A Christmas Carol

Alex Brightwell is thrilled to be making his McCarter Theatre debut!   Selected Theatre: Three Sisters (Two River Theater); Every Brilliant Thing (Cleveland Play House); The Sea Lady (Metropolitan Playhouse); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, One Man Two Guvnors, As You Like It, An Octoroon, Untitled Russia Play (Chautauqua Theater Company); Golden Age (Guthrie Theater). Education: BFA: University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater; MFA: Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House.     

Esther Chen is an actor and stand–up comedian from Taiwan. Theatre: Golden Shield (MTC), Smart People (Denver Center), Carefully Taught (APAC). TV: currently recurring on And Just Like That and 爧詄諗鎏礜隢‘誠, Wu Tang: An American Saga, Succession, The Hunters, Y: The Last Man, More Than Blue (Netflix). Dialect coach for Mr. Robot (S2&3.) Most recently, Esther starred in the promo for Jerry Seinfeld’s newest Netflix special 23 Hours to Kill. She appears regularly at comedy clubs in NYC. IG/t/fb: theEstherChen_ 

Gisela, an award-winning actor, writer, audiobook narrator and producer, worked on the anticipated series This Boy’s Vida by Joseph Castillo-Midyett (Producer, Actor), the award-winning Black? (Producer), Con Dios (Associate Producer), and The Graduate Series (Co-writer). Gisela’s Film/TV Acting credits include: The Unholy, AWKWAFINA is Nora from Queens, FBI, Law and Order: SVU, and Manifest. In Spanish: Wasp Network opposite Penélope Cruz, Bel Canto opposite Julianne Moore & Ken Watanabe. In Portuguese: The Olympic Games in Brazil. Gisela recently made her Broadway debut with the raucous women-led comedy POTUS (d. Susan Stroman) She has worked Off-Broadway and in prestigious Regional Theaters—recently in the wildly popular Quixote Nuevo, opposite Sesame Street’s beloved Emilio Delgado.  Her audiobooks are numerous including Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, The Talk, among others, with awards for narration of The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende, Velvet Was the Night, and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. As an often-engaged public speaker, Gisela has lectured to hundreds of corporate executives and college students on branding and presentation. Gisela works to create greater visibility for black and brown stories. University of Delaware—PTTP (M.F.A.) Para mi Familia, who are what Christmas means to me. @giselachipe 

Kenneth is thankful and excited to be making his debut at McCarter. He has played several roles in A Christmas Carol at The Hartford Stage and the Hanover Theatre recently. Other credits include Off-Broadway: Measure for Measure (Theatre for a New Audience); As You Like It (Baruch PAC). Regional: Petrol Station (The Kennedy Center); Guards at the Taj  (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company); Indian Ink (American Conservatory Theater); Cocktail (Swine Palace & Ping Chong and Company); Hair (Swine Palace); Romeo & Juliet (North Carolina Shakespeare); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tennessee Shakespeare). Television: New Amsterdam, Girls5Eva, Jessica Jones, Atlanta, The Detour, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Gotham, Orange is the New Black, Awakwafina is Nora from Queens, WeCrashed, Helpsters. Film: Someone Great, This Is Where I Leave You, Submission. Education: MFA in Acting from Louisiana State University; BA in Theater and Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University; attended Trinity College, Kandy, Sri Lanka where he started acting as a child. 

kennethdeabrew.com  

www.instagram.com/kennethdeabrew/

Grayson is delighted to be making a McCarter Theatre debut. THEATER: 1st National Tour of the Tony Award Winning Play War Horse (Lincoln Center Theater), The Glass Menagerie (Guthrie Theater), World Premier of Zoey’s Perfect Wedding by Matthew Lopez (Denver Center), Jane Eyre (Hartford Stage, Geva Theatre) Pride & Prejudice, Lion In Winter (St. Louis Rep), The Messenger, Lion In Winter (Pioneer Theatre), The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged, The Lodger (Northern Stage), Native Gardens (Cleveland Playhouse), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Long Wharf Theater), Amadeus, King Lear, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Madness of George III, Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale (The Old Globe), Romeo & Juliet, All’s Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare Santa Cruz). FILM: Kate Can’t Swim, Tasmania. TV: High Maintenance (HBO), Sneaky Pete (Amazon), Conviction, Forever (ABC). He holds an MFA from USD/Old Globe. 

Polly Lee was last at the McCarter in 2004 when she made her professional debut as “Prossy” in Candida! Since then her regional credits include: Wilma Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, La Jolla Playhouse, ART, Yale Rep, Rep Theatre of St Louis and others. NY Theatre: New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, Lincoln Center, EST, The New Group and others. Polly’s TV and Film Credits include: L&O, SVU and Organized Crime, The Americans (recurring), Younger (recurring), The Looming Tower, The Blacklist, Chicago Med, Gotham, Things Heard and Seen, Give or Take, Butterflies of Bill Baker. Polly is an award–winning audiobook narrator with over 200 titles to her name. She is a grateful lifetime member of the Actors Studio and proud member of SAG-Aftra and AEA.  

Matt Monaco is honored to be making his McCarter Theatre debut. Past credits include Lorin in Gloria at American Conservatory Theatre, Murderer/Henry VI/Bishop of Ely in Richard III at The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park, Young Scrooge in Christmas Carol at American Conservatory Theatre, Mike in Seared at Gloucester Stage Company, Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet at Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross and Altarena Playhouse. Matt holds a BA in Drama from San Francisco State University and an MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theatre. 

When not building magnetic masterpieces, painting all things Bob Ross, taking land and sea adventures with family and friends, and whispering to his hermit crabs, you will hear this Renaissance man singing high C’s while donned in his latest costume find. Some of Desi’s past roles include Sami (The Mysterious Tree/Cartoon), Pinocchio (Pinocchio The Musical/Ocean Grove Summer Theater), Billy Sanford (School of Rock The Musical/Phoenix Productions/Count Basie), Youth Ensemble (Broadway Workshop LIVE/Sony Hall), Big Bad Wolf (The Big Bad Musical/Spring Lake Theatre) and his numerous one-man cabaret shows. A “Standing O” of thanks to this incredible McCarter Theatre Center cast/crew/creatives, Judy Bowman, Joe Piserchio, Lauren Keating, Sarah Rasmussen, Cory Dunn and Desi’s team: Bercy Talent Management, Donna Madden, The Prep NJ, Broadway Mentors Program, Christina Perrino, Sean Mills, Mr. and Mrs. Cookies at the Gate, the constant supporters who remain anon, his parents, The Triune God, God Squad, Angels, Saints, and YOU! Just breathe and believe! 

Zendaya is a very energetic and compassionate 2nd grade student of Sprout U School of the Arts.  She is a bookworm and loves to visit the library frequently.  She has always been passionate about acting as well as dancing. She also practices Taekwondo.  In her earlier years, she loved to imitate the characters from stories she read.  She is excited to have the opportunity to be on the McCarter Theatre stage.  This is her first performance.  She would like to dedicate this performance to her mother and baby brother.

Yoyo is a third grader at Maurice Hawk Elementary School. This is his first big stage performance, and he is really excited to be a part of A Christmas Carol 2022. He has a passion for theatre. He has been having incredible fun taking the classes at McCarter Theatre, both over Zoom during the pandemic and in-person more recently. He has a great sense of humor and enjoys hanging out with his friends and his little sister. He is also a reliable midfielder on the soccer field and a ping pong fan.  

Brooke is thrilled to be making her McCarter Theatre debut in this legendary production. While only in sixth grade, she is no stranger to the stage as she pursues her dream of a life in the performing arts. Favorite roles include Duffy in Annie for KOTA Productions; Molly Square in Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical for Pixie Dust Players and A Christmas Carol for Bergen PAC. Brooke had fun being featured in the Downton Abbey skit on Nbc’s Saturday Night Live! Brooke’s training has taken her for several summers to the prestigious French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, where she was featured as Kira in Xanadu among other roles. Brooke was privileged to be accepted into the Papermill Summer Conservatory and continues to study voice with Marvin Avila. She is a member of Broadway Youth Ensemble (Amelia DeMayo, Joseph Baker). She’s extremely grateful to all she’s studied with along the way, including Mikey Reid (TV/Film) and Robert Creighton (acting/VO). Thanks to her amazing manager Jackie Reid (Lil Angels Unlimited) and agent Bonnie Shumofsky Bloom (Stewart Talent). Thanks to her brother and fellow Mets fan, Ari, and especially to her Mom and Dad, who make all of this possible.

Sam Roman (Peter) is thrilled to be returning to McCarter for his third season of performing in A Christmas Carol. Sam played Boy Scrooge in McCarter’s 2018 and 2019 productions. Theater credits include Zeke Baylor in High School Musical at Princeton Middle School, as well as Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid, and Bruce in Matilda at Long Lake Camp for the Arts. Sam has been featured as a hip-hop and modern dancer in Long Lake’s dance shows, and he performed in a Pasek and Paul review and a Lin-Manuel Miranda extravaganza. In collaboration with his friends, Sam is a founding member of POD Productions, a home-grown, all kid theater group which is currently working on a production of Hadestown. Previous productions include Hamilton and COVID Cabaret, with songs and original scenes about love, loss, and the search for one’s identity. For Nana, Pop Pop, and Grandmommy

Addie fell in love with the stage when she was chosen from the audience to participate in a bubble show at the age of four.  
Since then Addie has appeared in several independent films including two award winners, tv shows, and commercials.  
Addie has also continued to pursue her love of theatre, acting in productions ranging from a children’s theatre group in New York City to playing roles such as Kim McAfee in local theatre on Long Island.  Addie would like to thank everyone at McCarter Theatre for giving her this exciting opportunity to engage in live performance, as the stage is, in her own words, her “happy place.” Addie is represented by Bonnie Shumofsky Bloom, Stewart Talent in New York.  You can follow Addie on her instagram @addieascupcake   

Charlotte Ward Taylor is thrilled to make her McCarter Theatre debut.  Regional and television credits include Matilda (ensemble, u/s Matilda) and Little Mermaid (ensemble) at the Walnut Street Theatre; Honk (Fluff) at the Delaware Theater Company, Ragtime (u/s Little Girl) at the Arden Theatre Co., and Lincoln: A Nation Divided (child Mary Todd) on CNN. An 8th grader at the Center for the Performing Arts in Westchester, PA, Charlotte thanks her family, teachers, friends, Bercy Talent and the cast & crew for their love and support.  Happy Holidays and a peaceful new year to all!  

Marcus Montgomery is an artist based in Northeast New Jersey. He started out as a musician, writing and recording songs in his dorm room and home bedroom, then began voice acting in August of 2020. Since then, Marcus has provided his voice for numerous projects, both for public consumption and in-house production. In late 2020, Bop, the Astronaut came to life on the page as an original animated series penned by Marcus and was subsequently pitched to a major media network. Building off of that momentum, he is currently taking on the task of writing a full-length science-fiction novel! In the spring of 2022, Marcus was cast in his first on-stage role as the understudy of “Mordy” in Mile Square Theatre’s production of The Burdens. Marcus looks forward to further pursuing fulfillment in the arts.