Carmen Cusak, Gavin Gregory and More Join Milwaukee Rep's RAGTIME, Beg. Tonight

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Ragtime, the sweeping musical which will kick off The Rep's 2013/14 60th Anniversary Season in the Quadracci Powerhouse theater.

Ragtime will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements who begins his fourth season at Milwaukee Repertory Theater and recently renewed his contract for another four years. Clements' directing credits at The Rep include Clybourne Park, Assassins, Othello, Next to Normal, Death of a Salesman and Cabaret. The epic production will feature a cast of 35 actors and 10 musicians on the Quadracci Powerhouse stage, The Rep's main stage theater.

The cast for Ragtime includes: Broadway veterans Carmen Cusak, Gavin Gregory and David Hess, Associate Artists Jonathan Gillard Daly,Gerard Neugent and frequent Rep guest actor Kelley Faulkner. Returning to The Rep are Melody Betts, Melissa Joy Hart, Carl Clemons Hopkins and Beth Mulkerron. Making their Rep debuts are Michael Doherty, Elizabeth Earley, Jessie Hooker, Josh Landay, Shina Ann Morris, Gabriel Mudd, James Patterson, Sam Strasfeld and Steve Watts. The children's cast for Ragtime includes Luke Brotherhood,Tyler Johnson, Georgina Pink and Mallorey Wallace. Ragtime runs in the Quadracci Powerhouse from today, September 17 - October 27 and opens on Saturday, September 21. (Please note special Saturday night opening date.)

"With my arrival, The Rep instituted a tradition of producing powerful, thought-provoking musicals in the Quadracci Powerhouse," saysMark Clements. This season's offering is an extremely moving and uplifting adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's well-loved and epic novel,Ragtime. This musical is guaranteed to live in your memory forever."

The cast for Ragtime (in alphabetical order):

Luke Brotherhood - Edgar/Ensemble

Melody Betts - Sarah's Friend/Ensemble

Carmen Cusack - Mother/Ensemble

Jonathan Gillard Daly - Grandfather/Ensemble

Michael Doherty - Younger Brother/Ensemble

Elizabeth Early - Chorus/Ensemble

Kelley Faulkner - Evelyn Nesbitt/Ensemble

Gavin Gregory - Coalhouse/Ensemble

Melissa Joy Hart - Emma Goldman/Ensemble

David Hess - Father/Ensemble

Jessie Hooker - Sarah/Ensemble

Carl Clemons Hopkins - Booker T/Ensemble

Tyler Johnson - Edgar/Ensemble

Josh Landay - Tateh/Ensemble

Gabriel Mudd - Chorus/Ensemble

Beth Mulkerron - Chorus/Ensemble

Shina Ann Morris - Sarah u/s/ Ensemble

Gerard Neugent - Willie Conklin/Ensemble

James Patterson - Ford/Ensemble

Georgina Pink - Little Girl/Ensemble

Sam Strasfeld - Houdini/Ensemble

Steve Watts - Chorus/Ensemble

Mallorey Wallace - Little Girl/Ensemble

Artistic Intern Ensemble Members:

Joe Boersma, Patrick Budde, Anna Cline, Kyle Curry, Kamille Dawkins, Elyse Edelman,

Armand BC Fields, Nickclette Izuegbu, Ron King, Martel G Manning, Chris Vizurraga and Sara Zientek

Dan Kazemi - Musical Director/Musician

Paul Helm - Rehearsal Pianist

There will be an additional nine musicians, yet to be named, performing as part of the production.

Luke Brotherhood (Edgar/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after appearing as Percy Smudge in last season's production of A Christmas Carol, Billy in Assassins and in Rep Lab during the 2011/12 Season. Other credits include It's a Wonderful Life (Sunset Playhouse) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (First Stage Children's Theater).

Melody Betts (Sarah's Friend/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after also appearing as Ghost of Christmas Present in last season's production of A Christmas Carol. Additional credits include: Ragtime, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys from Syracuse and Seussical the Musical(Drury Lane Oakbrook); Once on This Island, Nunsense and Cinderella (TYA); All Shook Up and The Drowsy Chaperone (Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire); Short Shakes! Comedy of Errors and Pinocchio (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Motherhood the Musical (Royal George Theatre) and The Nativity (Goodman Theatre). TV credits include Keisha in Chicago Code (FOX).

Carmen Cusack (Mother/Ensemble) is an internationally-known stage actress whose career has spanned the globe. Recent credits includeSunday in the Park with George at Chicago Shakespeare Theater (2012). Other credits include the national tours of South Pacific andWicked, the Off-Broadway revival of Carrie - The Musical and the West End productions of LES MISERABLES, The Secret Garden andPersonals.

Jonathan Gillard Daly (Grandfather/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after appearing in last season's productions of Sense and Sensibility,The Diary of Anne Frank and Assassins. Other recent credits include To Kill a Mockingbird, Death of a Salesman and Cabaret. Daly is also a founding member of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, MN and is a 30-year veteran of regional theaters throughout the U.S.

Michael Doherty (Younger Brother/Ensemble) is making his Rep debut with this production. Credits include: Assistance (Wilma Theater);Next to Normal (Arden Theatre Company); Mr. Hart and MR. Brown and Treasure Island: A Musical Panto (People's Light and Theatre);Dublin by Lamplight (Inis Nua Theatre Company) and Laughter on the 23rd Floor (1812 Productions).

Elizabeth Earley (Chorus/Ensemble), making her Rep debut, recently finished a run with the national tour of Mary Poppins. She can be seen currently in Merry Go Round Playhouse's production of Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Prior to Mary Poppins, she was nominated for a 2010 SALT Award as Best Actress of the Season in A Chorus Line.

Kelley Faulkner (Evelyn Nesbitt/Ensemble) was most recently seen at The Rep in The Diary of Anne Frank. Other recent credits include playing Patsy Cline in Always . . . Patsy Cline, Belle/Lucy in A Christmas Carol and Sally Bowles in the musical Cabaret. Other credits include:Proof (Theatrefest); Oliver! and State Fair (Walnut Street Theatre); Chicago (New Candlelight Theatre) and Give My Regards to Broadway(KimMel Center) and The Music Man and Street Scene (NYC Opera).

Gavin Gregory (Coalhouse/Ensemble) is making his Rep debut with Ragtime. Broadway credits include: Porgy and Bess (Richard Rodgers Theatre); The Color Purple (Broadway Theatre) and The Lion King (Disney). Regional theater credits include: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Ragtime (Portland Center Stage); Violet (Actors' Express) Chess and Ananse, The African Spiderman (The ALLIANCE THEATRE) and Black Nativity (Jomandi Theatre). Film and TV credits include: Law & Order SVU, Dawson's Creek and The Cold Dish.

Melissa Joy Hart (Emma Goldman/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after having appeared as Emma Goldman in last season's production ofAssassins. Regional credits include Amadeus, Sound of Music, Jacques Brel (Walnut Street Theatre), Into the Woods (Arden Theatre Company), Little Mermaid (Fulton Theatre), Fat Pig (Theatre Horizon) and Musicale Series (Bristol Riverside Theatre).

David Hess (Father/Ensemble) will be making his Rep debut with this production. He recently starred as Sweeney in the Broadway national tour of Sweeney Todd. Other recent credits include Treasure Island (Arkansas Repertory Theatre). A veteran of Broadway, national tours, Off-Broadway and regional theater, he recently received Chicago's Jeff Award for his portrayal as Charlie in Shendandoah at the Marriott Theatre.

Jessie Hooker (Sarah/Ensemble) will be making her Rep debut with Ragtime. She has appeared Off-Broadway in Sistas (St. Luke's Theatre) and in the national tour of Legally Blonde. Other credits include: Company (Geva Theatre Center); Rent and I Love You, You're Perfect, NowChange (NCCA Papermill Theatre); Something's Afoot and God's Favorite (Great Plains Theatre); West Side Story and Hairspray.

Carl Clemons Hopkins (Booker T/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after appearing in last season's hit production Blues in the Night. Regional credits include: Eclectic Society (World Premiere) and My Way (Walnut Street Theatre); Pericles (Georgia Shakespeare); Avenue X, Rentand Little Shop of Horrors (11th Hour Theatre Company); Topdog/Underdog, Orphans and This Is How It Goes (Philadelphia Fringe Festival);25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Christmas Dreams (Theater Horizon) and Robin Hood (Arden Theatre Company).

Tyler Johnson (Edgar/Ensemble) will be making his Rep debut with Ragtime. Recent credits include Once on This Island at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. He can currently be seen in the summer musical Oliver! at UW-Waukesha.

Josh Landay (Tateh/Ensemble) will also be making his Rep debut with this production. Credits include: Lion King (Broadway Company, West End, Las Vegas and Gazelle Tour) and The Whipping Man (Hartford Stage). In addition, he is a Teaching Artist with The New 42ndStreet Inc. as well as a Director, Think Different Diplomats/Lecture Agent with Eye to Eye, a mentoring movement for Different Thinkers speaker's bureau.

Gabriel Mudd (Chorus/Ensemble) is also making his Rep debut with this production. Credits include the national tour of The Wedding Singer - The Musical and A Chorus Line. Other favorite credits include: The Buddy Holly Story, Once on This Island, Smoky Joe's Café, Aida,Children of Eden and High School Musical. On television he has appeared on Guiding Light. Additional credits include numerous commercials, print, voiceover and recordings.

Beth Mulkerron (Chorus/Ensemble) is making her Rep debut on the Quadracci Powerhouse stage after having been seen at the Stackner Cabaret in the 2010/11 production of Hula Hoop Sha-Boop. Other credits include: Sunday in the Park with George and Anyone Can Whistle(Windfall Theatre) A Year with Frog and Toad, Junie B. Jones and Harry Connick Jrs.' The Happy Elf (First Stage Children's Theater); Animal Crackers (Skylight Opera Theatre) and The Sizzlin' 60s (Fireside Theatre).

Shina Ann Morris (Sarah u/s/ Ensemble), also making her Rep debut, has just been seen on Broadway as Flo in the Broadway production ofNice Work if You Can Get It. Other Broadway credits include Purity in Anything Goes and Consuela in West Side Story. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Gerard Neugent (Willie Conklin/Ensemble) was most recently seen at The Rep in Clybourne Park, A Christmas Carol and Gutenberg! The Musical! Other recent credits include Othello, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Death of a Salesman, The 39 Steps and Laurel and Hardy. Neugent is a graduate of Marquette University.

James Patterson (Ford/Ensemble) is making his Rep debut with this production. Broadway credits include: Swiss Family Robinson, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and State Fair. Touring credits include: Beauty and the Beast. Regional credits include: Backwards in High Heels (The Cleveland

Play house, Arizona Theatre Company, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre); Guys and Dolls (The Ogunquit Playhouse);Over the Tavern (North Coast Repertory Theatre) and 42nd Street (Fulton Theatre).

Georgina Pink (Little Girl/Ensemble) will be returning to The Rep after appearing in the 2011 and 2012 productions of A Christmas Carol. Additional credits include Le Misérables (Skylight Music Theatre) and Peter Pan and Wendy (First Stage Children's Theater).

Sam Strasfeld (Houdini/Ensemble) is making his Rep debut with this production. Broadway credits include: Scandalous (Neil Simon Theatre) and Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam Theatre and National tour). West End credits include: Peggy Sue Got Married (Shaftesbury Theatre). Other credits include: Jersey Boys (National Tour) and Follies (Kennedy Center Revival).

Steve Watts (Chorus/Ensemble), making his Rep debut, credits include: The Sizzlin' 60s (Fireside Theatre); Rogues to Riches (The York Theatre Company); Hamlet (TITAN Theatre Company) and Hurricane (2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival).

Mallorey Wallace (Little Girl/Ensemble) returns to The Rep after having being seen as Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird (2011/12 Season). Recent roles include Louise in Sunday in the Park with George at the Skylight Opera Theatre, Annie in Annie and Gretl in The Sound of Music at The Fireside Theatre and Junie B in Jingle Bells and Batman Smells at First Stage Children's Theater.

To read about our 2013/14 Artistic Interns check out this link: http://www.milwaukeerep.com/season/acting-intern-ensemble.htm

Dan Kazemi (Musical Director/Musician), a Rep Associate Artist, is a composer, actor, music director and educator. He returns to The Rep after having been the Musical Director for recent productions of Blues in the Night, Assassins, Always . . . Patsy Cline, Next to Normal andCabaret. Kazemi recently orchestrated and musically directed the world premiere musical Tulipomania at the Arden Theatre Company.

Paul Helm (Rehearsal Pianist) returns to the The Rep after having been seen in last season's delightful comedy Gutenberg! The Musical!Other recent Rep credits include Always . . . Patsy Cline and Laurel and Hardy. Helm will be seen in Forever Plaid later this year.

Subscriptions for The Rep's 2013/14 Season are also now on sale. Subscription prices for the 2013/14 Season range from $70 - $490. Packages available are the Ultimate 11-play package which includes the entire season spanning all three of The Rep's performance spaces; Quadracci Powerhouse/Stackner 9-play package; Quadracci Powerhouse/Stiemke Studio 7-play package; Quadracci Powerhouse 5-play package; Stackner Cabaret 4-Play package as well as a Create Your Own Season package and Flex Passes. For additional information on subscription offerings, please contact Milwaukee Rep's Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works, full-scale musicals, housed in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol at the beautiful and historic Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman, The Rep is committed to creating plays that are meaningful and relevant to the society we live in - plays that are challenging, visceral and engage the community through the issues they explore, demonstrating how a theater deeply rooted in its locality can also enjoy a richly influential and resonant national voice.