera/Dance includes Within the Golden Hour/After The Rain, Ceremony of Innocence, Seven Deadly Sins (Royal Ballet); The Pearl Fishers (Metropolitan Opera); Morgen und Abend (ROH)); Dr. Atomic, The Enchanted Island (Metropolitan Opera/ENO); Two Boys (ENO). Music/Exhibitions include David Bowie Is (V&A/World Tour); Shakespeare: Greatest Living Playwright, Five Truths (V&A). 59productions.co.uk
 
  JAY HILTON (Sound Design) is pleased to continue his long association with Goodspeed Musicals and to be working with director Gabriel Barre once again along with the rest of this talented creative team. Jay has designed countless productions at both The Terris Theatre and The Goodspeed in East Haddam. His work has also been heard on Broadway, National Tours, and at Regional Theatres from coast to coast. In addition to being Goodspeed’s Resident Sound Designer, Jay serves as their Audio Supervisor. He and his wife, Goodspeed Line Producer Donna Lynn Hilton, make their home (and garden) in Hadlyme, Connecticut.
 
  J. JARED JANAS & DAVE BOVA (Hair and Makeup Design) Broadway Designs include The Visit, The Real Thing, Violet, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, Motown, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, All About Me, and Next to Normal. Film/Television include Six by Sondheim, Angelica, The Night Before, Scream Queens, Gotham, and Inside Amy Schumer.
   
  JOSEPH CHURCH (Music Supervisor/Orchestrator) is best known for his music direction and supervision of two groundbreaking Broadway musicals, The Lion King and The Who’s Tommy, on Broadway, nationwide and worldwide. Other theatrical credits include Amazing Grace, In the Heights, Little Shop of Horrors, Randy Newman’s Faust, and Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. He is pleased to return to Goodspeed for the third time (associate conductor, Little Rascals and supervisor/orchestrator, The 60s Project). He holds a doctorate in composition from NYU, where he is on the faculty. His book Music Direction for the Stage: A View from the Podium is published by Oxford University Press.
   
  DAVID DABBON (Dance Arrangements) Broadway: Disaster! (Dance Arranger), Sondheim on Sondheim (Additional Orchestrations). Off-Broadway/Other: Love and Information (Music Director), The Events (Music Supervisor) at New York Theatre Workshop; The Christians (Music Supervisor), Stage Kiss (Arranger) at Playwrights Horizons; The Mysteries (Composer/Music Director), These Seven Sicknesses (Music Director/Arranger) at The Flea Theater. Regional: Denver CPA, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Conductor/Additional Dance Arrangements); Tennessee PAC, Hamlisch/Holmes’ The Nutty Professor (Dance Arranger); Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Bernice Bobs Her Hair (Orchestrator/Conductor). Film: HBO’s Six By Sondheim (Arranger), All God’s Creatures (Composer). Albums: Audra McDonald: Go Back Home (Orchestrator), Sweet Bye and Bye (Music Director). Carnegie Mellon University, Hartt School www.daviddabbon.com.
   


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