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The Boy Detective Fails

Aug 25 – Oct 16, 2011
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About Cast Creative Venue
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The Boy Detective Fails, based on Joe Meno’s acclaimed novel, tells the story of Billy Argo, “boy detective.” In the twilight of a childhood full of wonder, a broken-hearted Billy faces a mystery he can’t comprehend – the shocking death of his young sister and crime-solving partner, Caroline. Ten years later, a 30-year-old Billy returns to his quiet New Jersey town after an extended stay at St. Vitus’ Hospital for the mentally ill. Although determined to solve the mystery of Caroline’s death and right old wrongs, he instead discovers a world full of unimaginable strangeness, beauty and love.

“An extremely talented composer and lyricist who is seriously going places.” – The New York Sun, StageSpace.com

Book by Joe Meno
Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon
Based on novel The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno
Directed by Joe Calarco

Performance Information

Cast Members

Anika Larsen

Penny Maple/Ensemble
Margo Seibert

Margo Seibert

Caroline Argo
Evan Casey

Evan Casey

Killer Kowalzavich/Dale Hardly/Ensemble

SIGNATURE: An Act of God, Midwestern Gothic, The Flick (Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Lead Actor nomination), Sunday in the Park with George, Company, Really Really, The Hollow, The Boy Detective Fails, Urinetown, Ten Unknowns, Allegro. OFF-BROADWAY: New Victory Theatre: Elephant and Piggie. NEW YORK: NYMF: River's End, York Theatre: NEO 8 Concert. DC AREA: Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Olney Theatre Center, Round House Theatre, Studio Theatre 2ndstage, Rep Stage, 1st Stage, Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre-MTC, Annapolis Shakespeare Company. REGIONAL: North Carolina Theatre, Everyman Theatre, New London Barn Playhouse. FILM: Of Dice and Men (IndieCapitol Award Best Actor nomination), 10-42, The Phages, Union. TV/WEB: House of Cards, Missing Person’s Unit, Stage Fright, Thurston. OTHER: Capitol Steps, GraphicAudio.
Sherri L. Edelen

Sherri L. Edelen

Therapist/Ensemble

SIGNATURE: Into the Woods, Jesus Christ Superstar, Midwestern Gothic, Gypsy, Cake Off, Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables.  NATIONAL TOURS: Me and My Girl, Nunsense, Big. NEW YORK: Disney Theatricals: Freaky Friday; Fringe Festival: Citizen Ruth. DC AREA: Kennedy Center: Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along; Arena Stage: DAVE (pre-Broadway), Cabaret, My Fair Lady, Vanya...Spike; Shakespeare Theatre: Design for Living; Folger Theatre: Romeo and Juliet; Round House Theatre: The Diary of Anne Frank; Theatre J: Copenhagen. REGIONAL: Arden Theatre Company: Caroline, or Change; Philadelphia Theatre Company: The Light in the Piazza, Elegies; Fusion Theatre Company: Outside Mullingar; Stages St. Louis:  Annie Get Your Gun. DIRECTING: Riverside Center for the Performing Arts: Steel Magnolias, On Golden Pond (starring Joyce DeWitt). AWARDS: Helen Hayes, Barrymore.

James Gardiner

Fenton

SIGNATURE: Miss Saigon, Spin, Company, The Last Five Years (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Actor in a Musical), The Boy Detective Fails, The Hollow, [title of show], Chess, Les Misérables, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Merrily We Roll Along, The Witches of Eastwick, Saving Aimee. BROADWAY: Glory Days (book writer). DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: Violet, Liberty Smith, A Christmas Carol (Associate Director); Olney Theatre Center: Little Shop of Horrors (2013 Helen Hayes nomination), You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown; Woolly Mammoth/UM: The Distance from Here; Kennedy Center: The Phantom Tollbooth, The Brand New Kid; Round House Theatre: A Prayer for Owen Meany; Studio Theatre: Dog Sees God. REGIONAL: Williamstown Theatre Festival; Everyman Theatre. EDUCATION: University of Maryland College Park TEACHING: George Mason University, Adjunct Instructor of Musical Theatre Performance.
Tracy Lynn Olivera

Tracy Lynn Olivera

Violet Dew/Nurse/Ensemble

SIGNATURE: …Forum, Assassins, A Little Night Music (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical), Titanic, The Fix; Gypsy; Crossing; Company; Hello, Dolly! (Ford’s Theatre co-production); The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Brother Russia; The Hollow; The Boy Detective Fails; Les Misérables; ACE; The Happy Time; Merrily We Roll Along; Allegro; Follies; Side Show; Sweeney Todd. BROADWAY: Ragtime (2009 revival). DC AREA: Round House Theatre: Next to Normal. Kennedy Center: Ragtime, Sunday in the Park..., Passion, Merrily We Roll Along; Arena Stage: Fiddler on the Roof, Damn Yankees; Shakespeare Theatre: Candide; Ford’s Theatre: Ragtime, 110 in the Shade (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical); Olney Theatre: Beauty and the Beast, Matilda, On the Town; Studio Theatre: Bachelorette. REGIONAL: Goodman Theatre: Candide. RECORDINGS: Because (solo LP).
Thomas Adrian Simpson

Thomas Adrian Simpson

Professor Von Golum

SIGNATURE: Jesus Christ Superstar, Three Penny Opera, Company, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Boy Detective Fails, The Hollow, Les Misérables, The Witches of Eastwick, My Fair Lady, Pacific Overtures, Urinetown, Twentieth Century, 110 in the Shade (2004 Helen Hayes nomination), Floyd Collins, Grand Hotel, Over and Over, Vera. DC AREA: Arena Stage: A Raisin in the Sun, Mary T. & Lizzy K., My Fair Lady, The Light in the Piazza; Ford’s Theatre: 1776, Liberty Smith, Meet John Doe, A Christmas Carol; Shakespeare Theatre: Candide, The Boys From Syracuse; Kennedy Center: Orphie and the Book of Heroes; Olney Theatre Center: Sweeney Todd, Oh, Coward!, 1776, Oliver. TV: House of Cards, America’s Most Wanted. EDUCATION: UNC School of the Arts.
Stephen Gregory Smith

Stephen Gregory Smith

Billy Argo

SIGNATURE: Midwestern Gothic, Titanic, The Fix, Elmer Gantry, Miss Saigon, Whorehouse, Brother Russia (Prince Felix), Hairspray (Corny Collins), The Boy Detective Fails (Billy Argo), Sunset Boulevard, Les Misérables, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Into the Woods (Jack), My Fair Lady, Assassins (Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald), Pacific Overtures, The Highest Yellow, One Red Flower (Billy), Allegro (Charlie), 110 in the Shade (Jimmy, 2004 Helen Hayes Award). DC AREA: DCAC: High Fidelity (Rob); Studio Theatre: Adding Machine: A Musical (SHRDLU), MetroStage: tick, tick…BOOM! (Jon); Ford’s Theatre: 110 in the Shade, Freedom's Song, Violet, The Civil War, Meet John Doe; Arena Stage: Oliver!, Damn Yankees; Kennedy Center: First You Dream, Regina; Olney Theatre Center: Avenue Q (Nicky/Trekkie).  

Russell Sunday

Detective Brown/Ensemble

SIGNATURE: Elmer Gantry, Brother Russia, The Boy Detective Fails, The Hollow, Chess, Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble). DC AREA: Studio Theatre: Jerry Springer: The Opera (Helen Hayes nomination, Outstanding Ensemble); MetroStage: Closer than Ever, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!); Theatre J: David in Shadow and Light; Toby’s Dinner Theatre: Jekyll and Hyde (2003 Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Male Lead), Sweeney Todd, Titanic, Aida, Miss Saigon, Kiss Me, Kate, Beauty and the Beast, Damn Yankees, Annie Get Your Gun, Carousel.

Harry A. Winter

Larry/Ensemble

SIGNATURE: Allegro, 110 in the Shade, Hairspray (18 more). NATIONAL TOURS: Gigi, Jolson: the Musical. DC AREA: Kiss Me, Kate; Racing Demon; Come From Away (US); The Magic Play; Pins and Needles; Bringing Up Amy.

Creative Team

Joe Calarco

Director

Director: SIGNATURE: Heisenberg, The Scottsboro Boys, John, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Flick, The Gulf, Cake Off, Gypsy, Shakespeare’s R&J, God of Carnage, Walter Cronkite is Dead. (writer/director), Assassins, Urinetown, Side Show, Nijinsky’s Last Dance, Nest, Elegies, The Boy Detective Fails, writer of 13 Signature in the Schools plays. OFF-BROADWAY: A Christmas Carol, In Transit, R&J, Sarah Plain and Tall, The Burnt Part Boys, Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky, Boy, in the absence of spring (writer/director), The Memory Show, Bury the Dead. NEW YORK: Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, Primary Stages. REGIONAL: The Old Globe, ACT, Barrington Stage Company, Philadelphia Theater Company. DC AREA: The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Round House Theatre. AWARDS: 4 Helen Hayes, 2 Barrymore Awards, the Lucille Lortel Award, 2 time Drama Desk nominee. UPCOMING: Barrington Stage Company: Into The Woods.

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4200 Campbell Ave Arlington, Virginia

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