On behalf of Providence Players of Fairfax, Director Deborah Davidson is pleased to announce the cast of Dash: The Musical. The world-premiere of this new holiday musical is written by Providence Players members, Barbara Schelstrate (composer) and Deborah Davidson (book and lyrics).
In this holiday musical fantasy, reindeer sing and dance, Mrs. Claus has a cooking show, and the elves just might do a Christmas “rap.” This Christmas, Dash decides it’s his turn to lead Santa’s sleigh, and the whole North Pole is transfixed as he challenges Rudy for the honor. A family-friendly, original musical, we are pleased to bring this world-premiere production to the Providence stage.
Dash: The Musical is co-produced with The Young Hearts Foundation, providing support to children and young adults whose lives have been affected by serious illness or loss. A portion of the proceeds from this production will go to support The Young Hearts Foundation and its important mission.
CAST
(* denotes Providence Players debut)
Dash (you know him as “Dasher”) – Brady Misustin*
Rudy (you know him as “Rudolph”) – Matt Williams
Santa Claus – Dean Reichard
Mrs. Claus – Sara Alipanah
Silvia the Chief Elf – Kerri Wilson
Dancer/Di the Elf – Lynne Barstow*
Vixen/Smyth – Susan Dye
Blitzen/Brick the Elf – Tom Michalisko*
Donner/Pablo the Elf – Tim Slattery
Prancer/Byte the Elf – Lorena Dujmusic*
Comet/Slugger the Elf – Sally Ann Flores
Cupid/Posy the Elf – Jenny Levy
About the Composer & Music Director: Barbara Schelstrate
Barbara Schelstrate is glad to be taking, once again, a holiday with Providence Players: last year she music-directed its “Cabaret Takes a Holiday.” She is happy to have provided the music for this year’s show and to see how the actors/singers are making it their own. Other theatrical compositions include a musical version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, produced in 2017 at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), and a one-act opera, Frigga and the Mistletoe, presented at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA) in 2013 and 2014. Other music-directing credits include Gilbert & Sullivan shows at CHAW, the world premiere of Alice Adams at CHAW in 2016, productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors and numerous musicals at UUCA, and annual productions for an inclusive theater company, ArtStream, for which she also composes the music. Barbara also has a singing resume, having performed with the Washington National Opera Chorus in such productions as Aida and MacBeth.
About the Playwright & Director: Deborah Davidson
An actor and cabaret singer, Deborah Davidson made her Providence Players directing debut with last year’s holiday production, Cabaret Takes a Holiday. Providence audiences saw her as Mattie Fae in Providence Players’ production of August: Osage County. She has written and performed in the one-woman shows With A Song in My Heart, I’m Still Here and A Sorta Cabaret at the Arts Club of Washington, the Corner Store on Capitol Hill, and the Indigo Room at the Atlas Arts Center. A Yale University Cabaret Fellow, she has appeared in many cabarets, including the Fringe Festival’s Naked Cabaret, CHAWbaret, and the D.C. Cabaret Network’s Showcase. Local theatre appearances include 25 characters in 50 Ways, another Fringe production; Mme. Renaud in La Cage aux Folles (McLean Players); Hattie in Follies (Arlington Players); Mrs. Boyle in Prelude to a Kiss (Foundry Theatre); Gabrielle and the French Tart in Dear World (American Century Theatre) and multiple roles in The Laramie Project (Foundry Theatre) as well as lead performing roles in four Hexagon shows.