Bright Star

CARMEN CUSACK (Alice Murphy). Tony^®-nominated for her 2016 Broadway debut in Bright Star. Recently performed one-woman show, Do This (Gulfshore Playhouse), and Sunday in the Park with George (City Center). Off-Broadway: Carrie. National Tours: Wicked, South Pacific. Regional: For the Record: Scorsese (The Wallis), First Wives Club (Chicago’s Oriental Theatre), Sunday in the Park with George (Chicago Shakespeare). West End: Over the Rainbow, Les Misérables, The Secret Garden, Personals, The Phantom of the Opera. Studied opera at University of North Texas.

STEPHEN LEE ANDERSON (Daddy Murphy). Regional: Richard III, Old Vic and BAM, dir. Sam Mendes; The Iceman Cometh, BAM. Broadway: Productions including Bright Star, Spider-Man, Wicked, Julius Caesar, The Crucible, Footloose, The Capeman, The Kentucky Cycle. Off-Broadway: Violet, Floyd Collins (Playwrights Horizons), Atlantic Theater Company, Vineyard Theatre, MTC. Regional: The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre (IRNE Award Best Supporting Actor, Bus Stop), Long Wharf, Denver Center (seven seasons). Film/TV: The Treatment, “Daredevil,” “Public Morals,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Elementary,” “Madam Secretary.”

DAVID ATKINSON (Daddy Cane) is a proud native of Atlanta, a graduate of University of Georgia and a member of Actors Co-op, Hollywood. Regional: Parade (Merry-Go-Round), Billy Elliot: The Musical (La Mirada), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Urban Cowboy (TUTS Houston), Trails (NYMF, World premiere). L.A.: Bonnie & Clyde, Lucky Stiff, Big River, Guys and Dolls, Man of La Mancha, The Spitfire Grill. TV/film: American Made, “Snowfall,” “Scandal,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Castle,” “50 to 1,” “Longmire,” “Justified,” “CSI” and “True Blood.”

JEFF AUSTIN (Mayor Josiah Dobbs). L.A.: Singin’ In the Rain, Annie (MT West), Candide (Ahmanson Theatre), Annie Get Your Gun (South Bay CLO), Chess (Long Beach CLO). Regional: Sweeney Todd (Clarence Brown Theatre), Gypsy (Sundance Theatre), Kismet (Riverside CLO). National tours: City Of Angels, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Evita (European tour). Film: Armageddon, L.A. Confidential. TV: “Grace & Frankie,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Castle,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Closer,” “Bones,” “The King of Queens,” “Without a Trace,” “NYPD Blue,” “Carnivàle.”

MADDIE SHEA BALDWIN (Margo Crawford). Broadway: Bright Star. New York: A Wall Apart (New York Musical Festival). Favorite regional: Back Home Again (Lesher Center), Bright Star (Kennedy Center), How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Ace (The Old Globe), Little Women (North Coast Rep.). Proud Indiana University MT grad of 2015. Special thanks to the entire Bright Star team for including me on this special journey over the past two years. Thanks also to Nicolosi & Co, and my loving and supportive family. Jeremiah 29:11. Instagram: @madeline__shea

JEFF BLUMENKRANTZ (Daryl Ames) originated the role of Daryl on Broadway, where he also appeared in A Class Act, How to Succeed…, Damn Yankees, The Threepenny Opera and Into the Woods. L.A. audiences may remember him as The Suspects in Murder for Two at the Geffen. On camera appearances include The Big Sick, “The Detour,” “30 Rock,” “The Good Wife,” Joseph…Dreamcoat, “Will & Grace,” “Law & Order(s)” as well as the NY Philharmonic/PBS productions of Sweeney Todd and Candide. jeffblumenkrantz.com

ALLISON BRINER-DARDENNE (Mama Murphy). Bright Star: The Old Globe, Kennedy Center. Broadway: Bright Star, Mamma Mia! National Tours: Follies (Ahmanson Theatre), Mamma Mia!, White Christmas, Les Misérables, Titanic. Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, Listen to My Heart, Return to the Forbidden Planet. June Carter Cash in Ring of Fire (Alabama Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage), plus over 25 other regional credits. TV: “The Carrie Diaries,” “Law & Order,” “SVU,” “All My Children,” “One Life to Live.”

PATRICK CUMMINGS (Jimmy Ray Dobbs). Broadway: Bright Star. New York: This Is How It Ends (59E59), New Girl in Town, Donnybrook, Transport (Irish Repertory), It Must Be Him (Peter Jay Sharp), Happiness (Mitzi Newhouse). Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Kansas City Starlight, Moonlight Amphitheatre, Musical Theatre West and more. TV/film: “Hostages” (Robert Harper), “Madam Secretary,” “The Blacklist,” Pittsburgh!. BFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon. Thanks to CGF, Alessa and my family for their steadfast support.

KAITLYN DAVIDSON (Lucy Grant). Broadway: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Nice Work If You Can Get It. National Tour: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ella), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Judy). Other New York: The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Encores!). Select regional: Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing (Signature Theatre, Carol Sue), Chicago (Riverside Theatre, Roxie), The Music Man (The Cape Playhouse, Marian Paroo), 42^nd Street (The Marriott Theatre, Peggy Sawyer). CCM alum. Instagram: @kaitlyndavidson27 kaitlyn-davidson.com

A.J. SHIVELY (Billy Cane). Broadway: Bright Star (Drama Desk nom.), La Cage aux Folles. Off-Broadway: February House (The Public), The Suitcase Under the Bed (Mint Theater), Brigadoon (Irish Rep.), Unlock’d (Prospect), A Contemporary…Successful Marriage (Cherry Lane), Things to Ruin (Second Stage), Little Airplanes of the Heart (Ensemble Studio Theatre). Regional: Kennedy Center, McCarter, The Old Globe, TUTS, Long Wharf. TV/film: “Homeland,” “The Blacklist,” “Younger,” “The Daily Show,” Syrup, HairBrained, Nobody Walks in L.A., From Nowhere. BFA: University of Michigan. ajshively.com

DEVIN ARCHER (Ensemble, Understudy for Jimmy Ray Dobbs). National Tours: Mamma Mia! Las Vegas: Mamma Mia!, Ace. L.A.: The Last Five Years and Rent (McCoy Rigby), Tarzan (3D Theatricals), Les Misérables (Musical Theatre West). Chicago: Follies (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Fiddler on the Roof (Marriott Lincolnshire), Departure Lounge (Bailiwick), Twelfth Night (Notre Dame hakespeare). Graduate of Northwestern University (Go ‘Cats!).
@devinjarcher

KELLY BAKER (Swing) is thrilled to be joining the Bright Star cast in her first National Tour! She recently graduated from UCLA’s Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program where she performed roles such as Norma (Carrie) and Celeste #2 (Sunday in the Park…). Other credits: Cinderella (Into the Woods), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Laurey (Oklahoma!). Much love and thanks to Anthony Boyer (DDO Artists Agency), Michael Donovan, my family and my friends!

AUDREY CARDWELL (Ensemble, Edna, Understudy for Alice Murphy). National Tours: Cinderella (Ella), Anything Goes, Elf. Regional: The Old Globe and Asolo Rep. (Sarah Brown, Guys and Dolls), The Muny, North Shore Music Theatre, Houston Theatre Under the Stars, Dallas Summer Musicals, Pennsylvania Centre Stage. BFA, Penn State University. @akatcard

HAYDEN CLIFTON (Ensemble, Understudy for Daryl Ames) is thrilled to be joining the Bright Star tour! Regional: Music Theatre Wichita, Gateway, Arrow Rock Lyceum, Engeman, Ogunquit, Casa Mañana. TV: HBO’s “The Deuce.” Proud Otterbein University grad. Love to Taur, his family and friends, Calleri and creative teams, and TKO. @haydenkc14

RICHARD GATTA (Dance Captain, Fight Captain, Swing). Most recently, he served as the dance captain for the Broadway production of Bright Star. NYC: Zorba, Countess of Storyville, Back Home Again (Asst. Choreographer), Beatsville (Associate Choreographer). Tours: R+H Cinderella, Billy Elliot: The Musical (Asst. Resident Choreographer, USA/Brazil), Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game, Grease. Gatta holds a BS in business economics and arts management from Empire State College and serves as the Assistant Artistic Director of Northeast Ballet Company. @richardgatta richardgatta.com

DAVID KIRK GRANT (Ensemble, Dr. Norquist, Understudy for Mayor Josiah Dobbs and Daddy Murphy). National Tours: 42^nd Street (Julian Marsh), The Music Man (Charlie Cowell/Harold Hill), H.M.S. Pinafore (Dick Deadeye), The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King). Regional: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe), Kiss Me, Kate (Pasadena Playhouse), Side Show (La Jolla Playhouse, dir. Bill Condon), Parade, Man of La Mancha (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award nom.), The Producers, Evita, Footloose, Ring of Fire. TV/Film: “The Office,” “Journeyman,” Spud, The Thin Line.

DONNA LOUDEN (Swing, Understudy for Alice Murphy). Select credits: Frozen—Live at the Hyperion (Disney’s California Adventure), The Scarlet Pimpernel (Contempo Productions), You Can Be Anything (Mattel), Sister Act, Disney’s When You Wish and Beauty and the Beast (Tuacahn Center for the Arts), Seussical The Musical (3-D Theatricals), The Music Man and Young Frankenstein (Musical Theatre West), Rent (Lawrence Welk Theatre), Godspell (ACTC). Love to my family. Instagram: @donnajeanie​ donnalouden.com

ALESSA NEECK (Ensemble, Florence, Understudy for Margo Crawford and Lucy Grant). Broadway: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ella alternate/original Broadway company), White Christmas (OBC). Off-Broadway: Happiness (Young Helen/LCT), No, No, Nanette (Encores!). National tour: Little House on the Prairie, The Musical (Mary Ingalls). Recent regional: South Pacific (Nellie/MTW), The Music Man (Marian/Moonlight Stages), The Great American Mousical (Wendy/Goodspeed), Anything Goes (Hope/NSMT), Bye Bye Birdie (Kim/NSMT), 42^nd Street (Peggy/PCLO), Head Over Heels (Philoclea/Oregon Shakespeare Festival). Love and thanks to my family, Patrick and CGF!

ROBERT PIERANUNZI (Swing, Assistant Dance Captain). Regional favorites: Mary Poppins (Bert), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), West Side Story (Riff), I Only Have Eyes for You (Busby Berkeley), Cats (Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger), Bye Bye Birdie (Albert Peterson), Meet Me in St. Louis (Lon), Dames at Sea (Lucky), Cinderella (Prince Charming) and Grease (Kenickie), to name a few. Love to the most amazing family and friends, and this entire creative team.

MICHAEL STARR (Ensemble, Understudy for Billy Cane). UCLA alum. Regional: Romy and Michele’s Hight School Reunion (5th Avenue Theatre), Kiss Me, Kate (Hartford Stage/The Old Globe). L.A.: Mamma Mia! and A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl), Frozen (Disneyland), Carrie: The Musical (The Los Angeles Theatre), Salome and Wonderful Town (LA Opera), West Side Story and Empire: The Musical (McCoy Rigby), Footloose, Oklahoma!, Big Fish. Many thanks to the brilliant Bright Star team and his loving family! @mjstarr77