WHO’S WHO
opportunity. Love to Mark, Sara, Erin, Gale, and
Stella. www.jacobshipley.com
JOSHUA SIMON (Ensemble/Einhorn/Prince)
is thrilled to be joining this cast! A D.C. native,
credits include James and the Giant Peach
(ATMTC), Ragtime (Toby’s), Beauty and the
Beast (Imagination Stage), Floyd Collins (1st
Stage), Redd, Whyte or Blu (Rickshaw Readers),
and Dani Girl (Unexpected Stage). Education:
BFA, NYU/Tisch (see his face on the official
Tisch Drama web page!). For those I love.
GILGAMESH TAGGETT (Ensemble/Billingsley)
is thrilled to join Amazing Grace after performing
for three years as Oliver Warbucks in the
International Tour of Annie directed by Martin
Charnin. Favorite roles include Satan in Jerry
Springer the Opera, Franz Liebkind in The
Producers. He originated the role of Warren in The
Cult, a world premier at Cleveland Public Theater.
www.gilgameshtaggett.com
ANDREW TARQUINIO (Ensemble/Briggs)
is humbled to be making his professional acting
debut with the national tour of Amazing Grace.
Recent credits include The Circle of Life: The
Songs of Tim Rice performed at Strathmore
Hall. Previously, Andrew worked full time in
Development and Grant Administration for a
policy organization in Washington D.C. More
info can be found at andrewtarq.com
JAMES TARRANT (Ensemble/Whitley) hails
from Brooklyn, NY and is beyond excited to join
the cast of Amazing Grace. Regional: Grease
(Teen Angel/Eugene), Annie Get Your Gun. DMV:
Sweeney Todd, Heathers. BM: Catholic University
of America. Thanks to Gabriel, Christopher, Brad
and TROIKA. Much Love to my mom, dad, Mark
who always love and support me. Wouldn’t be
here without you.
ELEANOR TODD (Mary Catlett) is a graduate
of the University of Michigan, BFA Musical
Theatre. Theater/ Film: War Paint (Workshop;
Dir. Michael Greif), NYMF: Beyond Words;
Keegan Theatre: Parade (Lucille Frank) and Big
Fish (Sandra Bloom); Shakespeare Theatre Co.:
God is Dead and April’s Getting Married; Actor’s
Guild of Lexington: SubUrbia (Erica); Kentucky
Conservatory Theatre: Legally Blonde (Elle
Woods); Liberty’s Secret (Amazon).
KORINN WALFALL (Ensemble/Tennah)
D.C. AREA: Signature Theatre: Jesus
Christ Superstar, U.G.L.Y., Gun & Powder.
Round House Theatre: Caroline or Change.
Ford’s Theatre: Hope Dies Last. Capital
Fringe Festival: That Kind of Girl. Regional:
Kennedy Center: Wendy, In His Own Words…
the Walter Dean Meyers Tribute. Strathmore:
Audra McDonald’s Pre-Lecture Concert.
Education: University of Maryland-College
Park.
KANYSHA WILLIAMS (Ensemble/Yema)
is a Washington Metropolitan Area native and
a product of The Duke Ellington School of
the Arts, The San Francisco Conservatory of
Music and George Mason University. Recently,
Kanysha has been seen in productions such
as The Wiz (Dorothy), Shrek The Musical
(Dragon), and Sister Act (Deloris Van Cartier).
She currently teaches music and performs in
Washington D.C.
CHRISTOPHER G. SMITH (Concept,
Book, Music and Lyrics) Christopher is one
of the only writers to have contributed the
concept and all three elements of a stage
musical and made it to Broadway on the first
attempt. His non-profit lightsonbroadway.org
works to: Equip a new generation of theatre
professionals; Create shows that uplift and
inspire and; Bless the wider entertainment
culture. Chris thanks his wife Alana; children
Joshua, Alana, and Alexandra; parents;
investors; and, above all, God, who made this
whole impossible dream a reality.
ARTHUR GIRON (Book) His 15 plays are
performed in the U.S. and abroad. Among
them, Emilie’s Voltaire played recently in
America, Portugal and Australia. Alfred Molina
and Jessica Chastain starred in L.A. Theatre
Works’ Moving Bodies. The New York Times
said A Dream of Wealth is “filled with passion
and ample compassion”. The Metropolitan
Opera Guild commissioned him to write a
libretto. Arthur headed Graduate Playwriting
at Carnegie Mellon University. He is a founder
of Ensemble Studio Theater in New York,
where he lives with his wife Mariluz.
GABRIEL BARRE (Director) is an internationally
acclaimed director. Broadway: Amazing
Grace. Off Broadway includes: MTC’s The Wild
Party, Summer of ’42, john & jen and Almost,
Maine. National Tours: Pippin, Cinderella.
Regional includes: Memphis, North Shore Music
Theatre, Theatreworks; Sweeney Todd, Finian’s
Rainbow and many other new musicals at
Goodspeed Opera House. International credits
includes: Billy Elliot in Mexico, The Scarlet
Pimpernel in Japan, numerous shows in Korea,
China and the Czech Republic. As an actor, he has
been nominated for a Tony Award as Best Actor in
a Musical and appeared off Broadway last season
in Cyrano de Bergerac, which he also directed.