What's Hereville?
Hereville: the Musical is based on the award winning graphic novels by Barry Deutsch following the adventures of Mirka, an eleven-year old girl in a small Orthodox Jewish town.
Work began on Hereville: the Musical in 2017 and then it was selected for a year-long development opportunity through the 92Y Musical Theater Development Lab in the fall of 2018.
Following several private readings, including the requisite pandemic Zoom reading, a concert reading of Hereville was presented in March 2023 produced by Kids on Stage and the Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival at Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego.
Two additional concert readings were presented as part of the 30th Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival on June 7th, 2023, at the Old Globe and July 9th, 2023, at New Village Arts.
We are so thrilled to be sharing our show with the JEWCE/Center for Jewish History audience. I couldn't imagine a better marriage of material to an event.
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Meet the Cast
PEARL SCARLETT GOLD
LAYELE
Pearl recently completed her Broadway debut as Young Rosa/Bella in Tom Stoppard’s Tony Award winning play, Leopoldstadt. She played Young Helusia in the short film The Woman From Hamburg. And played Winnie in the reading of Niagara: A New Musical. She also played Abigail in a reading of the television pilot of The Chosen People. Pearl would like to thank: Lizzie Hagstedt, Robby Sandler and everyone from Team Hereville, Leorah Haberfield, Barry Kolker, Amelia Demayo, Ethan Haberfield, Kristen Caesar, Michael Liepper, Lauren Hirsh, beloved family & friends!
AVA MADISON GRAY
MIRKA
Ava Madison Gray is delighted to be reprising the role of Mirka after performing in Hereville’s concert readings this summer at The Old Globe and New Village Arts as
part of San Diego JFEST!
Ava is 13 years old, lives in Southern California, and has been performing in theater and live venues since the age of 5. Just prior to traveling to NY for Hereville, Ava performed as Annemarie Johansen in a production of Number The Stars at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Earlier this year, Ava performed as
Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, directed by Broadway’s Warren Carlyle. She also performed as Matilda Wormwood in Matilda: the Musical at No Square Theatre in Laguna Beach. Ava is a voice-over artist, most recognizable as JJ, Bella, and the iconic logo of CoComelon. Her voice is also featured in CoComelon Live: JJ’s Journey world tour, the CoComelon Play with JJ Nintendo Switch game, and as JJ on Cameo Kids. Ava is also a National Anthem singer for the Los Angeles Angels Major League Baseball Team, and a member of Voices of Hope Children’s Choir (most recently featured on America’s Got Talent: All Stars). Special thanks to the Hereville team and the Center for Jewish History for this amazing opportunity, as well as to Barry Deutsch for creating this magical graphic novel series!
SARAH LASKO
METTIE
Sarah is excited to take part in bringing this unique Jewish story to life. Favorite credits include the North American tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy), Disney Cruise Line's Tangled the Musical (Rapunzel), Mamma Mia (Sophie), The Fantasticks (Luisa), and The Crucible (Abigail Williams). Sarah can also be seen in a supporting role in Triventure Films' Finding Love in St. Lucia and heard on IHeartRadio's recent podcast series, The Murder Years. This one is for my Grandma, who taught my mother, who taught me that part of being Jewish is being a lover and patron of the arts.
BECCA MYERS
THE WITCH
Becca is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist: producer, actor, singer, director, and educator who takes joy from everything theatre. Becca is currently the Interim Associate Producer at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA, the Managing Producer of the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Festival, and previously served as the NNPN Producer-in-Residence of San Diego Repertory Theatre. Becca also created and artistically leads the annual new play festival "The Whole Megillah", which offers four new Jewish plays a workshop and development opportunities. Becca serves as a founding member and Managing Director & Associate Artistic Director of Living Light Theatre in San Diego, CA. Becca received the Sandy Fisher Award for Excellence in the Creative Arts from Brandeis University, which is awarded for exceptional work in theatre, including behind the scenes support, activism, and onstage work. Becca has worked as a Theatre and Enrichment Facilitator for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Academy at University of San Diego, and as the instructor of an engagement course through J*Company Youth Theatre's Random Acts of Culture program.
LILY TOLCHIN
ROCHEL
Lily is thrilled to be debuting as the role of Rochel. Since she was just a toddler, Lily has been performing in front of family members and friends, which she later developed her deep passion for theater. Lily has done twenty one shows in the past, including Matilda (Ms. Honey), The Addams Family (Wednesday), Mary Poppins (Ms. Andrews), and many more. In her free time, Lily enjoys times with her friends and family and helping with the community. Lastly, Lily would love to give an awesome thank you to Bercy Talent, Alyson Isbrandtsen, and Hereville’s crew for all the hard work and effort they have put in for this opportunity. Another thank you to all her friends, family, and fellow cast mates for supporting her.
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SAMANTHA TULLIE
FRUMA
Samantha is an NYC based singer, actor and early childhood educator. She is ecstatic to be bringing the magic of Hereville to NYC! Regional: Hair! (Sheila) @ The Woodstock Playhouse, Brooklyn the Musical (Brooklyn) @ The Moxie Theater, Jesus Christ Superstar (Soul Girl u/s Mary) @ The Moonlight Amphitheatre; Off- Broadway: The Black Count of Monte Cristo (Haydee/Heloise) @ Broadway Bound Theater Festival; Network: NBC (A Cappella NBC Theme Song Tribute); Other: N’Harmonics/ICCA (Soloist) @ Carnegie Hall & The PlayStation Theater. BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Many thanks to the cast, crew, and her family.
DANI WEINER
MAMA
Dani Weiner (she/her) is a NYC based actor and singer. A graduate of NYU Tisch Drama’s New Studio on Broadway, Dani was seen in Tuck Everlasting (Mae Tuck), LaChiusa’s Bernarda Alba (Bernarda), and Urinetown, among others. Regional credits include Far Away (Harper) and Snow White (Witch) at the Hangar Theatre. Dani recently finished shooting “Party Time”, a short film, which will be available to view soon. Dani is passionate about developing new work and has originated several roles in new projects throughout NYC. She is currently a professor of voice at NYU Tisch NSB, and teaches at The Performing Arts Project. Many thanks to the incredible Hereville team.
ROBBY SANDLER (BOOK & LYRICS) is an autistic lyricist/librettist from Florence, Alabama, based in New York. They have been writing with Lizzie Hagstedt since undergrad at the University of Miami. They are an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Advanced Workshop and the 92Y Musical Theater Development Lab where Hereville began developing. As a lyricist/librettist, their work was featured on Jonathan Larson Grant winner Andy Roninson’s Take A Ten podcast (Episode #6, “I Heart New York”). As a librettist, they wrote Introducing Molly Pope with its eponymous star at Ars Nova.
LIZZIE HAGSTEDT (MUSIC) is an actor/singer/musician composer from Sayville, New York. In addition to Hereville, composition projects include Sophie Blanchard’s High-Flyin’ Rock’n’Roll Extravaganza (2024 Moxie Arts Incubator Cohort, 2020 Asolo Rep Ground Floor Series), Oneida with Beth Blatt (Vox Fest at Dartmouth College), and Wild West Show with Lisa Helmi Johanson (winner of the Muriel O'Neil American Heritage Commission). She is a 2021 Jonathan Larson Grant finalist and the recipient of a Cross Arts Collaborative Arts Residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. Performing credits include Sweeney Todd (national tour) and Southern Comfort (the Public). www.lizziehagstedt.com
JESS KAUFMAN (ADDITIONAL BOOK) is a playwright, dramaturg, producer and all-around theater artist making thoughtful, playful, ambitious theater for families. Her work invites young people and families to cross boundaries, in theaters and site-specific performance spaces. As a queer, Jewish artist, she is particularly interested in the intersection of social justice and identity. Jess was a 2019-2020 New Victory Theater LabWorks Artist, a 2020 NYFA "Emerging Arts Leader", and a 2021 New York City Artist Corps grant recipient.
BARRY DEUTSCH (ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVELS) is best known for his “Hereville” series of graphic novels, about “yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl.” Barry is also part of the creative team behind the best-selling “Wings of Fire” series of graphic novels. His work has won the Sydney Taylor Award, the Oregon Book Award, the Charles Schulz Award, and has been nominated for Eisner, Harvey, Ignatz, and Nebula Awards. He lives in Portland, Oregon, in a bright blue house with pink trim, and sees musicals as often as he can.
Website: Hereville.com
Contact: barry.deutsch@gmail.com
LAURA BRANDEL (DIRECTOR) is NYC based director, choreographer and champion of new work. Thrilled to bring Hereville to NYC as part of JEWCE after its reading last summer at San Diego’s Old Globe with JFEST. Recent credits include, Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration, TheaterWorksUSA: Dot Dot Dot and Pout Pout Fish. 2017 Drama League Leo Shull New Musicals Directing Fellow, Lincoln Center Directors Lab. www.LauraMovesPeople.com
FERNANDA DOUGLAS (MUSIC DIRECTOR) is an NYC-based composer and music director from Santa Barbara, California. Commissions: In BeTWEEN (The Wright Way, NYC); The Hobbit (First Stage, WI); Spells of the Sea (orchestrations; Metro Theater Company, MO); Sweet Tooth and Scouts! (Brooklyn Children’s Theater, NY). NYC productions: Jolie Rouge (workshop, Columbia University); From Russia, With Love (Midtown International Theatre Festival); Plath. (NY Fringe Festival). Assoc. Music Dir./Rehearsal Piano: Moulin Rouge (Broadway); The Unknown Soldier (Playwright’s Horizons); Monsoon Wedding (with Mira Nair; 2023 FIFA World Cup, Qatar). Fernanda is an associate voice coach at Liz Caplan Vocal Studios, as well as an active member of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop and an alumna of Columbia University.
KIMBERLY SCAGLIONE (STAGE MANAGER) is thrilled to join the "Hereville" team on this wonderful production. Kimberly graduated from Ithaca College with a BA in Theater Studies. Her recent credits include OFF-BROADWAY: Only Gold (PA), REGIONAL: Evita (PA), The Comedy of Errors & Snug (ASM), Three Sisters (Child Guardian), The Polar Express™ Train Ride (Child Guardian).
SHELBY BLEZINGER-MCCAY (CAJON) is a percussionist, drummer, music educator, and organizer. Balancing a full freelance schedule in musical theater, contemporary chamber music, and pop/rock/folk scenes, Shelby brings virtuosic musical skills, expertise in a wide range of musical genres, and a keen understanding of collaboration and social dynamics to every performance.
She is currently a percussion substitute for multiple Broadway productions, including Aladdin, SIX, and Some Like It Hot, was a percussion sub for the 22-23 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and originated the percussion chair for the world premiere of Other World: A New Musical. Additionally, her contemporary music trio, Troika, performs throughout the year.
She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Green Room 42, the United Palace, Rockwood Music Hall, The Cutting Room, City Winery NYC, and many other venues. Recent performances and collaborations include concerts with Katie Harman, Judy Kaye, Travis Moser, Ashley Arnold, Lavon Fisher Wilson, Larry Owens, Melissa Rich, New Heights Brass Band, Sō Percussion, and the Skiffle (Bunch) Steel Orchestra. International performances include concerts in Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Poland, and China.
Shelby currently serves her local community as an educator with the Brooklyn New School Band and Trevor Day School, sharing the concepts of creative music making in the vast soundscape of the percussion world and its history. She has worked with hundreds of percussionists and composers as the program coordinator for the Sō Percussion Summer Institute from 2018-2022, organizing and directing multiple performances, commissions, and world premieres for a vast range of young musicians.
Shelby Blezinger-McCay has a master’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Auburn University. Originally from Texas, raised in a family of noisy percussionists, she lives in New York City with her husband, Seth, and pittie-mix, Pascal.
CREATIVE TEAM
Special Thanks
The Center for Jewish History and their incredible staff, especially Dr. Miriam Mora,
Kids on Stage Productions, The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival, Haia Bchiri,
Dan Gonko, David Friedlander, and the parents of our incredible young actors