Elena Shaddow, Jason Gotay, PJ Benjamin, Kevin Cahoon & More Join The Muny's 98th Season!

Following its initial casting announcement in April, The Muny announced today additional principal cast members for its spectacular 98th season. The 2016 Muny season opens with The Wizard of Oz followed by 42nd Street and The Music Man. The season includes the premieres of the popular Mel Brooks comedy, Young Frankenstein and world-wide megahit, Mamma Mia!, and closes with Fiddler on the Roof and Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida.

"Each of our companies continues to grow in dazzling talent," said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. "I'm so grateful that so many gifted artists will be joining us this summer."

Click here for The Muny's initial principle casting announcement!

THE WIZARD OF OZ (June 13 - 22)

PJ BENJAMIN (Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz) last appeared at The Muny 30 years ago (OMG) in Gentlemen Prefer Blonds. A career spanning 46 years, PJ got his start 100 miles from here at the Little Theater in Sullivan, IL. For seven years, he was the Wizard in the blockbuster Wicked on Broadway and on tour. For five years, he was lovable Mr. Cellophane (Amos Hart) in the Broadway hit Chicago. Other Broadway: Torch Song Trilogy; Sophisticated Ladies; Charlie and Algernon; Pippin; Sarava; The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees. PJ has performed in over 100 productions with roles ranging from Joe Keller in All My Sons to Albin in La Cages Aux Folles. TV: Madam Secretary; Law & Order: SVU; Person of Interest; Louie and is the voice of a Dodo bird in Ice Age. PJ and wife actress, Louisa Flaningam, own a log house museum on Chincoteague Island, VA. captaintimothyhillhouse.com

KEVIN CAHOON (Hunk/Scarecrow) Muny: Spamalot. Broadway: The Wedding Singer; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; The Rocky Horror Show; The Lion King; The Who's Tommy. Off-Broadway: Hedwig and the Angry Inch; The Foreigner (Lucille Lortel Nomination); How I Learned to Drive; The Shaggs; The Wild Party. TV: Nurse Jackie; The Good Wife; Modern Family; Odd Mom Out; Black Box; The Mentalist; NCIS; Six Degrees; Law & Order; Hope and Faith; CSI. Film: I Am Michael (Sundance); Mars Needs Moms; The Curse of the Jade Scorpion; Sudden Manhattan. Documentaries: SqueezeBox!; Whether You Like It or Not: The True Story of Hedwig.

LYNN HUMPHREY (Aunt Em) returns for her 12th season! Muny credits include: Mary Poppins, Damn Yankees, The Music Man, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Les Mise?rables, and Seven Brides. She has performed on Broadway, national tours, Stages St. Louis and regional theaters. Favorite roles include Maria and Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, "By My Side" role in Godspell, Guenevere in Camelot, Doatsy Mae in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella. She enjoyed singing the National Anthem for the Blues for 10 years as well as for the Cardinals. Proud member of Actors' Equity.

42ND STREET (June 24 - 30)

JOEY SORGE (Pat Denning) was recently seen as Rudy the Voice in A Bronx Tale : The Musical at Paper Mill, directed by Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks. Also as Walt in the world premiere of When You Wish: The Story of Walt Disney at Phoenix Theatre. Broadway: Nice Work If You Can Get It, How To Succeed..., The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Follies (2001 Revival). Off-Broadway: Saturday Night, Summer of '42. National tours: Anything Goes, Happy Days, Thoroughly Modern Millie. Regional: Williamstown, Gulfshore Playhouse, Goodspeed, Ogunquit, TUTS. Film: Providence, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Audrey, Contradictions of The Heart. TV/Web: Person Of Interest, The Knick, Numb3rs, and Alphabet Boys. http://www.joeysorge.com

MEGAN SIKORA (Annie) made her Broadway debut in 42nd Street as Lorraine. She is originally from Pittsburgh, PA where she received a BA in Dance from Point Park University. She is best known for her portrayal of Bambi Berne?t in Curtains (LA Ovation nom. Best Supporting Actress). More Broadway and off-Broadway credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ruth); Wonderful Town; Dracula; Wicked; Promises, Promises; How to Succeed...; The Nance; Under My Skin; Applause; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Other favorites: Kiss Me Kate (Lois), A Christmas Story (Miss Shields), Can Can (Claudine) and Cabaret (Sally). Megan will be seen this summer on CBS's Braindead and the upcoming film The Bleeder starring Liev Schreiber.

FRED ZIMMERMAN (Abner Dillon) Muny debut. Fred has starred in numerous national tours, among them Show Boat and Bounce, (both directed by Hal Prince), Ragtime (directed by Frank Galati), and as Santa in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring The Rockettes. Film and television credits include Chicago Fire, Lowering the Bar, Fred Claus and a new indy film to be released later this entitled Bad Alex. Fred has also appeared across Chicagoland at the Goodman, Northlight, Court, Porchlight and Drury Lane theaters, as well as over 18 Productions at Chicago's Marriott Theatre. He was seen most recently in the Chicago's Lyric Opera's in The Merry Widow, starring Renee Fleming and directed by Susan Stroman.

BRYAN THOMAS HUNT (Andy Lee) is thrilled to be returning to The Muny with this iconic musical! National tours: Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Billy Elliot. Regional: Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn (Goodspeed and The Muny), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Paper Mill, Westchester, Kennedy Center), Harmony (Alliance, Ahmanson), Billy Elliot (North Shore, North Carolina Theatre and Muny), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ogunquit Playhouse) and A Chorus Line (Berkshire Theatre Festival).

THE MUSIC MAN (July 5 - 11)

ELENA SHADDOW (Marian Paroo) Muny: Cinderella in Into the Woods. Broadway: Ottilie Schell in The Visit, Anne in the revival of La Cage aux Folles, The Woman in White, Fiddler... , Nine, Sweet Smell... and Les Mise?rables. London: Magnolia in Showboat at the Royal Albert Hall. National tour: Clara Johnson in the first national of The Light in the Piazza. New York: Fanny in Fanny at City Center Encores! (Marc Bruni), The Bacchae at The Public. Favorite regional: Francesca Johnson in The Bridges of Madison County (Williamstown Theater Festival, Bartlett Sher, director), Olivia in Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ). Recent TV: Person of Interest, NBC's Sound of Music Live!. Film: Nancy Meyer's The Intern. elenashaddow.com

TODD BUONOPANE (Marcellus) Muny debut. Broadway: Cinderella, Chicago, Grease and ...Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway, Todd has played a dog, a cow, a waiter and an improvisor. Regionally, he's appeared at the Signature Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, The 5th Avenue Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Barrington Stage, the Prince Music Theater and the U.S. tour of Godspell. TV/Film: recurred as Jeffrey Weinerslav from 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, The Black Donnellys, Law & Order: CI, The Break-Up Girl and Paragon School For Girls. BFA from The University of Michigan. Todd is the host of the new podcast: Broadway Stories. @ToddBuonopane

HALLI TOLAND (Zaneeta) is also appearing this summer in The Muny's The Wizard of Oz and Mamma Mia! Halli is a rising senior at The University of Michigan. Regional credits include: Graziella in West Side Story, Dance Captain in Catch Me If you Can, Dance Ensemble in 42nd Street (Music Theatre Wichita). University credits include: Helga in Cabaret, Dance Captain in The Music Man.

COLBY DEZELICK (Tommy) is thrilled to be back at The Muny! He has previously been in their productions of Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, Grease, Tarzan, West Side Story and Spamalot. Recent graduate of Rider University. colbydezelick.com

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (July 13 - 19)

ROBERT PETKOFF (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein) Broadway credits: Hubert Humphrey in All The Way with Bryan Cranston, Anything Goes, Ragtime, Spamalot, Fiddler on the Roof and Epic Proportions. London credits: The Royal Family with Dame Judi Dench and Tantalus. In regional theaters, he has played title roles in Sweeney Todd, Hamlet, Troilus & Cressida, Romeo & Juliet, Compleat Female Stage Beauty and The Importance Of Being Earnest as well as many other roles at theatres such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Old Globe, The Denver Center and The Mark Taper Forum. Film and TV work include Irrational Man, Vice Versa, Milk and Money, Gameday, Elementary, Forever, Law and Order and The Good Wife, among others.

JOHN SCHERER (Inspector Kemp/Hermit) Muny: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Addams Family, Spamalot and Mame. St. Louis audiences have also seen him at The Rep in The Foreigner, Noises Off and Hay Fever. He appeared on Broadway in LoveMusik, By Jeeves and Sunset Boulevard. He appeared off-Broadway in Olympus On My Mind and Dames at Sea. Other New York credits include The Most Happy Fella (NYC Opera), Out Of This World (City Center Encores!) and Funny Girl (Actors Fund benefit). He has toured nationally in 42nd Street, White Christmas, Cats and Mame. Film and television credits include Spinning Into Butter, The Shield, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order (all three series), Titus and Guiding Light.

TIMOTHY HUGHES (The Monster) is thrilled to be returning to The Muny where he was last seen in The Addams Family! He appeared on Broadway in Chaplin: The Musical. NYC credits include Paint Your Wagon (City Center Encores!), national tour of Chitty Chitty... and developments of Superfly! (Ralphie), Countess of Storyville and Josephine. Favorite regional credits: My Paris (Valentin, Long Wharf), Elf (Buddy, Fulton Theatre), Big Fish (Karl, MT West/MT Wichita), Young Frankenstein (Monster, Maine State Music Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow, Fulton Theatre), Footloose (Willard, Fulton Theatre) and productions at Goodspeed, Cincinnati Playhouse and St. Louis Rep. Upcoming feature film: The Dark Rite.

MAMMA MIA! (July 21 - 28)

MIKE MCGOWAN (Bill Austin) Broadway: The Producers, The Apple Tree, Ragtime (revival), Grease, Priscilla. Off-Broadway: Grey Gardens (Playwright's Horizons), Macbeth (Native Aliens), Bernstein's Mass (Carnegie Hall), Thou Swell (New York City Ballet). National tours: The Book of Mormon, Ringling Brothers. Regional: First Wives Club (Oriental, Chicago), South Pacific (Paper Mill, Music Theater Wichita), A Little Night Music (Huntington), Carnival (Goodspeed), Master Class (Paper Mill), Kiss Me Kate (Paper Mill, Old Globe, Hartford Stage), Candide (5th Ave), MUD (10,000 Things), Life's a Dream (10,000 Things), Jekyll & Hyde (Music Circus), Cabaret (TUTS), Tommy (Bay Street). Film: Big Words, The Dark Rite, The Producers. Television: Deadbeat, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The New Electric Company, Delocated. Education: Drake University. www.themikemcgowan.com

BEN NORDSTROM (Harry Bright) Muny appearances include Oklahoma!, The Buddy Holly Story (Emcee) and Billy Elliot (Tony). Other STL work includes Macbeth (Malcolm), Title of Show (Hunter), and Urinetown (Bobby) at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; How To Succeed... (Finch) and Promises, Promises (Chuck) at Stages St. Louis; Various appearances at Shakespeare Festival STL, New Jewish, HotCity, Mustard Seed, OnSite, Echo and over 30 shows at Arrow Rock Lyceum. Off-Broadway and regional work includes The Gorey Details (Century Center), Equus (Alley Theatre), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Arvada Center), Amadeus (Great Lakes) and Infinite Regress of Human Vanity (Cleveland Play House).

JASON GOTAY (Sky) is thrilled to be back at The Muny after appearing in last year's Into the Woods (Jack). Jason recently starred in the world premiere of A Bronx Tale at the Paper Mill Playhouse, directed by Jerry Zaks and Robert DeNiro. Broadway: Bring It On: The Musical (Randall, Original Broadway/Touring Companies), Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark (Peter Parker/Spider-Man). TV: NBC's Peter Pan Live! (Tootles, Lost Boy). Twitter/Instagram: @jasongotay

BRITTANY ZEINSTRA (Sophie) is over the moon to make her Muny debut! A Boulder, CO native, Brittany recently graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a BFA in musical theatre. At the Boston Conservatory: Oklahoma! (Laurey), world premiere of Alice In War (Bianca), Pajama Game (u/s Babe, Poopsie), On the Town (u/s Claire, u/s Ivy, Flossie), Peter Pan (Wendy). www.BrittanyZeinstra.com

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (July 30 - August 5)

HALEY BOND (Tzeitel) is thrilled to be making her Muny debut. She most recently workshopped Millions by Adam Guettel with dir. Bartlett Sher and The Everleigh Club with dir. Michael Greif. Off-Broadway: It's A Wonderful Life (Irish Rep.), Tennessee Williams Short Plays (Animus). Regional/Tours/NYC: I Hate Hamlet (Dorset Theatre Festival), Blink (Keen Co./DTF), Vanya and Sonya..., Marvelous Wonderettes (Weston Playhouse), Adam Guettel in Concert (Australian tour), Saint Ex (Weston Playhouse/York Theatre), King Stag (Long Wharf), Notes To MariAnne (NAMT), The Time of Your Life (Attic Theatre), 1776 (Curtain Call). Haley is a proud member of AEA and Animus Theatre Co.

COLBY DEZELICK (Fyedka) is thrilled to be back at The Muny! He has previously been in their productions of The Music Man, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, Grease, Tarzan, West Side Story and Spamalot. Recent graduate of Rider University. colbydezelick.com

BRIANA CARLSON-GOODMAN (Hodel) was seen on Broadway this past season in Les Mise?rables and the world premiere of Doctor Zhivago, from which she can be heard singing "Somewhere My Love" (Lara's Theme) on the Original Cast Album. She recently played Micaela in Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Jazz Musical, adapted and directed by Moise?s Kaufman, at the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. Other credits include: original company of the Tony- winning Broadway revival of Hair; "Eponine" in the 25th Anniversary touring production of Les Mise?rables; Sally in Nerds, (Philadelphia Theatre Company); and Person of Interest on CBS. She has performed in numerous workshops, readings, concerts and cabarets around NYC. Find Briana singing with her alt-folk band, The New Students, on iTunes & Spotify. www.brianacarlsongoodman.com

ALAN SCHMUCKLER (Motel) NY: Nikolai and the Others (LCT), Stars of David (DR2 Theatre), Dragons and Falling for Make Believe (York Theatre), To Life! 50 Years of Fiddler...(Lyrics & Lyricists, 92Y), The Megile of Itzik Manger (National Yiddish Theatre). Chicagoland: Rent (American Theatre Company/About Face Theatre), Murder for Two (Chicago Shakespeare Theater - Joseph Jefferson nomination), Sugar (Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace - Jeff nom.), A Minister's Wife (Writers Theatre - Jeff nom.). Composer/lyricist: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Children's Theatre Company), Days Like Today (Writers Theatre), The Emperor's New Clothes (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Stage Artz - Sydney AU, licensed by R&H) and others! In concert: Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Symphony Space, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Graduate, Northwestern University, School at Steppenwolf.

CARLY BLAKE SEBOUHIAN (Chava) is returning to The Muny after having been seen in the 2013 production of Mary Poppins. Carly is currently on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera. Other credits include Fiorello! (City Center Encores!), The Phantom of the Opera (national tour), An American in Paris (original Broadway workshop), and regionally in Sweet Charity (PTC) and The Nutty Professor which made its world premiere at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and was directed by the legendary Jerry Lewis. She has also been seen in numerous concerts and events around NYC including performing with American Dance Machine for the 21st Century.

MARRICK SMITH (Perchik) New York credits include the original cast of Fun Home (at The Public Theater and on Broadway) and numerous off-Broadway productions, including Pretty Filthy, The Underclassman and Revolution in the Elbow.... Film credits include The Lennon Report and One Stop Away. Marrick is a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he was honored with the John Arthur Kennedy Award for Excellence in Acting.

PETER VAN WAGNER (Lazar Wolf) New York: A Thousand Clowns (Roundabout), So Help Me God! (Lortel), The Chimes (Public),The Notebook (2nd Stage) and Letters From Cuba (Signature). International: West Side Story (La Scala-Milan) and Phantom (German tour). Regional: Twelve Angry Men and Diary Of Anne Frank (Rep. of St. Louis), Fiddler On The Roof (Drury Lane, Chicago), After The Revolution (Baltimore Centerstage), The Cherry Orchard (Yale Rep), Huckleberry Finn (Goodman), Two Men Of Florence (The Huntington), Mrs. Warren's Profession (Alliance). Films: Annie, Tower Heist and Arthur. Television: Boardwalk Empire, all the Law & Orders, The Good Wife, Unforgettable, Rescue Me, Third Watch and All My Children. Peter received the SAG Award for Outstanding Ensemble for HBO's Boardwalk Empire.

Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA (August 8 - 14)

WONZA JOHNSON (Mereb) a recent University of Michigan graduate from the Musical Theater Department hails from Atlanta, GA. This is his second summer at The Muny and he is thrilled to be returning to play the role of Mereb in Aida and Pepper in Mamma Mia!. Previous Credits: Muny: Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast. Musical Theatre Wichita- South Pacific, West Side Story, Joseph and the Amazing..., Catch Me If You Can, 42nd Street. After his time at The Muny, Wonza plans to move to New York to begin his career and reach his goal of performing in a Broadway show! BFA University of Michigan.

The seven shows in the 2016 Muny season are: The Wizard of Oz (June 13 - 22), 42nd Street (June 24 - 30), The Music Man (July 5 - 11), Young Frankenstein (July 13 - 19), Mamma Mia!(July 21 - 28), Fiddler on the Roof (July 30 - August 5), and Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (August 8 -14). For more information visit muny.org.

Season tickets are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale May 28, 2016.

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