Hard Act Productions
Presents
Directed by
Tricia Brouk
Music and Lyrics by
Doug Katsaros
Book by
Joe Ricci
Based on the book “Johnny Carson” by
Henry Bushkin
Setting
Time:
The 18 years from 1970 to 1988
Place:
Various locations in and around New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Cast
| Ed McMahon & others | AL BUNDONIS* |
| Johnny Carson | JAKE BOYD* |
| Doc Severinsen & others | DEVON GOFFMAN* |
| Buddy Hackett & others | DANNY RUTIGLIANO* |
| Henry Bushkin | ANTHONY FESTA* |
| Arthur & others | CHARLIE MARCUS* |
| Henry’s Secretary & others | ELISA GALINDEZ* |
| Joan Rivers & others | KATHY SEARLE* |
| Judy Bushkin | MIA GENTILE* |
| Rick Carson & others | CHARLIE FRANKLIN* |
| Johnny's Secretary & others | JENNA DALLACCO* |
| Beautiful Bartender & others | ZURI WASHINGTON* |
| 21 Club Waiter & others | DAVON WILLIAMS* |
| Joanna Holland | STEPHANIE GIBSON* |
(In order of appearance)
| Musical Director | Andrew David Sotomayor |
| Asst Musical Director | Sam Groisser |
| Stage Manager | John Carpentier* |
| Asst Stage Manager | Emma Cullen |
| General Manager | RCI Theatricals |
| Projections | Joe Ricci |
| Vegas Commercial | Doug Katsaros |
Production
| Piano | Andrew David Sotomayor |
| Keyboard | Sam Groisser |
| Bass | John Feliciano |
| Drums | Hiroyki Mastuura |
Band
The Actors and Stage Managers in this production designated with an asterisk (*) are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Bios
Jake Boyd
Johnny Carson
BROADWAY: Rock of Ages, Wicked (Fiyero). NTNL TOUR: Wicked. OFF-BROADWAY: Sweeney Todd (Anthony; Barrow Street), The Last Smoker In America (Jimmy; Westside). REGIONAL: Becoming Nancy (Maxie; Alliance), Be More Chill (Jake; O/C;Two River), Carrie (O/C Revival; MCC), Bull Durham (Jimmy; Alliance). TV: “The Sound of Music LIVE!”, “The Equalizer”, “Law and Order: SVU”, “Blue Bloods”, “Are We There Yet?”, “30 Rock” & more.
Al Bundonis
Ed McMahon, Freddie De Cordova, CBS Exec, Barry
Al is thrilled to be a part of bringing Behind The Curtain to life. Over his 30 year career, he has performed on stages across the globe, on television, and in films. Mr. Bundonis is originally from Old Saybrook, CT and has a degree in International Affairs from Columbia University. He is currently Vice President of Actors' Equity Association and is deeply grateful to all who support Live Theater. Visit albundonis.com for more info. Insta/Twitter @albundonis
Jenna Dallacco
Johnny's Secretary, Joanne Copeland, Michelle
Jenna is honored to be returning to musical theatre with this incredible company after taking some time to be a full time mama to her son, Gabriel! New York Theatre: Anastasia Steele in the parody 50 Shades of… by Tricia Brouk and Andrew David Sotomayor, Marry Harry (NYMF), Cruel Shoes (NYMF), America’s Sweetheart (Musicals Tonight!), Alienne in Alienne (NY Fringe Festival). Regional Theatre: Jane in Tarzan (White Plains Performing Arts Center), Esmeralda in Hunchback (WPPAC), Carrie in Carrie (Westchester Sandbox Theatre), regional premiere of Marry Harry (American Theatre Group), Heidi in [title of show] (WST), Bet in Oliver (Westchester Broadway Theatre). Industry Workshops and Readings: Whiskeyland (Walker and Nelligan), Sarah Crewe in Sarah Crewe (Sotomayor and Carden), The Last Days of Gotham (Salzman and Cunningham), Single Girl Sitcom (Doug Friedman), Miss Valentine (Nadine Bernard). Concerts: Guest Artist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Thank you, Tricia, Joe, Soto, Doug, and John!
Anthony Festa
Henry Bushkin
Anthony most notably played Chris in Cameron Mackintosh's revival production of Miss Saigon across North America. West End: Tony in West Side Story and also on the UK and international tour. Other Tours: Wicked, Finding Neverland. NYC: The Lieutenant, Bare, Desperate Measures (winner of Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Alliance awards). Regional: Tootsie(Max), Kinky Boots (Charlie), Beautiful (Gerry), Rock of Ages (Drew), South Pacific (Cable), Rent (Roger), Billy Elliot (Tony). @festafied www.festafied.com
Charlie Franklin
Rick Carson, Waiter
Charlie Franklin has appeared on Broadway in The Book of Mormon, and in the original Broadway casts of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and The Bridges of Madison County. His other NYC credits include Big River (City Center, Encores!) and Parade (Lincoln Center, MCP). Regional credits include The Secret Garden (Shakespeare Theatre/5th Avenue), Lord of the Flies (The Denver Center), Clue (Stages St. Louis). TV credits include Shades of Blue (NBC), The Loudest Voice (Showtime).
Elisa Galindez
Henry’s Secretary, Orderly, Reporter
Elisa Galindez (she/her) is a proud, queer, Boricua, multi-hyphenate artist from The Bronx! She is thrilled to be a part of Behind the Curtain! Previous Credits: Real Women Have Curves: The Musical (A.R.T. World Premier/Dir. Sergio Trujillo), Powerline Road (Off-Broadway/Dir. Michael Bello), Everything I Know (Solo Show Debut/Headliner) at 54 Below! Reps: DGRW, elisagalindezactor.com, IG: eh_lee_sa_
Mia Gentile
Judy Bushkin
Mia Gentile was most recently seen playing Marian Paroo in The Music Man with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and the New Paradigm Theatre, returning after having played Carrie Pipperidge in their concert version of Carousel last February. She spent 5 years in the Broadway cast of Kinky Boots (ensemble and u/s Lauren), impersonated many a diva in Forbidden Broadway, and can be heard on the original cast album of Forbidden Broadway: Comes Out Swinging!, originating the “Let It Blow” sketch. She has toured with Scot Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox and was a soloist in concert with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and the Winston-Salem Symphony singing the songs of Rent, La Boheme, and Moulin Rouge under conductor Robert Moody. Mia was also interviewed by Jerry Seinfeld on ABC’s Good Morning America for her viral YouTube video “The Stanley Steemer Variations.” Mia and her collaborator Roger Klug created a two-person band called MISSYFIT and have released music on all streaming music platforms. Her favorite roles include Maureen in Rent, Margy in Mae West's play Sex, and Rosalind in As You Like It. Mia has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and is gratefully represented by Avalon Artists Group. Mia is also an avid meditator and voice teacher. For more info, visit www.themiagentile.com
Stephanie Gibson
Joanna Holland
Broadway: Cinderella (Gabrielle), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Cherry), Addams Family, Spamalot. National Tour: Chorus Line (Judy) NY: Glitter, Goblets & Gatos & GGG2-Electric Boogaloo (Original One Woman Shows-Feinstein’s/54 Below), Anyone Can Whistle (Encores!), Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical (Town Hall). Regional: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Maggie, Dir Judith Ivey; Baltimore Center Stage), Crime and Punishment (Old Globe), Into the Woods (TUTS), Cabaret (Cape Playhouse), Murder on the Orient Express (Papermill) Young Frankenstein (MUNY), Guys & Dolls (Arkansas Rep Theatre), Rocky Horror Picture Show (Bucks County), Robin & the Seven Hoods (Old Globe), Film/TV: “Happy!” (Pixley) “Run the World”, “Andy Warhol Diaries”, “Person of Interest”, “Up All Night” CCM grad. @StephGib1
Devon Goffman
Doc Severinsen, Joe, Fred Silverman, Matty, Dean Martin
National Tours: JERSEY BOYS (Tommy DeVito) ; ON YOUR FEET! (Phil)- First National; MOTOWN (Barney/Ed Sullivan/Shelly Berger)- First National ; GREASE (Vince Fontaine, with Frankie Avalon), TITANIC (Barrett), BUDDY. Recent: RACE AGAINST TIME (NY Theatre Workshop), BEAUTIFUL (Gerry Goffin, VA Rep); BEAUTIFUL (Donny Kirshner, Engeman Theatre) TV: LAW & ORDER Organized Crime (Detective Greg Florial); LINCOLN RHYME on NBC (Amelia’s Father); FOOD THAT BUILT AMERICA (Charles Grigg) Also: Acting Teacher, Mentor, Director, Theatre Student Motivational Coach IG: @DevonBulldog @TheDevonGoffmanStudio DevonGoffmanOfficial.com
Charlie Marcus
Arthur, Mafia Guy, Joe Colombo, ABC Exec 2, Frank Sinatra, Barry
Charlie just completed the off Broadway run of Gatsby Immersive where he originated the role of Meyer Wolfsheim, the Jewish gangster with a heart of gold. Prior mobsters include Don Del Canto in the Off Broadway production of Romeo and Bernadette, as well as the original company of A Bronx Tale on Broadway. He sings, he dances, he makes offers you can’t refuse;-)
Danny Rutigliano
Buddy Hackett, Sonny, Carl, ABC Exec 1, Bob
DANNY RUTIGLIANO most recently was the standby for Danny Devito in Roundabout’s Broadway production of I NEED THAT. Also for Roundabout he was in IRVING BERLIN’S HOLIDAY INN at Studio 54 which was also seen on PBS Great Performances. Other Broadway credits include BEETLEJUICE, BILLY ELLIOT, BORN YESTERDAY, THE LION KING (original B’wy & L.A. cast, Ovation Award Best Featured Actor for Timon), and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE GOES PUBLIC. National tours include ELF (also at Madison Square Garden), HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, and starring as Marty Shmelky in the international tour of Cirque du Soleil’s BANANA SHPEEL. For the NY City Centre ENCORES! Series he starred in the title role of FIORELLO! as well as BELLS ARE RINGING, KISMET, THE NEW MOON and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS. Off-Broadway includes SILK STOCKINGS, HOLLYWOOD PINAFORE (both at York), GODSPELL (La Mama), YIDDLE WITH A FIDDLE (Town Hall), TOPPER (MTW), DAYDREAMS-THE MUSIC AND MAGIC OF DORIS DAY (Intar) and A SCYTHE OF TIME at the NYMF Festival with a concert encore at 54 Below. TV/FILM includes BLUE BLOODS, ELEMENTARY, HAPPYish, BORED TO DEATH, WITHOUT A TRACE, all the LAW & ORDER shows, the original pilot of MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE, THREE SISTERS, BROTHERS GARCIA, NAKED BROTHERS BAND, GOODFELLAS, 13, the voice of Timothy Mouse in Disney’s DUMBO II and as a dancing Hitler in THE PRODUCERS. Danny has appeared extensively in regional theatre such as GOODSPEED, SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY, BRISTOL RIVERSIDE, THE MUNY, GEVA, NORTH SHORE, MALTZ JUPITER, THEATREVIRGINIA, FULTON, MSMT and many others. He has done numerous commercials and voiceovers, notably “DO IT E-BAY” and as Sheep #5 for Serta Mattress. Favorite role: Husband to Jacqueline Monroe. Proud member of Actors’ Equity for over forty years.
Kathy Searle
Joan Rivers, Jody, Diner
Williamstown: Whaddabloodclot!!! Off-Broadway: I Wanna Destroy You, Apple Cove, Perfect Harmony, My First Time, star and co-creator of “The Awesome 80’s Prom,” Carrie. TV: “NCIS Hawaii” “Bridge & Tunnel” “The Other Two” “Red Oaks,” ”Empire,” “the good Fight,” “Blue Bloods,” PBS pilot’s: “Amanda’s Alligator” and “The Odd Squad,” “Body of Proof,” “Law & Order,” “Gossip Girl,” “Lipstick Jungle,” "L&O: Criminal Intent," "Hope & Faith," MTV's “Hey Girl,” "Damage Control” etc Film: “where’s rose” “ no vacancy” “A comedy of horrors” “8 Slices,” “The Marshal,” “empathy, inc,” “pitching tents,” “Crazy Famous.” Currently won 3 awards for Best Actress in the soon to be released romantic comedy “Love in Kilnerry” “My Man is a Loser,” “Fool’s Day,” “petunia, ” “Meskada,” “The Good Guy,” “3 Backyards,” “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” "Baby Mama," "Being Michael Madsen." Kathy can be seen and heard in numerous commercials and voiceovers. www.kathysearle.com
Zuri Washington
Beautiful Bartender, Sarah Vaughn, Tammy
Zuri Washington (she/her) is a native New Yorker who hails from The Bronx. Credits include "Memphis" (Felicia), "Bring it On" (Danielle), "Sister Act" (Deloris) and "Bat Out of Hell."
VO Credits include: "Pokémon", "Warhammer: Rogue Trader", and "Smite." IG: @ zuriwithafringeontop
Davon Williams
21 Club Waiter, ABC Exec 3, Michael Walker, Al
Davon Williams is a 2x Anthem Award winner, an international performer, NYCLU Artist Ambassador, Former Eastern Principal Delegate for the Actors' Equity Association, Former Communications Director for Black Theatre Coalition, and Producing Assistant for Ars Nova Entertainment. He authored the Actors' Equity Association's Nationally recognized Black Theatre Matters Bill and is a proud ACLU/NYCLU Artist Ambassador. His work has been covered in Deadline, Forbes, CBS, Playbill, The Daily Beast, Broadway World, Metro Weekly, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 60 Minutes, and numerous other platforms and publications. Past Shows: 9 to 5 (MSMT); FALSETTOS (Rep Stage) THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (Fulton); 5 GUYS NAMED MOE (Fulton); FOR COLORED BOYZ (Fulton World Premiere/ BWW Best Ensemble); GREY GARDENS (Center Theatre Group); RAGTIME (Bay Street); FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING (HKDL); DREAMGIRLS (McCoy/Rigby Tour); OKLAHOMA! (Weston); Antiquated F***ery (Off-Broadway); PORGY AND BESS (ETC); FBI (CBS); NAKED DRAGON (Amazon Prime); OUTRAGEOUS 911 (TLC); TATTOO NIGHTMARES (Spike TV); TED TALK (TEDx Wan Chai/TED.com); FBI (CBS); TANGO MACBETH (Indy Festival Winner); STAR-BURNED (Funny Or Die), GO, BOLIVIA, GO (Pilot); OUTRAGEOUS 911 (SpikeTV); LA MEDUSE ROGUE (Festival Winner); and THE RECEIPTS w/ DAVON WILLIAMS ( 2x Award-Winning Digital Series).~Full credits listed at DavonWilliams.com. (If you like to laugh or 'hmmm' loudly follow @Daywilling)
Tricia Brouk
Director
Tricia is an international award winning director, producer and author. Tricia’s book, The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy, was a #1 New Release on Amazon in December 2020. Big Stages, the documentary featuring her work with speakers premiered at the Chelsea Film Festival in October of 2023 to critical acclaim and she recently founded The Big Talk Press, a boutique publishing house. www.triciabrouk.com
Doug Katsaros
Music & Lyrics
Doug Katsaros is an Emmy winning composer whose work as a conductor, arranger, orchestrator or composer on and off Broadway includes Footloose, The Life, The Rocky Horror Show, Altar Boyz, The Toxic Avenger, A...My Name is Alice, Hal Prince’s Diamonds, Laughing Room Only, Gettin’ The Band Back Together and others. His TV and Film scores include the original animated "The Tick," “The Jim Henson Hour” and “Mancuso FBI,” as well as the sci-fi classic “Star Crystal” and Sandra Bullock’s “Me And The Mob.” He has dozens of gold and platinum CDs for his keyboard and arranging work with artists such as Kiss, Sinéad O'Connor, Gloria Estefan, Frank Sinatra, Todd Rundgren, Rod Stewart, Judy Collins, B. B. King, Marlo Thomas, Donny Osmond, Richie Havens, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cher, Michael Bolton, and Peter Paul & Mary, among others. He was a founding member of the 80’s band Balance and the 90’s band GeWaDoKa. He has written special material for Ringling Brothers Circus and Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and Thanksgiving Day Parades and lives in New York with his wife, jazz artist Elise Morris, and yes, he is the guy who wrote "By Mennen". www.dougkatsaros.com
Joe Ricci
Book
Joe came to writing and directing though his work as an actor. With a career spanning over 30 years as a director, writer, and performer, Joe’s work has been seen On Broadway acting in A View from the Bridge, and Off-Broadway in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, He also performed in National Tour including Saturday Night Fever and International Tours including Jesus Christ Superstar. In fact, he has performed in every state except Alaska and South Dakota. As a writer, in addition to his latest play, The Chrysalis, he's written everything from burlesque (Broadway Varietease) to musicals (Third Party Ruling, Frankie & Debbie Live at the Martini Lounge) to television where his Hallmark movie In the Key of Love, had the highest single day premiere viewership of any movie on Hallmark's streaming platform. www.StoryManNYC.com
Andrew David Sotomayor
Musical Director
Recent Credits: El Otro Oz (Atlantic For Kids), Sound of Music, Tootsie (Ogunquit Playhouse), Rent (Broadway at Music Circus); Sweet Charity (Maltz Jupiter Theater); On Your Feet, Some Enchanted Evening (Paper Mill Playhouse). First Nat’l Tours: Tootsie, Escape to Margaritaville. Off-Broadway: Curvy Widow (premiere). Regional:Man of La Mancha (Westport Country Playhouse); Disney’s Newsies, West Side Story (Maltz Jupiter Theatre); The Will Rogers Follies (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse), Cutman: A Boxing Musical(Goodspeed). As a composer, Andrew has provided music and lyrics for the original musicals 50 Shades of F****d Up and Committed, as well the score for the audiobook The Influential Voice. He is a proud graduate of Stetson University, Florida. Endless love and gratitude to his wonderful husband, Bart. For more, visit soto.fun
John Carpentier
Stage Manager
John Carpentier (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of the early stages of Behind the Curtain with this incredible team! Most recently he was an ASM on the pre-broadway, out of town production of BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical. Other credits include the first national tours of Mean Girls, Hadestown, The Spongebob Musical and Les Misérables.
Sam Groisser
Assistant Musical Director, Keys 2
Sam is a music director, pianist, conductor, and arranger new to NYC. National tours: Tootsie, How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Regional: Ogunquit Playhouse, Paper Mill, Marriott, Fulton, Paramount, Maine State MT, Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Alumnus of Northwestern University. Upcoming: South Pacific (Fulton, Maine State MT), Tootsie (North Shore Music Theater). IG: @groissedout. With gratitude to Soto.
Emma Cullen
Assistant Stage Manager
Emma Cullen is a New York based actor, artist, and creative. She is thrilled to be working, learning, and growing with the cast and crew of Behind the Curtain. Emma is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where she graduated with a BFA in Performing Arts, a minor in casting, and the SCAD Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. She is grateful for the opportunity to step into the role of Assistant Stage Manager for her first 29 hour reading.
John Feliciano
Bass
John Feliciano (@Johnnyfelic) is a musician, producer, and professional bass player who grew up in New Hampshire. After graduating from SUNY Purchase in 2012, he has been a part of New York’s diverse community of musicians celebrating salsa, gospel, hip hop, jazz, and everything in between. His recent credits include Lincoln Center (The Dragon Sisters), Brooklyn Museum (Kala and The Lost Tribe as well as Rue Brown), and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn (AJO). He can be found playing bass at Harlem’s FAME Bethel on Sunday mornings with Gary Mitchel Jr. John feels blessed to be a part of Behind The Curtain and he would like to dedicate his performance to his family.
Hiroyki Mastuura
Drums
Hiroyuki Matsuura has degrees in accounting from Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan and jazz performance from City College of New York. He plays various styles of music and keeps pushing musical and cultural boundaries. He has performed in more than 25 states, Canada and Japan and appeared at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Blue Note, Birdland, Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City, and Beacon Theater. His decade-long collaborators include Shaina Taub, Grace McLean and Them Apples, Shelley Nicole's blaKbüshe, The Justin Rothberg Group, and Gsus Band of St. Joseph’s Church in Greenwich Village. https://www.matsusound.com
RCI Theatricals
General Manager
RCI Theatricals is a Theatrical General Management Company. Since our founding in 1997, we have maintained a powerful presence in the theatre industry, managing projects of all scopes - Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional, and Touring - and leveraging our experience and dynamic industry expertise to develop creative solutions to a range of business challenges.
We have managed more than 75 Broadway shows, including & Juliet, Shucked, American Buffalo, The Minutes, Ohio State Murders, A Christmas Carol, Take Me Out, Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill, Ain’t Too Proud, Chicken & Biscuits, The Inheritance (Tony Award® for Best Play), Oklahoma! (Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical), Pictures From Home, The Great Society, The Sound Inside, Anastasia, American Son, the revival of Torch Song, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, August: Osage County (Tony Award® for Best Play), Fiddler on the Roof, Race, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical), It's Only a Play, Jane Eyre, November, Gore Vidal's The Best Man, Driving Miss Daisy, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, The Glass Menagerie, You Can't Take It With You, Bullets Over Broadway, Blithe Spirit, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Play), The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Speed-the-Plow, Little Women, All the Way (Tony Award® for Best Play), and many more.
Current projects include Broadway's Harmony, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Hadestown (Tony Award® for Best Musical), & Juliet, Shucked, and The Heart of Rock & Roll (coming Spring 2024), Off-Broadway’s All The Devils Are Here, and many more shows in development.