Full Cast Announced for The 5th Avenue Theatre's New Production of Mamma Mia!
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Press Contact: Rachel Liuzzi Contact Info for Publication:
rliuzzi@5thavenue.org www.5thavenue.org
(206) 971-7934 206-625-1900 / 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849)
For high resolution photos visit: https://www.5thavenue.org/press#photos
Full Cast Announced for The 5th Avenue Theatre’s
New Production of Mamma Mia!
February 2–25, 2018
Book by Catherine Johnson
Music & Lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
Directed by Bill Berry
Choreographed by Bob Richard
(Thursday, January 4, 2018—SEATTLE) Rehearsals begin today for The 5th Avenue
Theatre’s new production of Mamma Mia!, the celebrated musical that features the music
of global pop sensation ABBA. The 5th Avenue Theatre is the first producing theater
company in the Pacific Northwest to be granted the rights to create its own refreshed
version of the show, which toured the world for nearly 20 years. The cast, which features
the previously announced Kendra Kassebaum as Donna Sheridan, Paolo Montalban as
Sam Carmichael, Lisa Estridge as Tanya, Sarah Rudinoff as Rosie, Matt Wolfe as Bill
Austin, Cobey Mandarino as Harry Bright, Eliza Palasz as Sophie Sheridan and Jordan
Iosua Taylor as Sky, is supported by a fantastic 22-person ensemble including 5th Avenue
Theatre favorites and faces new to The 5th including Travis Brown, Kate E. Cook,
Alexandria Henderson and Jonathan Luke Stevens.
Mamma Mia! showcases brand new scenic and costume designs and is directed by The 5th
Avenue Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry. He will be joined by Bob Richard,
who previously teamed up with Berry to choreograph the recent 5th Avenue Theatre smash
hits The Pajama Game and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
“Mamma Mia! became an international success not simply because we love the music of ABBA
or we love performances by Meryl Streep on camera,” said 5th Avenue Theatre Producing
Artistic Director Bill Berry. “Mamma Mia! became an international success because there is
something authentic and true about the story on the page. The show possesses an irrepressible
spirit of joy with loving, flawed characters that we can all relate to and see ourselves in. With
any show at The 5th, we always begin with the script and let our vision grow from there. I’m
excited to view this show through a new lens.”
Playing February 2-25, 2018 (press opening Friday, February 9, 2018), tickets for Mamma
Mia! start at $29 and are on sale now. They can be purchased at www.5thavenue.org, by
phone at 206-625-1900 or at the Box Office at 1308 5th Avenue in Downtown Seattle.
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610Mamma Mia! at The 5th Avenue Theatre
2|Page
On the Greek island of Kalokairi, Sophie is preparing to marry her fiancé, Sky. She wants her
father to walk her down the aisle but doesn't know who he is. She discovers her mother's old
diary and finds entries describing intimate dates with three men—surely one of these men is her
father. On the day before Sophie's wedding, her mother begins receiving guests at her taverna,
and so the story of Mamma Mia! begins.
About the Cast
Kendra Kassebaum returns to the 5th Avenue Theatre stage to star as Donna Sheridan. She
has been previously seen at The 5th in Ragtime, The Secret Garden, A Little Night Music,
Company, Cinderella and ELF, and 5th Avenue/ACT Theatre co-productions of Assassins and
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. She originated the role of Janice in Come
From Away on Broadway following her performance in the same role at Seattle Rep and La
Jolla Playhouse. She also performed on Broadway in Wicked (Glinda), RENT (Maureen),
Assassins (Ensemble) and Leap of Faith (Sam). She performed in New York in Manhattan
Theatre Club’s The Receptionist (Lorraine) and Roundabout Theatre Company’s A Little Night
Music with Vanessa Redgrave (Petra). Her touring credits include Come From Away (Helen
Hayes Nomination), and the original cast of the first national tour of Wicked, for which she
received a Helen Hayes Nomination. She is featured on the original cast albums for Leap of
Faith, Assassins and Come From Away and can be seen in the film The Other Woman.
Paolo Montalban makes his 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Sam Carmichael. He was seen on
Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Pacific Overtures and The King and I, and Off-Broadway in
Bella (Playwrights Horizons) and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Delacorte). His regional theater
credits include Benny and Joon (The Old Globe), The Orphan of Zhao (ACT), The Unsinkable
Molly Brown (Denver Center) and A Little Night Music (ACT). His film credits include Just
Wright, The Great Raid, American Adobo and his TV credits include Cinderella (with Brandy and
Whitney Houston), Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Madam Secretary, The Blacklist, SVU and Nurse
Jackie.
Eliza Palasz makes her 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Sophie Sheridan. She has performed
regionally at The Old Globe in the world premiere of October Sky (Dorothy), Kansas City
Starlight in Grease (Marty), Marriott Lincolnshire in Spring Awakening (Wendla), Newsies
(Katherine), Evita (Mistress) and Godspell, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre in Pericles, Lyric
Opera of Chicago in Carousel and Village Theatre in Jesus in My Bedroom (Autumn), The Giver
(Fiona), Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat and Yellow Wood. She is a graduate of Northwestern
University.
Lisa Estridge returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre as Tanya. She was last seen at The 5th as
the Witch in Into the Woods. Her other 5th Avenue Theatre credits include Company, Buddy,
Smokey Joe’s Café, Hair and Most Happy Fella. Estridge now resides in Chicago, but Seattle
will always be her theater home. When she is not doing theater, Estridge spends her time
performing lead vocals and managing her band, Chi-Town Soul.
Cobey Mandarino makes his 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Harry Bright. His regional credits
include Streamers (Roundabout Theatre; New York Times “Top Ten of the Year”), A View from
the Bridge (Seattle Rep), Slaughterhouse Five (Best Supporting Actor nominee, Book-It Rep),
Chimera (Public Theater NY), Fiddler on the Roof (Arizona Theatre Co.), Goddess of Mercy
(ACT Festival), Dick Whittington (SCT), She’s Come Undone and The Financial Lives of the
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610Mamma Mia! at The 5th Avenue Theatre
3|Page
Poets (Book-It Rep). Mandarino played Agent Rosten in seasons 4 and 5 of of NBC’s Grimm,
and has appeared on NBC’s Law & Order and ABC’s 6 Degrees. He is a graduate of The
Theatre School at DePaul University.
Sarah Rudinoff joins the cast as Rosie. She has performed at The 5th in Wonderful Town
(Ruth), On the Town (Hildy), Cinderella (Stepsister Portia) and How to Succeed… (Smitty –
Gregory Award winner). Last season, her solo show NowNowNow premiered at On the Boards
and she played Lisa Kron in her play Well at Seattle Rep. Rudinoff’s original work was recently
featured in collaboration with composer Chris Jeffries as part of Genius / 21 Century / Seattle at
the Frye Art Museum. Rudinoff is the recipient of a Stranger Genius Award in Performance.
Jordan Iosua Taylor makes his 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Sky. Earlier this season, he
toured with The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Adventure Musical Theatre in Free Boy. He has
performed locally at ACT in Bad Apples and Ham for the Holidays, at ArtsWest in Sweeney
Todd, American Idiot and Really, Really and at Seattle Shakespeare Company in Romeo and
Juliet.
Matt Wolfe returns to the 5th Avenue Theatre stage as Bill Austin. His 5th Avenue Theatre
credits include Assassins, The Pirates of Penzance, Saving Aimee, Aladdin, A Christmas Story,
Catch Me If You Can and The Sound of Music. He performed on Broadway in Scandalous and
in the national tour of Hello, Dolly! His regional credits include The Producers, Iron Curtain,
Million Dollar Quartet, Tommy, The Music Man at Village Theatre and Goodnight Moon, The
Wizard of Oz and Busytown at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Wolfe is also the Artistic Director of
Showtunes Theatre Company, which produces Broadway musicals in concert at Benaroya Hall
and at ACT Theatre.
Kate E. Cook joins the cast as Lisa after recently appearing in the 5th Avenue Theatre’s
productions of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Her
other Seattle credits include Singin’ in the Rain and Great Wall (Village) and Bonnie and Clyde
(Studio18). She has been seen regionally in Chicago, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Hairspray,
Dames at Sea and Damn Yankees.
Travis Brown makes his 5th Avenue Theatre debut as Eddie. He has been seen at Arizona
Repertory Theatre in Company (Bobby), Candide (Candide) and Best Little Whorehouse in
Texas. His regional credits include Hair (Arizona Theatre Company) and Gypsy (Portland
Center Stage).
Alexandria Henderson returns to the 5th Avenue Theatre stage as Ali. She was seen in 5th
Avenue Theatre productions of The Pajama Game, How to Succeed in Business Without Really
Trying and Little Shop of Horrors. She has performed regionally with Village Theatre in
Dreamgirls (Supporting Actress Gregory Award Recipient) and Into the Woods, Harlequin in
Stardust Christmas Enchantment, Seattle Musical Theatre in Working and Twelfth Night
Productions in Hairspray.
Jonathan Luke Stevens joins the cast as Pepper. He made his 5th Avenue Theatre debut in
Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. He performed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Shakespeare in
Love, UniSon, Twelfth Night, The Wiz, Guys and Dolls and Head Over Heels and has been
seen in regional productions of Guys and Dolls, Singin’ in the Rain, The Donkey Show and
Hamlet.
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610Mamma Mia! at The 5th Avenue Theatre
4|Page
The ensemble will feature the incredible talents of Rheanna Atendido, Kristin Burch, Clayton
Cooper, Alex Crozier, Sarah Rose Davis, Aly Gutierrez, Nik Hagen, John Han, Jordan
Jackson, Nate McVicker, Trina Mills, Annie Morro, Becca Orts, Richard Peacock,
Chandler Thomas and Carolyn Willems Van Dijk.
About the Director
Bill Berry’s directing credits include First Date (Broadway and ACT Theatre), Little Shop of
Horrors (co-production with ACT Theatre) which received the Seattle Times Footlight Award for
Best Musical of 2014, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying which received the
Seattle Times Footlight Award for Best Musical of 2016, and The Pajama Game. Berry is the
Producing Artistic Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre, where he has directed acclaimed
productions of On the Town, West Side Story (Footlight Award), Wonderful Town (Footlight
Award), Smokey Joe’s Café, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel and The Wizard of Oz. His
reimagined production of Cabaret received awards in St. Paul and Houston and has been
performed at The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Ordway (St. Paul), American Musical Theatre of San
Jose and Theatre Under the Stars (Houston).
About the Choreographer
Bob Richard is returning to The 5th Avenue Theatre, where he most recently choreographed
How to Succeed in Business and The Pajama Game. His work has been seen in the Broadway
production of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as well as the tour. As a director,
Richard has been nominated for several awards by BroadwayWorld for his work at North Shore
Music Theatre, Theatre by the Sea, and The Ordway. Off-Broadway as co-
director/choreographer: Inventing Mary Martin: The Revue of a Lifetime, which was nominated
for the prestigious Callaway Award and Road to Qatar!. International Tours: Legally Blonde in
China; The 50th Anniversary National Tour of Hello, Dolly! starring Sally Struthers; The 5th
Avenue’s tour of Cabaret, which won awards including an Ivey; Guys and Dolls; Original
Chinese musical called Shanghai Bund in Shanghai, China. His work has also been seen at
Madison Square Garden, The Ordway in St. Paul, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, The
Pioneer Theatre in Salt Lake City, the Old Globe in San Diego. Richard has been dancing,
teaching master classes and choreographing worldwide, encompassing over 30 years in show
business.
About the Music Director
R.J. Tancioco returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre, having previously music directed Grease,
Jasper in Deadland, Hairspray Anniversary Concert, Little Shop of Horrors, RENT, First Date,
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Smokey Joe’s Café and Hair. His other
regional credits include Pump Boys and Dinettes, In The Heights and Les Misérables at Village
Theatre, Violet, American Idiot and Bat Boy at ArtsWest and Next to Normal and New Voices
with Contemporary Classics. He was Music Supervisor for Lizard Boy at Seattle Repertory
Theatre and is a 2010 Gregory Award and 2011/2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Award recipient.
Tancioco is a vocal coach, arranger and composer and enjoys educating youth and cultivating
new musicals.
About the Creative Team
Mamma Mia! showcases brand new designs including scenic design by Jason Sherwood,
costume design by Rose Pederson, lighting design by Mike Baldassari, sound design by
Joanna Lynne Staub and hair and makeup design by Mary Pyanowski Jones.
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610Mamma Mia! at The 5th Avenue Theatre
5|Page
Additional staff includes Billie Wildrick (associate director), Trina Mills (associate
choreographer), Julia Thornton (associate music director), Tristan Roberson (assistant
lighting designer), Haley Parcher (assistant sound designer) Michael Notestine (costume
design assistant), Jeffrey K. Hanson (production stage manager) and Brenda K. Walker and
Hannah Wichmann (assistant stage managers).
About the Writers
Björn Ulvaeus (Music & Lyrics) was born in Gothenburg on April 25, 1945. In the mid-50s,
Ulvaeus fell in love with rock and roll and skiffle. By the early 60s, he was a member of a folk
group called the West Bay Singers, which would later be renamed the Hootenanny Singers. In
1966, Ulvaeus had a chance meeting with Benny Andersson, himself a member of Sweden’s
number one pop group, The Hep Stars. They hit it off and wrote their first song together, “Isn’t It
Easy to Say.” In 1970, the pair started releasing records as a duo and also staged a cabaret
show together with their fiancées, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. On July 6, 1971,
Ulvaeus and Agnetha got married. From 1972, and a decade onwards, Ulvaeus was occupied
by his work with ABBA. In 1983, Ulvaeus and Andersson started writing the musical Chess with
lyricist Tim Rice. A concept album was released in the autumn of 1984, and in May 1986, the
musical opened in London’s West End. In 1988, Chess received its Broadway premiere. A
reworked version of the musical opened in Stockholm, Sweden in 2002. By 1990, Ulvaeus and
Andersson had decided to write a new musical. The musical Kristina fran Duvernala (Kristina
from Duvernala) opened in October 1995. The show ran for three and a half years at various
theatres in three Swedish cities. Ulvaeus writes many of the lyrics for the Benny Andersson
Orchestra, and has involved himself in the stagings of Mamma Mia!, as well as the 2008 movie
version.
Benny Andersson (Music & Lyrics) was born in December 1946 in Stockholm. In 1952, he
began receiving accordion lessons from his father and grandfather. From 1964 to 1968, he was
a member of the Hep Stars, Sweden’s most popular rock band. From 1972 to 1982, he was
focused fairly exclusively on his work with ABBA. From 1982 to 1984, he was working on
composing the music, with Ulvaeus and Tim Rich, for the musical Chess. In 1987, Andersson
began collaborating with Orsa Spelmän, a collaboration which led to the recording of three
albums deeply rooted in Swedish folk music, and ultimately the formation of the Benny
Andersson Orchestra, a 16-man constellation with vocalists Helen Sjöholm and Tommy
Kärberg. The Benny Andersson Orchestra has thus far recorded five albums and engaged in
several summer tours. From 1990 to 1995, he worked on composing the music for Kristina with
Ulvaeus. In 1995, he received the title of professor from the Swedish government. Andersson
was inducted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2007, and appointed an Honorary
Doctor of the College of Humanities at Stockholm University in 2008. Andersson is married to
former TV producer, Mona Nörklit.
Catherine Johnson (Book) has written for the theater Rag Doll, Renegades, Suspension
(Bristol Old Vic); Too Much Too Young (Bristol Old Vic and London Bubble); Boys Mean
Business, Dead Sheep, Little Baby Nothing (Bush Theatre, London); Shang-a-Lang (Bush
Theatre and national tour); Mamma Mia! (worldwide) and Through the Wire and A Letter to
Lacey for NT Connections. She is a creative consultant on ABBA the Museum in Stockholm.
Her television credits include Casualty, Byker Grove, Love Hurts, Gold, Linda Green and she
wrote the original screenplays for Rag Doll, Where’s Willy? (HTV), Sin Bin (BBC) and for the
series Love in the 21st Century (Channel 4) and Dappers (BBC3). Johnson has won the Bristol
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610Mamma Mia! at The 5th Avenue Theatre
6|Page
Old Vic/HTV Playwrighting Award, Thames Television’s Writer-in-Residence Award and
Thames Television Best Play Award and was nominated in 2002 for the Tony Award for Best
Book of a Musical for Mamma Mia! Johnson wrote the screenplay for the film version of Mamma
Mia! that was released in July 2008.
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 theatre 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 more than 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 American art
form to lift the human spirit.
FOR CALENDAR EDITORS
WHEN: Previews begin Friday, February 2, 2018
Opening Night: Friday, February 9, 2018 (press night)
Closing Performance: Sunday, February 25, 2018
SHOW Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – 7:30 PM
TIMES: Fridays – 8:00 PM
Saturdays – 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Sundays – 1:30 PM & 7:00 PM
WHERE: The 5th Avenue Theatre (1308 5th Avenue, Downtown Seattle)
TICKETS: Please visit www.5thavenue.org or call the Box Office at (206) 625-1900 for
tickets (starting at $29).
Special thanks to The 5th Avenue Theatre’s 2017/18 season sponsors ArtsFund, U.S. Bank and
Alaska Airlines. Additional thanks to restaurant sponsor Purple.
###
Media Contact: Rachel Liuzzi, Public Relations Manager
The 5th Avenue Theatre • 1308 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101
email rliuzzi@5thavenue.org • tel 206.971.7934 • fax 206.292.9610You can also read
