Swept Away

JOHN LOGAN

Book

John Logan (Book) received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle, and Drama League awards for his play Red. This play has had more than 400 productions across the U.S. and over 160 foreign productions in 25 languages. He is the author of more than a dozen other plays, including Peter and Alice, I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers, and Never the Sinner. Musical theate work includes Moulin Rouge, The Last Ship, Superhero, and Swept Away. He is the proud recipient of the O’Neill Theater Center’s 2019 Monte Cristo Award. As a screenwriter, John has been three times nominated for the Oscar and has received Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA, Edgar, and PEN Center awards. His film work includes Skyfall, Spectre, Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator, Rango, Alien: Covenant, Genius, Coriolanus, Sweeney Todd, The Last Samurai, Any Given Sunday, and RKO 281. He created and produced the television series Penny Dreadful and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels for Showtime.

THE AVETT BROTHERS

Music and Lyrics

The Avett Brothers (Music and Lyrics), three-time Grammy Award nominees, made mainstream waves with their 2009 major label debut, I And Love And You, which landed at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 and garnered critical acclaim. In 2012, The Carpenter hit #4 on the Billboard Top 200, followed by Magpie And The Dandelion in 2013, which debuted at #5 on Billboard’s Top 200. In 2016, the band was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. 2017’s documentary May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers (co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio) chronicles the process of writing 2016’s True Sadness, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Albums chart, #1 Rock Albums, #3 on the Billboard 200, and scored two Grammy noms. The film was released theatrically and on HBO to rave reviews and is available on DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD. In 2019, the band released their tenth studio album, Closer Than Together feat. single “High Steppin’” which reached #1 on the Americana Radio Singles Chart. The band's album The Third Gleam (August 2020) debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, #1 Rock Albums, and #1 Vinyl Albums. Their single “Victory" hit #1 on the Americana Radio Singles Chart. Also in 2020, The Avett Brothers played two sold-out drive-in shows at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the span of three months and ended the year on a high note with a livestream of their 17th annual New Year’s Eve concert. An estimated 150,000 fans watched the show, which featured a full-band performance and an impressive line-up of special guests.

MICHAEL MAYER

Director

Michael Mayer (Director)'s recent credits include the Little Shop of Horrors now playing Off-Broadway, Burn This starring Adam Driver and Keri Russell, Head Over Heels, a new production of La Traviata at the Met, and the film of The Seagull starring Annette Bening and Saoirse Ronan. Other credits include Spring Awakening (Tony Award, Best Director, Best Musical), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony Award, Best Revival), Marnie (ENO and Met), a new Rigoletto (Met), Side Man (Tony Award, Best Play), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award, Best Musical), A View from the Bridge (Tony Award, Best Revival), among others. TV: Smash (Pilot, Season One), Alpha House (Amazon). Film: Single All the Way (Netflix), A Home at the End of the World (Warner Bros.), Flicka (Fox 2000). He has won Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Jefferson, Ovation, and Carbonell awards. He serves on the boards of New York Stage and Film and The Arthur Miller Foundation.

DAVID NEUMANN

Choreographer

BRIAN USIFER

Music Supervisor / Music Arrangements & Orchestrations

Brian Usifer (Music Supervisor / Music Arrangements & Orchestrations)’s Broadway credits include A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (Arrangements, Orchestrations), Disney’s Frozen (Music Director, Additional Arrangements), Kinky Boots (Music Director, Additional Arrangements, Associate Music Supervisor - Tour, London, and Toronto), and The Book of Mormon (Associate Music Supervisor). Regional credits include Chess at The Kennedy Center, Swept Away at Berkeley Rep, The Heart of Rock & Roll at The Old Globe, Afterwords at Seattle 5th Avenue, and Mr. Chickee's Funny Money at the Atlantic. Other highlights include An Evening with Kristen & Bobby Lopez at Lincoln Center, NBC’s Annie Live! (Additional Orchestrations), and The Wiz Live! (Additional Orchestrations).Brian can be heard as a pianist on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. www.brianusifer.com Instagram: @brianusifer

CHRIS MILLER

Music Arrangements & Orchestrations

Chris Miller (Music Arrangements & Orchestrations) DC native, Arena debut. He is the composer ofTuck Everlasting(Broadway), The Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard, Lortel nominee for Best Musical), Fugitive Songs (Drama Desk nominee for Outstanding Revue), and Dreamland, for the EdTA and Concord Theatricals, cast albums available everywhere. He contributed songs to PBS’s The Electric Company, Sesame Street, andElmo’s World, and scripts for two Barnum & Bailey Circuses. In progress: book, music & lyrics for Ravello (Signature Theatre’s American Musical Voices Project),andThe Goats, a commission for Barbara Whitman/Grove Entertainment;Prairie Songs and April Twilights, for soprano and orchestra setting the poetry of Willa Cather; with Nathan Tysen, Revival, based on a story by Willa Cather, for Playwrights Horizons/TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, and Blown Sideways Through Life (book by Claudia Shear). Instagram: @ckevinmiller

WILL VAN DYKE

Music Director

Will Van Dyke (Music Director) is a Grammy-nominated music producer, songwriter, music director, orchestrator, and arranger working in theater, television, and film. Most recently Will served as the Executive Music Producer for the film Theater Camp. Will has penned the score to The Messenger, Ass, and i at Pioneer Theater Company, as well as The 64 Keys (Cleveland Play House), The Gravedigger’s Lullaby (off-Broadway), Straight (off-Broadway), The Lion King Experience titles (Disney), among others. Will is the Music Supervisor/Orchestrator/Arranger for the hit revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Will also Supervised/Orchestrated/Arranged Pretty Woman on Broadway and Fly at La Jolla Playhouse. Other credits: Kinky Boots, Rent, The Addams Family, Grease, and Wicked. Will writes musicals with Jeff Talbott. For more: www.willvandyke.com or @wvdmusic.

RACHEL HAUCK

Set Designer

SUSAN HILFERTY

Costume Designer

Susan Hilferty (Costume Designer) has designed costumes and scenery for over 400 productions across the globe. At Arena: Swept Away and Turn Me Loose. Broadway credits include Wicked, Funny Girl, Present Laughter, Spring Awakening, Lestat, Into the Woods, and August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Her many directorial collaborations include Athol Fugard (over 40 productions), Joe Mantello, Yaël Farber, James Lapine, Michael Mayer, Richard Nelson, Tony Kushner, JoAnne Akalaitis, Arin Arbus, Des McAnuff, Rebecca Taichman, and the late Garland Wright. Hilferty has also designed for opera (Rigoletto, Traviata, and the upcoming Aida the for Metropolitan Opera); dance (Love Stories for Alvin Ailey), and live music events (Taylor Swift’s Speak Now world tour). Hilferty’s many honors include the USITT Lifetime Achievement Award, the Irene Sharaff Award for Lifetime Achievement, an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Design, the Lilly Award, the Ruth Morley Design Award, and Tony, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk awards for Wicked. Hilferty has received a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Costume Design of a Musical for Parade. Hilferty is on the Graduate Design faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, having served as chair for 25 years. www.susanhilferty.com

KEVIN ADAMS

Lighting Designer

Kevin Adams (Lighting Designer) last designed at Arena Stage with Next to Normal. He has received four Tony Awards for his work on Broadway, which includes Funny Girl, A Beautiful Noise, The Cher Show, SpongeBob SquarePants, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot, Next to Normal, The 39 Steps, Spring Awakening, Hair, Passing Strange, Everyday Rapture, Take Me Out, A Class Act and Head Over Heels. Off-Broadway designs include the original 1998 production of Hedwig, The Scottsboro Boys, Carrie, and many others. He has designed solo shows for Eric Bogosian, John Leguizamo, Anna Deveare Smith, Eve Ensler, Sandra Bernhard, Michael Moore, Audra McDonald, Kate Mulgrew, Kevin Bacon, Cloris Leachman, and Faye Dunaway. Other work includes the Metropolitan Opera, Las Vegas, the Hollywood Bowl, Blue Man Group, international tours, and music videos. 

JOHN SHIVERS

Sound Designer

JIM CARNAHAN, JILLIAN CIMINI, AND ALEXANDRE BLEAU, CSA

New York Casting Director

JOSEPH PINZON

DC Casting

Joseph Pinzon (DC Casting) is the founder and creative producer of the contemporary circus company Short Round Productions and its award-winning show Filament. With over 25 years of performing experience, he has worked internationally with renowned companies such as Cirque Éloize, Compagnia Finzi Pasca, Cirque du Soleil, and The 7 Fingers. He holds an MS in Arts Leadership from USC, a BA in Psychology from UCLA, and graduated from the National Circus School in Montreal with a specialization in aerial techniques. He was the casting and resident director for Chamäleon Productions (Berlin) and Constellation Immersive (CAA’s experiential affiliate). He is also a member of the Creative & Independent Producer Alliance and a founding board member of the American Circus Alliance. You can see him causing chaos on season 6 of Nailed It! on Netflix, where (spoiler alert) he is a part of the series’ first three-way tie.

MATTHEW LEINER

Stage Manager

Matthew Leiner (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be making his Arena Stage debut with Swept Away after working on the world-premiere production at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. His Broadway credits include productions of Hollywood Arms, The Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked, If/Then, Finding Neverland, School of Rock, King Kong,and West Side Story. He toured for 11 years with productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Sister Act, Mary Poppins, Wicked, and Jersey Boys. Love to Claudia and Archer.

ALICE M. POLLITT

Assistant Stage Manager

Alice M. Pollitt (Assistant Stage Manager)’sBroadway credits include Ain’t No Mo’, A Strange Loop, West Side Story, King Kong, A Bronx Tale, American Psycho, Noises Off, and Aladdin, as well as the First National Tour of Finding Neverland. Other credits include Disney Theatrical Group, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Public Theater, New York City Center Gala, and Westport Country Playhouse.

MARNE ANDERSON

Assistant Stage Manager

JALON PAYTON

Assistant Stage Manager

Jalon Payton (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to Arena Stage for the 2023/24 Season, after being a part of last season’s The High Ground. Recent Baltimore/DC credits includeKen Ludwig’s Baskerville (Everyman Theatre); The Swindlers: A True-ish Tall Tale, The Folks at Home (Baltimore Center Stage); and 10 Seconds (Imagination Stage). Other credits include The Royale, Anton’s Shorts, The Brothers Size, and A Raisin in the Sun at American Players Theatre. Jalon has also stage-managed play readings/workshops with Arena Stage, Taffety Punk Theatre, and Round House Theatre. Jalon is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County.