Cast Announced for The 5th Avenue Theatre’s New Production ...

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Cast Announced for The 5th Avenue Theatre's New Production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast

The 5th Avenue Theatre returns to Live Theatre with Disney's Beauty and the Beast Kicking Off 2021/22 Season; Single Tickets On Sale Tuesday, November 9, 2021

January 12 ? February 6, 2022 Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice Book by Linda Woolverton Directed by Jay Woods

Choreographed by Kathryn Van Meter Music Direction by R.J. Tancioco

(Monday, November 8, 2021--SEATTLE) The 5th Avenue Theatre announced today the cast for its new production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, playing January 12 to February 6, 2022. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is The 5th's first fully-mounted musical created for an in-person audience since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and is the first production in its spectacular 2021/21 Season. Starring in this magical tale's title roles are Seattle's Porscha Shaw (Seattle Rep: Shout Sister Shout; Nina Simone: Four Women), who makes her debut at The 5th as Belle, Riley Brack (Village Theatre: My Heart is the Drum) as Beast, and Lisa J. Estridge (The 5th: Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods) who returns to The 5th as Mrs. Potts. Jay Woods, who has directed regionally for ArtsWest, Sound Theatre Company, and Washington Ensemble Theatre, makes her 5th Avenue Theatre directorial debut; returning to The 5th are Kathryn Van Meter to choreograph and R.J. Tancioco for music direction.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast plays January 12 ? February 6, 2020 at The 5th Avenue Theatre (1308 5th Avenue in Downtown Seattle). Season subscriptions are available now and single tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 9, 2021 and can be purchased over the phone at 206-625-1900 or online at .

The cast features Anne Allgood (The 5th: Candide, The Sound of Music) as Madame de la Grande Bouche, Nicholas Japaul Bernard (The 5th: Rock of Ages, Annie) as Lumi?re, Arika Matoba (The 5th/ACT: Urinetown; Village Theatre: Spelling Bee) as Chip, Reginald Andr? Jackson (ACT: The Crucible; Seattle Rep: Two Trains Running) as Maurice, Be Russell (Showtunes!: Legally Blonde; Village Theatre: She Loves Me) as Babette, John David Scott (Village Theatre: Guys and Dolls, Seattle Shakespeare Company: A Midsummer Night's Dream) as LeFou, Jason Weitkamp (Disney: Finding Nemo ? The Musical) as Cogsworth, and Jaysen Wright (Kennedy Center: Acoustic Rooster; Olney: The Royale) as Gaston.

The cast also includes ensemble members Kate Ella Cook, Rebecca Cort, Alyza DelPan-Monley, Joel Domenico, Candice Song Donehoo, Jose J Gonzales, Richard Gray, Nehemiah Hooks, Eric Polani Jensen, Danny Kam, Mallory King, Shanelle Leonard, Cheryse McLeod Lewis, U.J. Mangune, Trina Mills,

Antonio D. Mitchell, Charles L. Simmons, and Shelby Willis, understudy Jonelle Margallo, and swings Cy Paolantonio and Jimmy Shields.

"We are thrilled to welcome people back to The 5th with this timeless story," said Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre's Producing Artistic Director. "I am grateful that we get to welcome audiences with this brand new production created by our region's artistic community for the Pacific Northwest community."

This season, we invite you to "be our guest" at one of the most enchanting musicals of all time: Disney's Beauty and the Beast! This is a tale as old as time: a brilliant young woman in search of something more than her small town has to offer and a Beast--who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. Return to the magic of live theater at The 5th with unforgettable performances, spectacular costumes, and dazzling sets. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is a joyful opportunity to bring your family together for musical theater at its best.

About the Cast Porscha Shaw (she/her) makes her debut at The 5th as Belle. Shaw is a disabled actor who is a graduate of the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of Washington. She is a native of Texas and a graduate of Santa Fe University of Art and Design where she majored in Drama under the training of Jon Jory. Her Seattle credits include Shout Sister Shout, Nina Simone: Four Women, Richard III, The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion, and Marisol.

Riley Brack (he/him) makes his debut at The 5th Avenue Theatre as Beast. A Boston Conservatory at Berklee grad, Riley synthesizes training in music, mindfulness, and mental health to offer selfcompassionate voice lessons, youth mentorship sessions, and stress-management workshops.

Anne Allgood returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre stage as Madame de la Grande Bouche. She has appeared in many shows at The 5th Avenue Theatre, notably Candide, The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, and Memphis. Broadway: Beauty and the Beast, Carousel, The Sound of Music, The Most Happy Fella, Imaginary Friends. ACT Theatre Core Company member. Numerous productions including Mary Stuart, Vincent in Brixton, Miss Witherspoon, The Crucible, The Price, The Women, Mr. Burns..., Old Times. Seattle Rep, SCT, Village Theatre. Upcoming: Sweat at ACT.

Nicholas Japaul Bernard (he/him) returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre as Lumi?re. Black, queer, and disabled, Bernard hopes to make space for others like him within theater en masse. The 5th: Rock of Ages (Ensemble) and Annie (Ensemble). Regional: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Hedwig).

Lisa J. Estridge returns to The 5th as Mrs. Potts. A UW PATP Graduate, Estridge is overjoyed, thrilled, and truly honored to return to The 5th, especially after COVID-19 shut down the production of Sister Act where she was set to play her dream role as Deloris Van Cartier. She was last seen as Tanya in Mamma Mia! Other credits at The 5th include Into The Woods, Company, Buddy, Singin' In The Rain, Smokey Joe's Caf?, Rocky Horror, Hair, and The Most Happy Fella.

Arika Matoba (she/her) joins the cast as Chip. Matoba is a Gregory Award winner for her role as Little Sally in Urinetown (The 5th/ACT). When not in the castle, she flies around town as Delta Dental's Tooth Fairy. Her latest on-camera projects include Amazon commercials and the independent film, Cat. Arika loves to care for her plants, alter clothing, and play Stardew Valley. Represented by The Actors Group.

Reginald Andr? Jackson (he/him) makes his debut at The 5th as Maurice. Jackson is a Seattle actor/playwright. This is his first post-COVID, in-person performance. He can be seen this May in ACT's production of Sweat. Jackson has written for The 5th--his adaptation of Free Boy was part of its Adventure Musical Theatre program.

Be Russell joins the cast as Babette. Russell is a local artist, born-and-raised Seattleite. She received her BA in theatre from Pepperdine University and won the 2018 Broadway World Award for Best Featured Performance in a Musical for the role of Paulette in Legally Blonde (Showtunes!). Past credits: She Loves Me (Village Theatre), The Homefront (Village Theatre Beta Series), and Crowns (Taproot Theatre).

John David Scott (he/him) joins the cast as LeFou. During quarantine, Scott kept busy teaching tap and jazz online. He was tap choreographer for Brave Hearts for Broadway's virtual event featuring performances from frontline and essential workers helping support the Actors Fund. He has been previously seen at Village Theatre, Seattle Rep, and Seattle Shakespeare Company.

Jason Weitkamp (he/him) makes his debut at The 5th Avenue Theatre as Cogsworth. Before moving to Seattle, he performed in Irving Berlin's I Love a Piano, aboard Holland America and Disney Cruise Lines, and as Crush in Finding Nemo ? The Musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Jaysen Wright (he/him) makes his debut at The 5th Avenue Theatre as Gaston. From Washington, D.C., his recent credits include Acoustic Rooster (Kennedy Center); The Royale (Olney and 1st Stage); Jubilee and Smart People (Arena Stage); The Importance of Being Earnest (Everyman); Actually and Sons of the Prophet (Theater J); Macbeth (Folger); The Wiz and A Christmas Carol (Ford's); I Hate it Here, WIG OUT!, Choir Boy, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Studio); and Take Me Out (1st Stage). He received an MFA from Indiana University.

The ensemble features Kate Ella Cook, Rebecca Cort, Alyza DelPan-Monley, Joel Domenico, Candice Song Donehoo, Jose J Gonzales, Richard Gray, Nehemiah Hooks, Eric Polani Jensen, Danny Kam, Mallory King, Shanelle Leonard, Cheryse McLeod Lewis, UJ Mangune, Trina M. Mills, Antonio D. Mitchell, Charles L. Simmons, and Shelby Willis. Additional casting includes understudy Jonelle Margallo, and swings Cy Paolantonio and Jimmy Shields.

About the Creative Team Jay Woods (Director) (she/her) is a director, educator, performer, and arts administrator transplanted in Seattle from New York. She currently serves as the Co-Artistic Director of Sound Theatre. Jay has worked across the U.S. and internationally for Seattle Rep, Seattle Public Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Earthseed, ArtsWest, Village Theatre, ACT Theatre, Scottish Youth Theatre, Youth Arts Scotland, Seattle University, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, and Yale, among others. As a response to the 2020 pandemic and racial uprising, Jay founded the Seattle Theatre Leadership Collective and serves as its lead facilitator. Some directing credits include the world premiere of Reparations by Darren Canady (Sound Theatre), Citizen: An American Lyric (Sound Theatre), the U.S. premiere of B (Washington Ensemble Theatre), and Skeleton Crew (ArtsWest). Miss Jay holds an M.A. in Directing from Edinburgh Napier University, a B.A. in Theatre from SUNY Brockport, and studied film in Thailand at Mahidol University. Currently in process: writing the stage and screen adaptations of Natasha Marin's Black Imagination.

Kathryn Van Meter (Choreographer) (she/her) is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary theatre and film artist, whose career encompasses work as a director, choreographer, actor, and educator. She

previously choreographed The Buddy Holly Story and Wizard of Oz for The 5th and is honored to be returning for this groundbreaking production. Her theatrical work has been seen throughout the PNW including Seattle Rep, ACT, Seattle Opera, Village Theatre, SCT, and Seattle Men's Chorus. Ms. Van Meter was the choreographer for 13 Reasons Why, an upcoming feature film for Disney+, and is the Intimacy Coordinator for an upcoming Netflix series. She worked with the US Dept. of Labor to develop the national definition for the occupation of Choreographer and is a five-time nominee and two-time Gregory Award winner for Outstanding Choreography. She is a proud member of SDC, AEA, and AGMA.

R.J. Tancioco (Music Director) (he/him) Select musical direction credits include: Urinetown, Mamma Mia!, Grease, Jasper in Deadland, Little Shop of Horrors, RENT (The 5th); The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, Hairspray, Newsies, Dreamgirls, Les Mis?rables (Village Theatre); As You Like It, The Odyssey, Here Lies Love (Seattle Rep); Head Over Heels, Violet (ArtsWest); The Spitfire Grill (Showtunes!); Bright Star (Taproot Theatre); Spring Awakening (Balagan). Music Supervisor: Lizard Boy (Seattle Rep). A 2010 Gregory Award and 2011/2014 Gypsy Rose Lee award recipient, Tancioco is a vocal coach, arranger, and composer who enjoys educating youth and cultivating new musicals.

The creative team features designs by Lex Marcos (Scenic Coordinator), Danielle Nieves (Costume Coordinator), Connie Yun (Lighting Designer), Haley Parcher (Sound Designer), and Cherelle Guyton (Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer).

Additional staff includes Shermona Mitchell (Associate Director), Trina M. Mills (Associate Choreographer), Beth G. Tankersley (Associate Music Director). Valerie Curtis-Newton (Director Advisor), Andrea Zee (Additional Casting), K.D. Schill (Assistant Costume Designer), Kenrick Fischer (Assistant Lighting Designer), Brent Warwick (Assistant Sound Designer), Dedra D. Woods (Casting Director), Dimitri Woods (Dialect Coach), Stina Lotti (Production Stage Manager), and Erin B. Zatloka and Rachael Dorman (Assistant Stage Managers).

About the Writers Alan Menken (Music) Theater: God Bless You Mr Rosewater, Little Shop Of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty And The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Gl?ckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin and Newsies. Film: Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2 and Captain America. Awards: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony? (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier and London's Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Howard Ashman (Lyrics) Best known as a pivotal creative mind behind the renaissance of Disney animation and his work on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and The Beast (which is dedicated to, "Our friend, Howard Ashman, who gave a Mermaid her voice and a Beast his soul...") Ashman's first love was theater. Ashman was a founder of off off Broadway's renowned WPA Theater, where he conceived, wrote and directed God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as well as the classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors (both music by Alan Menken). In 1986, he wrote and directed the Broadway musical Smile (music by Marvin Hamlisch). Lamented as a lost treasure of the 1980's theater scene, Smile remains popular on High School and College campuses throughout the country. Howard

Ashman died in 1991 from complications of AIDS. For more information, please visit .

Tim Rice (Lyrics) has worked in music, theater, and film since 1965, when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim's ambitions to write rock or pop songs, they turned their attention to Andrew's obsession - musical theater. Their first collaboration, The Likes Of Us (lyrics by Tim, music by Andrew), was an unsuccessful show based on the life of Dr. Barnardo, the Victorian philanthropist. Their next three works together were much more successful: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita. Tim has also worked with other distinguished popular composers such as Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin, King David, Beauty and the Beast), and Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess). From Here to Eternity, with music by newcomer Stuart Brayson, coproduced with Lee Menzies, directed by Tamara Harvey, and with book by Bill Oakes, premiered in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2013. He formed his own cricket team in 1973 and was president of the MCC in 2002. In 2013, he wrote and presented a 52part series for BBC Radio 2, American Pie, a trawl through the music and musicians of every American State. He has won several awards, mainly for the wrong thing or for simply turning up.

Linda Woolverton (Book) Woolverton's writing credits include the screenplay for the animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (Golden Globe winner and Academy Award Best Picture nominee); the screenplay (shared) for Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey; screenplay (shared) for the animated feature film The Lion King; the book for the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast (Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical, winner 1998 Olivier Award Best New Musical); and book (shared) for Elton John and Tim Rice's Broadway musical Aida. Also she has written two young-adult novels, StarWind and Running Before the Wind. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts from California State University Long Beach and a Master's degree in Theatre from California State University Fullerton. Linda is currently involved in writing and producing film projects for Miramax and Revolution studios. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Lee Flicker and daughter Keaton.

About The 5th Avenue Theatre The 5th Avenue Theatre is one of America's leading musical theater companies. We enrich the community we love with the art form we love--giving the Pacific Northwest a front-row seat to original powerhouse productions that go on to light up marquees and audiences all the way to Broadway. From the page to the stage, we bring passion and epic scale to every musical we create. With big talent. Bigger-than-life productions. And did we mention dazzle? As a nonprofit theater company and our region's largest performing arts employer, we spread the joy of great musicals with people of all ages across our region and state. Each year, we reach 75,000 young people through our nationally acclaimed education programs. Programs designed to develop new musicals ensure that the next generation of great musicals will be there to tell the stories that captivate tomorrow's audiences. On the national stage, we are a leading voice for the power of this art form to lift the human spirit.

For more information about The 5th Avenue Theatre, its season and its programs, please visit .

Special thanks to Disney's Beauty and the Beast production sponsor UBS, contributing sponsor 4Culture, and restaurant sponsor Purple. Additional thanks to 2021/22 season sponsors ArtsFund and U.S. Bank.

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