Who’s Who: Bridges of Madison County Cast

PETER S. ADAMS* (Ensemble/Bud Understudy) is pleased to be making his SpeakEasy debut. He recently appeared in A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre and in Billy Elliot as Big Davey at Wheelock Family Theatre. He toured Canada and the United States in the National Tour of Ragtime in 2001 – 2002 directed by Stafford Arima. He received IRNE Nominations for Best Actor in a Musical for his performances in South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, Miss Saigon, and as Evita.

RACHEL BELLEMAN (Ensemble) is ecstatic to make her SpeakEasy debut. Other area credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (CSC2), the bilingual international tour of Del Agua Al Polvo (Brown Box Theatre Project), and The Love of the Nightingale (Hub Theatre Company). She holds a BA in Musical Theatre from James Madison University. Love to my family and to Margaret. rachelbelleman.com

CHRISTOPHER CHEW* (Bud) most recently appeared at SpeakEasy as Dan in Next to Normal. Other SpeakEasy productions include Johnny Guitar (IRNE award for best actor), Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Wild Party. Locally, Chris has also worked with the Lyric Stage, Wheelock Family Theater, Stoneham Theater, Hanover Theater, North Shore Music Theater and the Huntington Theater. Additionally, Chris proudly serves as principal of the Stony Brook School in Westford, MA. He received his BFA from the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama and his Ed. D. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University. He is most grateful for the love and support of his wife, Nancy, and their two children.

KERRY A. DOWLING*(Marge) returns to Speakeasy having performed in Casa Valentina; Carrie; Far From Heaven; Clybourne Park; Next to Normal; The Drowsy Chaperone; Nine; The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Reckless; Jerry Springer – the Opera; The New Century; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Parade; The Women; Bat Boy; Company; Elegies; A New Brain; Triumph of Love; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; Songs for a New World (SpeakEasy); Nicholas Nickleby; Follies (Lyric Stage); A Man of No Importance (Súgán/SpeakEasy); Steel Magnolias; Pal Joey Most Happy Fella; Dueling Divas (Gloucester); Distracted (Underground Railway); Gypsy (Next Door). Kerry is the recipient of the 2010 SpeakEasy Stage Outstanding Artist Award.

KATIE ELINOFF (Carolyn) is excited to be back at SpeakEasy after appearing in last season’s Appropriate. Previous credits include Speech & Debate with Bad Habit Producions, Distracted with Underground Railway Theater, As You Like It with Actors’ Shakespeare Project, and Olive Kitteridge on HBO. Outside of theatre she works as a full-time makeup artist. Katie has a BFA in Acting from Elon University.

JENNIFER ELLIS* (Francesca) returns to SpeakEasy having previously appeared in Far From Heaven (ArtsImpulse Award, IRNE Award Nomination) and Nine. Off-Broadway: Shear Madness NYC (New World Stages, Charles Playhouse); National Tour: A Christmas Carol; Regional: My Fair Lady (Elliot Norton Award, IRNE Award), Urinetown, City of Angels, ​1776 (Lyric Stage); Wonderful Town (Elliot Norton Award) and Carousel (Reagle Music Theatre); Love’s Labour’s Lost and The Comedy of Errors (Commonwealth Shakespeare); Out of Sterno (IRNE nom.), The Most Happy Fella (IRNE Award), and Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Gloucester Stage); The Cherry Orchard and Snow White (Peterborough Players); and Boston Lyric Opera. Thanks to SpeakEasy! Love to Ben. @jen_ellis JenEllis.net

WILL McGARRAHAN* (Charlie) is happy to return to SpeakEasy Stage where he performed in Casa Valentina, Big Fish, Far From Heaven, Next Fall, The Drowsy Chaperone, Reckless, Some Men, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Five By Tenn, Company, The Last Sunday in June, Elegies: A Song Cycle, Ruthless!, A Class Act, and A New Brain. Other local credits include Peter and the Starcatcher, Light Up The Sky, Into The Woods, Death of a Salesman, Becky’s New Car, 33 Variations, The Chosen, The Temperamentals, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Grey Gardens, November, Souvenir and Dirty Blonde. (Lyric Stage); A Raisin in the Sun (Huntington Theater), The Wind in the Willows and Happy Days (Gloucester Stage); Nine Circles (Publick Theatre and Gloucester Stage); A Moon For The Misbegotten and Buried Child (Nora Theater); and The Wrestling Patient (SpeakEasy Stage / Boston Playwrights / 40 Magnolias). Will worked as an actor, singer and pianist for many years in Seattle before moving to Boston’s South End in 2001.

TAYLOR OKEY (Ensemble/Understudy) is thrilled to be making his SpeakEasy debut. Taylor is currently a first year graduate student at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where he was recently seen in Bernstein’s Mass and Floyd Collins. Regional credits include Far From Heaven, Carousel, Hair, Big Fish, Altar Boyz!, and The Merry Widow, among others.  NYC Cabaret: Heartstrings and Broken Records: The Music of Jordan Scott Taylor at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Many thanks to the entire SpeakEasy team for this exciting opportunity! For mom, dad, and my incredible group of family and friends. 1 Corinthians 10:31 www.TaylorOkey.com

ELLEN PETERSON (Ensemble) is delighted to return to SpeakEasy where she previously appeared in Far From Heaven, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Parade. She has also enjoyed working in and around Boston at Worcester’s Hanover Theater, Theatre By the Sea, North Shore Music Theatre, Huntington Theatre Co., Boston Playwright’s, Reagle Music Theatre, Fiddlehead, Wheelock Family Theatre, Lyric Stage Co., New Rep and Stoneham Theatre. Ellen has twice been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress IRNE Award.

NICK SICCONE (Michael) is thrilled to be making his SpeakEasy debut. A recent graduate of The Boston Conservatory where he appeared in Miss Julie, Peter Pan, Company and many more productions. Thank you to Mom, Dad, & Rich.

EDWARD SIMON (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his SpeakEasy debut. A musical theater major going into his junior year at The Boston Conservatory, his favorite educational credits include Passion, The Last Five Years, and the world premiere of Alice in War. Elsewhere in the Boston area, he appeared earlier this year in Billy Elliot at Wheelock Family Theatre. He would like to thank LBJ for their relentless inspiration.

CHRISTIAAN SMITH* (Robert) is thrilled to join the SpeakEasy family for this beautiful show! Other credits: Beauty and the Beast (National Tour), Carousel, Assassins, Spamalot, The Marriage of Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Bohème, Dead Man Walking. NYC solo shows: Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, SubCulture, Rockwood Music Hall. NYC Cabaret: Joe’s Pub with Randy Graff, Alice Ripley, Anita Gillette, and David Burtka. Thank you for having me! @christiaanuum

ALESSANDRA VALEA* (Marian) is so excited to be returning to SpeakEasy having previously appeared in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and In The Heights. Alessandra has her BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory with a triple emphasis in Dance, Acting and Choreography. Aside from performing, she is a certified teacher through Dance Educators of America, a part-time choreographer and a certified Scuba diver! Previous Performing Credits Include: Int’l Tour: West Side Story (Anita U/S). Regional: The Jungle Book (Huntington Theatre) and 8th Annual Festival of New Artists (Goodspeed Opera House). NYC: Going To Pot Inner Circle Show w/ Mayor de Blasio and Le Cabaret Grimm (NYMF),B’way Sings Selena (The Underground). Many many thanks to the SpeakEasy Pauls, Bevin, and The Price Group. All my love to Tom & Lucy. alessandravalea.com