Any video and/or audio recording of this
production is strictly prohibited. 

Sunday in the Park with George is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).  All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

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Kokandy Productions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. By making a tax-deductible gift to Kokandy Productions, you are assisting the advancement of musical theater in Chicago.

Evelyn Ryan (Conductor/Grand Piano)
Fernando Chapa (French Horn) 
Andrew Milliken (Keyboard 2)
Adam Nigh (Woodwinds)
Matt Wolf (Cello)
Micky York (Keyboard 3)

Madeleine Bigler (A2)
Peter Boenish (Associate Projection Designer/Lead Electrician)
Christine Burquest (A1)
Ethan Colish (Assistant Stage Manager)
Michael Coppola (Stage Management Intern)
Alanna Chavez (Assistant Director) 
Syd Genco (Makeup Design)
Hannah Kwak (Production Sound Engineer)
G “Max” Maxin IV (Scenic, Projection and Lighting Design)
Kendyl Meyer (Stage Manager)
David Moreland (Technical Director)
Amelia Osborn (Associate Production Manager)
Matt Reich (Sound Design)
Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager)
Shane Roberie (Casting Director)
Evelyn Ryan (Orchestrations)
Keith Ryan (Wig & Hair Design)
Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design)
Stone TeSelle (Associate Scenic Designer, Scenic Charge)
Julian Weslander (Properties Design)

Derek Van Barham, Producing Artistic Director
Adrian Abel Azevedo, Leda Hoffmann, Artistic Associates
Scot Kokandy, Executive Producer
Ben Hinc, Technical Consultant
David Rosenberg, Public Relations
Jeff Meyer, Graphic Designer

Board of Directors: Preston Cropp, Danielle Sparklin, Scot Kokandy, Katie Svaicer 

Kokandy Productions was founded in 2012 by Allison Hendrix, John Glover, and Scot Kokandy. 

Nick Arceo is elated to do this dream show that has been a fixture of most of his life. Kokandy: Grand Hotel, CMTF 2024: The Brass Teapot. Chicago area: Assassins (Theo Ubique); On the Twentieth Century, Merrily We Roll Along (Blank); Fame, Bright Lights Big City (The Beautiful City Project); Four Places (4 Chairs); Mary Poppins (Metropolis PAC); Forever Plaid (Skokie); Plaid Tidings (Towle); A Man of No Importance (Pride Arts). Regional: Pippin, Parade, Funny Girl (Revival Theatre Company). All my love to Grethel, Violet, family, and friends!

Danny Andrew Bennett is so excited to be a part of his first production with the wonderful artists at Kokandy! Previous Credits include: Kitty and The Beanstalk & Click Clack Boo! A Tricky Treat (Lifeline Theatre), and Octet (Raven Theatre). Originally from Miami, FL, he is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado. Represented by Big Mouth Talent. Instagram: @dankybankett

Brittney Brown is a Chicago based actor, director, and casting director. Recent acting credits include: Passion (Blank Theatre, Jeff Nomination – Best Performer in a Principal Role), Poor People (Hell in a Handbag), brother sister cyborg space (Raven Theatre), Merrily We Roll Along (Blank Theatre), Assassins, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Sweeney Todd (Theo Ubique), Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, and Bonnie and Clyde (Kokandy Productions), All That He Was (PrideArts, Jeff Nomination – Best Performer in a Supporting Role), Kelly Girls (Factory Theater, Jeff Nomination – Best Performer in a Principal Role), and Ragtime and Violet (Griffin Theatre). She co-directed Alice By Heart at Kokandy Productions (Jeff Nomination – Director of a Musical) and was the associate director for Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes (The Story Theatre), May the Road Rise Up (Factory Theater), and Wolves (Exit 63). She is a featured director in Oil Lamp Theater’s upcoming Ignite New Works Festival, Broken Nose Theatre’s Bechdel Fest 7: Momentum and directed a staged reading of Paul Michael Thomson’s Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man for Avalanche Theatre as well as the audio drama Primer for Broken Nose Theatre. She has also directed productions of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Calvin Berger. She is incredibly grateful for her mom, her Game Night Crew, and her partner George for all of their truly amazing support.

Rachel Carreras (she/her, The Nurse) is thrilled to be back with Kokandy after making her debut in Amélie as Amandine/Philomene last season! Rachel was most recently seen as Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense and Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act (Drury Lane). Other recent credits: Ms. Navarro in Brighter Futures (Paramount), Bird Woman/Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins and Marie in Cinderella (Metropolis PAC), Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (HPP), Lucy Harris in Jekyll and Hyde (BrightSide), Angela in Honky Tonk Angels (LTOTS), and The Witch in Into the Woods (Summer Lyric). She is also a member of the professional Chicago/Macomb choir withonevoice. Special thanks to her family and friends for their unending love and support! Rachel is represented by Talent X Alexander. Isaiah 55:12. www.rachelcarreras.com 

EMILY HOLLAND (she/her) – Emily is beyond thrilled to be back at the Chopin telling this gorgeous story after last being seen in Kokandy’s Jeff Award winning production of American Psycho. Other credits include: South Pacific (Paramount Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Fireside Theatre), the love object (The Story Theatre), Children of Eden: in Concert (Broadway in Chicago), Annie, Godspell, Guys and Dolls (MTW), Million Dollar Quartet, 9 to 5: The Musical (Metropolis), Henry V, Merry Wives of Windsor (Door Shakespeare). BFA MT and Dance minor: UWSP. Proudly represented by DDO. All of my love to the entire team, Darian, my friends and family, my agents, and my furbabies, Kiwi and Hattie. If you’re reading this, go forth and bravely discover the possibilities of a blank page or canvas for yourself. The world needs YOUR art and YOUR mind, now more than ever.

Emily Holland “Joy is an act of resistance” – Toi Derricotte www.emilynicoleholland.com IG: emily_holland01

Gabriel Levi is ecstatic to be making their debut with Kokandy! Having always admired his work, this will be Levi’s first venture into the world of Sondheim! With a musical theatre background, Levi has performed as “Audrey 2” in Little Shop and “Tom Collins” in Rent. Recently, Levi had the premiere of their self-written one-person show “Liar, Liar Pants of Fire” currently touring throughout the Chicagoland area. Levi wants to thank their mother for being so supportive of their theatre journey and their village of friends for believing in them. 

Lauren Miller (Old Lady, Blair Daniels) is thrilled to be working with Kokandy! Chicago and regional credits include Follies (Porchlight Music Theatre), Squeamish (A Bump in the Night), Measure for Measure (The Shakespeare Project), Sister Act, Nunsense, Cabaret, Nevermore, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Additional favorites include the Jeff Award–nominated Boeing Boeing, Light Up the Sky, and Steel Magnolias. Lauren is represented by Big Mouth Talent. Visit www.MeetLaurenMiller.com. 

Z Moore (they/he), is electrocuted to make their Kokandy debut. Hailing from the desert of Phoenix, Arizona, they were recently seen in New Faces Sing Broadway 1960 (Porchlight), as a violinist in the pit orchestra for Little Women (Bishop Knoll Institute), and as Angel in RENT (Surging Films & Theatrics). Other favorite credits: I Love You…Now Change (Oil Lamp Theater), Stabbed In The Heart (Factory Theater), and Avenue Q, The Lightning Thief (MadKap), the latter of which summoned Z’s drag persona, Misha Linh Star: the cuisine queen. Z also coaches through their vocal studio and served as the Vocal Director for A Funny Thing…Forum (Marian Theatre Guild). For more on Moore: IG @suddenlyzmoore / suddenlyzmoore.com 

Halli Morgan (she/her) is so excited to be back at Kokandy! Previous Kokandy credits include INTO THE WOODS (u/s Baker’s Wife & Witch) and the 2025 Chicago Music Theatre Festival (QUEEN BEA, Lily). Other favorite credits include IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Oil Lamp Theatre), MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, PASSION (Blank Theatre Company), POOR PEOPLE! (Hell in a Handbag Productions), and PETER PAN (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Proudly represented by NV Talent. All the love in the world for Thomas, her supportive and magnificent husband. 

KyraJo Petit-Walla (they/she, Frieda) is absolutely ecstatic to be making their Chicago debut in Sunday. KyraJo primarily choreographs and directs for local youth programs and community theaters, but her favorite onstage credits include the Narrator in Joseph… (CCT), Constance in The Clockmaker’s Daughter (the Midwest Premiere at Lake Country Playhouse), and Emma in The Prom (Waukesha Civic Theatre). Special thanks to her incredible partner Nathan, her 3 cats, and the entire Kokandy team for making dreams possible. As always, KyraJo dedicates their work in loving memory of Ben Olson.

Sarah Seidler (she/her) is overjoyed to be making her Kokandy debut. Chicago Credits include: Damn Yankees (Theo Ubique); Hot People Island (Cornservatory); Assassins, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (point2point productions); Proof, Dinner With Friends (Bluebird Arts); The Shaughraun (The Storm Theatre); The Real Inspector Hound (St. Sebastian Players); Alice in Wonderland (Chicago Kids Company) Also involved in the Midwest film community, Sarah is proudly represented by Talent X Alexander. A huge thank you to the Sunday team for this opportunity. Love to Mom, Dad, Griffin, and Squad. Website: sarahseidler.com 

ELEXIS SELMON (Celeste #1 & 2, Louise US) Elexis is thrilled to be working at Kokandy Productions on such a great musical! Her recent credits include CHICAGO: Birthday Candles (Buffalo Ensemble Theatre) Mary Jane (Northlight Theatre) Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas At Pemberley (Buffalo Ensemble Theatre) Rome Sweet Rome (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). REGIONAL: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati); Hello Dolly (The Carnegie Theatre); The Spongebob Musical (The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati). REGIONAL TOUR: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival); Hamlet(Cincinnati Shakespeare Company). EDUCATION: BA in Theatre, Loyola University New Orleans; BS in Psychology, Loyola University New Orleans. Elexis would like to give a special thanks to her mom, family, friends and Jesus!

Abraham Shaw is thrilled to be making his Kokandy debut! Previous credits include: Rent, New Faces Sing Broadway 1961 (Porchlight Music Theatre), Tiny Beautiful Things (Max & Louie Productions), The Snowy Day National Tour (Childsplay). Listen to Abe Shaw’s new EP “novice heartstrings” available on all music platforms. Much love to mom for her continued support! @abetshaw, abrahamshaw.com

Missy Wise Vanderzee Recent Musical Theater credits include: Bright Star (Boho Theater Ensemble) Kinky Boots (Paramount Aurora) A Burning Church (ICE Factory NYC), Million Dollar Quartet (Clarence Brown Theater) Legally Blonde (Paramount Aurora) FLIES! The Musical! (Pride Films and Plays) Sweeney Todd (Theo Ubique) Bonnie & Clyde (Kokandy Productions) and more. Missy was the 2016 Winner of the NATS National Musical Theater Competition & the proud recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards: Best Supporting Actor for her work as “Blanche Barrow” in Kokandy Productions Bonnie & Clyde and for Best Lead Actor for “Alice Murphy” in Bright Star. Missy has a solo show “Let’s Go Girls”, celebrating a century of women in country music and is the founder & owner of Sunburst Vocal Studio in Chicago. For Trevor & Lulu – we’ve always belonged together.

JAMES LAPINE is a playwright and director. On Broadway he has worked with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George; Into the Woods; and Passion. He also conceived and directed the musical review Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he created Falsettos recently revived by Lincoln Center Theater; Little Miss Sunshine; Muscle; and directed Finn’s The25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other Broadway credits include his play based on Moss Hart’s memoir Act One (also LCT), Amour, The Diary of Anne Frank, Golden Child, and Dirty Blonde. He has written the plays Table Settings, Twelve Dreams, The Moment When, Fran’s Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing. Lapine has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. He has also been the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, SDC’s Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, and inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Amelia Osborn (Associate Production Manager) is a theatrical professional with many hats. At present, she is the Finance Manager at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and on occasion can be found in the booth at The Neo-Futurist Theater, in addition to a myriad of other places as a freelance electrician and production manager around Chicago. Most recently, Amelia was on the electrics teams for Theater of the Mind and Iceboy! (Goodman Theatre) and production managed an independent project titled 321 Plays for Trans Futures. Amelia holds a BFA in Theatre Management from DePaul University and is currently serving as an At-Large Representative for the Management Commission of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology).  

STEPHEN SONDHEIM (1930-2021) wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday In The Park With George (1984), Into The Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994), Road Show (2008) and HERE WE ARE (2023), as well as the lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), Do I Hear A Waltz? (1965) and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Side By Side By Sondheim (1976), Marry Me A Little (1981), You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99), Moving On (2001), Sondheim On Sondheim (2010) and Old Friends (2023) are anthologies of his work as composer and lyricist. For films, he composed the scores of “Stavisky” (1974), co-composed the score for “Reds” (1981), and wrote songs for “Dick Tracy” (1990). He wrote songs for the television production “Evening Primrose” (1966), co-authored the film “The Last of Sheila” (1973) and the play Getting Away With Murder (1996) and provided incidental music for the plays The Girls of Summer (1956), Invitation To A March (1961), Twigs (1971) and The Enclave (1973). He won the Tony Award for Best Score for Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Passion, all of which won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, as did Pacific Overtures and Sunday In The Park With George, the latter also receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1985). Stephen Sondheim was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Williams College, winning the Hutchinson Prize for Music Composition, after which he studied theory and composition with Milton Babbitt. He served on the Council of the Dramatists Guild, the national association of playwrights, composers and lyricists, and served as its president from 1973 to 1981. In 1983 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters and in 1990 was appointed the first Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University. He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 1993, the National Medal of Arts in 1996, the MacDowell Medal in 2013 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: “Finishing the Hat” (2010) and “Look, I Made a Hat” (2011). In 2010 the Broadway theater formerly known as Henry Miller’s Theatre was renamed in his honor, and in 2019 he became the first living artist to have a theatre named in his honor on Shaftesbury Avenue when the refurbished Queen’s Theatre in London’s West End was renamed the Sondheim Theatre to commemorate his 90th birthday, by Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

Nick Sula is an award-winning music director and pianist, proud to return to Kokandy Productions and the Chopin Theater where he served as music director for the Jeff Award-winning productions of Jekyll & Hyde (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Sweeney Todd (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Into the Woods (Jeff Awards for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestrations), and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Other Chicago theatre music direction credits include: Octet (Raven Theatre); Anything Goes (Porchlight Music Theatre); Ghost Quartet (Black Button Eyes Productions). As a professor of musical theatre he serves as a music director, instructor, and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. 

Matching gifts received from: Caterpillar Foundation, PNC Bank, The Saints

This program is partially supported by grants from: 

Coming soon!