Training: RADA. Theatre: Botticelli in the Fire (Hampstead Theatre); Life of Pi (Sheffield Crucible Theatre); The Prisoner (Théâtre Des Bouffes Du Nord); Cymbeline, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew (RSC); Peter Pan (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Behind the Beautiful Forevers and War Horse Prom (National Theatre); Rats Tales (Manchester Royal Exchange) and Tartuffe (English Touring Theatre). TV: “Good Karma Hospital” Series 4, “Holby City,” “Find Me In Paris,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Radio: “Tumanbay,” “Broken Paradise,” “The Last Time I Saw Richard.”
Life of Pi (A.R.T.). TV: “Young Sheldon.” Film: Sweethearts. Education/Training: Acting BFA, University of Southern California.
(he/him/his) originated the role of Cook at A.R.T. Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2 (Hagrid, original). Regional: Mark Taper Forum, The Geffen Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, San Diego Rep, Berkshire Theater Group, Laguna Playhouse, Ensemble Theater Company, 3D Theatricals. TV includes “Super Pumped,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “The Shield,” “Drake and Josh,” “As the World Turns,” “Victorious,” and a recurring role on “The Young and the Restless.” Film: The Cut Up written by Yussef El Guindi. Brian is the director of the award-winning VR-180 short The Fortune Teller. North Carolina School Of The Arts. brianthomasabraham.com
(he/him/his) is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut. Off-Broadway favorites include multiple productions with Bedlam Theatre, including Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion and Giles Corey in The Crucible, York in National Asian American Theatre Company's Henry VI, as well as productions with Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional favorites include Lord Burleigh in Folger Theatre’s production of Mary Stuart, Lukesh in Aurora Theatre's world-premiere production of This Much I Know, and Amir in multiple productions of Disgraced (Playmakers Rep, Long Wharf Theatre, Huntington Theatre – Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play). Film and Television credits include “Bull,” “Elementary,” “Damages,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Blacklist,” “Madame Secretary,” “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” the series finale of “The Sopranos,” and the Academy Award-nominated film Frozen River. Rajesh is a graduate of Emerson College.
(she/her/hers/siya) was born in Manila, raised in Virginia, and is based in Brooklyn. She has performed with artists and theater companies such as Jim Findlay, Nellie Tinder, Hoi Polloi, Half Straddle, Katherine Brook/TELE-VIOLET, Witness Relocation, William Burke, Normandy Sherwood/The Drunkard’s Wife, and The National Asian American Theater Company. With the performing group ANIMALS she was the recipient of the 2012 Tom Murrin Award and has been presented at Fresh Ground Pepper, CATCH, Prelude, Target Margin Theater's Gertrude Stein Lab, and Under the Radar's Incoming Series. Her training is from The Patravadi Theatre and Theater Mitu in Thailand; Traditional Dance and Wayang Kulit in Bali, Indonesia; BFA NYU-Tisch Experimental Theater Wing and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. She is currently a student of Dance/Movement Therapy at Pratt Institute. nikkicalonge.com + @nikkicalonge
(she/her/hers) is ecstatic to make her Broadway debut! (Selected credits) Theatre: (U.S.A) Life of Pi at A.R.T. (India) Shikhandi - The Story of the Inbetweens (Nominated - Best Actor. Winner - Best Ensemble META 2018), 07/07/07 (Winner - Best Ensemble META 2016), Naqqaash, Sundays With Chitra and Chaitali, Three Women. TV: “New Amsterdam,” “Inside Edge.” Film: The Wandering Earth II, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Tu Hai Mera Sunday. This actor/writer has performed on some of the most illustrious stages in India and now continues her journey on one of the most prominent spaces for theatre in the world! She is so grateful to have a family that has always supported her dreams and aspirations, always believed in her talent and hard work.
(he/him/his) is an actor and puppeteer, born in Birmingham, raised in Sussex, UK. Theatre includes Life of Pi (A.R.T., Wyndham’s Theatre, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, Olivier Award, Best Supporting Actor); Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre; Dido and Aeneas, Bodø Concert Hall, Norway. Film/TV: “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared,” Jurassic World: Dominion, “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” Training: Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.
Broadway: The Skin of Our Teeth, The Tempest. Leading roles with Roundabout, The Public/NY Shakespeare Festival, Round House (U.S. premiere of Nine Night), Pittsburgh City Theatre, Cincinnati PITP, The Old Globe (West Coast Premiere of Whipping Man), St. Louis Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Crossroads Theatre (regional Tony season) and many more. Film/TV includes Out and About, “Search Party,” “Bull,” “She's Gotta Have It,” “Law & Order” and He Got Game. Education: BFA, University of North Carolina School of the Arts; MFA, Academy at STC - George Washington University. IG @averygoodactor. AveryGlymph.com
(he/him/his) Broadway: King Kong: Alive on Broadway (Voice of King Kong/Puppeteer). Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey 2 Puppeteer); Soft Power (The Public Theater - Grammy nomination); Vietgone (Manhattan Theatre Club); Soul Samurai; The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G (Ma-Yi Theater/Vampire Cowboys Theater); Hello, From the Children of Planet Earth (Playwright’s Realm). National Tour:War Horse (Puppeteer/Puppet Captain). Regional: Revenge Song (Geffen Playhouse). TV: “Hello Tomorrow!” (Apple TV+). - @JonHoche
Off-Broadway: 7 Minutes, Waterwell; Here We Are, Theater for One; Addressless, Rattlestick; Opus, Primary Stages; Harper Regan, Atlantic; Romeo and Juliet, Public Theater; The Winter’s Tale, TFANA; When January Feels Like Summer, EST; Henry VI, NAATCO; Arturo Ui, Classic Stage Company; Ms. Witherspoon, Playwrights Horizons; Clive, The New Group. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Skylight, McCarter Theatre; Rafta Rafta, Old Globe; Our Town, OSF; Monsoon Wedding, Berkeley Rep; Bedroom Farce, Huntington Theater Company; Inana, Denver Center; The Crucible, Cleveland Playhouse; Five Mile Lake, McCarter Theatre; Comedy of Errors, Hartford Stage, Jesus in India, Magic Theater. Film/TV: “A Suitable Boy” (series lead), “Manifest” (recurring), “New Amsterdam,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” “Louie,” “Odd Mom Out,” “Sweet Refuge,” “Bite Me,” Hank and Asha (Napa Valley Film Festival Best Actress, Wild Rose Festival Best Actress, Slamdance Audience winner, Bronze Lens winner), “Law & Order,” “Orange Is the New Black.” Training: Juilliard, SITI, Harold Guskin; B.A. Jadavpur University. mahirakakkar.com
(she/her) was born and raised in Oakland before pursuing International Relations, Economics, and Jazz Vocal Studies at USC. She subsequently trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she received her MFA in 2021. Recently calling London home, Kirstin is overjoyed to make her professional stage debut as part of bringing Life of Pi to the American stage, first at A.R.T. and now on Broadway. She can also be seen guest-starring in the final season of PBS Masterpiece/ITV’s “Endeavour” as violin virtuoso, Christina Poole.
(he/him/his) Rowan Magee is a Brooklyn puppeteer, designer, and educator from Troy, NY. He’s a co-founder and curator of the Object Movement Festival, a winter residency and spring showcase of experimental puppet artists in NYC. He has puppeteered on international tours with Phantom Limb Company, Robin Frohardt, Nick Lehane, and Dan Hurlin, and in New York for Chris Green, Spencer Lott, Emma Wiseman, Josh Rice, and Sachiyo Takahashi. In 2018, Rowan performed in the National Theater’s Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Angels in America, and in 2019 he operated the titular reference puppet for the film Clifford the Big Red Dog. In 2022, Rowan began puppeteering as the head of Richard Parker the tiger in Life of Pi at American Repertory Theater and is continuing the role at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway. Rowan has designed puppets and props for MCC Theater, Bard Summerscape, Trusty Sidekick, The Dalton School, St Mark's School and Lincoln Center Education. He has taught theater and puppetry through Story Pirates, Friends Seminary, The Dalton School, Adam State College in Colorado, Manhattan Youth, Marquis Studios and CO/LAB Theater Group. Rowan designed and co-directed One Night in Winter, as part of Sachiyo Takahashi’s Shinnai Meets Puppetry series, which received a Jim Henson Foundation Workshop Grant and is seeking venues for further development. instagram @rowanmagee
(he/him/his) is a performer, director, producer, and educator working at the intersection of immersive technology and live performance. Stage credits include the original Broadway cast of War Horse, the North American premiere of Life of Pi (A.R.T.), The Heiress and Junk at Arena Stage, Describe the Night at Woolly Mammoth, Silent Sky at Ford’s Theatre, Trouble in Mind at Two River Theater, The Chosen at Portland Center Stage, The Occupant at Theater J, and numerous productions with Washington Ensemble Theatre where he was a founding Co-Artistic Director. He is a pioneer in performance technique for VR, having starred in “Finding Pandora X” (Best Interactive Experience Venice International Film Festival VR, Audience Award at SXSW, XR Must's Best Interactive Experience). He also starred in the VR experiences “Severance Theory: Welcome To Respite” (Venice Film Fest, Kaohsiung Film Fest, Best Narrative Experience at Raindance Film Fest), “Gumball Dreams” (Audience Award at SXSW, Best Experience of 2022 - XR Must), and “Loveseat” (Venice Film Fest). He is the Producing Co-Artistic Director of Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative where he has directed the documentary web series, “Tangible Hope Project” (Best Documentary Series-BNMWFest), and the original plays, Point of Departure and The Alien Nation. He produced and performed in the international tour and Off-Broadway hit Olityelwe (Ndebele Funeral), #HashtagProject, and created Head in the Sand. Jonathan is a 2021 Oculus Launch Pad member, where he served as the Creative Producer and Narrative Designer for the forthcoming narrative VR experience, “City of Sand.” University of Maryland faculty member at the Immersive Media Design program, leading research into the narrative and user experience design possibilities of AR/VR. Guest lecturer at the California State University Northridge and featured speaker at SXSW, AR/VR Policy Conference, (Re)Connect Festival, and universities around the country.
(he/him/his) Broadway Debut! ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰه Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Come Fall in Love, The Old Globe; Rent, Signature Theatre; Legally Blonde, Mamma Mia!, Cortland Repertory Theater; The Rev Concert, The Rev; The Island of Dr. Moreau, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Synetic Theater. Readings: Come Fall in Love, We Are Ameena, In the Light. Film/TV: “WeCrashed,” Wonder Woman 1984, Kringle Time, Heather Has Four Moms. Education: BFA, Musical Theater ’20 from Ithaca College. I’m nothing without my Ammi. Abbas & Ayaan made me the role model I dreamt of being. The generosity of Gregory, Ashton, & Marcus is what allowed me to grace this stage. سُـبْحانَ الله @usman.ali.mughal
(she/her/hers) Off-Broadway: tango of a crumbling wall, Teatro LATEA. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Catskill Mountain Shakespeare; Twelfth Night, CMS; Radial Gradient, Kennedy Center; Ramaavan, Surati Performing Arts. Workshops: The Gap; The Game of Love. Film/TV: “Orange Is the New Black.” Education: BFA, Musical Theater, University of Miami.
Salma Qarnain is a versatile Pakistani American actor, thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in the adaptation of one of her favorite books. She is a two-time Helen Hayes Award recipient, an AUDELCO nominee, and an award-winning theater and film producer. She has performed across major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime), regionally, Off-Broadway, and Off-West End. Most recently, she produced the 2023 Oscar-qualified short film, Silent Partner (19 festivals / 4 Oscar qualifiers; 8 awards / nominations) and Speak Up Brotha!, which is premiering at the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Selected credits: Bars and Measures (Off-Broadway); Acquittal (Off-Broadway); Rain + Zoe Save the World (Off-West End); “That Damn Michael Che” (RECUR, HBO Max); “FBI” (CBS); “The Blacklist” (NBC); “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC); “For Life” (ABC). Graduate of Stanford, MIT, Harvard Business School. Proud member of SAG•AFTRA, AEA, Equity. Thank you to Roderick, Gary, Lolita, Max, Finn, Duncan, Benton, Patrick, A.R.T, and Annette for getting me here. Love you, X! For my sisters Ayesha, Sonia, and Zehra and my parents Qarnain and Rashida in the stars. IG: @salma.qarnain; salmaqarnain.com
(she/her/hers) Broadway debut! A.R.T.: Life of Pi. Australia: Laser Beak Man, Sydney Opera House/Dead Puppet Society. Regional: Argus, Lincoln Center; 9000 Paper Balloons, HERE Arts; Long Christmas Ride Home, Astro Boy and the God of Comics, Studio Theatre; Pride and Prejudice, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Round House; A Christmas Carol, Cincinnati Playhouse and Delaware Theatre Company; The Velvet Sky, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; Much Ado About Nothing, Taffety Punk; The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Aslan; Helen Hayes Award), Imagination Stage. Favorite roles include Romeo, Hermione, Ismene, Lucrece, Hero, and Kattrin. Betsy has developed new works with The Drama League, La Mama, The Samuel French OOB Festival, St. Ann’s Warehouse, The Lark, TBG Theatre, and New Victory LabWorks. As a Puppetry Director, Betsy has worked at Cincinnati Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Repertory Theater, Folger Theatre, Concrete Temple Theatre, among others. Betsy is a company member of PlayGround NY. TV: “The Smack-Dab in the Middle of the Day Show” (Performer/Puppetry Director/Designer/Fabricator). Education: Theater and Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park and proud alum of Open Space Arts in Reisterstown, MD, where it all started. Love and gratitude to my family, friends, teachers, this incredible LOP family, and my FireStarter team.
(she/her/hers) Broadway: A Christmas Carol, Lyceum Theatre; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Chita Rivera Award for Best Ensemble), Imperial Theatre; Matilda the Musical, Shubert Theatre. West End: Parade, Donmar Warehouse; Candide, London Coliseum. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Eureka Day, Asolo Repertory Theatre; A Chorus Line, TUTS Houston. Awards Show Performances: Tony Awards; Olivier Awards.
(he/him/his) Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Will Eno’s Gnit (Theatre for a New Audience); KPOP (Ars Nova); the National Asian American Theatre Company productions of Henry VI: Shakespeare’s Tragedy in Two Parts, Awake and Sing! (The Public), and [veil widow conspiracy] (Next Door @ NYTW); Once Upon A (korean) Time and Bike America (Ma-Yi Theater); Somebody’s Daughter (Second Stage); Crane Story (The Playwrights Realm). Regional: Life of Pi (American Repertory Theater), Kim’s Convenience (Westport Country Playhouse), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (Indiana Rep), The Great Wave (Berkeley Rep), Tiger Style! (La Jolla Playhouse), The King and I (Maltz Jupiter Theatre). TV/Film: “Billions,” “Hunters,” “City on a Hill,” “Iron Fist,” “The Path,” “Blindspot,” “Elementary,” “Madam Secretary,” “The Blacklist,” “Unforgettable,” “Mozart in the Jungle,” “Blue Bloods,” “Are We There Yet?,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Eighth Grade, Respect the Jux, All the Little Things We Kill, Alberto and the Concrete Jungle, Fan Girl, Saving Face. Voice of Eddie Toh in the hit video game Grand Theft Auto V.
(he/him/his) Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Wives (Playwrights Horizons), An Ordinary Muslim (NYTW), India Pale Ale (MTC), Richard II (NYSF/WNYC), Winter’s Tale (Public Mobile Unit), Two Mile Hollow (WP), Ultimate Beauty Bible (Page73), Frontieres sans Frontieres (Bushwick Starr). Regional: Life of Pi (A.R.T.), Our Town (Portland Center Stage), Hapgood (Williamstown), The Philadelphia Story (Chautauqua). TV: “Little America,” “Succession,” “Kaleidoscope,” “Blindspot,” “Prodigal Son,” “Two Sentence Horror Stories.” Film: The Whale, Minor Premise, Bikini Moon, Black and White and Red All Over, Dastaar. Princess Grace Award Recipient (Grace Le Vine Award). MFA: NYU Grad Acting.
Daisuke Tsuji is full of gratitude and joy to make his Broadway debut! He is a Kuwaiti-born, American-raised Japanese actor, VO artist, writer, and clown. Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 6 seasons, South Coast Rep where he originated the role of Duch in Cambodian Rock Band, American Repertory Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, and more. TV: Invasion, Man in the High Castle, Brockmire. Circus: Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion. Video games: Jin Sakai in Ghost of Tsushima, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Education: UCLA. www.daisuketsuji.com. Love and thanks to Mama, Papa, Yasu, and da BAOs, Brooke and Jane.
(she/her/hers) is overjoyed to be making her Broadway debut with this incredible company! Regional: Life of Pi (A.R.T.), Come Fall in Love (The Old Globe), Atlantis (Virginia Rep), Annie (North Carolina Theatre). Education: MFA, Boston Conservatory; BA, Santa Clara University. Endless love to Kal, Mom, Dad, AK, and friends. Incredibly thankful to my DGRW fam, the entire creative team, and the Stewart/Whitley office. For Paati, Thatha, Grammy & Grandpa; this is OUR boat! @sonyeeahh
(she/her/hers) West End: War Horse, New London Theatre; Life of Pi, Wyndham’s Theatre (Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor); Pinocchio, National Theatre. Off-West End: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Southwark Playhouse; Putting It Together, The Other Palace. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T; The Wicker Husband, Watermill Theatre; Treasure Island, Stephen Joseph Theatre; Watership Down, Watermill Theatre. UK Tour: The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Running Wild. International: Cabaret, MAC Theatre. Education: Guildford School of Acting.
(he/him/his) His second time portraying a cat on Broadway! Broadway: Cats (Revival). Tours: Newsies (and Disney+ movie), Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, Cats, Seven Brides. Born February 8th, 1986 in Grove City, PA, Andrew grew up bouncing off the walls - whether it was doing gymnastics, dancing, drum major-ing or recreating Michelle Kwan’s Olympic routines. His first exposure to theater was anti-bullying puppet shows in his elementary school - he thought the puppeteers were celebrities (and he still does). He performed in his first show at his high school theater in 2001, and he owes a great deal of his successes to those people and that stage. In 2004, at the insistence of his Aunt Eloise, he moved to NYC to pursue a career in theater. He loves roller coasters (especially the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood in Pittsburgh, PA), coffee shops (check out Taszo in Washington Heights, NYC), and ’90s music (Amy Grant and Jon Secada for life). His biggest life struggles have been battling imposter syndrome (he didn't go to college - but hey, he made it to Broadway) and embracing self-love (start turning the things people shame you about into your superpowers). His favorite movies include The Joy Luck Club, Contact, First Wives Club, and In Her Shoes. Proudly gay. His wishes for the world are less online shopping and more compassion for those around us. His performance is dedicated to his nieces and nephews: Daniel, Meredith, MJ, Quinn, Theo and Wyatt. He is so grateful for his parents - Mary Ellen and Frederick, his siblings - Sarah and Michael, his family, friends and Reese, Barry, Renée, Melissa and Meredith. @andrewwilsonny