Jacqueline B. Arnold she/her (Lois/Ensemble)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut! Broadway: Chicago (Mama Morton), Smash (OBC, Anita), Moulin Rouge! The Musical (OBC, La Chocolat), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (OBC, Diva 1). National Tours: We Will Rock You, Rent, Hairspray. Many regional credits and a Bette Midler Harlette. Thank you to my amazing team at MMV Talent and to my wife, Shannon. @jacquelinebarnold 

Jesse Bhamrah (Armbruster/Ensemble/Understudy: Jack) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Bhangin' It. Regional:  Noises Off (The Old Globe); Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Once (Writers Theater); 1776 (Marriott Theater); As You Like It (Guthrie Theater); An Enemy of the People (Goodman Theater); A Christmas Carol, Man of La Mancha (Milwaukee Rep); productions with Milwaukee Chamber Theater, Indiana Repertory, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and First Stage Children's Theater. TV/Film: Chicago Fire (NBC); Hot Mess Holiday (Comedy Central); Chhaya. @jessebhamrah on Instagram

Ashley Blanchet she/her (Cyn)

Thrilled to be back at the Playhouse after collaborating on The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical by Joe Iconis in 2022! Broadway: Waitress, Frozen, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Annie, Memphis. Select Off-Broadway/Regional: Dual roles Kate Mullins/Charlotte Cardoza in Titanic (Encores!); title role in Cinderella and The Sound of Music (Paper Mill Playhouse); Miss New Hampshire in Sarah Silverman's The Bedwetter (Atlantic Theater/Arena Stage); Belle in Beauty and the Beast (The Muny). Film/TV: The Good Fight, The Equalizer, WonderPets, Noggin123, Better Nate Than Ever, and Raquelle in the short animated film Are You Okay? by WonderMedia. Instagram: @a_Blanchet

Anoop Desai (Jack) 

is an actor, writer, and vocalist from Chapel Hill, NC. La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Off-Broadway: The Wrong Man (MCC). Recent on-screen credits include Babygirl (A24), Under the Bridge (Hulu), What We Do in the Shadows (FX), and St. Denis Medical (NBC). Music written and performed by Anoop under the pseudonym TOTEM has been streamed over 75 million times. @totemsound 

Michael Genet (Trask/Ensemble) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: A Few Good Men, Hamlet, Lestat, Wicked, The Prom, Choir Boy. Off-Broadway: Is God Is, A Soldier's Play, The Whipping Man. Regional: Hamlet (The Old Globe). Film: One Fine Day, 25^th Hour, She Hate Me, Death on the Brandywine, Terrified 3. TV: Best Man: The Final Chapters, Billions, Blue Bloods, The Affair, Fosse/Verdon, Law & Order, Ugly Betty, The Mysteries of Laura, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. Screenwriter: Hallelujah (American Playhouse), Talk to Me (Focus Features; Winner, NAACP Image Award), She Hate Me (w/ Spike Lee), Trouble Man (Drama Series in Development). 

Patricia Jewel (Swing) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Regional: Waitress (The Muny); Once on This Island, King John (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Hair, Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (The Old Globe); Chicago (Alaska Center for the Performing Arts); Tarzan, Once on This Island, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Moonlight); OLIVÉRio, A Brazilian Twist (Main Street Theatre Company); The Bodyguard (Welk Theatre); Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Performance Riverside). Concerts: Patricia Jewel: Gems of Stage and Screen, There’s a Place for Us, S’Wonderful, S’Marvelous: The Songs of the Gershwins, Ladies Who Lunch: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Education: University of Redlands. @iampatriciajewel 

Amy Hillner Larsen (Molly/Ensemble/Understudy: Katharine) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut! Broadway: Once Upon a One More Time (Belinda). Off Broadway: Marvelous Wonderettes (Susie), Newsical (u/s Christine Pedi). National Tours: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Hairspray. Favorite regional credits include: All Shook Up (Goodspeed); …One More Time (DC); Kinky Boots (Bucks County); First Wives Club (Chicago); Footloose (PCLO); Hairspray (Hollywood Bowl); Fiddler (Ventura); Seussical (Milwaukee). Amy was featured on The 66th Annual Tony Awards (Tracy in RCCL’s Hairspray montage) and served as choreographer for Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza: The Musical, featuring Dolly Parton, Doja Cat and Barlow & Bear. Thanks to Take 3 Talent & Telsey. For my Kevin, I love you más. @ahillarsen

Bailey Lee she/her (Ensemble/Understudy: Tess)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Regional: Execution of Justice (Chautauqua Theater Company); Pirates of Penzance, Romeo and Juliet (North Carolina Symphony). Education: M.F.A. candidate at UC San Diego. B.F.A. from UNCSA. @baileyllee 

Joanna “JoJo” Levesque she/her (Tess)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Moulin Rouge! The Musical. New York Times best-selling author. Youngest solo artist to have a #1 song on Billboard Top 40 Chart. Movies: Aquamarine and RV. Education: surviving the music industry. 

Ashley Levin she/her (Ensemble/Understudy: Tess) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. TV/Film: Joker 2: Folie a Deux (Warner Bros. Pictures), Wish (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (NBC, Netflix), NBC's The Voice (Season 12 Finalist), Tom Segura Comedy Special (Netflix). Education: University of Miami Jazz Vocal Department. 

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Katharine) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Spamalot (Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League Award nominations), Beetlejuice (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League Award nominations), A Catered Affair (Drama Desk Award nomination), Legally Blonde, Sondheim on Sondheim, Elf, Something Rotten and Hairspray. Off Broadway: The Robber Bridegroom (Lucille Lortel Award, Drama Desk nomination), Let’s Call Her Patty!, GIGANTIC (Lucille Lortel nomination), and others. She is the voice of Rosie on the Amazon animated series Hazbin Hotel and was recently featured as Carol Burnett in the series finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. TV credits include: The First Lady, Bridge and Tunnel, New Amsterdam, Vinyl, Difficult People, Kevin Can Wait, Younger and Law & Order: SVU. 

Nathan Madden (Bob/Ensemble) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Fresh from the Hollywood Bowl’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar, staring Cynthia Erivo. Broadway: An American in Paris (OBC), Hello, Dolly!, Chicago, Twyla Tharp’s tour of Come Fly Away, and Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. Select regional: Rocky Horror (Frank), Curious Incident... (Ed Boone), and numerous productions at The Muny. TV: Welcome to Chippendales (Dr. Hunkenstein), Hunters (Ernst), Étoile, Perfect Harmony, Homecoming: All American and General Hospital. He choreographs and designs immersive experiences worldwide, including aquatic creations at Atlantis Palm Sky Blaze in Dubai, and Las Vegas. As a graduate of Juilliard he’s passionate about arts education and thrilled to be a working girl! 
@nathanmaddenofficial

Alisa Melendez (Amy/Ensemble/Understudy: Cyn) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Almost Famous. National Tours: Mamma Mia!. Regional: Rent (Paper Mill Playhouse); Almost Famous (The Old Globe). Education: Pace. @alisamelendez

Sydni Moon she/her (Lee Ann/Ensemble)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Elf. Off-Broadway: Joy. Regional: Les Misérables, Andrina in The Little Mermaid (The Muny); Sillabub in Cats, Regina in Rock of Ages, Beauty and the Beast (Music Theatre Wichita); Chicago, Arista in The Little Mermaid (Lexington Theatre Company). Education: B.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma. Full of gratitude for this team, Dustin and Marc, and Telsey. Love always to Mom, Dad, Tyler, and Luna. @sydni.moon 

Jennifer Perry she/her (Olympia/Mrs. Trask/Ensemble) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Kinky Boots (Original Cast), Mamma Mia! (Rosie). Off-Broadway: Nunsense, Bonnie and Clyde. Select regional credits include: Kinky Boots, (Hollywood Bowl, Sacramento Music Circus, The Muny); Mamma Mia! Las Vegas (Original Cast); My Very Own British Invasion (Paper Mill Playhouse); The New World (Bucks County); Idaho (Smith Center Las Vegas); Annie (Music Theater Wichita); Hairspray (The Muny). Film/TV credits include: Frozen, Better Nate Than Ever, FBI: Most Wanted, Blacklist, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Limitless, The Big C, True Blood. Much love to Andy and Wayne.

Julio Rey (Joe/Ensemble) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Aladdin, Lempicka, Bad Cinderella. Regional: The Great Gatsby (Paper Mill Playhouse), Frozen (North Shore Music Theatre), White Christmas (City Springs), The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (Fifth Avenue), Titanic (Milwaukee Rep), West Side Story (Lyric Opera of Chicago), 42nd Street (The REV). Native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Amateur crochet master. Education: B.F.A. from Penn State University. Big thanks to Marc & Dustin at the Daniel Hoff Agency. Instagram: @julio.iguana. 

Elliot Sagay he/him (Ensemble)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Regional: "Master Harold"...and the Boys, Into the Woods, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, As You Like It (Santa Cruz Shakespeare); we are continuous (Diversionary); Passing Strange (Theo Ubique); A Christmas Carol (Indiana Rep); Call Me Madam (Porchlight Music Theatre). TV: Chicago Med. Education: Northwestern University; M.F.A. Acting Candidate at UC San Diego. 

Jaxon Smith he/him (Swing)

Regional credits: 3 Summers of Lincoln (La Jolla Playhouse); Oklahoma! (Cygnet); The Prince of Egypt, Fiddler on the Roof, Tootsie (Moonlight); Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play (New Village Arts); Fiddler on the Roof and The Addams Family (SDMT); Darkness Falls (Sea World). Education: SDSCPA 

Gabi Stapula (Swing/Dance Captain) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut! Broadway and National Tour: Back to the Future. Regional credits include Paper Mill Playhouse, Arena Stage, Goodspeed, TUTS, The REV, Sacramento Music Circus, and Resident Choreographer, Associate, and Performer at The Muny. Performer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, SNL and The View. Co-founder of Production Company Glos Haus. Education: Pace University. Love to my family, CESD, and YOU for supporting theatre. @astoldbygabi 

Joey Taranto (Mick) 

is thrilled to return to La Jolla Playhouse! Most recently he was seen at the Hollywood Bowl in the critically-acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar. La Jolla Playhouse: Lempicka. Broadway: Rock of Ages, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (OBC) and Kinky Boots (OBC). Off Broadway: Bat Out of Hell. Regional: Little Shop of Horrors (Cleveland Play House); The Legend of Georgia McBride (Dorset Theatre Festival). TV/Film: Bros, Blue Bloods, Chrissy/Judy, J.G. & the B.C. Kids, Jesus Christ Superstar live on NBC, and more! Joey is also the co-host of “I Think Not: A Comedic True Crime Podcast,” available on all platforms. IG: @itsjoeytaranto. This one’s for you, Mom x 

Sean Watkinson (Swing) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: A Beautiful Noise. National Tours: Hadestown. Regional: Jesus Christ Superstar (Asolo Rep); Spring Awakening (Round House); Billy Elliot (Signature). Education: B.F.A. from Florida State University.  

Ian Ward he/him (Petey/Ensemble/Understudy: Mick)

La Jolla Playhouse: Redwood (workshop). Broadway: Gettin’ the Band Back Together (original cast). Concerts: Jesus Christ Superstar (Hollywood Bowl); The Christmas Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall); Rent in Concert (Rady Shell). Int’l: Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 (Shanghai). Select Regional: Rent (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Rock of Ages Hollywood (Bourbon Room); Catch Me If You Can (The REV); American Idiot (La Mirada). TV: American Idol; 9-1-1; Lifetime’s Bad Tutor; Veronica Mars. Education: Berklee College of Music. Love to my family. @ianwardoutward 

Cyndi Lauper (Music and Lyrics) 

is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning songwriter and performing artist known for her iconic voice, influential punk glamor, and infectious live shows. Lauper won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist with her first album, “She's So Unusual.” She became the first woman in history to have four top-five singles from a debut album, and went on to release nine additional studio albums. In 2006, she made her Broadway debut as a performer in Threepenny Opera, and made her Broadway debut as a composer in 2013 with Kinky Boots, becoming the first solo woman to win a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She also won a 2014 Grammy Award for the show’s Cast Album. Let the Canary Sing, the acclaimed feature documentary film on her remarkable life and career, is now streaming on Paramount+, and Lauper just wrapped her international Farewell Tour. She has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is a NY Times best-selling author. Lauper is also a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, co-founding True Colors Fund in 2008. cyndilauper.com

Theresa Rebeck (Book) 

is an award-winning and widely-produced playwright whose work has been staged across the globe. Her Broadway plays include the record-breaking Roundabout Theatre-produced hit I Need That (starring Danny DeVito), along with Bernhardt/Hamlet, Dead Accounts, Seminar and Mauritius. Other notable plays include the New York Times Critic’s Pick Dig (which she also directed) at Primary Stages/59E59 Theaters; Mad House, which premiered on London’s West End starring David Harbour and Bill Pullman; Seared (MCC); Downstairs (Primary Stages); The Scene; The Water’s Edge; Loose Knit; The Family of Mann; Spike Heels (Second Stage); Bad Dates; The Butterfly Collection; Our House (Playwrights Horizons); The Understudy (Roundabout); View of the Dome (NYTW); What We’re Up Against (Women’s Project); Omnium Gatherum (Pulitzer Prize finalist). As a director, her work has been seen at The Alley Theatre (Houston), the REP Company (Delaware), Dorset Theatre Festival, the Orchard Project and the Folger Theatre. Major film and TV projects include Trouble, with Anjelica Huston, Bill Pullman and David Morse (writer and director), NYPD Blue, the NBC series Smash (creator), the female spy thriller 355 (for Jessica Chastain’s production company) and Glimpse. As a novelist, Rebeck’s books include Three Girls and Their Brother and I'm Glad About You. Rebeck is the recipient of the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award, and a Lilly Award. theresarebeck.com

Christopher Ashley (Director)  

has served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Artistic Director since 2007. During his tenure, he directed the world premieres of Come From Away, The Heart, 3 Summers of Lincoln, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Babbitt, Diana: The Musical, Memphis, Escape to Margaritaville, Hollywood, The Darrell Hammond Project, The Squirrels, A Dram of Drummhicit, Restoration and Chasing the Song, as well as As You Like It, His Girl Friday, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Freaky Friday and Xanadu. He also spearheaded the Playhouse’s Without Walls (WOW) initiative, the DNA New Work Series and the Resident Theatre program. Mr. Ashley recently directed Come From Away for AppleTV+ and Diana: The Musical for Netflix. Other screen credits include the feature films Jeffrey and Lucky Stiff, and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS. Mr. Ashley’s Broadway credits include Come From Away (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Diana: The Musical, Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis (Tony Award nomination), Xanadu, Leap of Faith (Drama Desk Award nomination), All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). He also helmed productions of Come From Away in London (Olivier Award nomination), Toronto, Australia and on national tour. Other national tours include Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis, Xanadu, All Shook Up and Seussical: The Musical. Additional New York stage credits include Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla (Lucille Lortel Award nomination), Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Communicating Doors, Bunny Bunny, The Night Hank Williams Died and Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship.

Sarah O’Gleby (Choreographer) 

Choreography credits include Shucked (Broadway, US Tour, Regents Park, London); Almost Famous (Broadway); The Wanderer (Paper Mill Playhouse); High Button Shoes (Encores); Mythic (Charing Cross). As Resident Choreographer for TV: Saturday Night Live (NBC); The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Immersive Events: Clients include Hermés, Target, Robin Hood Foundation, Google, Disney. SarahOGleby.com 

Rob Hyman (Additional Music and Lyrics)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Musician and co-founder of The Hooters, a rock band based in Philadelphia. The group opened the Live Aid concert in their hometown at JFK Stadium (1985) and performed at Roger Waters’ The Wall in Berlin (1990). Rob also worked on Cyndi’s debut album “She’s So Unusual,” contributing keyboards, background vocals, and arrangements, and co-wrote  “Time After Time,” the final track to make the album. Education: B.A. from UPenn. Working Girl will be his first theatrical production, excited to be a part of it! 

Sammy James, Jr. (Additional Music and Lyrics)

Songwriter and Grammy-winning music producer whose credits include Kinky Boots, School of Rock, and Tropic Thunder. Founder of NYC garage rock combo The Mooney Suzuki.  

Stephen Oremus (Music Supervisor/Co-Orchestrator)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: The Book of Mormon (Tony, Drama Desk, and Grammy Awards); Kinky Boots (Tony and Grammy Awards); Wicked; Avenue Q; All Shook Up; 9 to 5: The Musical; Disney’s Frozen; Smash. Off-Broadway: tick, tick…BOOM!. Film: Executive Music Producer of Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025); Vocal arranger/conductor for Disney’s Frozen and Frozen 2. TV credits: Music Director of the 2015 Oscars (Emmy nomination), Annie Live!, and The Wiz Live! (NBC), Rent Live! (FOX), A Very WICKED Halloween Special (NBC), Frozen-The Broadway Musical and Into the Unknown: The Making of Frozen 2 (Disney+).  

AMP Featuring Jiaying Zhang (Scenography)

AMP is a collective founded by Brett J. Banakis and Christine Jones to amplify emerging and underrepresented designers by engaging in equitable collaborations. For Working Girl, they are thrilled to be designing alongside Jiaying Zhang. Originally from Shanghai, China, Jiaying is drawn to the energy of bodies in space, the sculpting of atmosphere, and the interweaving of visual and emotional worlds. Her recent credits include There’s No Day or Night in Space (Soho Rep Lab) and A(U)NTS! (The Brick). Banakis and Jones have co-created multiple shows together including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Devil Wears Prada, The Cher Show, and as AMP Scenography: The Outsiders (Tony nom) and John Proctor Is the Villain. 

Linda Cho (Costume Designer)

La Jolla Playhouse: Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin; Babbitt; Bhangin’ It; Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord; The Orphan of Zhao; Wild Goose Dreams.  Broadway: Art; The Great Gatsby (Tony Award; West End, London, South Korea); Pirates! The Penzance Musical; Doubt; Summer, 1976; Take Me Out; Grand Horizons; Anastasia (Tony nomination); POTUS; Harmony; The Great Society; A Gentleman's Guide… (Tony and Henry Hewes Awards; Outer Critics Circle nomination); The Lifespan of a Fact; Velocity of Autumn. Numerous Off-Broadway, International, Regional Theatre, Opera and Dance Productions. Serves on the Advisory Committee of the American Theatre Wing. M.F.A.: Yale School of Drama. Linda@LindaCho.com

Amanda Zieve (Lighting Designer) 

is thrilled to be back at La Jolla Playhouse after designing The Heart, 3 Summers of Lincoln, Velour: A Drag Spectacular, The Ballad of Johnny and June, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical and Put Your House in Order. Other recent designs include: The Who's Tommy (Broadway/Goodman); Cabaret (Goodspeed); Into the Woods, Billy Elliot, Titanic (Signature Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (South Coast Rep); Deceived, I Hate Hamlet (Maltz Jupiter); Sweeney Todd, Roof of the World (KC Rep). Her Playhouse Associate credits include: Fly, Escape to Margaritaville, Hollywood, and Hunchback of Notre Dame. Other San Diego credits include: Noises Off, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B, English, Crime and Punishment - A Comedy, Dial M for Murder, Hair, Tiny Beautiful Things, Barefoot in the Park, Native Gardens, The Wanderers and Rich Girl (The Old Globe); Follies, Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, Evita, Cabaret, Rock of Ages (Cygnet). amandazieve.com 

Gareth Owen (Sound Designer) 

La Jolla Playhouse: The Heart, Come From Away, Diana, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Broadway highlights: Boop!, Hell’s Kitchen (Tony nom), Tommy, Elf, Back to the Future, & Juliet (Tony nom), MJ (Tony Award), Bad Cinderella, Diana, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Come From Away, Bronx Tale, Spring Awakening, End of the Rainbow (Tony nom), Bat Out of Hell and A Little Night Music (Tony nom). West End highlights: Just for One Day, The Devil Wears Prada, MJ, Back to the Future (Olivier nom), Cinderella, Prince of Egypt, Come From Away (Olivier Award), Bat Out of Hell (Olivier nom), Memphis (Olivier Award), Top Hat (Olivier nom) and Merrily We Roll Along (Olivier Award). garethowensound.com; @garethowensound 

Hana S. Kim (Projection Design)  

Broadway: The Outsiders, Redwood, Real Women Have Curves, The Old Man and the Pool, Summer 1976. Off-Broadway/New York: SUMO, The Harder They Come, Eve's Song (The Public Theater); Everything Rises (BAM); Magdalene (Prototype Festival). New music/opera: L’Orfeo (Santa Fe Opera), Sweet Land (The Industry), The Anonymous Lover (LA Opera). Awards: Tony Awards, Princess Grace Award, Sherwood Award from CTG, Helen Hayes Award, LA Drama Critics Circle Distinguished Achievement Award, among others. www.hananow.com 

Charles G. LaPointe (Hair and Wig Design)  

La Jolla Playhouse: Over fourteen shows including Babbitt, Side Show, Chasing the Song, His Girl Friday, Fly. Broadway: Hamilton (Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award); Death Becomes Her (Drama Desk Award); The Great Gatsby; Pirates! The Penzance Musical!; Suffs (Drama Desk Award nomination); MJ The Musical; The Who’s Tommy; The Wiz; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Beetlejuice; The Cher Show (Drama Desk Award); Anastasia; SpongeBob SquarePants (Drama Desk Award); Jersey Boys; A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder; In the Heights; The Color Purple (original and revival). Television: The Wiz Live! (Emmy Award nomination); Jesus Christ Superstar Live! (Emmy Award nomination and Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award). 

Brian Usifer (Associate Music Supervisor/Co-Orchestrator)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Chess, Swept Away, Heart of Rock and Roll, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, Disney’s Frozen, Kinky Boots, and The Book of Mormon. Additional orchestrations: NBC's Annie Live, The Wiz Live, pianist for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. 

Scott Wasserman he/him (Co-Orchestrator/Ableton Programmer) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Redwood, Bhangin’ It, Diana, Escape to Margaritaville. Broadway: The Queen of Versailles, Redwood, & Juliet, Diana, Escape to Margaritaville, Great Comet, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Annie, Leap of Faith. Selected Regional & Off-Broadway: Gun & Powder (Paper Mill; Signature); Walk on Through (MCC); We Are Your Robots (TFANA); Double Helix (Bay Street); Dare to Dream Jr. (Disney; MTI). Other Media: The Eyes of the World (PBS); Mufasa (Disney); Warriors (Atlantic Records); Losing My Mind: A Sondheim Disco Fever Dream (Broadway Records); Johnny & The Devil’s Box (streaming); 21 Chump Street (This American Life). B.F.A. from CMU. 

Julie McBride (Music Director) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Miss You Like Hell. Broadway: Redwood, Moulin Rouge, SpongeBob SquarePants, INK, Head Over Heels, Pretty Woman, Amazing Grace, Finding Neverland. Off-Broadway/regional: A Transparent Musical (Mark Taper Forum), TEETH (Playwrights Horizons, New World Stages), Unknown Soldier (Playwrights Horizons, Arena Stage), Next to Normal (Second Stage), These Paper Bullets! (Yale Rep, La Mirada, Atlantic Theatre Company), Deathless (Goodspeed), LMNOP (Goodspeed), Miss You Like Hell (Public Theatre), Daddy Long Legs (11 regional productions). Film/TV: Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, The Path (Hulu), Little Voice (Apple TV).  

Ann C. James (Sensitivity Specialist)

La Jolla Playhouse: Lempicka, The Outsiders, Love All, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Velour: A Drag Spectacular, 3 Summers of Lincoln, Indian Princesses, The Heart, All the Men Who've Frightened Me. Broadway: Ragtime, Little Shop of Horrors, Sunset Boulevard, A Wonderful World, Eureka Day, Sh*t. Meet. Fan., John Proctor Is the Villain, The Outsiders, Lempicka, Illinoise, Hamilton, Parade, Sweeney Todd, Heart of Rock and Roll.

The Telsey Office (Casting) 

With offices in both New York and Los Angeles, The Telsey Office casts for theatre, film, television, and commercials. The Telsey Office is dedicated to creating safe, equitable, and anti-racist spaces through collaboration, artistry, heart, accountability, and advocacy. Please visit thetelseyoffice.com for our credits.

Deborah Hecht (Dialect Coach)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: 101 productions including Ragtime, Purple Rain (upcoming), The Great Gatsby, How I Learned to Drive, Hangmen, The Ferryman, Harry Potter…, the recent and original productions of Angels in America. More on ibdb.com.  Off-Broadway: numerous productions at MTC, Signature, NYTW, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, many others. Regional: Playmakers, Williamstown, Seattle Rep, others. England: RSC, Royal National. Film/TV: upcoming We Were the Lucky Ones, Tokyo Vice, Fosse/Vernon, All the Money in the World, Under the Skin, others.

Jacole Kitchen (Associate Director) 

2025 Directing Fellow at La Jolla Playhouse. Most recently she was the associate director on the world-premiere musical The Heart (La Jolla Playhouse). Other directing credits include: Jin vs the Beach, Pick Me Last and Light Years Away (LJP POP Tour), Suburban Black Girl (Outside In Theatre), The Hula Hoopin’ Queen (Seattle Children’s Theatre), Manny and the Wise Queens (Oceanside Theatre Company), Our Town (Mira Costa College), Iron (Roustabouts Theatre Company), Cardboard Piano (Diversionary Theatre), An Iliad (New Village Arts), and more. Jacole is an arts educator, community advocate, and mentor for professional development. www.jacolekitchen.com   

Jennie Ford she/her (Associate Choreographer) 

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: An American in Paris, Shucked, Evita, All Shook Up, Dance of the Vampires, The Music Man, Hairspray, Urban Cowboy, and Sweet Smell of Success. National Tours: Ragtime, Hairspray, and Evita. Education: working on the job :). Author of the how-to books Be the Best Swing on Broadway and Be the Best Dance Captain on Broadway. Proud Mom of Hailey Hanneman. 

Victoria Navarro (Stage Manager) 

Broadway: The Notebook, Wicked, Jagged Little Pill, The Lion King, The Color Purple. Off-Broadway: Goddess, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. National Tours: Matilda, Annie, Cameron Mackintosh’s Oliver!, Seussical. Selected regional productions Evita (A.R.T.), Benny and Joon (PMP), Holiday Inn (PMP). Thanks to my family and friends for their love and support. UCSD graduate from the 90’s…nice to be back! 

Derric Nolte he/him (Assistant Stage Manager)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Purpose, The Notebook, The Book of Mormon, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, The Prom, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Annie, Bullets Over Broadway, Evita. National Tours: Hadestown, The Book of Mormon. Off-Broadway: Rock of Ages, Avenue Q, Rent, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Encores!). Regional: Evita (ART/STC); On Your Feet!, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Paper Mill Playhouse); Footloose (Kennedy Center). Education: B.F.A. from CCM.  

Alexa Burn she/her (Assistant Stage Manager)

La Jolla Playhouse: The Heart, Indian Princesses, 3 Summers of Lincoln, Your Local Theater Presents..., Derecho, Primary Trust. Select credits include Clyde’s (ASM) at the Denver Center, The Royale (SM) at American Players Theatre, Bald Sisters (SM) at San Jose Stage, Intimate Apparel (ASM), The Three Musketeers (ASM), Chicken and Biscuits (ASM), The Great Leap (ASM), Grand Horizons (ASM), Hood (ASM) at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, and The Code (SM) at American Conservatory Theatre SF. Alexa was also a stage manager at the Disneyland Resort for many years, working with the Disneyland Band, Dapper Dans, and many more.