Meet The Cast Of SPAMILTON: An American Parody At Greer Cabaret Theater

Casting has been announced for Pittsburgh CLO's exclusive engagement of the hit musical comedy SPAMILTON: An American Parody at the Greer Cabaret Theater May 16 August 25, 2019. Don't miss this convulsively funny (NY Times) parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody will stage a singing, dancing, comedy revolution in Pittsburgh for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves you don't have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.

Created by Gerard Alessandrini, the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway and performed by a versatile cast, Spamilton is a sidesplitting new musical parody. Marilyn Stasio of Variety mused, "Hip-hop, Broadway showtunes, Viennese waltzes - is there anything this guy can't write? No, not Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, but Gerard Alessandrini, whose ingenious parody Spamilton simultaneously salutes and sends up Miranda and his signature musical." Ben Brantley of The New York Times said, "This smart, silly, and often convulsively funny thesis, performed by a motor-mouthed cast that is fluent in many tongues, is the work of that eminent specialist in Broadway anatomy, pathology, and gossip, Gerard Alessandrini."

THE CAST
Justin Lonesome (Ben Franklin, George Washington and others) is making his first appearance on the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Stage. He spent the last two years in Australia as an original cast member of Book of Mormon Au and before that was seen performing with many Pittsburgh theater companies such as Pittsburgh CLO, PMT, The Rep and Front Porch. Other credits include: Jersey Boys First National Tour, HBO's The Wire and Downward Dog. Justin is a graduate of Point Park University and a proud member of AEA.

T.J. Newton (Lin-Manuel) is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut. T.J. returns to Pittsburgh after playing Usnavi in Pittsburgh Musical Theatre's production of In the Heights earlier this year. Based in New York City, favorite regional credits include West Side Story (Chino), Ghost (Willie Lopez), La Cage aux Folles (Mercedes), Saturday Night Fever (Double-J) and Legally Blonde The Musical (Nikos/Padamadan).

ERIN RAMIREZ (Leading Ladies) is making her Pittsburgh CLO debut. Regional: Jersey Boys (Francine) at Ogunquit Playhouse, Hairspray (Amber) at KC Starlight, Mamma Mia! at ACT of Connecticut, Rock of Ages, Disney's The Little Mermaid and Titanic at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre. BFA Musical Theatre from Emerson College.

LaTREA REMBERT (Daveed Diggs and others) is from Cincinnati, OH and is a graduate of the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University. A dancer with the STAYCEE PEARL dance project for the past 5 seasons, his theater credits also include Dreamgirls (PMT), The Scottsboro Boys, Wig Out and Choir Boy (The REP).

Austin Rivers (Swing) is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut in Spamilton: An American Parody. Originally from Kissimmee, FL, where he was raised with 7 siblings, Austin moved to NYC to receive his BFA from New York University. Recent credits include In the Heights (Sonny), the Japanese tour of Disney On Classic (Aladdin) and Smokey Joe's Caf (Victor). In addition to performing, Austin is pursuing a Master of Public Administration and composing a new musical.

JESSICA VAL ORTIZ (Swing) is a Butler, PA native, who is making her Pittsburgh CLO debut. She is entering her senior year in the BFA Musical Theater program at Penn State University. Some credits include Kiss of the Spider Woman (Aurora/Spiderwoman) and Legally Blonde The Musical (Paulette) at PSU. In the past, Jessica has worked at Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Woodstock Playhouse and Shenandoah Summer Music Theater.

TRU VERRET-FLEMING (Aaron Burr, Leslie Odom, Jr.) is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut. Previous credits: Tarzan, Parade, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein, Shrek, In the Heights (Fulton Theatre), Hair, In the Heights (Carnivale Theatrics), Fame, Damn Yankees, Bat-Boy, Peter Pan, The Pittsburgh Playhouse's The REP Company The Scottsboro Boys, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, and Choir Boy, and The Pittsburgh Playhouse Jr. Company The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Proud member of The Actors' Equity Association.

NICK STAMATAKIS (Assistant Music Director, King George III) is a Pittsburgh-based pianist, music director and composer who has worked with professional, educational and community organizations throughout the region. Credits include work with Pittsburgh CLO, City Theatre, Quantum Theatre, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Carnegie Stage, Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Arcade Comedy Theater and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Education: BA in Music and BS Industrial Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, MS Data Science, Univeristy of California, Berkeley.

ROBERT NEUMEYER (Piano Standby) is returning to the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret for his sixth production. Previous CLO credits include Altar Boyz, The Toxic Avenger, Xanadu, Up and Away, Game On, The Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde the Musical and Titanic as well as serving as the music director of the annual Gene Kelly Awards. Up next, Robert can be seen as the conductor of Pittsburgh CLO's Rock of Ages at the Benedum Center.

THE CREATIVE TEAM
Gerard Alessandrini (Creator, Writer and Original Director) Spamilton: (Creator/Writer/Director): New York, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, National Tour. Forbidden Broadway (creator/writer/director): 25 editions all over the world. Also Forbidden Hollywood (writer/director), Madame X: The Musical (NYMF) (co-writer/director), The Nutcracker & I (lyrics), Maury Yeston's review Anything Can Happen in New York. Television: special material for Carol Burnett, Angela Lansbury and Bob Hope. Film: Aladdin, Pocahontas (vocals). Recordings: 12 Forbidden Broadway cast albums, Forbidden Hollywood & Spamilton cast albums. Special Lyrics: Barbra Streisand Duets 2. Awards: Drama League Lifetime Achievement Award, Obie Award, 2 Lucille Lortel Awards, 7 Drama Desk (2 Best Lyrics, 2 Special Achievement, 3 Best Musical Revue), and a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre.

Gerry McIntyre (Director/Choreographer) recently choreographed Jersey Boys and Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Ogunquit Playhouse, Once on this Island at Martin Beck Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, TheaterWorks (TBA Award, Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award for Choreography) and La Mirada (Dramalogue Award Best Director/Choreographer, Robby Award Best Director, Ovation Nomination Best Choreographer). 2018 LA Ovation Nomination Best Choreography Spamilton. Ain't Misbehavin' at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Chicago Reagle Players, Ogunquit Playhouse (Broadway World Award). Dreamgirls National Tour, Joseph...Dreamcoat at Lyric Theater. One Man, Two Guvnors at Berkeley Rep, Pioneer Theater. Berkshire Theatre Festival: My Fair Lady, A Saint She Ain't, Tommy, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma!, and Side] By Side by Sondheim. Connecticut Rep: Candide, Legally Blonde The Musical, Urinetown, and Hairspray (Connecticut Critics Circle award). Television: The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

Fred Barton (Music Director) is an acclaimed composer, lyricist, orchestrator, conductor and actor. His arrangements are played regularly by the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall and major symphonies nationwide. Broadway/tour conducting: Anthony Quinn in Zorba, Hal Prince's Cabaret, Cy Coleman's City of Angels and Robert Goulet in Camelot. Fred was the original arranger/pianist for Forbidden Broadway, and created the book, music and lyrics for his one-man show Miss Gulch Returns!, performed at theaters nationwide. In collaboration with Gerard Alessandrini, he wrote music/lyrics for Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon. TV credits, composer/arranger: HBO's Cathouse: The Musical, Olivia, Wonder Pets! (Emmy Award), Eureeka's Castle and The Magic School Bus (Emmy Award). In its 5th year, Fred Barton and his 14-piece orchestra present his American Showstoppers concerts twice annually, with Broadway stars present and future.

Morgan Large (Set Designer) Guys and Dolls (Royal Albert Hall, London); Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory; London); Rock of Ages, Fame! (UK Tours); Rain Man (UK Tour); Tell Me on a Sunday (Set Design, Majes@c Theatre, Shanghai/RUG); Wonderland (Nokngham Playhouse); Ruthless! (Arts Theatre); The Woman in White, Death Takes a Holiday (Set Design, Charing Cross Theatre - both nominated for Best Set Design at the O -West End Awards); The Christmasaurus (Hammersmith Apollo); Top Hat (Set Design), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Kilworth House); Tango Moderno (UK Tour); George's Marvellous Medicine (Leicester Curve/UK Tour); Deathtrap (Salisbury Playhouse/UK Tour). Best Design UK Theatre Award for Wonderland at The Nokngham Playhouse. Trained at LIPA.

Michael Gilliam (Lighting Designer) Broadway: Bonnie And Clyde, Brooklyn, Big River, Stand-Up Tragedy. The West End: Gershwin Alone, Off-Broadway: Cagney The Musical, Mr. Joy, The Best Is Yet To Come, Striking 12, Blue, End Of The World Party, Menopause The Musical, National Tours: Looped, Peter Pan, Brooklyn, Guys and Dolls and Big River. Extensive work in many of the regional theatres across the United States.

Dustin Cross (Costume Designer) Broadway: 24 Hour Plays; Off-Broadway: The Office: A Musical Parody (National Tour), Spamilton (Chicago, LA, London, National Tour), The Other Josh Cohen, Cougar: The Musical, The Glass Menagerie, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Regional: Sister Act, Billy Elliot, Heartbreak Hotel, Cinderella (Regional premieres), From Here to Eternity, The Prince of Egypt, Disney's The Little Mermaid; Film: Celtic Heart (Tim Janis) and Buttons (starring Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury).

Tickets start at $31.25 and are available online at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 to learn more about special discounts and priority seating.