Roundabout announces KISS ME, KATE final casting

FINAL CASTING ANNOUNCENT!

CASTING IS COMPLETE FOR THE NEW BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF

THE TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL COMEDY

KISS ME, KATE

STARRING

KELLI O’HARA WILL CHASE

CORBIN BLEU

ALSO STARRING

TERENCE ARCHIE, MEL JOHNSON JR., JAMES T. LANE, STEPHANIE STYLES, ADRIENNE WALKER, LANCE COADIE WILLIAMS

AND

JOHN PANKOW

Music and Lyrics by COLE PORTER

Book by SAM and BELLA SPEWACK

Choreographed by WARREN CARLYLE

Directed by SCOTT ELLIS

Previews Begin February 14, 2019

Official Opening March 14, 2019

Limited engagement through June 2, 2019 at Studio 54 on Broadway

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) is pleased to announce that casting is complete for the new Broadway production of the musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate, starring Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara as “Kate/Lilli Vanessi,” Tony Award nominee Will Chase as “Petruchio/Fred Graham,” Corbin Bleu as “Lucentio/Bill Calhoun,” Terence Archie as “Harrison Howell,” Mel Johnson Jr. as “Harry Trevor/Baptista,” James T. Lane as “Paul,” Stephanie Styles as “Lois Lane/Bianca,” Adrienne Walker as “Hattie,” Lance Coadie Williams as “Gangster (Second Man)” and John Pankow as “Gangster (First Man).”

The cast also includes Phillip Attmore, Darius Barnes, Preston Truman Boyd, Will Burton, Derrick Cobey, Jesmille Darbouze, Rick Faugno, Haley Fish, Tanya Haglund, Erica Mansfield, Marissa McGowan, Sarah Meahl, Christine Cornish Smith, Sherisse Springer, Sam Strasfeld and Ron Todorowski.

Kiss Me, Kate will begin preview performances on Thursday, February 14, 2019 and opens officially on Thursday, March 14, 2019. This is a limited engagement through Sunday, June 2, 2019 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 W 54th St).

Kiss Me, Kate features a book by Sam and Bella Spewack, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, direction by eight-time Tony nominee and Roundabout’s Associate Artistic Director Scott Ellis, choreography by Tony winner Warren Carlyle, music direction by Paul Gemignani.

The creative team includes David Rockwell (Sets), Jeff Mahshie (Costumes), Donald Holder (Lighting), Brian Ronan (Sound), David Brian Brown (Hair & Wig design), Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), David Chase (Dance Arrangements) and Amanda Green (Additional Material).

Roundabout welcomes back longtime friends of the theater; Tony winner Kelli O’Hara who was nominated for her role in the 2006 revival of The Pajama Game opposite Harry Connick, Jr. and Will Chase returns to Roundabout following his Tony nominated role in 2012 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. In 2016, O’Hara, Chase and John Pankow also starred in a sold-out benefit concert reading of Kiss Me, Kate directed by Scott Ellis; and Pankow appeared in Twelve Angry Men (2004). Corbin Bleu returns to Roundabout following his performance in Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical (2016). Stephanie Styles was last seen in the 2016 Roundabout Underground production of Kingdom Come.

In the constellation of musical comedy masterpieces, Kiss Me, Kate shines as perhaps Broadway's most sparkling achievement. This is the winner of the first-ever Tony Award for Best Musical, alive with onstage romance, backstage passion, a hilarious book by Sam and Bella Spewack filled with comedy high and low, a dash of Shakespeare’s Shrew, and the songwriting genius of Cole Porter at his stylish, sexy, sophisticated best, including “Too Darn Hot,” “So In Love” and “Always True To You In My Fashion.” Once again, Roundabout catapults you to musical comedy heaven, with a brand-new Kiss Me, Kate.

BIOS:

KELLI O’HARA (Kate/Lilli Vanessi). Kelli O’Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. Her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in the critically acclaimed revival of The King and I garnered her the 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, along with Drama League and Outer Critics nominations. She is currently appearing as Jackie in the second season of Netflix’s hit 13 Reasons Why and recently completed shooting the upcoming series of The Accidental Wolf. Last year, she joined Showtime’s Master of Sex as Michael Sheen’s long-lost love, Dodie, and can be seen in CBS All Access’ The Good Fight. Other Broadway credits include The Bridges of Madison County (Toy, Drama Desk, Drama League, OCC nominations), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, OCC nominations), South Pacific (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC nominations), The Pajama Game (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC nominations), The Light in the Piazza (Tony & Drama Desk nominations), Sweet Smell of Success, Follies, Dracula, and Jekyll & Hyde. Regional/Off Broadway credits include Far From Heaven (Playwrights Horizons and WTF), King Lear (Public Theater), Bells Are Ringing (City Center Encores), Sunday in the Park with George (Reprise), and My Life With Albertine (Playwright’s Horizons). Concerts span from Carnegie Hall to Capitol Hill. Ms. O’Hara starred as Mrs. Darling in NBC’s live telecast of “Peter Pan” alongside Allison Williams and Christian Borle and made her Metropolitan Opera debut in The Merry Widow with Renee Fleming. Other film and television credits include Sex & The City 2, Martin Scorsese’s The Key to Reserva, Blue Bloods, Alexander Hamilton, N3mbers, and the animated series Car Talk. She is a frequent performer on PBS’s live telecasts and the Kennedy Center Honors. Her solo albums, Always and Wonder in the World are available on Ghostlight Records. Upcoming, Kelli will star in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Così fan tutte as Despina, and will reprise her Tony Award winning role as Anna Leonowens in the highly anticipated West End transfer of The King and I, Summer 2018.

WILL CHASE (Petruchio/Fred Graham). Critically acclaimed, Tony Award Nominated actor and singer Will Chase is currently filming the remake of the feature After The Wedding and can be seen on HBO's “Sharp Objects” and YouTube Red's “Impulse”. He most recently appeared on FX's “American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace”, Netflix's “Stranger Things” and HBO's “The Deuce”, and starred in the ABC drama “Time After Time”. Best known as country star "Luke Wheeler" on ABC's “Nashville”, his other television appearances include recurring roles on “Quantico”, CBS's “The Good Wife”, FX's “Rescue Me”, and as Michael Swift on NBC's Broadway-inspired “Smash”, as well as appearances on “Blue Bloods”, “White Collar”, “Pan Am”, “Royal Pains”, and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”. Film credits include Butterflies of Bill Baker (BEST ACTOR-Chain NYC Film Festival), Four Single Fathers, and Shaft. Known as one of Broadway's "most versatile leading men", he received the 2013 Tony Award Nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL for his portrayal of John Jasper in the Broadway revival of The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. His other Broadway credits include Something Rotten, Billy Elliot, Aida, Lennon, Nice Work If You Can Get It, High Fidelity, The Full Monty, Miss Saigon, and Roger in Rent, which was captured on the big screen in RENT: Filmed Live On Broadway. Will can be heard on several Original Broadway Cast Recordings as well as three seasons of cast albums for the show “Nashville”. He has performed all over the world and has sung with the renowned New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Colorado Symphony. Having studied conducting with Atlanta Symphony's Robert Spano, Will has premiered countless compositions, and has worked and performed with some of the most important composers and musical luminaries in the world. Born and raised in rural Kentucky, Chase trained as a percussionist, conductor, and actor, and received his degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio. He has two daughters, Daisy and Gracie, and calls Brooklyn, New York, home.

CORBIN BLEU (Lucentio/Bill Calhoun) comes from an extensive background in film, television and theatre. He is probably best known for playing Chad Danforth in Disney’s Emmy Award-winning High School Musical franchise. Corbin was most recently seen on Broadway as Ted Hanover in Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony nominated production of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. His performance in Holiday Inn won Bleu the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show. Additional Broadway credits include: Godspell (Jesus) and In the Heights (Usnavi). Other stage highlights include Hairspray (Seaweed) and Mamma Mia! (Sky), both at The Hollywood Bowl. In the summer of 2018, Corbin starred as Don Lockwood, the role made famous by Gene Kelly in The Muny's centennial season production of Singin' in the Rain. Also in 2018, Corbin was honored as Entertainer of the Year from the Tremaine National Gala honoring his work in the dance industry. Corbin's film credits include: To Write Love on Her Arms (starring opposite Kat Dennings), Nurse 3-D and The Monkey's Paw, to name a few. Corbin’s television credits include: “Franklin & Bash,” “Blue Bloods,” “Psych,” “Castle,” “The Fosters” and “Chicago Med.” In 2013, Corbin partnered with Karina Smirnoff on the multi-Emmy Award-winning ABC hit “Dancing with the Stars,” placing a close second. A Brooklyn native, Corbin resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Sasha.

JOHN PANKOW (Gangster – First Man). Broadway: Twelve Angry Men, Cymbeline, Serious Money, The Iceman Cometh, Amadeus. Off- Broadway: The True, Much Ado About Nothing; Dada Woof Papa Hot; Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them; Natural Affection; Medieval Play; The Taming of the Shrew; The Tempest; Equivocation; The Slab Boys; Cloud 9; North Shore Fish; Italian American Reconciliation; Aristocrats; Measure for Measure; Forty-Deuce; Henry V; Two Gentlemen of Verona. Film: Morning Glory, Putzel, Mortal Thoughts, To Live and Die in L.A., Married Young. TV: “Episodes,” “Mad About You,” “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,” “Madam Secretary.”

TERENCE ARCHIE (Harrison Howell) native of Detroit, Michigan and graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts. He resides in New York City playing numerous roles on and off-Broadway and regional theatre. He most notably originated the role of Apollo Creed on Broadway as well as the German translated production (Rocky Das Musical) in Hamburg, Germany at Operettenhaus. Other credits include Broadway: Ragtime. Off-Broadway: The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Second Stage), 1776 (City Center). Solo shows: The Peanut Prince, Frederick Douglas Free, At The Pole. Regional: the world premiere of Robert Askins’ new play The Squirrels at La Jolla, All The Way, The Twelve (DCPA) Twelfth Night (Old Globe), Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tamburlaine The Great, Edward II (STC), Arabian Nights (Berkeley Rep/Arena Theatre). Recent TV credits include “The Mysteries of Laura,” “Manhattan Love Story,” “Madam Secretary,” “The Blacklist” and “Blindspot.”

MEL JOHNSON JR. (Harry Trevor/Baptista) Broadway: Jekyll and Hyde, Hot Feet, The Lion King, Big Deal, The Rink, Eubie!, On The 20th Century. Off Broadway: Road Show, Road to Damascus, Venus, Spell #7 (The Public Theatre); Two Gentleman of Verona/The Musical (Shakespeare in the Park); Boys From Syracuse (Encores!); Rap Master Ronnie (Top of the Gate); Hamlet (Roundabout); Do Lord Remember Me (American Place Theater). National Tours: Frederick Douglass/In The Shadow Of Slavery, Jelly’s Last Jam, All Over Town. Regional: Rep Theatre of St Louis, CenterStage Baltimore, Huntington Theatre Co, Hartford Theatre Works, Mark Taper Forum, Hartford Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, ACT Seattle, Crossroads Theater Film: Total Recall, Hideous, American Blue Note, Intimate Strangers, In The Shadow Of The Cobra. TV: “The Blacklist,” “Jessica Jones,” “On the Air” (series regular), “The Practice,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air,” “Liberty” (mini-series) among others.

JAMES T. LANE (Paul). From Philadelphia. Broadway: King Kong, The Scottsboro Boys, Chicago and A Chorus Line (Richie). West End: The Scottsboro Boys (Ozie/Ruby), A Chorus Line - Revival (London Palladium Theatre). National Tour: Jersey Boys, Cinderella, Fame the Musical. Regional Theatre: Kiss Me, Kate (Old Globe), Once on This Island, The Wiz. Soloist: Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, Ottawa Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony and many more. James works in NYC and all around the country teaching Master classes in music Theatre Dance. Instagram: @jamestlane

STEPHANIE STYLES (Lois Lane/Bianca) recently wrapped the Annapurna Pictures film Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde, and the Blackpills/Anonymous Content series “Bonding.” Her New York Theatre credits include starring opposite Jonathan Groff in The Bobby Darin Story, The Rose in New York City Opera’s The Little Prince, and originating the role of Suz in Roundabout Theatre Company’s Kingdom Come. Stephanie played the role of Princess Ann in the pre-Broadway production of Roman Holiday and starred as Katherine in the first national tour of Disney’s Newsies. Other Film/TV credits include The Submarine Kid and “Glimpse.” Stephanie has performed in concerts at The Kennedy Center, Feinstein’s/54 Below, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Stephanie has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.

ADRIENNE WALKER (Hattie) comes directly from Disney’s The Lion King as Nala and is grateful to join this talented company. A native of Jonesboro, GA, Adrienne is a proud graduate of Spelman College. Favorite regional and touring credits: Porgy & Bess, Iphigenia in Aulis, Agamemnon (Court); The Color Purple (Jeff nomination, Mercury); Sondheim on Sondheim (Porchlight); Brooklyn the Musical (Towle); Dirty Dancing: The Classical Story on Stage. Adrienne voices Peanut on the YouTube animated series “McTucky Fried High.” Many thanks to my family, my husband Austin, and Dawn & Kieran at Gray Talent Group. Matthew 17:20 IG: @asongisinmyheart

LANCE COADIE WILLIAMS (Gangster – Second Man). Lance's credits include Sweat on Broadway and at The Public Theatre; War and Shows for Days at Lincoln Center; and received an Obie Award for BootyCandy at Playwright's Horizons. His regional theatre credits include Sucker Punch, Marcus: or The Secret of Sweet at The Studio Theatre; The Convert at The Wilma Theatre; Fences, The Children's Hour, My Children! My Africa, Blues for an Alabama Sky at Everyman Theatre; Love's Fire and Shoot the Piano Player at The Berkshire Theatre Festival; The Oedipus Plays with The Shakespeare Theatre (Athens, Greece) and the title role of Hamlet with The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. His television credits include “The Wire,” “Elementary,” “High Maintenance” and “The Good Fight.” Lance received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Purchase College Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film and is graduate of The Baltimore School for The Arts.

PHILLIP ATTMORE (Ensemble) has been dancing, singing, and acting since the age of three. Having worked in multiple Broadway shows, film, television and commercials, he has shared the stage and screen with the likes of Hugh Jackman, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Sir Richard Harris, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, Bette Midler, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines and many more. Attmore is a three-time Astaire Award winner, ACCA Award winner, Playbill “Breakout Performance” Award winner and NAACP Theatre Award nominee, and he has been recognized by the sixth season of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” as one of America’s “Top 20” dancers. In addition, Phillip has appeared as a guest artist on several television and variety shows including “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Today Show,” “Maya and Marty” and “The Tony Awards.” Attmore has traveled all over the world working as a consummate performance artist, actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, poet, writer, director, creative consultant and speaker. He is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA, and he is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

DARIUS BARNES (Ensemble) Broadway: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Mr. Beauregard u/s), Memphis (Gator u/s), Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Sweet Charity (Off-Broadway). TV: NBC’s “SMASH”, Good Morning America, 65th TONY Awards, Estelle: “Conqueror”(music video). NY Theater: Cabin in the Sky (Encores!), Aida (Metropolitan Opera), Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Regional: The Sting (Papermill), Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage), My Paris (Longwharf), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Guthrie), La Cage Aux Folles (Goodspeed). Companies: New York City Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Suzanne Farrell Ballet. @dblexicon. dariusbarnes.com

PRESTON TRUMAN BOYD (Ensemble) is currently starring as Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong on Broadway. He was last seen as Artie Green in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard. Other Broadway credits include She Loves Me and On the Twentieth Century at the Roundabout, Bullets Over Broadway, and Big Fish. 1st National: Jersey Boys (Bob Gaudio), Young Frankenstein (The Monster). Regional: Of Mice and Men (Lennie), The Scarlet Letter (Beadle), at Bay Street Theatre as well as multiple shows at The Muny in St. Louis and Kansas City Starlight. TV/Film: “Going in Style,” “Alex Inc.” and “The Guiding Light.”

WILL BURTON (Ensemble) Roundabout: Holiday Inn. Other Broadway: Hello, Dolly! (Ambrose Kemper), An American in Paris. Regional highlights: Paper Mill (South Pacific), Goodspeed (Fiddler on the Roof, Hello, Dolly!), Arena Stage (The Music Man, My Fair Lady), The Muny.

DERRICK COBEY (Ensemble) originated the role of Andy Wright in Kander and Ebb’s The Scottsboro Boys on Broadway. Off-Broadway: The Tin Pan Alley Rag (Roundabout), The Scottsboro Boys (Vineyard Theater); I Am Harvey Milk and Ragtime (Lincoln Center); National tours: Rent, Forever Swing. Regional: Ragtime (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Barrymore nomination); Caroline, or Change (Mercury Theatre Company); Jesus Christ Superstar (Bristol Riverside Theatre); Crowns (Virginia Stage Company, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma); A Little Night Music (Arden Theatre); The Civil War (The Eagle Theatre); The Scottsboro Boys (The Guthrie/Philadelphia Theatre Company); Big River, Ragtime (Lyric of Oklahoma); Hunchback of Norte Dame, Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors, and Macbeth (Great Lakes/ Idaho Shakespeare Festival); Abyssinia, Jesus Christ Superstar (North Shore); Abyssinia (Goodspeed); Ragtime (Paper Mill); Hair (Hangar Theater); Side Show (Cleveland Playhouse); The Buddy Holly Story (Westchester Broadway); Pacific Overtures (Arden Theatre); I Am Harvey Milk (Strathmore); numerous shows at Sacramento Music Circus; concerts and workshops of Andrew Lippa’s A Little Princess and Adam Guettel’s Millions. In 2015 he received a Barrymore Award for his work in Parade at The Arden Theatre.

JESMILLE DARBOUZE (Ensemble) is a Carnagie Mellon-trained actress who recently shot the Refinery29 pilot “Puffy” and has appeared on television series such as Marvel’s “Jessica Jones” on Netflix and “The Mysteries of Laura” on NBC. She had a supporting role in the feature film No Pay, Nudity opposite Nathan Lane. She previously starred in the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s production of Love’s Labour’s Lost and also earned great reviews for her turn in the Denver Theater Center’s production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown (directed by Kathleen Marshall).

RICK FAUGNO (Ensemble) was awarded 'Best Singer' for Frankie Valli, in the original Las Vegas company of Jersey Boys; he received a Fred Astaire Award, for his performance as a Porter, in On the 20th Century (Broadway); and he won the Best Performance award, at the Orlando Film Festival, for the role of 'Alexander', in the film Virgin Alexander. He was recently nominated for an IRNE award, for Eddie Ryan, in Funny Girl, at North Shore Music Theater. Rick performs his one man shows across the country and on cruise ships. TV: Tonys, “America’s Got Talent,” “The Newsroom,” “The Following,” “Conan O’Brien.”

HALEY FISH (Ensemble) is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts (’17). Broadway: Cats (Rumpelteazer), Hello, Dolly! (Swing). Awards: Dance Masters Miss Dance of America (2012). haleycfish.com @oh_hayfish

TANYA HAGLUND (Ensemble) is excited to be making her Roundabout debut! Broadway: Head Over Heels. Tour: Chicago (Go-to-Hell Kitty). She discovered her love of theater at the Muny in shows such as My Fair Lady and Susan Stroman's Oklahoma! Other credits include Arizona Opera's Die Fledermaus, Park Avenue Armory (choreography by Larry Keigwin), Alabama Shakespeare, and Carolina Ballet. She's a proud Arizona Wildcat with a BFA in Dance. Thanks to God, my incredible parents, and Sofia at CESD. All the love to my husband, Lars. @tanyahaglund

ERICA MANSFIELD (Ensemble) is thrilled to be back with Roundabout! On Broadway she was recently seen in the Tony Award-winning company of Bandstand where she understudied the role of June Adams. Over the years you would have also seen her in the Broadway companies of Finding Neverland (understudy Mary Barrie), On the Town (understudy for Claire De Loone) with Misty Copeland, Roundabout’s On the Twentieth Century with Kristin Chenoweth, Evita starring Ricky Martin, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (understudy Miss Jones) with Daniel Radcliff, Pippin (understudy Fastrada), the Broadway and in the National Touring Companies of Mamma Mia (understudy Sophie) and across the country, regionally and internationally in A Chorus Line (Cassie). She has appeared on the Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors and Jimmy Fallon and she is a lifestyle contributor for the TV show “The Hub Today” for NBC Boston. This year Erica had the joy of playing Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia at The North Shore Music Theatre and Theatre By the Sea and she performed in the world premiere of The Sting with Harry Connick Jr. ericamansfield.com

MARISSA MCGOWAN (Ensemble). Broadway: A Little Night Music, Les Misérables and Bonnie & Clyde. National Tour: Les Misérables. Favorite regional credits: Robber Bridegroom (Roundabout), Human Error (Denver Center), Chess (Kennedy Center), Nutty Professor (TPAC, directed by Jerry Lewis), Guinevere in Camelot (Goodspeed), Petra in A Little Night Music (A.C.T.). TV: “Major Crimes,” “Odd Mom Out.” Extensive Symphony work. BFA Syracuse University. marissamcgowan.com

SARAH MEAHL (Ensemble). Broadway: Hello, Dolly!, Paramour. Off-Broadway: Standard Time (The Duke), The Golden Apple (Encores!). Regional: Papermill Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, TUTS, TOTS, The MUNY, KC Starlight, The Old Globe, D.C. Shakespeare and Walnut Street Theatre. TV/Film: Disney, Haunting Evidence, Isn’t It Romantic? Point Park Grad. sarahmeahl.com @happymeahl

CHRISTINE CORNISH SMITH (Ensemble) Broadway: Bombalurina in CATS (Chita Rivera Award nominee, OBC), My Fair Lady (OBC, Lincoln Center). National Tour: Joseph... Dreamcoat. Regional: Laurey in Oklahoma! (MUNY), Sheila in A Chorus Line (Riverside), Guys and Dolls (Goodspeed Opera). Concerts: Crazy For You (Manhattan Concert Productions), Lab/readings: Crazy For You, Bandstand. Guest Artist with Phoenix Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Niagra Symphony Orchestra. christinecornishsmith.com @christinecornish

SHERISSE SPRINGER (Ensemble) is a proud Canadian from Toronto, and LDC artist. Toronto credits include Hairspray (Film), Bojangles with Gregory Hines (Film) and Toronto companies of Mamma Mia and We Will Rock You. In Vegas, she performed in Cirque Du Soleil. LA credits include VMA's, Academy Awards, and Chicago at the Hollywood Bowl, which led to the National Tour. NYC credits include “America's Got Talent,” West Side Story (Carnegie Hall), The Tony Awards, “The Wiz Live!,” Thoroughly Modern Millie (Goodspeed) and The Sting (Papermill).

SAM STRASFELD (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his Roundabout debut! Previous Broadway credits include Mary Poppins, Scandalous, Annie, An American in Paris, Miss Saigon, and last season’s revival of Carousel. Other US credits include The Most Happy Fella (ENCORES!), Follies (Kennedy Center and Ahmanson Theatre), national tours of Jersey Boys and Mary Poppins, as well as Harry Houdini in Ragtime (Milwaukee Rep), and Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! (Cape Playhouse). In Canada, Sam spent 4 seasons as a member of the Shaw Festival, and 3 seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, where he performed in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The Three Musketeers, My Fair Lady, The Threepenny Opera, On The Twentieth Century, Three Sisters, Pal Joey, Journey’s End, Gypsy, Floyd Collins, High Society, Design For Living, and Cabaret. He also appeared in the Canadian premiere of We Will Rock You (Mirvish) and in London’s West End in Peggy Sue Got Married. @samstrasfeld

RON TODOROWSKI (Ensemble) has had a diverse career in musical theater, concert and commercial dance. Broadway credits include Angels in America, Cats, Finding Neverland (original cast), Wicked, Come Fly Away (Resident Director of national tour), Guys and Dolls (Brandy Bottle Bates), The Times They Are A Changin, Movin' Out (Eddie) and Footloose. He starred in London's West End production and first national tour of Movin' Out playing the role of Eddie where he received a Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor in a musical. Off-Broadway and other theater credits include Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, Christopher Wheeldon's Brigadoon at City Center, Chess for the Actor's Fund with Josh Groban, Barrie Manilow's Copacabana, Spirit, Cinderella, workshops of Something To Dance About – An evening of Jerome Robbins and the recent Hello, Dolly! revival. Ron is currently a proud member of Twyla Tharp Dance. He's performed all over the world with the company and others such as Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, The Parsons Dance Company and Mia Michaels “RAW.” Some television and film credits include “Saturday Night Live,” The Tony Awards, The VMA's with Ne-yo, “The Today Show,” “The View” and the feature film Winter's Tale. As a choreographer he's created original work for Nate Ruess (music video, Ah-ha!), RWS Entertainment, Wayne State University, BC Beat and was Associate Choreographer for the Lyric Theater's production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers as well as Celine Dion's Las Vegas show, “A New Day.”

SCOTT ELLIS (Director). Broadway: She Loves Me (Tony Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle nomination), You Can’t Take It With You (Tony Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle nomination), On the Twentieth Century (Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Elephant Man (Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Mystery Of Edwin Drood (Tony nomination), Harvey, Curtains (Tony nomination), The Little Dog Laughed (Lortel nomination), Twelve Angry Men (Tony nomination), The Man Who Had All The Luck, The Rainmaker, 1776 (Drama Desk, Tony nomination), Company, Steel Pier (Tony nomination), She Loves Me (Tony nomination), Picnic, A Month In The Country. Off-Broadway: Dada Wolf, Papa Hot (LCT), Tom Durin, Gruesome Playground Inuries, Streamers, Good Boys And True, The Waverly Gallery, Flora, The Red Menace (DD nom), and The World Goes ‘Round (Drama Desk Award). TV: “Weeds” (EP), “30 Rock” (Emmy nomination, Best Director), “Modern Family,” HBO’s “Divorce.” Associate Artistic Director, Roundabout Theatre Company. Upcoming Broadway: Tootsie.

WARREN CARLYLE (Choreographer). Roundabout: She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Broadway: Director/Choreographer: After Midnight, Chaplin, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Finian’s Rainbow and A Tale of Two Cities; Choreographer for Hello, Dolly!, A Christmas Story, Follies. For City Center Encores!: On Your Toes, Girl Crazy, On the Town, Juno and Stairway to Paradise. Choreographer for Carousel (New York Philharmonic). Regional: Produced, directed and choreographed the pre-Broadway tour of Hugh Jackman: In Performance; directed and/or choreographed Camelot, Harps and Angels, Limelight, Buddy’s Tavern, Lucky Guy, Mame, Dancing in the Dark, The Pirates of Penzance and The Baker’s Wife. Film/TV: “The 68th and 69th Annual Tony Awards” and “SYTYCD.” Warren received a 2013 Emmy nomination for his work on Carousel and the 2014 Tony Award for his work on After Midnight. @carlylewarren

TICKET INFORMATION:

Tickets for Kiss Me, Kate are available by calling 212.719.1300, online at roundabouttheatre.org, in person at any Roundabout box office: American Airlines Theatre Box office (227 West 42nd Street); The Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 W 46th Street) and Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street); or by visiting StubHub, The Premier Secondary Ticketing Partner of Roundabout. Ticket prices range from $57-$167. For groups of 10 or more please call 212-719-9393 x 365 or email groupsales@roundabouttheatre.org.

Major support for Kiss Me, Kate generously provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.

Kiss Me, Kate benefits from Roundabout’s Musical Theatre Production Fund with lead gifts from Perry and Marty Granoff, Michael Kors and Lance Le Pere, and Diane and Tom Tuft, and Cynthia C. Wainwright and Stephen Berger.

Roundabout Theatre Company celebrates the power of theatre by spotlighting classics from the past, cultivating new works of the present, and educating minds for the future. A not-for-profit company, Roundabout fulfills that mission by producing familiar and lesser-known plays and musicals; discovering and supporting talented playwrights; reducing the barriers that can inhibit theatergoing; collaborating with a diverse team of artists; building educational experiences; and archiving over five decades of production history.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents a variety of plays, musicals and new works on its five stages: Broadway’s American Airlines Theatre, Studio 54 and Stephen Sondheim Theatre, and Off-Broadway’s Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, which houses the Laura Pels Theatre and Black Box Theatre.

American Airlines is the official airline of Roundabout Theatre Company. Roundabout productions are supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Roundabout’s 2018-19 Broadway season includes True West by Sam Shepard, directed by James Macdonald, starring Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano; Kiss Me, Kate, directed by Scott Ellis, starring Kelli O’Hara, Will Chase and Corbin Bleu, and Arthur Miller’s All My Sons starring Annette Bening and Tracy Letts, directed by Gregory Mosher.

Off-Broadway in 2018-2019, Roundabout’s season includes Apologia by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Daniel Aukin, with Stockard Channing; Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, directed by Noah Brody in a Fiasco Theater production; Toni Stone by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Pam MacKinnon, with Uzo Aduba; and Usual Girls by Ming Peiffer, directed by Tyne Rafaeli and Something Clean by Selina Fillinger, directed by Margot Bordelon at Roundabout Underground.