13, A New Musical Announces Its Teenage Cast and Band

by BWW News Desk Aug. 14, 2008

The complete teenage cast and teenage band was announced today for 13, A New Musical, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years). The 13 talented performers that will star in the Broadway musical include Al Calderon as Eddie, Eamon Foley as Richie, Caitlin Gann as Molly, Ariana Grande as Charlotte, Aaron Simon Gross as Archie, Elizabeth Gillies as Lucy, Malik Hammond as Malcolm, Joey La Varco as Simon, Delaney Moro as Kendra, Eric Nelsen as Brett, Graham Phillips as Evan, Allie Trimm as Patrice, Brynn Williams as Cassie. Meet the lucky 13 at www.13themusical.com.

13, A New Musical begins previews on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 and officially opens at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street) on Sunday, October 5, 2008. With a book by award winning children's author & songwriter Dan Elish ("Born Too Short, Confessions of an 8th Grade Basket Case") and veteran writer for TV and film Robert Horn ("Designing Women"), 13, A New Musical is directed by Tony Award nominee Jeremy Sams (The Sound of Music in the West End) and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific). Tom Kitt (High Fidelity) is the Music Director.

Also in the cast are Riley Costello, Henry Hodges, Mary Claire Miskell, Li Ana Ortiz, Max Schneider, Corey Snide and the on-stage teen band members are Lexi Bodick on Bass, Zac Coe on Percussion, Adam Michael Kaufman on Keyboard, Zach Page on Guitar, Chris Raymond on Guitar, Charlie Rosen (Swing Musician).

Evan Goldman has it all - he's popular, has the perfect family and lives in the greatest city in the world - New York. That is until his parents get divorced and he's forced to move with his Mom… to Indiana. Uprooted from his old life, he has to make new friends and somehow manoeuvre his way through the minefield of High School to become part of the "in-crowd". A grown-up story about growing up, featuring the only all-teenage cast ever to hit Broadway! With an explosive score by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, 13 is a hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages about discovering that cool is where you find it, and sometimes where you least expect it.

The production features scenic & costume design by Tony Nominee David Farley (2008's Sunday in the Park with George), lighting design by Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt (The Coast of Utopia Part I) and sound design by Jon Weston (The Color Purple).

13, A New Musical earned the LA Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Production and Best Musical Score for its world premiere production at Center Theatre Group/The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles (December 22, 2006 - February 18, 2007) and enjoyed a successful run at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, CT (May 8, 2008 - June 9, 2008).

The musical is produced on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Roger Berlind, Tim Levy, Stacey Mindich, Jane Bergère, Broadway Across America, Ken Davenport, Ted Hartley, Sharon Karmazin, Carl Moellenberg, Jamie Lightstone/Nina Keneally, Tom Miller/True Love Productions, Olympus Theatricals, Center Theatre Group in association with Shorenstein Hays Nederlander and The Araca Group.

Tickets for 13, A New Musical can be purchased through Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street) box office will open on Monday, August 25th, 2008. For more information, cast videos and a free download of the title track, visit: www.13themusical.com.

BIOGRAPHIES

Al Calderon (Eddie). Broadway debut. Radio City Christmas Spectacular 2007 (Patrick) and on TV (Patrick, Narration & commercial). Regional (teen): Grease, Bye Bye Birdie, Sound of Music and 13. Working on his urban/pop demo CD.

Riley Costello (u/s) Riley is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut with the amazing TEAM 13! Growing up in the SF Bay Area, Riley has done many years of Community Theater.

Eamon Foley (Richie). Feels blessed to be performing in his 5th Broadway show after Grinch '08 &'07, Assassins, and Gypsy. He's honored to have been in the reading and workshop productions of 13.

Caitlin Gann (Molly). Broadway debut. Favorite roles include Baby June (Gypsy, Ivoryton Playhouse), Annie, Sally Brown, and Peter Pan. A competitive dancer and platinum level soloist, Caitlin performed in the opening number at the 2007 East Coast Dance Championships, Showstopper LIVE! Caitlin is also a songwriter, and enjoys writing and composing.

Ariana Grande (Charlotte). Broadway debut. Credits: 13 at Goodspeed (Charlotte); Annie (Annie); The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy); …Charlie Brown (Sally); Cinderella (Cinderella). www.arianagrande.com

Aaron Simon Gross (Archie). Broadway debut. Off Broadway/Regional: 13, Archie (Goodspeed); Brundibar, Pepicek (New Victory, Yale Rep., Berkeley Rep.); A Stoop on Orchard Street, Benny (Mazur, Broward Stage Door); Loman Family Picnic (Caldwell Theatre, Boca); 13 reading.

Elizabeth Gillies (Lucy). Broadway debut. She was previously in The American Girl Revue in NYC as Samantha and Kaya, and performed in various shows at the John Harms Theatre/BergenPAC as well as the Paper Mill Playhouse. She will be featured in the film "Harold" coming out later this year.

Malik Hammond (Malcolm). Broadway debut. Film credits: Perfect Holiday (John-John), Across the Universe, The Manchurian Candidate. TV/commercials credits: Lincoln Motors, Disney, Target, NY Rangers, GAP, "Third Watch", "Law &Order: Criminal Intent", "Six Degrees".

Henry Hodges (u/s) Broadway: Mary Poppins (Original Michael), Macbeth, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Original Jeremy). Broadway and Tour: Beauty and the Beast (Chip). Ford Theatre's A Christmas Carol (Tiny Tim); Kirov Operas Macbeth; Washington Opera's Madame Butterfly, Salome, Idomeneo. Sketch Comedy: Don't Quit Your Night Job. DVD/film: Mudbud's voice in Disney's ShowBuddies.

Joey La Varco (Simon). Broadway debut. Credits: 13 (Goodspeed), New Kid, Recordings: LOSleepyH .,Kind Hearts...Coronets, NINE and NJACT noms: Seussical, Falsettos. TV: "30 Rock" (Young Jack), Verizon, RingPop.

Mary Claire Miskell (u/s) is honored to make her Broadway debut in "13"! 2008 National Youth Theater Award winner, Principal: Resident Youth Ensemble TADA! Youth Theater/NYC, "Everyone is Different" CD written/directed by Elizabeth Swados.

Delaney Moro (Kendra) made her Broadway debut in Mary Poppins. Tour: Annie (Kate, u/s Annie). The American Girls Revue (Kit, Kirsten, Molly). Regional credits: Cinderella, The Music Man, Les Misérables. TV: "CBS Early Show," Nickelodeon.

Eric Nelsen (Brett). Broadway debut. Off Broadway: Time Being; Ragamuffins; Interaction; Every Man; Five Guns, Four Bullets; Dear Maudie and others. TV: "Law and Order," "iCarly," "Guiding Light," "Sensing Murder." Pilots: "Babylon Fields" (20th Century Fox/CBS), "Locker 514" (Cartoon Network). Film: "The Babysitters," "A Very Serious Person," "Unlocked," "War: A Romance," "Erica."

Li Ana Ortiz (u/s) Broadway: Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life (Young Chita).

Graham Phillips (Evan). Broadway debut. New York: A Christmas Carol-The Musial with Jim Dale, Madison Square Garden (Tiny Tim). An American Tragedy (world premiere), the Metropolitan Opera (Young Clyde) and The Little Prince at New York City Opera (Little Prince). Los Angeles: The Ten Commandments with Val Kilmer, Kodak Theater; Pippin, L.A. Reprise! (Theo). Film: "Evan Almighty," "Boy in the Box," and "Noel." TV: "Ben 10: Race Against Time (Ben), "Crossing Jordan," "Judging Amy," "King of Queens," "Love's Long Journey," and "The Today Show." Soloist: Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell 3" album.

Max Schneider (u/s) Broadway debut . Is thrilled to be a part of this amazing cast and incredible show! Credits NYC: Uncensored, On the Fly (Joey), Regional: Christmas Carol (Young Scrooge), Macbeth (Fleance); Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear), New Brain (Roger), West Side Story (Tony).

Corey Snide (Evan alternate). Broadway debut. West End and Australia; Billy in Billy Elliot. Trained in dance at Eleanor's School of Dance. He won Gold Medals in Tap and Show dance at World Dance Competition, Riesa Germany.

Allie Trimm (Patrice). 13-year-old San Diego native, is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut. Regional: "13"(Patrice) at Goodspeed, The Secret Garden (Mary Lennox); Festival of Christmas '05, '07 at Lamb's Players Theater, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at The Old Globe Theater.

Brynn Williams (Cassie). Broadway: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, In My Life, Grinch. TV/film: "Star Search," "Live in Hollywood," RIPFEST's "It's Always Something." NY City Center: The Public Sings, Nothing Like a Dame, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Gala. Other: Apollo Theatre (winner), the National Anthem for the Mets.

Lexi Bodick (Bass) Broadway debut. She is trained in piano and violin, has played electric bass for 3 yrs under Micah Burgess and double bass in the New Canaan High School Orchestra. Lexi is honored to be working with this amazing cast.

Zac Coe (Drums) Broadway debut. Zac Coe is an award-winning percussionist who has played professionally since the age of 9. Zac's work as a session drummer has appeared on Sony and ESPN soundtracks.An honors student at Fairfield Warde High School (CT), Zac is also singer/songwriter in the band Forward Forward, whose album debuts in the fall.

Adam Kaufman( Keyboard). Broadway debut: after a successful run of "13" at Goodspeed Musicals. Musical Direction: Broadhollow Theatre Company. Composed Aladdin: Performed at the Capital One Theatre . Recorded and musically directed children shows for the John W Engeman Theatre.

Zach Page( Guitar) Zach Page has toured internationally with the Paul Green School of Rock. Favorite performances include: Zappanale, BB Kings, CBGB, Roxy , Lollapalooza musicfest. Performed with Peter Frampton, Mike Keneally (Zappa), Vernon Reid John Wetton , Perry Farrell and Jon Anderson (YES). Theater: Christmas Carol (MSG), Les Miserables (WBT), Children's Letters to God. Film: August Rush and The Ten. Television: VH1 Classic, MSNBC, CNBC, Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

Chris Raymond (Guitar) Broadway debut. Chris, a Los Angeles native, began with Jason Robert Brown in the L.A. Workshop of 13. He performed in the World Premiere production at the Mark Taper Forum and is thrilled to be a part of 13 as the show opens on Broadway. Chris fronts his own band, The Skyline, which has played venues from the Troubadour to Universal City and was featured in a national TV commercial for Oreo cookies with Randy Jackson.

Charlie Rosen (Swing Musician). Broadway debut. Charlie's a 13 veteran as Guitar II (L.A. workshop), Music Associate/Keyboard II/Band Swing (Mark Taper Forum), and L.A. Cast Recording. Charlie played Bass Guitar for Broadway bound Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson (Kirk Douglas Theater), Monterey Jazz and Playboy Jazz Festivals (piano), and pit musician for numerous musicals (bass and drums). He's been staff at French Woods Performing Arts Camp (NY) and attended the Berklee College Music (Boston) 5 week Summer Program on full scholarship.