Casting Announcement For Milwaukee Rep Fall 2019/20 Season

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announces the cast and creative teams for the 2019/20 Season shows 2 Pianos 4 Hands, The Niceties, The Nerd and Nunsense.

Kicking off the 2019/20 Season in the newly renovated Stackner Cabaret is 2 Pianos 4 Hands starring Milwaukee native Joe Kinosian who co-wrote and starred in the 2017/18 production of Murder For Two and Ben Moss (Spring Awakening, 1st Nat'l tour) as two childhood friends and rivals in the competitive classical pianist arena. Directed by newly named Artistic Producer Laura Braza (Song for Nobodies), she leads the creative team with set design by Michelle Lilly (Ring of Fire, Milwaukee Rep), lighting design by Jared Gooding (Songs for Nobodies, Milwaukee Rep), costume design by Milwaukee Rep Costume Director Nicholas Hartman, and sound design by Erin Paige (Songs for Nobodies, Milwaukee Rep). 2 Pianos 4 Hands runs September 6- November 3, 2019 in the Stackner Cabaret.

The Stiemke Studio Season opens with The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, an intimate drama about who gets to tells the story of America starring two newcomers to Milwaukee Rep, Kate Levy (Bernhardt/Hamlet) and Kimber Sprawl (A Bronx Tale). The Niceties is directed by Annika Boras with set design by Courtney O'Neil (Miss Bennet, Milwaukee Rep), lighting design by Noele Stollmack (Guards at the Taj, Milwaukee Rep), costume design by Christine Pascual (East Texas Hot Links, Writers Theatre), and sound design by Nok Kanchanabanca (Miss Bennet, Milwaukee Rep). The Niceties runs September 25 - November 3, 2019 in the Stiemke Studio.

The Nerd, one of the funniest plays ever written by Larry Shue premiered at Milwaukee Rep in 1981 and returns to the Quadracci Powerhouse stage with Michael Doherty (Man of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol, and Ragtime at Milwaukee Rep) as Rick Steadman, David Alan Anderson (Fences, Milwaukee Rep) as Warnock Waldgrave, Lillian Castillo (In The Heights, Milwaukee Rep) as Clelia Waldgrave, Jeremy Peter Johnson (The Music Man, Goodman Theatre) as Axel Hammond, Alex Keiper (Ring of Fire, Milwaukee Rep) as Tansy McGinnis and Andy Nagraj (Forever Plaid, Milwaukee Rep) as Willum Cubbert. The Nerd is directed by JC Clementz (I Love a Piano, Milwaukee Rep) with set design by Arnel Sancianco (The Belle of Amherst, Court Theatre), lighting design by Lee Fiskness (Lady in Denmark, Goodman Theatre), costume design by Misti Bradford (Murder for Two, Milwaukee Rep) and sound design by Nok Kanchanabanca (Miss Bennet, Milwaukee Rep). The Nerd runs November 12 - December 15, 2019 in the Quadracci Powerhouse.

Nunsense, the musical that has made millions laugh will feature Rep favorite Kelley Faulkner (Always...Patsy Cline, Milwaukee Rep) as Sister Robert Anne, Veronica Garza (9 to 5, Fireband Theatre) as Sister Mary Amnesia, Lachrisa Grandberry (Best Christmas Pageant Ever, First Stage) as Sister Mary Hubert, and former Emerging Professional Resident Candace Thomas (The Wiz, First Stage) as Sister Mary Leo. Casting for Mother Superior to be announced soon. Nunsense is directed by Malkia Stampley (Black Nativity, Black Arts MKE) with music direction by Associate Artist Dan Kazemi (In The Heights, Milwaukee Rep), set design by Lisa Schlenker (Great Expectations, Milwaukee Chamber Theater), costume design by Debra Krajec (Marquette University Artistic Associate Professor), lighting design by Jared Gooding (Songs for Nobodies, Milwaukee Rep), sound design by Zack Berinstein (Souvenir, Milwaukee Rep) and movement direction by Kelley Faulkner (The All Night Strut!). Nunsense runs November 8, 2019 - January 12, 2020 in the Stackner Cabaret.

Subscriptions for the 2019/20 Season are currently on sale. Purchase at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by calling the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or in person at 108 E. Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee.

Cast Biographies

2 Pianos 4 Hands
Joe Kinosian, Ted
A Milwaukee native, Joe is the co-recipient of Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Award recognizing Murder For Two as Best New Musical following its record-breaking run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Joe also received a nomination for Best Leading Actor. Murder For Two went on to an Off-Broadway run (earning Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), a two-year national tour, and well-received productions in England, Argentina, and throughout Asia. Joe's work with Kellen Blair has appeared at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and on Broadway at the Theatre World Awards. Other regional: Dirty Blonde with Emily Skinner (Hangar Theater), and the title role in The Nerd (Bucks County Playhouse). Proud graduate, Milwaukee High School of the Arts.

Ben Moss, Richard

Ben Moss was recently the music director, co-orchestrator, and a cast member of Prospect Theater Company's The Hello Girls (currently available on Broadway Records). Additional credits include The Mad Ones, Striking 12, The Bongo Hour, Arlington (vineyard, Broadway Records) And Chasing The Song (la Jolla Playhouse). Conducting credits include Head Over Heels, Amélie, And Brooklynite.

The Niceties

Kate Levy, Janine Bosko

Kate Levy's recent Broadway credits include Bernhardt/Hamlet. Regional credits comprise of The Memorandum at the Actors Company Theatre, The Return of the Prodigal and Soldier's Wife at the Mint Theatre Company, Stalking the Bogeyman at the New World Stages Stage V, The Normal Heart at the Alchemy Theatre Company of Manhattan and Halfway Home at The New Group at Theatre Row. Additional credits include The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia at the Arena Stage, The Magnificent Ambersons at Indiana Repertory Theatre, Hay Fever at Florida Repertory Theatre, Fingersmith at American Repertory Theatre, Old Sally and Snow Falling on Cedars Hartford TheaterWorks Stage, The Other Place at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Well at Denver Center Theatre Company, Out of the City at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Oliver! at Theatre Under the Stars and Romeo and Juliet at Northern Stage Company.

Kimber Sprawl, Zoe Reed

Kimber Sprawl's performance credits include Broadway's A Bronx Tale, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and the national tour of The Lion King. Regional credits include Felicia in Memphis at the Walnut Street Theatre and Riverside Theatre, Velma Kelly in Chicago at the Carnegie, The Addams Family at The Muny, Hair at Sacramento Music Circus, and Legally Blonde at Music Theatre of Wichita.

The Nerd

David Alan Anderson, Warnock Waldgrave

David Alan Anderson was last seen at Milwaukee Rep in Fences (2015/16 Season). He has spent over 20 seasons with Indiana Repertory Theatre and is a company member with Penumbra Theatre. Chicago credits include Witch and Ma Raineys Black Bottom at Writers, West Side Story at Lyric Opera, and Gem of the Ocean and The Mountaintop at Court Theatre. Regional collaborations include The Guthrie, Asolo Repertory, Pennsylvania, Idaho, American Players Theater, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festivals, Denver Theatre Center, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and many others. Television credits include "Chicago PD," and Showtime's new hit series "The Chi." David is a recipient of the 2013 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, sponsored by the Ten Chimneys Foundation.

Lillian Castillo, Clelia Waldgrave

Lillian Castillo was last seen at Milwaukee Rep as Daniela in In The Heights. Chicago credits include The Music Man (Goodman Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew, Seussical, Ride the Cyclone (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Mamma Mia!, She Loves Me, Man of La Mancha, Sister Act, Pinkalicious (Marriott Theatre); Hairspray, West Side Story and Sleeping Beauty (Drury Lane Theatre). New York credits include Ride the Cyclone (MCC Theater). Regional theater credits include Glorious!, Hairspray (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Ride the Cyclone (ACT); Hairspray (Phoenix Theatre Company), School for Wives and Macbeth (Utah Shakespeare Festival).

Michael Doherty, Rick Steadman

Michael was last seen at Milwaukee Rep in Man of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol, Ragtime and Assassins. He recently closed a production of Chelsea Marcantel's world premiere Tiny Houses at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Cleveland Playhouse. Off-Broadway credits include Jimmy in Dublin By Lamplight (Inis Nua/59E59 Theater). Other regional credits include A Christmas Carol (Denver Center for the Performing Arts), The Foreigner (Utah Shakespeare Festival), The Producers (Bristol Riverside Theatre), Hand to God (Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Theatre Bay Area Award, Bay Area Critic's Circle Award), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre Horizon; Barrymore Award), Peter and the Starcatcher (Connecticut Repertory Theatre; Connecticut Critic's Circle Nomination) and many more. His television pilot, "Los Jarochos," won Best Writing at the 2013 Independent TV Festival. He received his BFA in Theatre Arts from the University of the Arts. He is the co-founder of CIRCL (Consortium for Interdisciplinary Research on Creativity and Learning) which is currently conducting a study of what makes actors different than other people. Visit MikeDoh.com.

Jeremy Peter Johnson, Axel Hammond

Jeremy's Off-Broadway credits include Pride and Prejudice (adapted by Kate Hamill), Shakespeare's R&J and Before the Dawn. Regional theater credits include nine seasons with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where select credits include Richard II, Into the Woods, Tracy's Tiger and Guys and Dolls (dir. Mary Zimmerman), as well as work with Goodman Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Westport Country Playhouse and the Wallis Annenberg Center. TV credits include "Las Vegas," "All My Children" and "As the World Turns." Johnson is a graduate of Northwestern University. JeremPeterJohnson.com.

Alex Keiper, Tansy McGinnis

Alex was last seen this past season at Milwaukee Rep in Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash and Assassins in 2013. Recent credits include The Humans (Walnut Street Theatre), Touchtones, Stupid F***ing Bird, The Secret Garden and Metamorphoses (Arden Theatre Co.), Hand to God (Philadelphia Theatre Co.) and Triumph of Love (Bristol Riverside Theatre). www.alexkeiper.com

Andy Nagraj, Willum Cubbert

Andy was last seen at Milwaukee Rep in Forever Plaid during the 2013/14 Season. Recent Chicago credits include A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theater) The Doppelgänger (Steppenwolf Theatre Company) and A Year with Frog and Toad (Chicago Children's Theatre), as well as work with Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Northlight Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company and Silk Road Rising. Regional credits include Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Chautauqua Theater Company and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Nagraj's television and web series credits include "Chicago Fire" and "Geeta's Guide to Moving On." He is the co-author of the plays Murphy's Law and Talmadge & Ray, and he is the lead guitarist for the Chicago band The Winchesters.

Nunsense

Kelley Faulkner, Sister Robert Anne

Milwaukee Rep favorite credits include Pip in the American premiere of Things I Know To Be True, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men, Mollie in The Mousetrap, Nurse Kelly in Harvey, Brooke in Noises Off, Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, Sally Bowles in Cabaret and the title role in Always...Patsy Cline. Other work: Optimist Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, TheatreFest, Walnut Street Theatre, Fireside Theatre and the New York City Opera. BFA in Acting from Montclair State University. Kelley is a native New Yorker by way of Philadelphia and now happily resides in Milwaukee. She is a proud member and national council member of Actors' Equity Association. www.KelleyFaulkner.com

Veronica Garza, Sister Mary Amnesia

Veronica is a Jeff Award winning actress and has been seen in 9 to 5 at Firebrand Theatre, Pump Boys and Dinettes at Timberlake Playhouse, A New Brain at Theo Ubique (Jeff Award Nomination), Tony and Nancy at Theatre Wit (Jeff Award Best Supporting Actress), Side Show at Porchlight Music Theatre, Ring of Fire at Mercury Theatre, Heathers the Musical with Kokandy Productions and more.

Lachrisa Grandberry, Sister Mary Hubert

Some of Lachrisa's favorite work includes Dairy Heirs (Northern Sky), Best Christmas Pageant Ever (First Stage), LINES (Theatre Lila), and Exit Strategy (Forward Theatre). Other credits consist of work with First Stage Theatre, The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, The Goodman Play Festival, Skylight Music Theatre, The Children's Theatre of Madison, Black Arts Milwaukee, amongst others. Lachrisa is an alumna of Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Candace Thomas, Sister Mary Leo

Candace was an Emerging Professional Resident at Milwaukee Rep in the 2016/17 Season and appeared as Nanny in A Christmas Carol and in the ensemble of Man of La Mancha. Since then she's performed with First Stage in The Wiz and Optimist Theatre in Much Ado about Nothing. TV credits include "Easy" on Netflix and "Chicago Fire."

Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin in terms of audiences served and one of the largest professional theaters in the country. Each year, The Rep welcomes up to 275,000 people at nearly 700 performances of 15 productions ranging from compelling dramas, powerful classics, new plays and full-scale musicals in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. For over 65 years, The Rep has gained a national reputation as an incubator of new work, an agent of community change and a forward-thinking provider of vital arts education programs. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee's rich diversity.