Full Casting Announced for the ‘Girl From The North Country’ North American Tour

Matthew Herzog

4 weeks ago

Runaway Entertainment has announced the full cast of the North American Tour of Girl From the North Country.

The company includes Alan Ariano (Dr. Walker), David Benoit (Mr. Burke), Ben Biggers (Gene Laine), Paul Blankenship (Offstage Cover), Jennifer Blood (Elizabeth Laine), Ashley D. Brooks (Ensemble), Justin Michael Duval (Ensemble), Rayla Garske (Swing), Matt Manuel (Joe Scott), Kelly McCormick (Ensemble), Sharaé Moultrie (Marianne Laine), Hosea Mundi (Ensemble) Warren Nolan Jr. (Swing), Ali Regan (Swing), Jay Russell (Mr. Perry), John Schiappa (Nick Laine), Chiara Trentalange (Kate Draper), Danny Vaccaro (Swing), Jill Van Velzer (Mrs. Burke), Jeremy Webb (Reverend Marlowe), Aidan Wharton (Elias Burke) and Carla Woods (Mrs. Neilsen).

As previously announced, the tour will launch at Hennepin Theatre Trust’s historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, MN on October 8, 2023. The tour will play 25 cities in the 2023-2024 season including Washington, DC, Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco. Tickets, details and current tour schedule are available at northcountrytour.com.

It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota. We meet a group of wayward travelers whose lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life and hope. Experience this ‘profoundly beautiful’ production (The New York Times) brought to vivid life by an extraordinary company of actors and musicians.

Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, Girl From the North Country reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming” and “Like A Rolling Stone.”

Girl From the North Country features scenic and costume design by Rae Smith; orchestrations, arrangements, and music supervision by Simon Hale, with additional arrangements by Simon Hale and Conor McPherson; lighting design by Mark Henderson; sound design by Simon Baker; movement direction by Lucy Hind; and music direction by Wiley DeWeese.

Biographies

ALAN ARIANO (Dr. Walker). Broadway: M. Butterfly, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Shogun, Miss Saigon (Original 1991 Cast), The King and I (LCT-Revival), Flower Drum Song (Tour). Off Broadway: Title role Felix Starro (Ma-Yi), Good Enemy (Audible Theater), Letters of Suresh (2nd Stage), Greater Clements (LCT), Shanghai Moon (Greenwich House).

DAVID BENOIT (Mr. Burke). Broadway/National: Phantom of the Opera (Firmin), Les Misérables (Thenardier), Jekyll & Hyde (Bishop/Spider), Young Frankenstein (Blind Hermit/Kemp), Avenue Q (Nicky/Trekkie), All Shook Up (Sheriff Earl), Dance of the Vampires. Off Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, Forever Plaid (Sparky).

BEN BIGGERS (Gene Laine). TV: “Law and Order: SVU,” “Power Book II: Ghost,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “The Good Fight,” “Elementary,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (Young Joe Biden). National Tours: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (1st/2nd National.) Thanks Chris, CGF, Mom, Dad.

JENNIFER BLOOD (Elizabeth Laine). Broadway: GFTNC, Matilda (Miss Honey), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Violet. Favorite Regional: Sound of Music at Drury Lane. TV: “New Amsterdam,” “FBI,” “Blacklist.” Thanks to DGRW and all the North Country Family. For Nat, Jo and Will.

MATT MANUEL (Joe Scott). Matt is a Detroit native singer/actor. Ain’t Too Proud (David Ruffin, Broadway), Motown: The Musical (Marvin Gaye, Tour), May We All (Dustin, World Premiere), “American Idol”, The Color Purple (Harpo, North Carolina Theater). He is elated to be touring with this incredible cast and crew. IG @mattmanuelmusic

SHARAÉ MOULTRIE (Marianne Laine). Sharaé is an actor, singer, and commercial model. Notable roles: Deena Jones (Dreamgirls, International Tour), Aida (Aida), Ariel (Footloose), Nettie (The Color Purple), and Rizzo (Grease). TV: “Blue Bloods” and “FBI: Most Wanted.” Thanks to God, her family, friends, and agents for their support. www.iamsharae.com

JAY RUSSELL (Mr. Perry). Broadway: End of the Rainbow, The Play What I Wrote. Tours: Wicked, Beauty & the Beast. Off-Bway: Our Town, The Normal Heart, lots more. Regional: a lot. TV/Film: “Gotham,” “Louie,” “Sopranos,” “Ugly Betty,” Morning Glory, Queen of Knives. Carbonell Award (Indecent) www.jay-russell.com

JOHN SCHIAPPA (Nick Laine). Broadway: GFTNC, The Other Place, Take Me Out, Rocky, Wicked, Assassins, Jekyll & Hyde, Blood Brothers, Women on the Verge… Starlight Express, Off-Broadway/regional: Joan of Arc: Into the Fire, Diner. TV/film: “Equalizer” “The Good Fight,” “The Americans,” “L&O,” Stray Dolls. Love to PJS! Johnschiappa.com

CHIARA TRENTALANGE (Kate Draper). Broadway: GFTNC. Regional: Singing in The Rain, Hercules, Anything Goes, Hair. Education: Emerson College. Many thanks to Mikey at The Collective, Lakey and the Wolff pack. McPherson and Dylan, endless gratitude for your words and music. For Pop-Pop and Bright Eyes. @chichitrent

JILL VAN VELZER (Mrs. Burke). Tours: Phantom of the Opera, King & I (Anna). Regional highlights: Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, Utah Shakes, Artists Rep. Favorite roles: oodles of Noel Coward & Jane Austen, multiples of Music Man, Kiss Me Kate, Camelot, others. This one’s for you, family.

JEREMY WEBB (Reverend Marlowe). Broadway: Take Me Out, Burn This. Off-Broadway: The Glorious Ones (Lincoln Center), Tabletop (Drama Desk Award), Help (Shed), Baltimore Waltz (Signature), Photograph 51. Concert: Carnegie Hall. Regional: Williamstown, Old Globe, Shakespeare Theatre Company. TV: “Guiding Light”, “Law & Order”, “SVU”, and “Criminal Intent.”

AIDAN WHARTON (Elias Burke). Aidan made his Broadway debut with GFTNC and is honored to tell this story around the country. Select theatre: Wicked, Footloose, Hair. Film: Fire Island, Bros, Intermedium. A huge thank you to his family, friends, CGF, and so much love to Casey. @aidanwharton

CARLA WOODS (Mrs. Neilsen). Recent credits: The Harder They Come (Public Theater). National Tours: Sister Act, All Shook Up. Regional favorites: Mamma Mia, Beauty and the Beast, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods. Recent TV: “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “New Amsterdam,” “Life & Beth.”

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Biographies

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