Photo Flash: First Look at Opening Night of CAROUSEL at Arena Stage - Nicholas Rodriguez, Betsy Morgan and More!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents Carousel, directed by Artistic Director Molly Smith, with music by Richard Rodgers and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Featuring Musical Direction by Paul Sportelli and Choreography by Parker Esse, Carousel runs October 28-December 24 in the iconic in-the-round Fichandler Stage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the opening night pics below!

Smith has assembled a 27-member cast boasting 18 local performers. Carousel stars the previously announced audience favorites Nicholas Rodriguez (Arena's My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!) as Billy Bigelow, E. Faye Butler (Arena's Pullman Porter Blues, Oklahoma!) as Mrs. Mullin and Ann Arvia (Golde in Arena's Fiddler on the Roof) as Nettie Fowler. Betsy Morgan(Broadway's The King and I, LES MISERABLES) makes her Arena Stage debut as Julie Jordan, alongside the previously announced Kate Rockwell (Broadway's Rock of Ages, Bring It On: The Musical, Legally Blonde) portraying Julie's pal Carrie Pipperidge.

Carousel also features the return of Arena Stage veterans Kurt Boehm (Arena's Born for This, Fyedka in Fiddler on the Roof) as Enoch Snow and Kyle Schliefer (Arena's Oliver!, Fiddler on the Roof) as Jigger Craigin, and welcomes the debut of Skye Mattox (Broadway's West Side Story, On The Town) as Louise Bigelow.

The large cast also includes Jacob Beasley as Enoch Snow, Jr., Rayanne Gonzales as Mrs. Bascombe, Michael Graceffa as Carnival Boy, Thomas Adrian Simpson as David Bascombe and Stephawn Stephens as Captain. In the roles of the Starkeeper and Heavenly Friend, the company features two young local actors-13-year-old Nicole Wildy of Howard County, Maryland and 15-year-old Joshua Otten of Fauquier County, Virginia.

Rounding out the ensemble are Gracie Jones, Danielle Sue Jordan, Ethan Kasnett, Emma Sophie Moore, Tony Neidenbach (dance captain), Bridget Riley, Paul Scanlan, Jessica Wu and Phil Young, with swings Katie Arthur and Jay Westin and Heavenly Friend/Starkeeper u/s Isabella Brody.

Smith reunites with many of her creative collaborators for Carousel including Music Director Sportelli, who has created new arrangements for the 13-piece orchestra that will be seen on a visible, elevated level of the set, designed by Tony Award-winning Set Designer Todd Rosenthal. Choreographer Esse will create his signature athletic ensemble sequences paired with graceful ballets, and David Leong returns for Fight Choreography & Mime, along with Lighting Designer Keith Parham, Costume Designer Ilona Somogyi and Sound Designers Joshua Horvath and Ray Nardelli.

Photo Credit: Cameron Whitman

Moises Kaufman

Moises Kaufman

David Leong (Fight Choreography & Mime), Seema Sueko (Arena Stage Deputy Artistic Director) and Aaron Anderson

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and American Artist Award recipient Moises Kaufman

The Cast

Isabella Brody, Nicole Wildy and Joshua Otten

Jay Westin, Ethan Kasnett, Tony Neidenbach, Michael Graceffa and Phil Young

Danielle Sue Jordan, Jessica Wu, Gracie Jones and Emma Sophie Moore

Kate Rockwell (Carrie Pipperidge) and Kurt Boehm (Enoch Snow)

Michael Graceffa and Skye Mattox

Betsy Morgan (Julie Jordan) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Billy Bigelow)

Ann Arvia (Nettie Fowler), E. Faye Butler (Mrs. Mullin) and Suzanne Blue Star Boy

Betsy Morgan (Julie Jordan) and Kate Rockwell (Carrie Pipperidge)

Music Director Paul Sportelli and Artistic Director Molly Smith

Nicholas Rodriguez (Billy Bigelow), Betsy Morgan (Julie Jordan), Kurt Boehm (Enoch Snow) and Kate Rockwell (Carrie Pipperidge)