Cast Bios
DARRIN BAKER (Jack Warner) Broadway credits include: Sunset Boulevard (with Glenn Close), The Scarlet Pimpernel, Footloose, Wonderful Town (with Brooke Shields), Laughing Room Only (opposite Jackie Mason) and Disney’s Tarzan. His many regional and national tours include: the original Toronto production of Les Misèrables, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Working, Dirty Blonde, City of Angels and Ghost Stories, to name a few. His many guest appearances on TV include: “The Good Doctor,” “Designated Survivor,” “Suits,” “Law & Order,” “The Strain,” “The Firm,” “Queer as Folk,” “People of Earth” and “Workin’ Moms.” Favorite film credits include Kodachrome, The Glass Castle, Spotlight, and he will be seen this season in My Spy, White Lies, and is starring in Stealing School. He has taught acting in New York City at NYU and Toronto at the esteemed Randolph Academy. His most treasured production is his daughter Ruby where he gets to play the best and most important role, Dad.
DARIEN CRAGO (Jane and others) is delighted to join the cast of Cagney! She made her Broadway debut in Holiday Inn and has tap danced alongside Tommy Tune in New York City Center’s Lady, Be Good. Additionally, she’s toured with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and was recently seen on TV in FX’s “Fosse/Verdon.” Lots of gratitude to Bobby, Chris, Josh and the whole Cagney and PTC teams, as well as to all my wonderful agents at The Mine! Happy to be performing with my boyfriend, Daniel!
ROBERT CREIGHTON (James Cagney) joins us at PTC while on leave from starring as the Duke of Weselton in Disney’s new Broadway musical Frozen. Other Broadway credits include: The Lion King (Timon), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Durdles), Anything Goes (Purser/Moonface), Chicago (Amos), The Little Mermaid (Chef Louis), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Jackie Mason’s Laughing Room Only. For his role as Cagney off-Broadway in New York City he won the Fred Astaire Award for Outstanding Male Dancer and was nominated for the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards as best Lead Actor in a Musical. He was recently seen as Clarence Kolb, a recurring guest star on the CBS series “The Good Fight.” Other guest-starring roles include “Elementary” (CBS), “Law & Order” (NBC), “The Family” (ABC) and “Life on Mars” (ABC). For his cabaret Ain’t We Got Fun! he won NYC’s prestigious Bistro Award for “Outstanding Entertainer.” His debut album “Ain’t We Got Fun!” was released in 2012 on the LML music label. www.robertcreightonnyc.com Instagram: @rcreightonnyc twitter: @rcreightonnyc
MATT CROWLE (Bob Hope and others) Pioneer Theatre Company debut! A Chicago-based actor, Crowle’s favorite hometown credits include The Santaland Diaries (Goodman Theatre); Bert in Mary Poppins (Paramount Theatre); The D’Ysquith Family in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Hysterium in …Forum (Porchlight Music Theatre); Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain, Albert Peterson in Bye Bye, Birdie, Patsy in Spamalot (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Leo Bloom in The Producers (Mercury Theater Chicago). Broadway/National Tour: Doctor Dolittle (starring Tommy Tune), Monty Python’s Spamalot. Television: “The Chi,” “Empire.”
KRISTEN SMITH DAVIS (Shirley Temple and others) Broadway: Anastasia. National Tours: South Pacific, Evita, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and Anastasia. Regional theatre: Oliver! (Bet) at Paper Mill Playhouse; Follies at St. Louis Rep; Kiss Me, Kate at Shakespeare Theatre Company; My One and Only at Goodspeed Opera House; The Music Man at Arena Stage, Cape Playhouse and Kansas City Starlight; Thoroughly Modern Millie, Show Boat (Kim), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Alice) and Fiddler on the Roof (Chava) at Sacramento Music Circus. Film: Ted 2. Gratitude to my parents for introducing me to Broadway musicals; love to my husband, Jeremy; and thanks to the amazing teachers in my life. www.kristensmithdavis.com
JEFFRY DENMAN (Foreman, Wellman and others) is proud to return to PTC where he last played Zach in A Chorus Line. Broadway: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Astaire Award nomination), The Producers, Cats, How To Succeed… and Dream. Off Broadway: Kid Victory (Vineyard – Drama Desk, Outer Critics nomination), YANK! (York – Drama Desk, Lortel nom), Cagney (Westside Theatre), Passion (CSC), Children of a Lesser God (Keen Company), Of Thee I Sing and Face the Music (Encores). Regional: Fun Home (Center Stage), Kid Victory (Signature – Helen Hayes nomination). He is the Founding Artistic Director of Denman Theatre & Dance Co., as well as the Director of New Works at Tuacahn Center for the Arts. Follow him on Instagram: @jeffrydenman
ROBERT ANTHONY JONES (Schlotzki, Yussie and others) returns to PTC after A Christmas Carol – The Musical and The Music Man. Broadway: Finding Neverland (Mr. Cromer-Final Broadway Company-Lunt-Fontanne Theater). National Tours: The Phantom of the Opera (Reyer, Cover for Firmin-Really Useful Theatre Company), The 101 Dalmatians Musical (Original Cast, Jinx Baddun-Madison Square Garden). Off-Broadway: Bunnicula (Harold, Original Cast & Recording, Daryl Roth Theatre), The Prince and the Pauper (Dresser/Hermit, Original Cast & Recording, Lamb’s Theatre) Regional: Bang Bang (Cassagne, starring Sean Astin-Shadowland Theater), La Cage aux Folles (Albin/Zaza-Virginia Musical Theatre). www.robertanthonyjones.com.
CHARIS LEOS (Ma Cagney, Ma Jarrett and others) is thrilled to making her Pioneer Theatre Company debut. Most recently she appeared as Dolly in Hello, Dolly! (Maine State Music Theatre); Rosie in Mamma Mia! and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie, (Fulton Theater); and, again, Rosie in Mamma Mia! (Riverside Theatre and Walnut Street Theatre). She has appeared at the Dallas Theater Centre, Gateway Playhouse, Theatre Under the Stars, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Stage West, Second Stage, North Shore Music Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Palace Theatre, Worcester Foothills and Portland Stage, among others. She was a featured performer in Broadway Backwards for four years in a row and has been a proud member of Actors Equity for over 25 years. She received her training at the University of North Texas and Northwood/IASTA as a Mary Martin scholarship recipient. Many thanks to Bobby & Bob for this amazing opportunity! Please see CharisLeos.com
DANIEL PLIMPTON (Bill Cagney, Eddie Woods and others) is thrilled to make his debut with Pioneer Theatre Company. Daniel performed in the Salt Lake City premieres of The Book of Mormon and Spring Awakening with the National Tours. Other tours: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Regional: Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Carolina Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Engeman Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse and others. In concert, Plimpton has appeared with The Boston Pops, at Merkin Hall and at Lincoln Center with Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Thanks to this wonderful team and to agents at BRS/GAGE. Love to Darien! BFA: The Boston Conservatory.
MELISSA SCHOTT (Mae Clarke and others) is thrilled to make her Pioneer Theatre Company debut! National: Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel (Magic Girl/Ensemble), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Ensemble/Judy u/s) and U.S./Canada touring Symphony Pops Concert Classic FM. Regional: 42nd Street (Lorraine/Ensemble/Dance Captain, Ogunquit Playhouse), 42nd Street (Ensemble/Peggy u/s, North Shore Music Theatre), 42nd Street (Peggy, Footlite Musicals), Always…Patsy Cline (Patsy, American Cabaret Theatre), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie, Indianapolis Civic Theatre), and MTI’s Broadway Jr. recordings of Pirates of Penzance (Ruth), Willy Wonka (Violet and Mrs. Gloop) and Into The Woods (Witch). TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Diner Waitress). She happily resides in NYC with her husband, Aaron, and their Yorkies! Thank you, Aaron, for sharing this journey with me. For more, visit www.melissaschott.com.
EDWARD TOLVE (Lefty McRae and others) Pioneer Theatre Company Debut! Off-Broadway: Funny Face, Sayonara. National: Teacher from The Black Lagoon…, Hooray for Hollywood. Regional: Fulton Theater, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Totem Pole Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Cape Rep, Reagle Music Theatre, Northern Stage, Nora Theatre Company, and Underground Railway Theater. Tolve could be seen dancing on TV on VICELAND’s “The Untitled Action Bronson Show” and used to jam at Sleep No More on select nights. Tolve has been a tap dancer for over 20 years and has a BFA from The Boston Conservatory. Lots of love and thanks to my family and friends. @tolvetapsalot
JESSICA WOCKENFUSS (Willie Cagney and others) is thrilled to be at PTC with this wonderful show! Off Broadway: Hey, Look Me Over! (Encores! City Center), Me and My Girl (Encores! City Center). National Tour: Jersey Boys, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Little Mermaid, Monty Python’s Spamalot. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Ogunquit Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre, Theatre by the Sea, TUTS, Dallas Summer Musicals, PCLO, KC Starlight, Capital Repertory Theatre. Favorite roles include Peggy Sawyer (42nd Street), Roxie Hart (Chicago), and Ginger Rogers (Backwards in High Heels). BFA Elon. Love to Chris, Jeremy, Josh, Bill, Bobby, Todd, Pod and Mom. To my love, Nick, this is for you.