Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story

Andy Christopher

Andy is making his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut with Buddy. He previously toured North America with Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (25th anniversary tour). Regionally, he has performed in Jersey Boys (Ogunquit Playhouse), Buddy (The Muny and many more), Hank Williams: Lost Highway (Flat Rock Playhouse, West Virginia Public Theater), This Land Is Your Land (TheaterWorks Hartford), Woody Sez (Ivoryton Playhouse) and Rock & Roll Man (Bucks County Playhouse). In concert, he performed in Muny Magic at The Sheldon. Andy thanks MMD; DGRW; Stephanie Klapper, CSA; and the Playhouse for all their work. He dedicates his performance to his wife, Esther, his daughter, Haven, and their newest family member arriving in April. Visit andychristopher.net and follow him on Instagram @mrandychristopher. Ps100.2.

Joe Cosmo Cogen

Joe’s national credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (25th anniversary tour). Regional credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Casa Mañana Theatre, Great Lakes PA Center, The Muny, Maine State Music Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Ogunquit Playhouse, Eldorado Casino and Surflight Theatre) and Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance (Maine State Music Theatre). Joe is also an accomplished session and studio drummer in New York, performing with various artists in some of the city’s most prestigious venues, including Rockwood Music Hall, Highline Ballroom, BB King’s Blues Club, The Knitting Factory, Green Room 42, Joe’s Pub and many more. Visit joecosmocogen.com for more information.

Jayson Elliott

Jayson is humbled to be making his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut with Buddy! Jay is no stranger to the Buddy Holly world. He has been seen coast to coast as The Big Bopper (and others) in his 13 previous productions, as well as with the tribute band, The Rave-Ons, where they recreate the final concert of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Other recent favorites include The Full Monty (Dave Bukatinsky), Avenue Q (Brian), The Wizard of Oz (Cowardly Lion), Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson), The Music Man (Marcellus Washburn), Sister Act (Joey), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Jim, Eddie) and Smoke on the Mountain (Stanley). Jay also spent two years on the high seas with Disney as the iconic Genie in Aladdin. Much love and many thanks to everyone at the Playhouse, Marcia, Andy, his beautiful wife Karen and YOU for supporting live theatre! Let's rock ‘n’ roll!

Ryan Jagru

Ryan is very excited to make his debut at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park with this production! He has paid tribute to rock and roll legend Ritchie Valens multiple times in past productions of Buddy, as well as with the tribute group The Rave-Ons. Ryan can next be seen paying tribute to the Jonas Brothers next summer at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, N.H. His credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story national tour (Ritchie Valens), The Disney Dream (Aladdin/Simba), 1DT: Tribute to One Direction (Zayn) and Tribute to Bruno (Bruno Mars). Special thanks to Mom, Dad, Bridget, friends and family for their endless love and support. Follow him on Instagram @rocknryry.

Shayna Nicole Small

Shayna is happy to be making her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut! Her off-Broadway credits include Parable of the Sower (The Public Theater) and Rags Parkland Sings Songs of the Future–workshop (Ars Nova). Regional credits include How to Catch Creation (Baltimore Center Stage, Philadelphia Theatre Company), Intimate Apparel (Bay Street Theater), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Great Lakes Center for the Arts) and The Colored Museum (Huntington Theatre). Tours include Parable of the Sower. Film credits include The Smell, Pour Aimer. Shayna is a proud alum of the Baltimore School for the Arts and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts from The Juilliard School. Visit shaynasmall.com for more information. 

Byron St. Cyr

Byron is excited to be making his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. His credits include Billy Elliot (Goodspeed Musicals), On Your Feet (Westchester Broadway Theatre), Elf: The Musical (Syracuse Stage) and the national tours of Miss Saigon and My Fair Lady, among others. Recent solo concert work includes Byron St. Cyr: Back to Before, Byron St. Cyr Swings Down Broadway and 4600 Mithra: My New Orleans (2018 MAC Nomination). Thank you to Eddie and my Take 3 Talent team. For more info visit byronstcyr.com or follow @BSCjr on Instagram.

Spiff Wiegand

Spiff is excited to return home for his debut with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. He was born in Northern Kentucky with two thumbs on his right hand and plays over 20 instruments. Jimmy Fallon and Brad Pitt have lip-synced to his yodeling and his accordion playing was featured on John Oliver. Spiff was once a "mark" on What Would You Do? He did the right thing. Spiff was on the national tour of War Horseas the on-stage accordionist. New York appearances include The Grateful Dead musical, Red Roses, Green Gold (Minetta Lane Theatre); New York Animals by Steven Sater (Bedlam Theatre Company); and Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre for a New Audience). Spiff has performed regionally in many actor/musician shows including Indecent (Palm Beach Dramaworks, Pittsburgh Public Theater), Ring of Fire (Actors’ Playhouse at The Miracle Theatre, Infinity Theatre Company), Woody Sez (People's Light, Stages Repertory Theatre), Mark Twain's River of Song (Milwaukee Repertory Theater) and more. He is noted for one-man-band performances of his own songs, in which he has played up to seven instruments at once. You can find his videos on YouTube.

Alan Janes

Alan has written extensively for television, films and theatre over a 40-year career since training at London's world-famous Stratford East Theatre under the theatrical legend Joan Littlewood. Alan wrote and produced the soul musical 125th Street, and wrote and produced the musical Jailhouse Rock, based on the Elvis Presley film, both of which ran in London’s West End. In 1989 his musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story was presented in the West End and ran for 15 years. The U.K. tour of Buddy has run, with the occasional break, for 28 years and the show has enjoyed worldwide success, playing: Broadway and five U.S. National Tours, Canada, Sweden, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Holland, Singapore, Finland, Austria and Denmark. Alan was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical, and internationally Buddy has received many nominations and awards including a Tony.

Marcia Milgrom Dodge

“MMD” is a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award-nominated director and choreographer for the Kennedy Center/Broadway revival of Ragtime, for which she also received the Helen Hayes Award for Best Director. Her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park credits include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Secret Garden and Cabaret. Television: Marcia appears as herself in Kristen Bell’s new musical series Encore! for Disney+, Season1: Ep1 (Annie), Ep12 (Ragtime). New York and National Tours include Curious George and Seussical (TheatreworksUSA), Ragtime (Phoenix Entertainment), Cookin’  (Minetta Lane Theatre), Venus Flytrap (Active Theater), Radio Gals (John Houseman Theatre), Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever (original production) and William Finn's Romance In Hard Times (The Public Theater). Regionally, Marcia has directed and choreographed at The Muny, TUTS, The Cape Playhouse, Olney Theatre Center, Cleveland Play House, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Pioneer Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Center Stage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Denver Center, Pittsburgh Public Theater, The Glimmerglass Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lyric Stage, Goodspeed, Huntington Theatre and Arena Stage. Marcia is also a wife, mother, teacher and a published and produced playwright. For T, N & CJ.

Christian Boy

Christian is happy to be making his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. Christian's designs have been seen on the stages of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, California Musical Theatre (Music Circus), Jewish Theatre of the South, Horizon Theatre and the Black Hills Playhouse. Christian holds degrees from Augustana College and The University of Kansas and teaches at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. Much love always to MMD and Tony.

Tracy Christensen

Tracy happily returns to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park after designing The Roommate in 2018. She designed the recent Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close, Candide at Carnegie Hall with John Lithgow, Lady in the Dark starring Victoria Clark for MasterVoices, and Carousel for London’s English National Opera. Recent premieres include Scotland, PA (Roundabout Theatre Company), The Prompter (Bay Street Theater); Passing Through (Goodspeed Opera House); The Willard Suitcases (American Shakespeare Center); Anne of Green Gables (Merry Go Round Theater, 2018 Syracuse Area Live Theater Award nomination); and Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Pride & Prejudice off-Broadway. Her other projects include Caesar & Cleopatra (off-Broadway), Souvenir (Broadway), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Folger Shakespeare Library), Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Weston Playhouse), Noises Off! (Asolo Repertory Theatre), Oklahoma! (Goodspeed Opera House), Mamma Mia! (Great Lakes Theater, 2018 Cleveland Critics Circle Award), Sweeney Todd starring Emma Thompson, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill (film for HBO with Audra McDonald), Sherwood (Playmakers Repertory), Seussical (TheatreworksUSA, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Lucille Lortel nomination), and Hand To God (TheaterWorks Hartford). She has worked with the Chautauqua Theatre Company for 10 seasons and is a faculty member at Purchase College SUNY for costume design. Visit tracychristensen.com for more information.

Rob Denton

Rob is thrilled to design his first show at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Rob’s recent designs include Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors and South Pacific (Maltz Jupiter Theatre); Matilda, Footloose, Cinderella and Guys & Dolls (The Muny); Your Best One (Capital Repertory Theatre);The Humans and Oslo (Repertory Theatre of St Louis); Girlfriend (TheaterWorks); Will Roger’s Follies (Goodspeed Musicals); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Theatre under the Stars); Daughter of the Regiment (Atlanta Opera); and Tosca and La Bohème (Opera San Antonio). Some of Rob’s upcoming designs include The Cake (Repertory Theatre St. Louis and TheaterWorks). Visit rdentex.com for more information. 

Matt Kraus

Matt’s Broadway credits include Liza’s at the Palace…, Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway, and Kathy Griffin Wants a Tony. His off-Broadway credits include Caucasian Chalk Circle, 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Forbidden Broadway, Voca People and Cruel Intentions national tour. Matt is also the audio coordinator for remote shoots at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Regional theatre credits include Paper Mill Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Walnut Street Theatre, Barrington Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse and Bucks County Playhouse. Matt has also played many of the world's greatest venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Hampton Court Palace, Olympia in Paris, Sydney Opera House, Monte Carlo Sporting Club and Vienna State Opera House. He won an Emmy for his work on Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Albert Hall.

Andrea L. Shell

Andrea is excited to be celebrating her 20th season with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, having worked on more than 90 productions. A highlight of every season for her is stage managing A Christmas Carol. Favorite Playhouse credits include Alias Grace; The Last Wide Open; The Roommate; Treasure Island; Be Here Now; Mr. Joy; Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End; Jane Eyre; Disgraced; Bad Dates; The Revolutionists; Peter and the Starcatcher; I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti; The North Pool; The Trip to Bountiful; Merrily We Roll Along; As You Like It; Behind the Eye; The Understudy; Blackbird; Durango; Around the World in 80 Days; Altar Boyz; Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming; Reckless; Ace; The Clean House; A Picasso; One; Abracadabra (2002-2007); The Bible … (abridged); and Dark Paradise. Regionally, she stage managed The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead (Dallas Theater Center); Ace (The Old Globe); Lost Prospect (Ingenuity Festival of Cleveland); A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Nutcracker (Cincinnati Ballet); and Snow White and Beauty and the Beast (Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy). She also served as the production stage manager for the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre. Andrea is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. She would like to thank her family, friends, Dylan and Scott for their unending support.

Jenifer Morrow

A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association for 30 years, Jenifer has been a stage manager at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park since 1994. She became the PSM (head of the department) in 2005. Jenifer has worked on more than 100 productions, including a number of regional and world premieres, and has traveled to several other theatres to bring co-productions back to the Playhouse. Her recent credits include The Lifespan of a Fact; Tiny Houses; August Wilson’s Two Trains Running; The Second City — It's Not You, It's Me; Cincinnati King; Misery; Murder for Two; Marie and Rosetta; An Evening With Groucho; Shakespeare in Love; Little Shop of Horrors; The Second City’s Holidazed & Confused Revue; A Prayer for Owen Meany; To Kill a Mockingbird; The Secret Garden; and Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical. Jenifer served as the PSM at Santa Fe Stages for several seasons. She has also stage managed at Cleveland Play House, La Jolla Playhouse, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Long Wharf Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, The Ordway and Players Theatre Columbus. One of her most memorable experiences was stage managing the U.K. tour of Miss Evers’ Boys at The Barbican Centre in London and at the historic Bristol Old Vic.

Stephanie Klapper, CSA

Stephanie is thrilled to continue her collaboration with Blake Robison and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Select shows she has cast for the Playhouse are Once on This Island; Alias Grace; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Thanksgiving Play; Two Trains Running; A Christmas Carol; Cincinnati King; Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and The Roommate, in addition to Shakespeare in Love; Mr. Joy, Be Here Now, Marie and Rosetta, Sooner/Later, Treasure Island and Murder for Two in 2017-18. Previously for the Playhouse, she cast A Prayer for Owen Meany, Disgraced, A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre, All the Roads Home, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, The Secret Garden, Sex with Strangers, Mad River Rising, Native Gardens, The Revolutionists, To Kill a Mockingbird, Mothers and Sons, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, Safe House, Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Circle Mirror Transformation, Peter and the Starcatcher, Buzzer, Fly, Seven Spots on the Sun, Clybourne Park, 4000 Miles, Pride and Prejudice, as well as Shipwrecked! An Entertainment; The Book Club Play; Leveling Up; Abigail/1702; The Three Musketeers. Her work is frequently seen on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally, as well as on film and television. She has many exciting projects running and upcoming in New York, regionally and in Europe. Stephanie is a member of the Casting Society of America.