Meet the Cast & Team for: Diamond Alice (December 2022 Workshop)
DIAMOND ALICE
a new musical
Book by Ben Steinfeld, Music & Lyrics by Alexander Gemignani, Directed by Amanda Dehnert
Royer Bockus (she/her)*
In six seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Helena in All’s Well That Ends Well; Laurey Williams in Oklahoma!; Jaquenetta, Musician in Love’s Labor’s Lost; Rapunzel in Into the Woods (OSF, Wallis Annenberg Center); Emily in Revenge Song; Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew; Brenda, Ensemble in Hairspray; Outlaw, Musician in The Two Gentlemen of Verona; Mrs. Hopkins, Ensemble in My Fair Lady. Other: Live composer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other theatres: Nana in Peter Pan, A Play; The Rose, Fox u/s in The Little Prince (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Gertie Cummings in Oklahoma!; Puck (select performances) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Trinity Repertory Company); Daphne in Fly By Night (Jungle Theatre). Training: BA in Communications Studies, Musical Theatre Certificate, Northwestern University. Honored to be here, honored to be queer. www.royerbockus.com
Kendall Cafaro (she/her)*
Kendall Cafaro (she/her/hers) is an actor, singer, and maker based in New York City. Originally from West Bloomfield, Michigan, Kendall moved to New York City to attend Fordham University's Theatre Program where she received a BA in Theater Arts. She has had the pleasure of performing at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, The Metropolitan Opera House, Eugene O’Neill Cabaret Conference, Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival, and The Fresh Fruit Festival. She’s currently in post production for a film adaptation of As You Like It, a project she acted in and co-directed (@AsYouLikeItFilm). Kendall is also an alum of Fiasco’s 6 Week Conservatory!
www.kendallcafaro.com @kendall.cafaro
Alex Finke (she/her)*
Alex was most recently seen as Janice & Others in the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. Other credits include: Broadway: Les Misérables (Cosette). Off-Broadway: Johanna in the original cast of the critically acclaimed revival of Sweeney Todd at The Barrow Street Theatre. 1st National Tour: Anything Goes (Hope Harcourt). Regional: Unmasked at Paper Mill Playhouse, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Kit) at The Denver Center, PCLO and Music Theatre Wichita. Recent television credits: “Partner Track” on Netflix. Training: BFA University of Michigan
Jennie Greenberry (she/her)*
A classically trained actor and singer, Jennie has appeared on stages across the US from LA to Off-Broadway. Recent roles include Ariel in The Tempest and Olivia in Twelfth Night (Santa Cruz Shakespeare), the Witch in Into the Woods (PCPA Conservatory Theatre), Meg March in Kate Hamill’s Little Women (Dallas Theater Center/Old Globe), and Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac (Guthrie Theater). Jennie spent 5 years as a company member at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where she was fortunate to play roles like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Marina in the tour of Pericles (Folger Theatre/Guthrie Theater), among many others. Jennie recently appeared in a leading role in her first short film, Crybaby Hill. Catch her being a giant nerd on Tiktok and IG @berriesofgreen
Lisa Helmi Johanson (she/her)*
Lisa Helmi Johanson is a singer/actor/musician/writer who has a passion for developing new works, authentic storytelling, and intentionality in representation as a means to further the work of racial justice and social equity. Broadway: POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive; Off-Broadway/NYC: Avenue Q, Einstein’s Dreams (Original Cast), The Drowning Girls, Three Sisters, Women Beware Women, Rescue Rue. Tours: Fiasco’s Into the Woods, Avenue Q. Select Regional: Anything Goes (Arena Stage), Vietgone (Denver Center), The Chinese Lady (Milwaukee Rep; Best Actress award – Milwaukee Broadwayworld), Amadeus (Syracuse Stage), Once (Cape Playhouse), Waterfall (5th Avenue Theatre & Pasadena Playhouse), Priscilla... (Ogunquit & Gateway Playhouses), 4,000 Miles (St. Louis Rep.), Taming of the Shrew (VA Stage). Film/TV: Law & Order: SVU, A Holiday Spectacular (Hallmark Channel), Z-Rock (IFC), The Onion News Network. Lisa has spanned out to writing and producing during the pandemic and her first co-written piece, Kim Loo Gets a Redo (IG:@kimlooredo), was selected for the 2021 Ice Factory Festival at the New Ohio Theater in NYC in which she performed in while eight months pregnant. Her second co-written play, The Porch on Windy Hill, received its world premiere at Ivoryton Playhouse fall of '21 with another production coming up in Chicago at Northlight Theatre as part of their 2022-23 season. Lisa and her husband are close to launching a sitcom podcast called Preschool (IG:@preschoolsitcom) in which she co-directs, acts, and sound designs. She is active in racial justice work in her community and serves on the AAPI Advisory Council for the DA of Queens, NYC. Micah 6:8 For my J&J. IG:@hurricanehelmi www.lisahelmijohanson@gmail.com
Georgia Mendes (she/her)*
Georgia’s professional debut was at The Muny performing in the Unsinkable Molly Brown. During her time at Carnegie Mellon University she played Aphra Behn in Or, Rosie in Cabaret, and Cinderella in Into the Woods. She currently lives in NYC. She’s so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Diamond Alice and to work with this fantastic group of artists.
Paco Tolson (he/him) *
Paco Tolson: Off-Broadway: Vietgone (MTC, Lortel nom.), Twelfth Night (Fiasco/CSC), The Unwritten Song (EST), Slavery (Clubbed Thumb), The Children of Vonderly and Rescue Me (Ma-Yi Theater), Soul Samurai (Ma-Yi/Vampire Cowboys). Regional: Measure for Measure (Fiasco/Actors Theatre of Louisville), The Winter’s Tale and Vietgone (OSF), Peter and the Starcatcher, Vietgone, and Poor Yella Rednecks (South Coast Rep). Film/TV: “Billions,” “Prodigal Son,” “Madam Secretary,” “The Good Fight,” “Happy!,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “The Code,” “Search Party,” and 7 Day Gig. Paco is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre. Upcoming: to the yellow house (La Jolla Playhouse) @pacotolson
Kalyn West (she/they)*
The Prom Broadway (Shelby, u/s Emma, Alyssa); Gigantic Off Broadway (Marlie); The Prom 1st National Tour (Alyssa Greene); Mean Girls 1st National Tour (Ensemble). NY: Nikola Tesla Drops The Beat ATF (Kat Johnson); The Demise NYMF (Natalie); PopStar Alchemy Theater Productions (Katie). Regional: The Gardens of Anuncia The Old Globe (Young Anuncia); Moby Dick A.R.T. (Stubb); Hunchback of Notre Dame Fulton (Esmeralda); Prince of Egypt TheatreWorks (Ensemble); In The Heights Fulton (Vanessa); RENT Casa Mañana (Mimi); Back Home Again Lesher Center (Aggie); The Music Man Flatrock Playhouse (Zaneeta); ASS by Ellen Simon Pioneer Theatre Company (Ana). TV/Film: Blue Bloods, Season 6 CBS (Rachel); Imitation Girl Ilium Pictures (Gabby) Reps: The Talent House @misskurlykay www.kalynwest.com
Alexander Gemignani (he/him) - Music & Lyrics
Alexander Gemignani is an Artistic Director, actor, music director, orchestrator, conductor, composer/lyricist, and educator. As an actor on Broadway: My Fair Lady (Doolittle), Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (Enoch Snow - Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Grammy Nominations), Violet (Father), Chicago (Billy), Les Misérables (Valjean - Drama League nomination), Sweeney Todd (Beadle - Drama Desk nomination), Assassins (Hinckley - Theatre World Award), The People In The Picture (Moishe), Sunday in the Park With George (Boatman/Dennis). Off-Broadway: Road Show at the Public (Addison Mizner - Drama League nomination), Headstrong at EST (Nick) and Avenue Q at the Vineyard Theatre (Brian). Favorite Regional: Hamilton in Chicago (King George III, original cast), The Three Sisters (Andrei) at Cincinnati Playhouse, The Boys From Syracuse (Sergeant) at The Shakespeare Theatre of D.C. and the title character in the world premiere musical Saint-Ex at The Weston Playhouse. Concerts: The N.Y. Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, The N.Y. Pops at Carnegie Hall, The L.A. Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl and the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. His solo show, All At Once, premiered at the Kennedy Center as a part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series. As a music director, he was represented Off-Broadway with Fiasco Theatre’s production of Merrily We Roll Along at the Roundabout (also penned new orchestrations) and is made his Broadway conducting debut as Music Supervisor for the 2019/2020 revival of West Side Story. TV/Film: Servant (Apple TV), Empire (FOX - Recurring), Chicago Fire (NBC), Homeland (Showtime - Recurring), The Good Wife (CBS), Empire State (ABC Pilot), the film The Producers (Universal), three appearances on The Tony Awards (CBS) and upcoming on season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (AMAZON - Recurring). Additionally, he made his conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve 2019 with the concert, Celebrating Sondheim, featuring symphonic suites and guest soloist, Katrina Lenk which aired on Live From Lincoln Center. As a composer/lyricist, he is currently developing two new musicals, Diamond Alice and swingset/moon, and has composed the incidental music for several plays. As an educator, he recently accepted accepted a position Northwestern University as Associate Professor of Instruction and Artistic Director of the American Music Theatre Project and has served on the faculty of the National Theatre Institute at The O’Neill and NYU Steinhardt. He has also served as guest faculty or guest artist for the University Of Michigan, Texas State University, Syracuse University (Tepper) and NYU Tisch School Of The Arts. He is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop and a proud graduate of The University of Michigan. 2018 marked the beginning of his tenure serving as Artistic Director for the National Music Theater Conference at The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, CT where he has helped shepherd over 20 new musicals. His greatest joys are his beautiful daughter and his incredible wife, Erin Ortman.
Ben Steinfeld (he/him) - Book
Ben Steinfeld is an actor, director, teacher, writer, and musician. He is one of Fiasco Theater’s Co-Artistic Directors and founders. For Fiasco: Iachimo/Arviragus/Co-director, Cymbeline; Baker/Co-director, Into the Woods; Lucio/Froth/Co-director, Measure for Measure; Co-director, Two Gentlemen of Verona; Composer and Music Director, Imaginary Invalid: Feste/Co-director, Twelfth Night; Frank, Merrily We Roll Along. Broadway: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Cyrano de Bergerac. Off-Broadway: One Thousand Nights and One Day, Bloody Bloody... Regional: Westport, Williamstown, Trinity Rep, McCarter, Old Globe, CTG, Bread Loaf. As a director: Into the Woods national tour, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Folger Theatre. TV/Film: Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight, Callahan, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan", "The Deuce", "The Good Wife", "Law & Order: Crimimal Intent". Ben is writing the book for the new musical, Diamond Alice (music & lyrics by Alexander Gemignani), and has written book, music and lyrics for an adaptation of the children's book, Twelve Kinds of Ice. Since 2007, Ben has been an adjunct professor and artistic associate at NYU's Gallatin School, where he has twice received the Excellence in Teaching Award and co-directed several productions. Ben lives near a lovely canal in New Jersey with his wife, Kate, and son, Leo.
Amanda Dehnert - Director
Recent productions include: West Side Story (director), Carnegie Hall; Love’s Labor’s Lost, Timon of Athens, and Julius Caesar (adaptor, composer, director) for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; world premiere productions of The Steadfast Tin Soldier (composer), Eastland: A New Musical (director, orchestrator), and Peter Pan – A Play (author), for Lookingglass Theatre Company; Richard III (director, adaptor, composer), for The Public Theatre Mobile Shakespeare Unit; The Verona Project (author and composer, world premiere), for California Shakespeare Theatre; Death of a Salesman (director, composer), for Dallas Theatre Center; The Fantasticks (director, music director), for Trinity Rep, Long Wharf, Arena Stage, and South Coast Rep. Amanda is an associate professor of theatre at Northwestern University.
Sheela Ramesh (she/her) - Music Director
Sheela Ramesh is a music director, composer, and musician with a passion for stories and sounds that have traditionally been marginalized, and a mission to use art as a force for social justice. Recent work has included Broadway (SIX, Moulin Rouge), Off-Broadway (Merrily We Roll Along, New York Theatre Workshop), TV (Annie Live!, NBC), concert (Jessica Vosk, My Golden Age, Carnegie Hall), cabaret (54 Below, Green Room 42), regional theater (Group!, Passage Theatre), and developmental workshops (The Karate Kid, Bliss, Jeannette, Work, A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group), The Lunchbox (Lincoln Center Theater), The Hula Hoopin’ Queen of 139th Street (New York City Children’s Theater), Miss Step (Playwrights Horizons), and of course, Diamond Alice (Fiasco Theater)). Sheela received undergraduate and graduate degrees in vocal performance at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music and the Royal College of Music, She also holds degrees in psychology/cognitive science (BS, Carnegie Mellon; MSc, University College London) and law (JD, Yale Law School), and has spent her nonmusical professional life working to ensure that youth who’ve experienced trauma have opportunities to thrive. Proud member of Maestra and MUSE (Musicians United for Social Equity).
Melody Valdez (she/her) - Music Assistant
Melody Valdez is an NYC-based Music Director, Arranger, and Pianist. She enjoys working on new musicals, and has worked on readings/workshops of A Wrinkle In Time, Tiananmen, and The Lunchbox. Favorite credits include traveling as AMD/Keys 3 for SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical National Tour and MD/Arranger at Paper Mill Playhouse's New Voices Concert. Additional music directing credits include Cabaret, A Chorus Line, and Bat Boy. Melody has also enjoyed working with AfterWork Theater, Berkeley Playhouse Conservatory, and National Asian Artists Project’s Broadway Community Chorus. As a composer, you can also find her original musical short, Swipe Sisters, on Spotify and YouTube.
Roxana Khan - Stage Manager*
Off Broadway: Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (Manhattan Theatre Club); Epiphany, Greater Clements (Lincoln Center), Mies Julie, The Dance of Death (Classic Stage), Kings (The Public); Pride and Prejudice (Primary Stages). Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Westport Country Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, Wallis Annenberg Center, and others.
Avery Trunko - Assistant Stage Manager
Broadway: Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Off-Broadway: Belfast Girls (Irish Repertory Theater); The Confession of Lily Dare (Primary Stages); Hangmen, On the Shore of the Wide World (Atlantic Theater Company); Privacy, Julius Caesar (Public Theater); This Space Between Us, Molly Sweeney (Keen Company); Uncle Vanya (Hunter Theater Project) By the Way Meet Vera Stark (Signature Theatre); Eureka Day (Colt Coeur); Superstitions, The Ding Dongs, Is Edward Snowden Single? (The Pool Plays) Select Regional: Hartford Stage Company, Dorset Theatre Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare, Yale Repertory Theatre; Avery holds an MFA from Yale School of Drama, and a BFA from Hofstra University.
Julia Bates - Assistant Stage Manager*
*The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
FIASCO THEATER
Co-Artistic Directors: Jessie Austrian, Noah Brody, Ben Steinfeld
Managing Producer: BJ Evans