Meet the Cast of Seussical the Musical!
Now one of the most performed shows in America, Seussical is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! Tony winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime), have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.
The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge: not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.
Brandi Dumas as Cat in the Hat
Brandi is so excited to be making her debut with Stellar Studios as the Cat in the Hat! Recent credits include Marie Antoinette (Marie, BSU Theatre Company), Legally Blonde (Elle, FHS Theatre Company), and Mamma Mia (Sophie, FHS Theatre Company). She is currently studying Marketing and Theatre at Bridgewater State University. She’d like to give a huge thank you to her family, her teachers, her friends, and to everyone in between who has supported her love for the arts. @brandilionrose
Sydney Braga as Jojo
Sydney is ecstatic to be a part of Stellar Studios’ production of Seussical the Musical! She is currently a 7th grader at Joseph Case Jr. High in Swansea, MA and has been performing since she was seven. When she isn’t acting or singing, Sydney enjoys playing soccer and spending time with friends and family. Sydney’s past roles include: Omar in Aladdin Jr. (Case Boosters), Scuttle in The Little Mermaid Jr. (JCJHS), Young Cinderella in Cinderella: Enchanted (JCHS), and Ensemble in Godspell (JCHS). She would like to thank her family, the WHOLE Cast High Theater Company, and Mrs. Jackson, Ms. Grilo, and Mrs. Correa for their unending support! And a huge thank you to Nathan and Tiff for believing in her! @sydney_braga25
Morgan Abbott as Jojo
Morgan is excited to play JoJo in Seussical the Musical! Morgan is 12 years old and loves being on stage. Her past favorite roles include Annie in Annie Jr. and Alice in Alice in Wonderland Jr. When she’s not performing, Morgan enjoys watching her favorite movie, The Outsiders, and hopes to one day visit the Outsiders museum in Oklahoma. Her dream role is Glinda in Wicked, and one day, Morgan hopes to act in movies or TV shows. A favorite vacation spot of hers is New York City! She would like to thank her family, friends, and directors for their
Nicholas Wilson as Horton
Nick is thrilled to be joining the cast at Stellar Studios Theater. After years away from theater, Nick auditioned for a show and became inspired again. Some favorite roles have been Sebastian in Cinderella and The Boatman in Sunday in the Park with George. When not on stage you can find Nick leading worship at Encounter Church in Dedham or cooking in the kitchen as a professional chef and teacher. This show is special to Nick and he hopes to bring Horton to life and remind us of the importance of standing up for what’s right, even when no one else believes you. Nick would like to thank his wife Jordan and 4 kids (Skylar, Honor, Asa and Woody) for letting him have so much time out of the house while pursuing his dreams. Remember “A Person’s a Person, no matter how small!” @hey_mr_wilson83
Kiah Allaire as Gertrude McFuzz
Kiah is very excited to welcome you to the Jungle of Nool for this production of “Suessical” with Stellar Studios! This is Kiah’s first ever production with Stellar Studios and she has loved the process of working with everyone. Kiah has been in a quite a few theater productions. Some of her favorites include Jack Kelly in Newsies Jr., Rapunzel in Into the Woods, and Catherine Wolf Donahue in These Shinning Lives! Gertrude was a bucket list role and she is excited to perform it for you all tonight. Kiah wants to thank her family and her support systems for always showing up for her. So basically anyone who showed up tonight to watch her dance like a one-feather bird on stage. It’s because of them that she is able to purse this crazy career. She wishes you all enjoy the show!
Julie Regan as Mayzie LaBird
Julie is thrilled to be making her debut with Stellar Studios! Recent credits include the ensembles of SHREK (LTFR), KINKY BOOTS (H.O.P.E Community Theatre), and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (Footlights Repertory Co.), where she also served as dance captain. A lifelong theatre enthusiast, she is proud to be the choreographer of South Coast Children’s theatre, a non-profit organization that offers free theatre education to children in grades 1-8 in the New Bedford area. One of her proudest accomplishments was choreographing the local children’s chorus for the national tour of Wizard of Oz. Outside of theatre, Julie enjoys cooking, playing video games, and teaching English as a Second Language in New Bedford. Big thanks to Nathan and Tiffany for this AMAYZING opportunity, to family and friends for their unwavering support, and to the late, great GG for instilling a love of classic musicals from the start!
Jiniah Haskell-Vieira as Sour Kangaroo
Jiniah is thrilled to return to Seussical the Musical! A longtime member of South Coast Children’s Theater and YMTC, Jiniah has previously appeared as Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, Race in Newsies, and Florence Emerson in 1918. She has also tackled Shakespeare as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and taken on beloved musicals including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Beauty and the Beast, and Les Misérables. Beyond the stage, Jiniah has trained extensively in musical theater, dance, and vocal performance, and her passion for storytelling has led her to write and choreograph. She is excited to bring the Sour Kangaroo’s sass, strength, and heart to life in this production.
Nathan Viera as General Genghis Khan Schmitz
Nathan is marching with pride into the wild world of Seussical! Nathan’s past roles include Monsieur D’Arque in Beauty & the Beast, Inspector Kemp in Young Frankenstein, and Georgie Porgie in Once Upon a Playground. He has also appeared in Elf the Musical Jr. as the Real Santa Claus and understudied roles from the Beast to Walter Hobbs. With training in musical theater, and vocal performance, Nathan brings both humor and heart to every performance. Offstage, he has lent his talents behind the scenes as part of tech crews for Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid. He is excited to salute Whoville as the no-nonsense General Schmitz—because when the Cat in the Hat is around, you never know what adventures (or marching orders) await!
John Amaral-Julio as The Mayor
John is very excited to be venturing to the town of Whoville and the Jungle of Nool in this production of Seussical. He is excited to be back on the stage for the first time since 2019 and is grateful to Stellar Studios for helping him regain his love of theater. In his daily life, John can be found in his role as a social worker, helping youth with severe mental health challenges find their own support systems. But perhaps his favorite role of all is being a dad to his sweet boy, Carter. Daddy loves you, buddy, and this is all for you! John would like to thank his family and friends for all of their support. Special thanks to Kurtis for all of his support. Always remember that you matter and that there is beauty in being different. See you all in Solla Solew!
Megan Pillsbury as The Mayor’s Wife
Megan Pillsbury is super excited to be doing her first show with Stellar Studios! Her favorite roles include Penelope Pennywise (Urinetown), Ensemble (Chicago), Heather Chandler (Heathers), Sardine Devotee (Spongebob) and Ensemble (Anastasia). In her free time she enjoys baking, hitting the gym, and reading with her cat beside her.
Shania Fenton as a Bird Girl
Shania Fenton is thrilled to be making her Stellar Studios debut! Based in Newport, RI, she serves as the Assistant Director of Programming with Student Engagement at Salve Regina University, where she also received her master’s degree in Innovation and Strategic Management in August. Recent credits include Calvin Berger (Ensemble) and Anastasia (Olga Romanov/Marfa) at the Little Theater of Fall River, as well as Little Shop of Horrors (Director) and Footloose (Ariel Moore) at the Academy Players of Rhode Island. Shania extends a heartfelt thanks to her parents, brother, closest friends, and her beloved pup Sally for their unwavering support, along with Director Nathan and Tiffany for this whimsical opportunity to step into the art of Dr. Seuss. Celebrating her 10th theatre anniversary this year, she is grateful to revisit the show that began her community theater journey and sparked the passion that continues to inspire her today.
Tiffany Dawson as a Bird Girl
Tiffany has been a superfan of Seussical since its inception in 2001 but she never dreamed she would get cast in a production as amazing as this one. She acted through high school, but took a 12 year hiatus from the stage and is excited to say this is her third show since her return this year! Her recent roles included Nora in The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals and The Host & Nym in Merry Wives of Windsor. She wants to thank her family, especially her incredible girlfriend Reneé for reminding her that it's never too late to get back to what you love. She also wants to thank Nathan and Tiffany for taking a chance on a new face to the scene and this cast for being so welcoming. She is so excited to take this trip to the Jungle of Nool and beyond with you all!
Brianna “Bria” Doyle as a Bird Girl
Bria is thrilled to make her Stellar Studios Theater debut and reenter the beloved world of Seuss. A graduate of Rhode Island College, she appeared in Beauty and the Beast, Seussical the Musical, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and performed with The Providence Ballet Theatre for five winter seasons. Since then, she has taught dance at Stage Artistry Studios in New Bedford and performs with the Blackstone Valley Polar Express. Outside the arts, Bria runs The Home Stretch Studios, her stretch therapy business in Wrentham where she hopes to help the next generation of performers care for their bodies. She is deeply grateful to her husband, family and friends, as well as Mary and everyone at Stage Artistry, for their encouragement and support. Bria also thanks the wonderful cast and crew of Seussical for their creativity and teamwork.
Marsha-Rose Czepyha as a Bird Girl
Marsha is local to New Bedford. Though, she is originally from Warwick, RI where she attended Community College Of Rhode Island for an Associates in Fine Arts. Presently, she is a psychology major at SNHU and hopes to be an occupational therapist. She enjoys crocheting, baking, and reading with her girlfriend. She is extremely excited to re-join theater after nearly two years away. Her favorite theatrical performance is Rocky Horror Picture Show and hopes to be in a shadow cast some day. Previous credits include Bakers Wife, Into the Woods (CCRI Opera), and Egg, Keeping Mum (Spectrum Theater Ensemble), Romaine Patterson, Laramie Project (CCRI Players). She is a 2023 Irene Ryan acting scholarship nominee at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for her performance as Romaine Patterson (Laramie Project). In 2022 she attended the KCACT Festival as a scene partner. @m.arsha.marsha.marsha
Jake Swenson as a Wickersham
Jake Swenson is so thrilled to be a part of this wonderful cast as Seussical as a Wickersham with Stellar Studios! Other roles include Ren (Footloose), Warner (Legally Blonde), and Prentiss (Peter and the Starcatcher). Outside of theatre Jake studies Music Education at Bridgewater State University and is involved heavily in multiple chorales and chamber choirs, even performing with the National Masterwork Choir in New York City at Carnegie Hall. He wants to thank all his family and friends for their continued support and wants to thank his partner for her unwavering commitment and love every day, it makes everyday a blessing. @jake_swenson28
Lily Thomas as a Wickersham
This is Lily’s first time working with Stellar Studios, and she is super excited to be here! Lily has always loved performing ever since she was little, and she rediscovered her passion for musical theater when she joined the club Best of Broadway at her previous school, Springfield College. Since then, Lily has transferred to Bridgewater State University where she is studying Early Childhood Education and Childhood Studies. She would like to give a huge thank you to her mom, dad, other family members, and her friends for coming to see the show and for being so supportive. It’s going to be a great show!!! Finally, she would like to remind everyone to stay fierce and be iconic.
Peyton Blair as The Grinch
Peyton Blair is thrilled to appear as the Grinch in their second ever musical! Seussical is a show that has always appealed heavily to Peyton, with the clowny, circusy, big band over-the-top energy being everything they live for. Beyond theatre, Peyton spends a lot of their time cosplaying, and often performing parodies of songs on stage while cosplaying at various New England conventions. They're thrilled to now be a part of the Stellar Studios family, and hope you enjoy the show!
Matthew King as Yurtle the Turtle / Who Ensemble
Marc Weaver as Vlad Vladikoff / Who Ensemble
Marc Weaver is a musician and audio engineer from Westport, MA. Previous roles include Peter in Company, Steward in Into The Woods, and Harry in Kinky Boots, all with H.O.P.E. Community Theatre, Father and Joey Primo in Rock Of Ages and Assalone in The Minutes with Footlights, and ensemble roles in Sister Act, Shrek, and Starting Here, Starting Now with Little Theatre Of Fall River. He also works as a sound board operator for Theatre Rats and Brown/Trinity Rep, and he plays drums in a 90s-style alt-rock band called Toxic Earth, whose debut album, Blind & Divided, is available to listen to on all major streaming sites. @mweave96 @toxicearth
Briona Amaral in the Who Ensemble
Briona is delighted to be playing the role of Who ensemble is the Stellar Studios production of “Suessical”. She is a 22 year old from Swansea, MA. She has an immense passion for singing and dancing. Briona has also played the role of ensemble in Footlights production of Rock of Ages. Briona is excited to be apart of this show with amazing people.
Aubrey as The Young Kangaroo
Aubrey is thrilled to be performing in her third production. She fell in love with theater the first time she stepped on stage. She previously played Jojo in Seussical and a farm animal in Charlotte’s Web. When she’s not on stage, Aubrey enjoys taking vocal lessons, watching high school football games, and spending time with family and friends. @aubreyleigh317