Broadway’s Dee Roscioli Completes The Muny’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe Cast
Design and Production Team Announced

ST. LOUIS (July 13, 2021) — The Muny announced today that Broadway’s Dee Roscioli will complete the cast of the theatre’s 103rd season opener, Smokey Joe’s Cafe. The design and production team for the Muny premiere was also announced. Smokey Joe’s Cafe runs July 26 – Aug. 1. The Telsey Office is the official casting partner for The Muny. Smokey Joe’s Cafe is proudly sponsored by Ameren.

“This amazing, powerful and joyous show is the perfect production to launch our historic 103rd season,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “Set in St. Louis’s historic Gaslight Square, Smokey Joe’s Cafe celebrates what matters most right now: community, music and the glorious power of pure entertainment.”

Smokey Joe’s Cafe’s complete cast includes Charl Brown, Michael Campayno, Mykal Kilgore, Tiffany Mann, Hayley Podschun, Dee Roscioli, Christopher Sams, Nasia Thomas and Jason Veasey.  

The company will also be joined by the Muny Teen youth ensemble.  

As previously announced, Smokey Joe’s Cafe is directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, with music direction by Abdul Hamid Royal, and choreography by Josh Walden, based on original choreography by Dodge.   

The production team leading Smokey Joe’s Cafe includes scenic design by Edward E. Haynes Jr., costume design by Sully Ratke, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Kevan Loney and wig design by Kelley Jordan. The production stage manager is Matthew Lacey.  

CHARL BROWN is thrilled to be appearing on The Muny stage for the first time and at this historic moment for theatre. He was nominated for a Tony Award for the role of Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical and reprised this role opening the West End production. This winter, he is slated to appear as Brick in Virginia Stage’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Other Broadway/tour: Jersey Boys, Sister Act, Hair. Select regional: The Who’s Tommy (Denver Center, Kennedy Center), Ever After (Paper Mill Playhouse), Johnny Baseball (American Repertory Theater), Dreamgirls, Ragtime, Six Degrees of Separation, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line. Select television: FBI, Evil, Madam Secretary. When not in an acting role, Charl tours the globe with his group, The Doowop Project, including venues such as The Blue Note Beijing, Disney Symphony Hall, Ottawa Symphony, City Winery Nashville and many others worldwide. 

MICHAEL CAMPAYNO originated the role of Rob Camilletti in The Cher Show and also starred as Fiyero in the hit musical Wicked on Broadway. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, he made his television debut as Rolf in the NBC live telecast of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood and can be heard on the cast recording. His other credits include Lancelot in Camelot starring Robert Sean Leonard and Barry Bostwick, productions at Pittsburgh CLO, and in concert with the Phoenix Symphony and Carolina Philharmonic. Television: The Other Two (HBOMAX), The Good Fight (CBS). Proud member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA. Follow @michaelcampayno 

MYKAL KILGORE is an award-winning actor and a Grammy and NAACP Image Award-nominated singer/songwriter. His debut album, A Man Born Black, is a gumbo of American roots and modern feels that highlight his ability to go from Broadway showtune storytelling to soul and jazz scatting to gospel. Mykal most recently starred in his online special, Mykal Kilgore Live... on the Innanets! Broadway: Motown: The Musical and Hair. National tour: The Book of Mormon. Other select credits: The Witch in Into the Woods at Barrington Stage Company, The Who’s Tommy at The Kennedy Center, Songs for a New World at Encores! Off-Center. TV/Film: NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, The Wiz Live! and Collateral Beauty. Mykal has racked up 10M+ views on social media with his videos, including his viral Reclaiming My Time video. #blacklivesmatter #translivesmatter #loveoneanother MYKALKILGORE.COM 

TIFFANY MANN Broadway: Be More Chill, Waitress. Off-Broadway: Jerry Springer: The Opera (Lucille Lortel Award), Invisible Thread, Cabin in the Sky. Other select theater: Dreamgirls (Effie), Live from Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd in Concert. TV: New Amsterdam and Rise for NBC, Orange Is the New Black. @iamtiffanymann 

HAYLEY PODSCHUN Originally from Kansas, Hayley returns to The Muny after playing Dainty June in the 2018 production of Gypsy. Broadway: Wicked (Glinda, national tour), Hello, Dolly!; Something Rotten, Chaplin (Mildred Harris), Anything Goes, Pal Joey, Sunday in the Park with George, Hairspray (Broadway, national tour) and The Sound of Music. Off-Broadway: Freckleface Strawberry (Freckleface, original cast). Select regional credits: Holiday Inn (Linda Mason, Paper Mill Playhouse), I Married an Angel (Anna Murphy, NY City Center Encores!), The Royal Family of Broadway (Gwen, Barrington Stage, world premiere), Holiday Inn (Lila Dixon, Goodspeed, world premiere) Crazy for You (Polly, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Peter Pan (Peter Pan, Artpark), Legally Blonde (Elle Woods, Arvada Center). Film/TV: Hairspray (Tammy), The Blacklist, Louie, Isn’t It Romantic and Hail, Caesar; You can also find Hayley on QVC as a guest host for Zodiac Shoes. IG: @hayley_podschun or www.hayleypodschun.com for more! 

DEE ROSCIOLI is so excited to be making her Muny debut!! Most notable is her seven-year record-breaking run as the green-skinned heroine of Wicked, Elphaba, on Broadway, in Chicago, San Francisco and the first national touring companies. Most recently, Dee was seen on Broadway in The Cher Show as the standby for Star and Lady. She can be heard on the original cast recording of John Kander’s newest musical Kid Victory, where she created the role of Emily. Dee also had the privilege of joining the 2015 revival of Fiddler on the Roof as Fruma Sarah. In addition to her theatre credits, she has twice headlined with the prestigious Philly Pops Orchestra and has performed as a soloist with various symphonies across the US and Europe. She has also guest-starred on various TV series. Follow her on Instagram @deeroscioli 

CHRISTOPHER SAMS is ecstatic to join The Muny and Marcia Milgrom Dodge in turning up the summer heat with Leiber and Stoller's Smokey Joe's Cafe. Broadway credits feature Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King. National touring credits include The Lion King (Ensemble, u/s Mufasa), The Color Purple (Ensemble/Grady/Buster), Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr.) and Rock of Ages (Ensemble/Ja'Keith). Became a proud AEA member doing Smokey Joe's Cafe with Ms. Dodge in 2016 and this is Chris' third time rocking through the neighborhood. 

NASIA THOMAS was most recently seen as Cathy in Out of The Box Theatrics version of The Last Five Years. In the fall, she can be seen as The Radio in the upcoming revival of Caroline, or Change on Broadway. Most recently seen in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations on Broadway. Broadway: Little Eva in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. National tour: Beautiful. Regional: Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (Berkeley Rep, Kennedy Center, Center Theatre Group, Mirvish Theatre), Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Under The Stars), Hairspray, (Muny). BFA Musical Theatre, Elon ‘15, The Governors School for the Arts ‘11. Member at DGRW Talent. IG: @nasiathomas. 

JASON VEASEY Jason is happy to be back in one of his favorite cities making his Muny debut! Theatre credits include the Broadway and national touring companies of The Lion King, the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop and a couple visits to Smokey Joe’s Cafe! He’s been at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Denver Center and The Public in New York. TV/Film credits include High Maintenance, Chicago Fire, Little Voice, Dash & Lily, Flatbush Misdemeanors and I’m Not Him. 

ABOUT THE SHOW:
Smokey Joe’s Cafe, the songs of Leiber and Stoller, features words and music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

Ben E. King, The Coasters, Elvis Presley, Peggy Lee and The Drifters – what do they have in common? Besides being some of the most popular artists of the 50s and 60s, their hits, and over 35 others, are the bread and butter of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Set in St. Louis’ historic Gaslight Square, Broadway’s longest-running musical revue includes Grammy Award-winning favorites such as “Yakety Yak,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “On Broadway” and “Love Potion No. 9.” With this generation-defining Muny premiere, audiences will be dancing in the aisles. 

New season subscriptions for the 2021 five-show season are still currently available through July 23, with single tickets available now. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online at muny.org or by phone by calling (314) 361-1900 ext. 1550.  

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Emerson is proud to be The Muny’s 2021 Season Sponsor.

###

The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce world-class musicals each year and welcome over 350,000 theatregoers over our summer season. Celebrating 103 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.