Jelly’s Last Jam Jelly’s Last Jam

Jelly’s Last Jam  | 

May 29 — June 23

When legendary musician Jelly Roll Morton’s soul is forced to face the music, the self-proclaimed “inventor of jazz” is left at the ultimate crossroads. With soulful melodies, electrifying tap dancing, and fiery tunes that will leave you breathless, get your groove on with this dazzling musical masterpiece.

“Makes the invention of jazz a miraculous, eruptive theatrical event.”

-New York Times

Book by George C. Wolfe

Music by Jelly Roll Morton

Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead

Musical Adaptation and Additional Music Composed By Luther Henderson

2 Hours, 30 Minutes
One 15 Minute Intermission

OPENING NIGHT: JUN 2

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When legendary musician Jelly Roll Morton’s soul is forced to face the music, the self-proclaimed “inventor of jazz” is left at the ultimate crossroads. With soulful melodies, electrifying tap dancing, and fiery tunes that will leave you breathless, get your groove on with this dazzling musical masterpiece.

“Makes the invention of jazz a miraculous, eruptive theatrical event.”

-New York Times
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Cast

John Clarence Stewart

John Clarence Stewart

Jelly Roll Morton

John Clarence Stewart

John was most recently seen as Big Teak in the latest season of the hit show, P-Valley, written by Pulitzer Prize Winner Katori Hall. John was born and raised in Stone Mountain GA, and started his theater journey in the Atlanta theater community. He moved to NY after performing as Tray in the world premiere of brownsville song (b-side for tray) at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. John made his television debut on the series Gotham and The Mysteries of Laura. Since then he has played lead roles in notable shows such as NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and What If…?, as well as Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix. This past year, John starred in a solo performance at 54 Below. BroadwayWorld called him, “the most authentic, the most genuine, the most sincere person an audience could ever hope to find on a stage.” This year, John debuted his self-written and performed one man show, Soft As It Began, in the Stripped Bare Arts incubator project with Synchronicity Theater in Atlanta.

Cress Williams

Cress Williams

Chimney Man

Cress Williams

Cress is best known for starring as DC’s title-character in The CW’s critically acclaimed Greg Berlanti drama series, Black Lightning. Additionally, he also stars in the murder-mystery film, What Remains, alongside Kellan Lutz and Anne Heche. Other film credits include Two Days in the Valley opposite James Spader, Jeff Daniels, Teri Hatcher, and Charlize Theron; as well as Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore, Michael Vartan, and David Arquette. Some theater credits include Othello, Elephant Man, Extremities, and Red Noses. Television credits include ER, NYPD Blue, The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, and Friday Night Lights. Cress can also be seen in four successful seasons as a series regular on Hart of Dixie with Rachel Bilson, in addition to stints on Prison Break; Living Single; Nash Bridges; Close to Home; Code Black; Cold Case; and Beverly Hills, 90210.

Jasmine Amy Rogers

Jasmine Amy Rogers

Anita

Jasmine Amy Rogers

Jasmine recently wrapped a run in Chicago as the title character in the Broadway bound production of BOOP! The Musical, reteaming her with director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell. She played the scene stealing Gretchen Wieners in the National Tour of Mean Girls, was seen as Melody Green in Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of The Wanderer and as Francis Bassey in the world premiere of Becoming Nancy, directed by Jerry Mitchell at the Alliance Theatre. TV includes Evil on Paramount+.  She was a Jimmy Awards’ finalist and appeared in Cabaret as Sally Bowles at the Manhattan School of Music where she studied musical theater.

Wilkie Ferguson III

Wilkie Ferguson III

Jack the Bear

Wilkie Ferguson III

Wilkie is thrilled to return to Pasadena Playhouse after performing in Stormy Weather and Ray Charles Live (Young Ray). A graduate of New World School of the Arts, Wilkie studied mathematics at Morehouse College and classical piano at Eastman School of Music before joining the faculty of the Boys’ Choir of Harlem as assistant director/music theory instructor. Broadway: Porgy and Bess; Motown: The Musical; Wonderland. Tours: In the Heights; Hairspray. Off Broadway/Regional: Fetch Clay, Make Man (Kirk Douglas Theatre); Recorded In Hollywood (ovation nomination); Cotton Club Parade (Encores). Musical Director: 9 to 5 (Musical Theatre West) Newsies (5-Star Theatricals); Kinky Boots (Moonlight Stage). Composer/Orchestrator: Show Way (Kennedy Center); Parrotheads (Netflix’s Jimmy Buffett documentary). IG: @wilkieferguson, @takeonmemusical.

Karole Foreman

Karole Foreman

Gran Mimi/Ensemble

Karole Foreman

1776 (National Tour); Lady Day (Ovation Award – Cygnet Theatre, freeFall Theatre, International City Theatre, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Pacific Conservatory Theatre); A Few Good Men (La Mirada Theatre); Blues in the Night (ICT/Ebony Rep); A Little Night Music (SD Theatre Critics Nomination) and Stupid F’ing Bird (Cygnet Theatre); Porgy & Bess, Sweeney Todd, Intimate Apparel (Ensemble Theatre Company); Fences (PCPA/ ICT, NAACP Nomination); Wedding Band (Antaeus – Stage Raw Nomination); Next to Normal (OC Weekly Award); Parade, Jelly’s Last Jam (Suzi Bass Award, Mark Taper/Alliance Theatre); Mamma Mia! (Vegas); and numerous regional theaters. TV: Days of Our Lives, Monster, The Connors, Good Trouble, NCIS, Brooklyn 99, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rebel. Film: The Banality, 42, Rebirth, Buddy Solitaire. www.karoleforeman.com

Eric B. Anthony

Eric B. Anthony

Three Finger Jake/Ensemble

Eric B. Anthony

Stage Raw, Ovation, NAACP Theatre, BroadwayWorld, Eddon, Scenie, YoungArts, and ACT-SO Award recipient. Proud AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and NAACP member. Broadway: Mary Poppins; Hairspray; The Lion King. Off-Broadway/Regional: THREE; For the Love of a Glove; Bronco Billy – The Musical; Five Guys Named Moe; Merrily We Roll Along; Midsummer Night; Recorded in Hollywood; Kiss Me, Kate; Dreamgirls; The Producers; The Wiz; Rent; Sophisticated Ladies; Jelly’s Last Jam; Damn Yankees; Grand Hotel; Bye Bye Birdie; Golden Boy; Fame; The Difficulty of Crossing a Field; bonded; Something Happened. Film: I’ll Be Watching; Coffee House Chronicles; Waiting in the Wings. TV: Encore!; The Affair; Tosh.0. “Gratitude to my supportive family and friends, for the unconditional love. Glory to GOD for everything!” @EricBAnthony #IlluminatingHumanity

Doran Butler

Doran Butler

Young Jelly/Ensemble

Doran Butler

Doran first fell in love with tap dance after meeting Debbie Allen at the age of thirteen. He asked her if he could be the understudy for the lead role of Alex in Debbie Allen’s Alex in Wonderland at the Kennedy Center. He also played Young Charley to Wayne Brady’s Charley in Michael Arden’s Merrily We Roll Along at the Wallis Annenberg Center. His television credits include ABC’s Single Parents, HBO’s The Comeback and Curb Your Enthusiasm, two of Ryan Murphy’s series, Netflix’s, and FX’s American Crime Story: Impeachment. Most recently he’s reoccurring in the final season of Freeform’s Good Trouble. He can also be seen in Damien Chazelle’s film La La Land.

Chante Carmel

Chante Carmel

Ensemble

Chante Carmel

Chante is humbled and honored to be able to grace the stage once again. Broadway: Motown. National Tours: The Lion King, Waitress (first national tour), Motown (first national tour), Dirty Dancing, Rent. Regional Theater:  Dreamgirls. TV/Film: Baby Blue, Beauty and the Baller, New Girl, ER, A Different World, Buppies, A Beautiful Soul, Boston Public, Where I Live. Songwriter: “Live Your Dreams,” Save the Last Dance. Chante is also an accomplished author with her acclaimed book Sh!t I Learned On Tour (available on Amazon). This show is for my beautiful son DJ, “you are my dream come true.” Thank you God, my husband, amazing parents, family/friends, Fire Starter Entertainment, and The Talent Connect Management. IG: @iamchantecarmel

Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill

Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill

Hunnie

Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill

A bona fide worshiper, Cyd has been dancing professionally since the age of seven and made her Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical, Black and Blue, at the age of 12. Additional credits: A Gala for the President, Cool Women, Jazz-Tap/Hip Hop Tour (Jacob’s Pillow), The Gregory Hines Show. Graduate of USC (BS) and CBU (MA), entrepreneur, choreographer, grant recipient (Irvine Dance in California), and sought after dance instructor. Greatest accomplishment: being Jhalen and Karina’s mom. Cyd is grateful to her Lord and Savior Jesus for the opportunity to return to the stage, and thanks her supportive husband, Prentice, her mom, and dance instructors for nurturing her gifts. “A City on a Hill can’t be hidden.”

Summer Nicole Greer

Summer Nicole Greer

Miss Mamie

Summer Nicole Greer

Summer, a Southern California native, is thrilled to be making her Pasadena Playhouse debut. Some of her most recent credits include: Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet (Musical Theater West/5-Star Theatricals), Armelia in Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Laguna Playhouse), and The Voice of the People and Michelle Obama understudy in 44: The Unofficial Unsanctioned Obama Musical (Bourbon Room). Additionally, she’s been featured on FOX’S I Can See Your Voice, and plays a number of roles as a live vocalist at the Disneyland Resort. She is also an accredited Los Angeles session vocalist for many acts, including world-renown K-POP group BTS. IG: @summersometimes

Janaya Jones

Janaya Jones

Hunnie

Janaya Jones

Regional Credits: Della/Belle in Team Starkid’s VHS Christmas Carols; Felicia Farrell in Memphis, Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Linda in The Wedding Singer (Moonlight Amphitheatre); Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (Theatre at the Welk); Featured Performer in R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Lamb’s Players Theatre); Marty in Grease (Musical Theatre West); and Stanley Uris/Henry Bowers in the Rockwell musical Stephen King’s It: A Musical Parody. Other credits include shows at The Old Globe Theatre, Performance Riverside, San Diego Music Theatre, and 5 Star Theatricals. Disneyland Credits: Queenie and The Jambalaya Jazz Band, Five and Dime Jazz Band, The Disney Junior Dance Party, Frozen: Live at the Hyperion. To My Love, Will and My Rock, Mom. @Esmerelduhhh_

Grasan Kingsberry

Grasan Kingsberry

Buddy Bolden/Ensemble

Grasan Kingsberry

Emmy, Grammy, ACCA, and Regional BroadwayWorld Award-winning artist. With a BFA from The Juilliard School, he was featured in 11 Broadway productions including the Tony winning Best Revival of Once On This Island. Grasan contributed to the original 2005 Broadway production and the 2015 Tony, Grammy, and Emmy-winning revival of The Color Purple. Other Broadway credits:  Motown, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Leap of Faith, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Finian’s Rainbow, Catch Me If You Can, and Aida. TV: Mozart in the Jungle (Ben), Smash, Royal Pains, All My Children, Today Show. Film: The Aerialist and I Am Legend. Currently faculty at USC Kaufman School of Dance and DADA. IG: @gray_sandy

Amber Liekhus

Amber Liekhus

Ensemble

Amber Liekhus

Described as a “versatile singer, whose voice is at once regal and affectionate” (LA Times), Amber has had a thrilling career in the US and abroad. Favorites include: Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd and U/S for Ruby in King Hedley II at A Noise Within, Annie at The Hollywood Bowl, Sweet Charity with Reprise 2.0, Blues in the Night at the Wallis, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Rent with McCoy Rigby. Accomplished operatic soprano, Amber appeared as Queen of El Dorado in Candide at LA Opera, the title role in Suor Angelica with Opera di Roma, and Lily in Porgy and Bess at San Francisco Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Love to husband Justin and their kids, Julien and Jasper.

Davon Rashawn

Davon Rashawn

Ensemble

Davon Rashawn

Davon has been exploring the intricacies of dance since he was a child. His environment instilled a constant search for diversity in the arts. He took his studies to the University of Southern California where he earned his BFA in dance. Since then, he’s danced works by Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, and Jermaine Spivey. Professionally he’s also worked in shows like Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, Mamma Mia!, Tarzan, and Graffiti Pete in In the Heights. Presently he’s been splitting his time between the concert and commercial world. He’s appeared on Nickelodeon, New York Fashion Week, Snapchat and commercials with Gal Gadot, Hozier, and Zendaya. He’s really excited to be making his debut at the Pasadena Playhouse!

Joe Aaron Reid

Joe Aaron Reid

Foot-In-Yo-Ass Sam/Ensemble

Joe Aaron Reid

Joe is thrilled to be making his Pasadena Playhouse debut. Internationally acclaimed for originating the role of Curtis Taylor Jr. in the West End smash hit musical Dreamgirls, opposite Pasadena Playhouse and Glee alum, Amber Riley. His additional West End credits include originating Benny in Lin Manuel Miranda’s Tony and Olivier Award-winning, In The Heights, and Stephen in the European premiere of Mark Gerrard’s, Steve. His Broadway credits include If/Then, Ghost, Catch Me If You Can, Finian’s Rainbow, Chicago, and Curtains. TV/film: Smash, The Homemade Sketch Show, Robozuna, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (2024), and The Holiday Exchange (2024). Many thanks to 44 West Entertainment. Love to A & D. @Joeaaronreid

Naomi C. Walley

Naomi C. Walley

Hunnie

Naomi C. Walley

Naomi hails from Chicago, IL. Pasadena Playhouse debut! Broadway: Chicago (Velma Kelly). Off Broadway: A Chorus Line (Bebe, NY City Center). National Tour: The Bodyguard (Rachel/Nikki Marron alternate). International Tour: West Side Story (Anita) as well as numerous regional productions. TV/Film: Winning Time (HBO), Deadly D*lf (Tubi), In The Heights (Warner Brothers Studios), and The Get Down (Netflix). Naomi has also had the privilege of developing various new works and Broadway productions, including the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story and most notably MJ: The Musical. She wishes to thank God, Kent and Dell, Innovative Artists, and of course, all of her friends and family for their undying love and support! Follow @naomicwalley

Hannah Yosef

Hannah Yosef

Too Tight Nora/Ensemble

Hannah Yosef

Hannah is a dancer, singer, and actor based in Los Angeles, California. This Texas native decided to follow her dreams by moving to LA to receive a BFA in Performing Arts from The American Musical & Dramatic Academy. Her first steps in front of the camera became reality in music videos such as Tinashe X Griffin “Scandalous” and Candy Lover Ft. Ken-Y “Maldita Locura”. Other credits include commercials for Volkswagen “Made By America ” and for Outshine “Joy Inside Out”. Above anything else, Hannah is inspired by people and their stories and she is incredibly grateful for her mom, brother, mentors, and all that have shed light and love in her life.

Creative Team

George C. Wolfe (Book)

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Theatre directing credits include The Iceman Cometh, Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (NY Drama Critics’ Circle Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Musical); Lucky Guy; The Normal Heart (Drama Desk); Jelly’s Last Jam (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award); Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (Tony Award and Drama Desk) and Perestroika (Drama Desk); Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (Tony and Drama League Award); Topdog/Underdog (Obie Award); Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Drama Desk); Elaine Stritch at Liberty (Tony for Special Theatrical Event); The Tempest; Caroline, or Change (Olivier Award Best Musical); and A Free Man of Color. From 1993-2005 Wolfe was the Producer of The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival. He is the writer of the award-winning The Colored Museum, Shuffle Along…, he directed/adapted Spunk (Obie Award), and Harlem Song.

Ferdinand La Menthe “Jelly Roll” Morton (Music)

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Morton was born in the Creole gentry of New Orleans in 1891, but was irresistibly drawn to the excitement of the infamous Storyville district where he made his reputation as a pianist. At a young age he left New Orleans to travel the country, landing in Chicago in the 1920s. He and his band, The Red Hot Peppers, became the top black recording artists for RCA Records in 1927-1928. Morton’s music integrated the sounds of ragtime, blues, African rhythms and French opera, establishing him as one of the great jazz pioneers. But by 1930 his music was considered old hat. He died in Los Angeles in 1941.

Susan Birkenhead (Lyrics)

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Susan Birkenhead received a Tony Nomination, a Grammy nomination and a Drama Desk Award for her lyrics for Jelly’s Last Jam, which she wrote with George C. Wolfe.  She was nominated for a Tony award for Working, and a Drama Desk Award for Triumph of Love. She won an Outer Critics Circle Award for What About Luv? and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Minsky’s. She wrote additional lyrics for High Society on Broadway, and  was one of several writers of A My Name Is Alice and Stars of David off Broadway. The Secret Life of Bees, which she’s written with Lynn Nottage and Duncan Sheik, just finished a run in London and will open in New York in 2025. Boop, which she’s written with David Foster and Bob Martin, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, will go into rehearsals in January and will open on Broadway in April of 2025.

Luther Henderson (Musical Adaptation and Additional Music Composed)

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Luther Henderson was a composer, arranger, orchestrator, music director, and performer with a long and impressive career spanning multiple genres. Henderson worked on more than 50 Broadway productions. He served as the original pianist and orchestrator, arranger, and musical supervisor for Ain’t Misbehavin‘. For Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, he was the musical consultant and arranged several selections. He orchestrated the Tony Award-winning Raisin and Play On! As a dance arranger, Henderson‘s credits included Flower Drum Song, Do Re Mi, Funny Girl, and No, No Nanette. He also had a robust recording career, featuring albums with the Canadian Brass Quintet, Eileen Farrell, Columbia Records, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, Mandy Patinkin, Polly Bergen, Anita Ellis, and others. (Sources: National Endowment for the Arts, Playbill.com)

Kent Gash (Director)

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Co-Author and Director, Something to Live For at Pittsburgh Public (BroadwayWorld Best New Musical), The Three Musketeers at Oregon Shakespeare and The Acting Co. Tarell McCraney’s Choir Boy, Steppenwolf, Studio Theatre  (Jeff & Bay Area Critics Awards). LA: August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean at South Coast Rep, Harriet’s Return at Geffen Playhouse. NYC: Barbecue at the Public, Lockdown at Rattlestick, Miss Evers’ Boys (NYC premiere) at Melting Pot. Select from 100+ Award winning Regional: Guys and Dolls at the Guthrie; The Wiz at Ford’s Theatre; “Master Harold”…and the Boys at Arizona Theatre Company; Tarell McCraney’s Wig Out! at Studio Theatre DC and Sundance; Jelly’s Last Jam; Pacific Overtures; Topdog/Underdog (Norton Award); God of Carnage; Five Guys Named Moe; Quiara Hudes’ Elliot, a Soldier’s Fugue; and 26 MILES, as the Associate Artistic Director at Alliance Theatre (2001-2009). Troilus and Cressida, Godspell, Twelfth Night, Guys and Dolls, Beehive, as Associate Artistic Director at Alabama Shakespeare Festival (1999-2001). Kent is the current Artistic Director at The Acting Company (2021-present) and Founding Director of New Studio on Broadway, Tisch, NYU. BFA: Carnegie-Mellon. MFA: UCLA.

Darryl Archibald (Music Direction)

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Some Like It Hot (Broadway – Shubert Theatre); Motown: The Musical (Broadway – Nederlander Theatre); Yemandja the new Angelique Kidjo musical (music supervisor – world tour); Jelly’s Last Jam (guest conductor – New York City Center); Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ (Pre Broadway engagement – The Old Globe); Encore! on Disney+ (Ragtime episode); The Color Purple (Broadway tour and Paper Mill Playhouse); Wicked (substitute conductor – Pantages Theater); Memphis (Broadway tour); A Little Night Music, Ragtime, Little Shop of Horrors with M.J. Rodriguez (Pasadena Playhouse); Dear World with Tyne Daly (VPAC); Two By Two with Jason Alexander (Reprise); Passion (Boston Court); Jonathan Dove’s Innocence (Banff Centre). Full bio at darrylarchibald.com.

Dell Howlett (Choreographer)

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Dell is a New York based Virginia born choreographer/director. Selected credits: Forsyth County Is Flooding (Atlanta Opera), Malvolio (Classical Theatre of Harlem), Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For (Pittsburgh Public Theatre), Toni Stone (Alliance Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory) It Came From Outer Space (Chicago Shakespeare Theater and TheatreSquared), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Guys and Dolls (Guthrie Theatre), Paradise Square (Associate to Bill T. Jones, Berkeley Repertory Theatre), The Wiz (Ford’s Theater), WigOut (Studio Theater), The C.A. Lyons Project (Alliance Theater). Head of Dance at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts in the Department of Drama’s New Studio on Broadway. Upcoming: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Summer 2024, Classical Theatre of Harlem), Mandela the Musical (Fall 2024), and Furlough’s Paradise (Spring 2025, Geffen Playhouse). IG: @aristotlejr

Edward E. Haynes, Jr. (Scenic Design)

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Ed is excited to be returning to the Playhouse where he last designed Crowns. Regional credits include: Arizona Theatre Company, Laguna Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Muny Opera, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Mark Taper Forum, Ebony Repertory Theatre Company, South Coast Rep, Kirk Douglas Theatre, Berkeley Rep, East West Players, Hollywood Bowl, Marin Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, Intiman Theatre, Trinity Rep, Pittsburgh City Theater, Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and many he can no longer remember. Television credits include: MTV’s Spring Break 2012 & 2011, Hip Hop Harry, The Tony Rock Project, and Culture Clash. Ed is the father of twins, Denis and Wesly, and husband to Director Elizabeth Bell-Haynes. edhaynes.carbonmade.com

Samantha C. Jones (Costume Design)

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Samantha (she/her) is thankful to be returning to Pasadena Playhouse, where she previously designed Stew. She is a costume designer and educator with previous design credits at Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Court Theatre, Paramount Theatre (Aurora), Drury Lane Theatre, Writers Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago Children’s Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Cleveland Playhouse, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Alley Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, First Stage Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Peninsula Players Theater, and others. Current production(s): The Lonely Few (MCC Theatre). Her work can be viewed at samanthacjones.com.

Rui Rita (Lighting Design)

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Rui (he/him) Select Broadway: Skeleton Crew, Velocity of Autumn, Trip to Bountiful, Present Laughter, Dividing the Estate, Enchanted April. Off Broadway premieres: Paradise Blue, Horton Foote’s Old Friends and The Orphans’ Home Cycle (Hewes Award) (Signature Theatre), Happiest Song Plays Last (Second Stage), Just Jim Dale (Roundabout Theatre Company), Nightingale and Moonlight and Magnolias (Manhattan Theatre Club), The Carpetbagger’s Children and Far East (Lincoln Center Theater), Dinner with Friends (Variety Arts Center). Off Broadway revivals: The Piano Lesson (Signature Theatre), Talley’s Folly (Roundabout Theatre Company), Engaged (TFANA; Obie Award). Recent regional credits: Alley Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Center Stage Theater, Center Theatre Group, Dallas Theater Center, Ford’s Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Huntington, Oregon Shakespeare, The Old Globe. For Pasadena Playhouse, Fly, for which he received an LADCC Award. designbyrui.com.

Danny Erdberg (Sound Design)

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Daniel is excited to return to The Pasadena Playhouse where he’s designed the Holiday Spectacular, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, and Head over Heels. New York: The Public Theater, New York City Opera, 92Y, Roundabout, City Center, Atlantic Theater Company, and 59E59. Regional: Arena Stage, Arizona Theater Company, Geva, Milwaukee Rep, Geffen Playhouse, ACT, Merrimack, Saratoga Opera Festival, Virginia Stage, Long Wharf, as well as productions in Korea, Japan, China, Canada and Cuba. Broadway Associate: The Iceman Cometh (Tony Nomination), Significant Other, Violet, The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Heiress, and The Nance (Tony Win). Danny is a member of IATSE, USA829, SDC and the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab. Graduate of Northwestern University.

Ursula Kwong Brown (Sound Design)

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Ursula is thrilled to return to the Pasadena Playhouse, where recent credits include the Holiday Spectacular, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, and Head Over Heels. Other regional credits: The Wizard of Oz at ACT, Holiday at Arena Stage, King Lear at the Wallis Annenberg, The Wickhams at Arizona Theatre Company, Native Gardens at Merrimack and the world premiere of Stonewall with NYC Opera. As a composer, her work has been performed at Carnegie Hall, Miller Theatre, le Poisson Rouge, the Victoria & Albert museum, the National Portrait Gallery in London, as well as by festivals and ensembles across the country and around the world. Ursula received her B.A. in Music and Biology from Columbia University and her Ph.D. in Music Composition and New Media from UC Berkeley. More info at www.ursulakwongbrown.com

Shelia Dorn (Wig Design)

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Theater: King Hedley II; Fat Ham; Twelfth Night; Black Cypress Bayou; Three Sisters; The Bluest Eye; Mountain Top; The Book of Will; Radio Golf; Anna in the Tropics; All’s Well That Ends Well; Seven Guitars; Gem of the Ocean: “THREE” Sisters; The Wiz; Open Fist; Picnic; The Great Jheri Curl Debate; Mommie & Clyde; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Lion King; The Direction Home; The Producers; Lady Day; Our West Side Story; Shooting Star; Two Trains Running; Beauty and the Beast; Drama Queens; Letters from Zora; I Go Somewhere; Heartbreak Hotel; Siamese Sex Show; The Story of Alice; Hattie: What I Need You to Know; Painting in Red; Dunbar Hotel. Film/TV: Something About Mother; Dragon Fly; Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story. Shelia’s passion project is donating her services as the resident hair and makeup designer for Amazing Grace Conservatory, a non-profit Performing Arts organization for aspiring artists ages 7-18.

Joy DeMichelle (Intimacy Coordinator)

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Joy is thrilled to be working at Pasadena Playhouse! Joy is a Los Angeles based intimacy coordinator, actor, and acting coach. Recent intimacy credits include Choir Boy; Hedda Gabler; Winter’s Tale; The High Table; Apartment Living; TJ Loves Sally 4Ever; and The Light. Television/Film: ACX-Cross, We’re Not Married, 4 to 6 Seconds, and Color of Autumn. Joy has facilitated workshops for CBS Studios Pipeline Challenge, Celebration Theatre, USC, and CSULB Theatre Departments. Memberships include: ICOC (Intimacy Coordinators of Color); National Alliance of Acting Teachers; SAG/AFTRA; AEA; and serves on the board of GMIC (Global Majority Intimacy Coordinators). Joy is a graduate of NC A&T University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Rutgers University. www.JoyDeMichelle.com

Rachel Flesher (Fight Coordinator)

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Rachel Lee Flesher (Fight Director) (they.she.he) Select Los Angeles: One of the Good Ones (Pasadena Playhouse); Pang Spa(Chalk Theatre); Cabaret, Destiny of Desire, Dial M for Murder (The Old Globe Theatre) Cassils Human Measure (RedCat Theatre) Radical (IAMA theatre Company)Select Chicago: Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) Twilight Bowl, Relentless (Goodman Theatre); The Burials (Steppenwolf for Young Adults); Constellations, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Most…Miz Martha Washington (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Displaced (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination) (Haven Theatre); First Love is the Revolution (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination) (Steep Theatre). Select Regional: As You Like It (Saint Louis Shakespeare); There’s Always the Hudson (Woolly Mammoth Theatre); Othello (Dallas Shakespeare Theatre); West Side Story (Lyric Theatre Oklahoma). Select TELEVISION: Intimacy Coordinator: GLOW (Netflix); You(Warner Horizons), Hunters (Amazon); The Summer I Turned Pretty (Apple TV+); Gaslit (NBC Universal). EDUCATION: Flesher is an Intimacy Coordinator on the SAG-AFTRA registry, the founder and CEO of Intimacy Professionals Education Collective (accredited by SAG-AFTRA), a Certified Intimacy Director and Intimacy Coordinator. Flesher is a SAG-AFTRA stunt performer, a Certified Fight Director and Fight Instructor with the Fight Directors Canada.

Ryan Bernard Tymensky, CSA (RBT Casting)

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Ryan has made significant casting contributions to the film, television, and theater industry. With over a decade of experience working at one of the worlds premiere casting offices, The Telsey Office, Ryan has built a diverse portfolio spanning across various mediums. Ryan’s versatility in the world of casting speaks for itself. For the last eight years, Ryan has cast many theater productions in Los Angeles, including many shows at Pasadena Playhouse and The Wallis. Their portfolio also includes notable TV and film projects such as the Wicked movies, This Is Us, Atypical, and many more. Ryan puts inclusion and diversity at the heart of everything they do. Their mission is to celebrate and actively advocate for performers who reflect the full spectrum of human diversity to help expand a multiplicity of narratives; narratives that reflect the real world we live in and challenge conventional boundaries that currently exist in the entertainment industry. rbtcasting.com. @rbtcasting

lark hackshaw (Stage Manager)

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Broadway: Two hilarious comedies, The Cottage and Chicken & Biscuits; the Pulitzer & Tony Award winning A Soldier’s Play, the iconic revival for colored girls… enuf and Stick Fly. lark has worked for the World Famous Apollo and has headed hundreds of productions regionally, among them: Alliance Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, Indiana Rep, Arena Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, San Jose Rep, Arizona Theatre Co, Trinity Rep, MUNY, NC Black Rep as well as taken out several  tours. lark is a longtime Line Producer/Executive Assistant for Winston-Salem’s National Black Theatre Festival. Much love to my forever supporter, C.B.

David S. Franklin (Assistant Stage Manager)

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Past Productions at Pasadena Playhouse include One Of The Good Ones, KATE (ASM), Inherit the Wind, The Sound Inside (ASM), The Father (ASM), Stoneface, Defiance, Showtune (The Music of Jerry Herman), and Sisterella to name a few. Over at Center Theatre Group Highlights include: Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème, Curtains, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, God of Carnage, Red, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bent, Zoot Suit, Archduke, Linda Vista, King James, The Old Man and the Pool, The Secret Garden, and A Transparent Musical. Other Los Angeles: Los Angeles Theatre Center in its heyday from 1985–1990, Geffen Playhouse. Regional: Seattle Rep, Intiman Theatre. New York: Public Theater. Tours: Europe — Quotations from a Ruined City, Law of Remains (with Reza Abdoh’s Dar a Luz company).

Miriam Mendoza (Assistant Stage Manager)

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Miriam (she/her) is extremely excited to be returning to Pasadena Playhouse. Credits include One of the Good Ones, Inherit the Wind (Pasadena Playhouse); world premiere of Alma, Tambo & Bones (Center Theatre Group – Kirk Douglas Theatre); 2:22 A Ghost Story and The Secret Garden (Center Theatre Group – Ahmanson Theatre); world premiere of A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group – Mark Taper Forum); The Half Life of Marie Curie (Theatre SilCo). An El Paso, Texas native, Miriam teaches and works around the Los Angeles area. She is a company member of New Swan Shakespeare Festival and has worked for the Walt Disney Company’s Imagination Campus (formerly known as Disney Performing Arts). MFA in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine.

Jessica Keasberry-Vnuk (Assistant Stage Manager)

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Jessica is so excited to be back at Pasadena Playhouse! Past credits include: Inherit the Wind (Pasadena Playhouse); Galilee, 34 (South Coast Repertory); A Weekend with Pablo Picasso (LA Theatre Works Tour); 2024 LA Writers’ Workshop Festival, A Christmas Story, A Transparent Musical, The Secret Garden, 2:22 A Ghost Story (Center Theatre Group); The Gardens of Anuncia (The Old Globe); Ghosts, Orlando (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (Lythgoe Family Panto); Driving Miss Daisy, Clybourne Park, King of the Road (Laguna Playhouse); The Glass Menagerie (International City Theatre). She received her B.A. in Drama and Certificate in Arts Management from the University of California, Irvine.

Ticket Info

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Digital Tickets

Pasadena Playhouse is thrilled to introduce a new Digital Ticket experience for performances beginning May 2024.

  • When purchasing a ticket, select “Digital Ticket” as your delivery method and your tickets will be instantly placed in your Digital Ticket Wallet.
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  • Inside your Digital Ticket Wallet, you’ll be able to easily share tickets with friends and add tickets to your Apple or Google Wallet.
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Access Performance

Open Captioning

Guests who enjoy open captioning may request to be seated in view of a video screen with text descriptions synchronized to the onstage action designed for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Open Captioned performance of Jelly’s Last Jam will be on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM.

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Audio Description

Join us for our Access performance to take advantage of the audio description service. The service includes verbal descriptions of actions, costumes, scenery, and other visual elements of the production and is designed for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Guests may request a listening device to hear live audio descriptions. Audio description is available in all seating locations on the Orchestra level of the theater. If you would like to hear the pre-show notes, please be in your seat 15 minutes before showtime.

The audio-described performance of Jelly’s Last Jam will be on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM.

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Special Performances

Wine Wednesday

Preview week Wednesday, ticket holders are invited to come early and enjoy complimentary wine prior to the show at Pasadena Playhouse.

The Wine Wednesday performance of Jelly’s Last Jam will be on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:00 PM.

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Content Advisory

This production of Jelly’s Last Jam includes explicit racial and sexual language, simulated violence, simulated sexual situations, strobe lighting, and theatrical haze.