Can we just say it? We’re obsessed with our Unknown Soldier cast. As librettist and co-lyricist Daniel Goldstein raved, “Our cast is extraordinary, full of my favorite actors. I can’t wait to get started on this brand new and definitive version of Unknown Soldier.”

These actors run the gamut from Arena alums to Broadway veterans to performers making their professional debuts! Keep reading for a breakdown of the cast members’ extensive credits

Kerstin Anderson (Lucy Lemay) is thrilled to be making her Arena Stage debut! Her Broadway and National Tour credits include My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle) and The Sound of Music (Maria). Other theater appearances include Cult of Love (Berkeley Rep), Unknown Soldier (Playwrights Horizon), Afterwords (5th Avenue), Doubt (Westport Playhouse), and Row (Audible). She can be heard on Ryan Scott Oliver’s albums Darling: Live in Concert and Future Demons, Ethan Carlson’s Her Sound, and the Original Cast Album of Unknown Soldier.

Riglee Ruth Bryson (Lucy Rabinowitz/Young Ellen) is so excited to make her Arena Stage debut. Her most recent theater credits include Belinda in A Christmas Carol (Ford’s Theatre), Pepper in Annie (National Tour), Young Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (KCRep), Annie in Annie (The White Theatre, Kansas City), and Matilda in Matilda (Center Stage Academy, Kansas City). Special thanks to Lauren Braton, Jessi Clayton (The Prep), Jason Bercy (Bercy Talent), and David Gilbert (Zuri Agency).

Adam Chanler-Berat (Andrew) originated roles on Broadway in Next to Normal, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Amélie. Off-Broadway credits include I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Assassins, Fortress of Solitude (Lortel nomination), Rent, and Fly by Night. Regional credits include Sunday in the Park with George (Huntington) and The Year to Come (La Jolla Playhouse). He starred alongside Vince Vaughn in the film Delivery Man and has appeared on television in Gossip Girl, Veep, Elementary, The Good Wife, Doubt, The Code, NCIS: New Orleans, and Soundtrack. As a writer, Adam’s work has been developed by Barrington Stage Company, the Civilians, New York Stage and Film, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and Ars Nova. Adam is a proud founding member of the social justice-minded theater collective The Commissary.

Lora Lee Gayer (Ellen Rabinowitz)’s DC credits include Follies (Kennedy Center) and A Funny Thing… [Helen Hayes nomination] (Shakespeare Theatre). On Broadway, Lora Lee has starred in Holiday Inn (Roundabout Theatre Company), Doctor Zhivago (Broadway Theatre), and Follies (Marquis Theatre). Off-Broadway: Pipe Dream (New York City Center Encores!), These Seven Sicknesses (Exit, Pursued by a Bear). Selected Regional: The Ahmanson, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodspeed Musicals, Alliance Theatre, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Alley Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Film: The Post directed by Steven Spielberg. Television: The Tick (Amazon Studios), House of Cards (Netflix), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), Little America (Apple TV+). Lora Lee graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and Interlochen Arts Academy. Awards and nominations include Helen Hayes Award, Chita Rivera Award, NFAA finalist, National Arts and Letters Award, and Lotte Lenya Young Artist Award. Lora Lee has performed both nationally and internationally with symphonies and orchestras.

Amy Griffin (Swing / u/s Lucy Anderson) has appeared on Broadway in How the Grinch Stole Christmas!; Off-Broadway in The English Bride, Mr. President, Infertility, Forbidden Broadway, Newsical, Once Upon a Mattress (with Jackie Hoffman); and in the first national tours of Seussical (with Cathy Rigby) and Grinch. Regional credits include Male Greek Chorus in How I Learned to Drive (Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Critics’ Choice Award), Alison in Fun Home (New England premiere, Critics’ Circle Award), Loretta in Fly Me to the Moon (Public Theatre), Fairfax/Others in Jane Eyre (NYC workshops), Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest (Savannah Rep), Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd (The Rev), and seven(!) flights as Peter Pan (Independent Theatre Award).

Nehal Joshi (Doctor) This marks Nehal’s 7th show, and 8th time appearing, at Arena Stage over 20 years. Arena credits include Ali Hakim in Oklahoma!, Amir in Disgraced, Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can, Mother Courage, Music Man, and Señor Discretion Himself. Other DC: Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth, Olney Theatre Center, Theater J, The Kennedy Center. Broadway: The Cottage, All My Sons, Phantom of the Opera (Closing Cast), Flying Over Sunset, School of Rock, Gettin’ the Band Back Together, Les Misérables (Original Revival Cast), Threepenny Opera. Off-Broadway: Cyrano (made into a recent film), Working (2008 revision, Special Drama Desk Award), Grand Hotel (Encores!), Three Sisters. Video Game: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. TV/Film: Law & Order: SVU (NBC), The Wire (HBO), Search Party (HBO), Blackout.

Judy Kuhn (Lucy Anderson) is a multiple Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award nominee best known for her work on Broadway in Fun Home, She Loves Me, Chess, Les Misérables, Rags, Richard Nelson’s play Two Shakespearean Actors (LCT), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (OBC). DC appearances include Fosca in Passion at the Kennedy Center’s Sondheim Celebration. In NYC, Judy most recently appeared in I Can Get It for You Wholesale (also directed by Trip Cullman) and Assassins (Drama Desk and OCC nominations), both at CSC. In 2019 she starred in Trevor Nunn’s acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof in London’s West End (Olivier Award nomination). TV/Film includes Dear Edward (Apple TV+) Lin-Manuel Miranda’s adaptation of Tick, Tick… Boom! (Netflix), Enchanted, and Disney’s Pocahontas (title role). Judy has appeared on concert stages around the world and has recorded four solo albums.

Candice Shedd-Thompson (Ensemble / u/s Ellen Rabinowitz/Lucy Lemay) is so excited to be making her Arena Stage debut! Favorite DC area credits include A.D. 16, Nicola in Kinky Boots (Olney Theatre Center); Monica in Rooms: A Rock Romance (MetroStage); Gynecia in Head Over Heels (Monumental Theatre); Snow White in Disenchanted, Babette in Beauty and the Beast (Creative Cauldron); and Rita LaPorta in Lucky Stiff (NextStop Theatre). Regional highlights include Maureen in Rent and Woman 1 in Songs for a New World (Milton Theatre); Mamma Mia! and Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Riverside Center); and Wide Open Country at Hershey Park. She is a former Production Vocalist for Celebrity Cruises, and is currently a singer in Bachelor Boys Band, a wedding band that performs for events all over the region.

Perry Sherman (Francis) originated the role of Francis Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons and is thrilled to be making his Arena Stage debut. He has been seen at the Kennedy Center in National Tours of both Next to Normal and Spring Awakening. Broadway: Fun Home (Circle in the Square). Off-Broadway: Milk and Honey (The York Theatre), Unknown Soldier (Playwrights). Other credits include Marius in the Canadian Pre-Broadway Revival of Les Misérables, Will in Burn All Night at A.R.T., Lucian in the world premiere of Amélie at Berkeley Rep, and Davey in The Ballad of Little Jo at Two River Theater. TV: The Deuce on HBO. Studied at Carnegie Mellon University.

Jordyn Taylor (Swing) is thrilled to be making her Arena Stage debut! DC area credits include Lucille, Bobbi Jean, José in Junie B. Jones (Adventure Theatre MTC); Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime (Signature Theatre); Missy in The Marvelous Wonderettes (NextStop Theatre); Little Ti Moune, Ti Moune u/s in Once on This Island (Constellation Theatre Company); Pearl Krabs, Sandy u/s in SpongeBob Musical (Toby’s Dinner Theatre). TV: How Great Thou Art, A Sacred Celebration (PBS).Direction/Music Direction: The Marvelous Wonderettes, Summer Theatre Adventures (NextStop Theatre); Heathers the Musical (Howard University). Howard University BFA in Musical Theatre (2023).

Wood Van Meter (Swing / u/s Francis) is thrilled to be part of Unknown Soldier at Arena, after previously working on Ride the Cyclone. DC credits include West Side Story, Shear Madness (Kennedy Center); Kiss Me, Kate (STC); Silence! The Musical (Studio Theatre); Singin’ in the Rain (NextStop Theatre); Joseph…Dreamcoat [Helen Hayes nomination – Lead Actor] (Toby’s Dinner Theatre); The Whale (Rep Stage); and other performances at Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre, Imagination Stage, MetroStage, and Washington Stage Guild. Regional favorites include Forever Plaid (Pittsburgh CLO); Ragtime, Rent (Nashville Rep); Gypsy (Hangar Theatre); and Camelot (TheatreZone).

Elizabeth Vargo (u/s Lucy Rabinowitz/Young Ellen) is making her Arena Stage debut. Ellie is a current member of the Voices of Now Mead Ensemble at Arena Stage, and attended Camp Arena Stage in 2023. She trains at the Metropolitan School of the Arts, is a member of the National Children’s Chorus, and has performed in nearly two dozen musicals and recitals. Her most recent credits include The Nutcracker (MSA), Metropolitan Follies (MSA), The Wizard of Oz (St. Bernadette Summer Theatre Program), and A Night at the Met (MSA). Ellie was a featured performer in the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School’s Spring 2022 Musical Revue, for which she was awarded the Performing Arts Break Out Performer Award.

Ronald Joe Williams (Ensemble / u/s Doctor) is a Class of 2023 graduate from Howard University’s BFA Musical Theatre Program. He is making his professional debut at Arena Stage!

Taylor Witt (Ensemble / u/s Andrew) last appeared at Arena Stage in Exclusion. Virginia Rep: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Tuck Everlasting. The Keegan Theatre: An Irish Carol, Merrily We Roll Along, Shakespeare in Love. Olney Theatre Center: A Nice Indian Boy. Signature Theatre: The Upstairs Department. Studio Theatre: Admissions. NextStop Theatre Co: First Date. Toby’s Dinner Theatre: Newsies [Helen Hayes nomination – Supporting Actor], The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ghost. Riverside Center: The Bridges of Madison County, Grease. Imagination Stage: New Kid, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. The Kennedy Center TYA: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!.

Sumié Yotsukura (Ensemble) is delighted to be making her Arena Stage debut! She was most recently seen as Gussie in Merrily We Roll Along (Keegan Theatre) and Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (Olney Theatre Center). Other DC credits include King of the Yees (Signature Theatre), The Mortification of Fovea Munson (Kennedy Center TYA), Jennifer, Who Is Leaving (Round House Theatre), Beauty and the Beast (Olney Theatre Center), Triangle (Free Range Humans), and more. Her regional credits include The Full Monty (Transcendence Theatre Company). She received her BA in Theatre and Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies from William & Mary.

Unknown Soldier has a book by Daniel Goldstein (Broadway’s Godspell), music by the late Michael Friedman (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), and lyrics by Goldstein and Friedman.  The Arena Stage production features direction by Trip Cullman (Broadway’s The Rose Tattoo), choreography by Patrick McCollum (Broadway’s The Band’s Visit), music supervisorion by Julie McBride (Broadway’s Moulin Rouge! The Musical) and Marco Paguia (Broadway’s Gutenberg! The Musical), music direction by Chris Kong (Mean Girls National Tour), set design by Tony Award nominee Mark Wendland (Broadway’s Next to Normal), costume designby Jacob A. Climer (Broadway’s The Boys in the Band), lighting design by Tony Award nominee Ben Stanton (Broadway’s Fun Home), sound design by Tony Award winner Leon Rothenberg (Broadway’s The Nance), projection design by Tony Award nominee Lucy Mackinnon (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill), and hair, wig, and makeup design by J. Jared Janas (Broadway’s Sweeney Todd, Arena’s Ride the Cyclone) The team also includes Associate Director Susanna Wolk (Broadway’s & Juliet), Associate Choreographer Francine Espiritu (Broadway’s The Lightning Thief), Associate Music Director Peter Leigh-Nilsen (Broadway’s Harmony), Dramaturg Otis Ramsey-Zöe, Casting Director Joseph Pinzon, NY Casting by Patrick Goodwin, The Telsey Office, Stage Manager Lisa Ann Chernoff, and Assistant Stage Manager Dayne Sundman.

Unknown Soldier promises to be an memorable Arena Stage production, so we hope you’ll join us for this sweeping story. This heartfelt new musical will play in the Kreeger Theater from March 29 through May 5. Get your tickets today!