The Muny Premiere of Sister Act Announces Full Cast, Design and Production Teams

ST. LOUIS (August 3, 2023) – The Muny announced today its full cast, design and production teams for the divine musical comedy, Sister Act, August 14 – 20.

“Hallelujah! We’ve reached the end of our 2023 season with this wonderful team and cast,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson.  “This cast is poised to raise our non-existent roof and take us straight to the heavens.

Joining the previously announced BRYONHA MARIE (Deloris Van Cartier), MAMIE PARRIS (Mother Superior), JAMES T. LANE (Eddie Souther), ALAN H. GREEN (Curtis Jackson), THOM SESMA (Monsignor O’Hara), MEREDITH ALEIGHA WELLS (Mary Robert), MADELEINE DOHERTY (Mary Lazarus), KATY GERAGHTY (Mary Patrick), BRANDON ESPINOZA (Pablo) and DARRON HAYES (TJ) are ROB COLLETTI (Joey) and MELANIE LOREN (Standby for Deloris Van Cartier). Rounding out the company are LEXI BALDACHINO, COLLIN J. BRADLEY, MICHELE BURDETTE ELMORE, BRADY FOLEY, TALYA GROVES, NIGEL JAMAL HALL, AUSTIN WONG HARPER, ANITA JACKSON, ZAKEYIA LACEY, JANNA LINAE, KAITLYN MAYSE, ADELINA MITCHELL, LIZZ PICINI, AMBER ALEXANDRIA ROSE, RONAN RYAN, GORDON SEMEATU, CAMERON MONROE THOMAS and REBECCA YOUNG.

This Muny production of this feel-good musical, as previously announced, is led by director and choreographer Denis Jones, with music director/conductor Sheilah V. Walker, associate choreographer Barry Busby and assistant choreographer Lizz Picini.

The design team leading this production includes scenic design by Edward E. Hayes Jr., costume design by Leon Dobkowski, lighting design by Shelby Loera, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Kevan Loney, wig design by Kelley Jordan, with production stage manager Larry Smiglewski.

The Telsey Office is the official casting partner for The Muny.

Principal Casting

BRYONHA MARIE (Deloris Van Cartier) Muny: The Sound of Music (Mother Abbess) and A Little Sondheim Music (Powell Hall). Broadway: Prince of Broadway, The Book of Mormon, After Midnight, The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess; Ragtime. Off-Broadway/NY: Promenade (NY City Center Encores!), Candide (Carnegie Hall), NY Philharmonic’s Show Boat and Sweeney Todd (Beggar Woman), Ragtime (Lincoln Center). Tour: Falsettos. World premiere: Dave (Arena Stage, 2019 Helen Hayes nominee), Prince of Broadway (Tokyo Orb). A 2022 Jeff nominee for her performance in Life After, Bryonha has appeared regionally, most recently as Mrs. Lovett in the Signature Theatre production of Sweeney Todd, directed by Sarna Lapine, The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (ART), Ragtime (Kennedy Center), The Civil War (NETworks), Hair (Broadway Sacramento), Dreamgirls (Effie White, North Shore), Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group) and many more. TV: The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!; Madam Secretary, Show Boat and Sweeney Todd (Live from Lincoln Center). Twitter/Instagram: @BryonhaMarie

MAMIE PARRIS (Mother Superior) Thrilled to be back in Forest Park! Muny: Paint Your Wagon (Cayla Woodling), Hello, Dolly! (Irene Molloy) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator). On Broadway, Mamie is perhaps best known for her iconic rendition of “Memory” from the recent revival of Cats. Other Broadway: School of Rock, Ragtime, The Drowsy Chaperone, On The 20th Century and 110 in the Shade. Off-Broadway: Anything Can Happen in The Theater (plus cast album), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Prudie). Tours: Wicked (Elphaba), 9 to 5 (Judy), Legally Blonde. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Arena Stage, The Old Globe, Goodspeed, Pittsburgh CLO and more. Film/TV: A Standup Guy, State of Affairs, The Blacklist and The PBS Great Performances 50th Anniversary special. Audiobook narrator (find her on Audible.com) and lauded symphony soloist (visit mamieparris.com for upcoming dates and more!). Thanks to Mike, love to Johnathan. @mamieparrisofficial on Instagram, @mamiesings on TikTok.

JAMES T. LANE (Eddie Souther) is from Philadelphia. Muny: Chicago (Billy Flynn), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Sebastian). West End: The Scottsboro Boys, A Chorus Line. Broadway: Chicago (Billy Flynn), Kiss Me, Kate (Paul), King Kong, The Scottsboro Boys (Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates), A Chorus Line (Richie Walters). National tours: Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations (Paul Williams), Jersey Boys. Regional: Guys and Dolls (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Mary Poppins (Bert), The Wiz (Tin Man) and more. Lane also created and performed in Triple Threat, a “play that moves and sings.” jamestlane.com Instagram: @jamestlane

ALAN H. GREEN (Curtis Jackson) Broadway: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, Sister Act and Play On! Original Cast Albums include his Broadway shows as well as Broadway Bounty Hunter, Freaky Friday and Carols for a Cure. First national tours: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Swing!; Smokey Joe’s Cafe. International: Miss Saigon (sung in German). Recent Regional: The Griswold’s Broadway Vacation (5th Avenue Theatre), The Karate Kid (Stages St. Louis), A.D. 16 (Olney Theatre). TV: Almost Family, Unforgettable, Murphy Brown, 30 Rock, Peter Pan Live!; Law & Order: SVU; Guiding Light and lots of national commercials. Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (Berkie), Best Performer in a Streamed Musical (BroadwayWorld). BA in Vocal Performance from Rice University. Board Member and Associate Artist at Barrington Stage Company. Deacon at Metro Baptist Church in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Instagram: @alanhgreen

THOM SESMA (Monsignor O’Hara) made his Muny debut in 2013 as Jafar in Disney’s Aladdin. He has numerous credits at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, where he appeared in Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Dinner with Friends and where he directed Life (x) 3. Elsewhere, he was most recently seen in Oliver! (New York City Center Encores!), followed by the world premiere production of Madeline Myers’ Double Helix (Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, NY). Other recent New York credits include A Man of No Importance (Classic Stage Company), Letters of Suresh (Second Stage, Lortel Award nomination), Unknown Soldier (Playwrights Horizons) and Ghosts (Williamstown/Seattle Rep). Broadway/National tour credits include: The Times They Are A-Changin’; Disney’s The Lion King, Titanic, Miss Saigon, Man of La Mancha, Search and Destroy, Nick & Nora. Select TV credits: Instinct, The Good Wife, Madam Secretary, Gotham, Jessica Jones. thomsesma.com;  Instagram: @thsesma

MEREDITH ALEIGHA WELLS (Mary Robert) made their national tour debut in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, marking the first performance in a Broadway national tour by a wheelchair user. They have also toured their original one-person musical Dysfunctioning Just Fine (Purple Skies Playwright Award) across the northeast. Off-Broadway: Various readings with New York Theatre Workshop. Regional: Teenage Dick (Buck, Seattle Rep), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Atina, Music Theater Works), Blue Roses (Laura Wingfield, Rec Room Arts), Shrek (Ugly Duckling, Beck Center) and Cleveland Public Theatre. Other appearances include Dance St. Louis, CounterBalance, OhioDance Festival, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Playhouse Square, Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Luminous Festival in Beijing, China. In 2020, Meredith started their newsletter, Message in a Bottle, where they continue to spread chronic illness awareness and help others through sharing their experience as a queer disabled performer.

MADELEINE DOHERTY (Mary Lazarus) First time at The Muny! Broadway: Les Misérables (Ensemble, u/s Madame Thenardier, dance captain), A Christmas Carol (Char Woman, original cast), The Producers (Hold Me Touch Me, original cast), Sister Act (Sister Mary Teresa, original cast), Gigi (u/s Mamita/Alicia, original cast/revival), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grandma Georgina, original cast). Off-Broadway: Romance, Romance (original cast), A Time for Singing (York Theatre). Six national tours, over 50 regional theatres, one son, one grandson, four step-kids, five step-grandkids, one dog and three unions.

KATY GERAGHTY (Mary Patrick) is thrilled to make her Muny debut! Katy was most recently seen as Little Red in Into the Woods on Broadway as well as the national tour. Other Broadway credits include the original cast of Groundhog Day, as well as the pre-Broadway run of & Juliet in Toronto. Select Regional: Hairspray (Tracy Turnblad), Bliss (Princess Carmella, world premiere, 5th Avenue), Shrek (Gingy). TV: Modern Love and Sing It On. Many thanks and love to Eddie and Take 3, Lisa and Viking Entertainment, and my endlessly supportive family. For Mary & Mitch. @katy.geraghty

ROB COLLETTI (Joey) Muny debut! Rob recently starred as Lester Bangs in the Tony-nominated production of Almost Famous on Broadway. He played Elder Cunningham in the Broadway, national tour and Chicago productions of The Book of Mormon and also originated the starring role of Dewey Finn in the School of Rock first national tour (which garnered him an LA Scenie Award for “Best Lead Actor in a Touring Production” at the world-famous Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles). Regional: The Old Globe, The Kennedy Center, The Second City, The New Theatre, American Theater Company, Circle Theatre, many others. Film/TV: The Many Saints of Newark (Warner Bros/HBO Films), Just Roll With It  (ABC/Disney). Rob trained at The Second City in Chicago, holds a BA in Acting from Columbia College, and is currently a master’s candidate at Harvard University.

BRANDON ESPINOZA (Pablo) Muny: Grease (Danny Zuko, Director/Choreographer: Denis Jones). Broadway: SpongeBob SquarePants, Tuck Everlasting, Gypsy, Big, Les Misérables, The Will Rogers Follies. Off-Broadway: The Visitor (Public Theater), Substitution (Playwrights Realm), Scarcity (Atlantic Theater Company), Tea and Sympathy (Keen Company), Captains Courageous (Manhattan Theater Club, Drama League honoree/nominee). Regional: The Rembrandt (TheaterWorks Hartford), Anna in the Tropics (Director/Playwright: Nilo Cruz, Miami New Drama, 20th anniversary production), On Your Feet! (Paper Mill Playhouse), The Way of the World (Director/Playwright: Theresa Rebeck, Folger Theatre), A View from the Bridge (Director: Ivo van Hove; Goodman Theatre). Current TV: Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Detective Garcia, Starz). Other TV: The Blacklist (NBC), Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC), The Equalizer (CBS), FBI (CBS), The Leftovers (HBO), The Following (Fox), The Mysteries of Laura (NBC), The Carrie Diaries (CW). Instagram: @brandonxespinoza

DARRON HAYES (TJ) is thrilled to be returning to The Muny as he had the time of his life last summer! He is excited to be back home in the states as he recently returned from Australia playing Pharus in the Australian Premiere of Choir Boy. Muny: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Broadway: Kimberly Akimbo. Australian Theatre: Choir Boy. Off-Broadway/New York: I Can Get It for You Wholesale, The Gospel According to Heather, Notes from Now, Love Around the Block. Regional: Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Music Theatre Wichita, Two River Theater, New London Barn Playhouse and JAG Productions where he premiered in the first-ever all-Black production of Next to Normal. Gratitude to casting, HCKR, and his family and friends. University of North Carolina School of the Arts ‘17. Penn State Musical Theatre ‘21. Instagram: darronhayes_ All the love!

MELANIE LOREN (Standby for Deloris Van Cartier) is pleased to return to The Muny, having previously appeared in The Color Purple. Regional: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Huntington Theatre Company), Little Shop of Horrors (Drury Lane), Raisin (Skylight Music Theatre), The First Deep Breath (Victory Gardens Theater), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Porchlight Music Theatre). Film/ TV: Undercover Brother 2, Sprung, Chicago Med, APB and The Chi. Black Theater Alliance Award recipient. Instagram: @iammellodrama Facebook: MELLOdrama

About the show:

Based on the smash hit film, Sister Act is a heavenly musical comedy that proves nothing can stand in the way of sisterhood! Disco diva Deloris dreams of fame and fortune, but is she prepared for the way she receives it? Songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, including “Take Me to Heaven,” “Fabulous, Baby!,” and “Raise Your Voice,” this score is sure to raise your spirits. The grand finale to the Muny season promises to be divine!

For headshots and show logo, please click HERE.

The Muny’s 2023 Season includes Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (June 12-18), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (June 22-30), Chess (July 5-11), West Side Story (July 15-21), Little Shop of Horrors (July 25-31), Rent (August 4-10) and Sister Act (August 14-20).

Single tickets and Muny gift cards for the 105th season are now available online and at The Muny Box Office. For more information, visit muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.