MEET THE CAST

Co-Creator/ Executive Producer/ Lead Percussionist

Chris Smith is a lifelong musician and performer, touring the world with one of the top Celtic rock bands, The American Rogues. Chris grew up in the Richmond, VA area and beginning in 2006 he has been performing as a percussionist in the most popular shows at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. He has also helped create countless productions around the Richmond/Newport News area, including Souled Out and the celebrated Altar Boyz. Chris is a proud Christopher Newport University alumnus, graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Theatre and an emphasis in light design. His past lighting projects include My Chemical Romance and Yanni.

Co-Creator/ Executive Producer/ Choreographer/ Lead Dancer

Scott Doherty is the 2009 Men's World Champion of Irish Dance. Scott made his professional debut in 2005 with the North American tour of Riverdance. Since then he has toured the world with both Riverdance and Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance. Scott was invited to perform the lead role of “Lorcan” in Gaelforce Dance for its 2012/2013 tours of Europe and Asia. Since 2007 Scott has been performing in the Irish dance shows at Busch Gardens, serving as Celtic Fyre's dance captain and the principal lead dancer since 2012. Scott has also been a guest performer with many acclaimed Irish acts, including the Irish Tenors, Cherish the Ladies, Michael Londra, and Andy Cooney.

Director

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Jeff Whiting has many credits, including Associate Director on Broadway productions Big Fish, Bullets Over Broadway (six Tony Nominations), Hair (Tony Best Revival) and Wicked (Fifth Anniversary), as well as Director/Associate Director of multiple National Tours including Young Frankenstein, Hairspray, and The Producers. The New York Times exclaimed, “Mr. Whiting directs with an airy, joyous touch," while “The View” praised him as “a truly remarkable talent." Learn more at www.JeffWhiting.com. 

Music Supervisor/Arranger/Orchestrator

Brent Frederick is a New York City based pianist, conductor, and arranger. Broadway credits include Kinky Boots, The Band’s Visit, Priscilla Queen of the Desert (for which Brent was also music director of the national tour), and Doctor Zhivago. Brent is the Music Supervisor for Royal Caribbean’s Saturday Night Fever. His orchestrations have been performed by Jeremy Jordan, Faith Prince, and many headliner acts in venues around the world.  www.BrentFrederickMusic.com

Lighting Designer

Carolyn Wong is is a lighting designer whose recent work includes Bullets Over Broadway, Written on Water, Summer’s Winter Shadow, She Dreams in Code and Lichtung, and When Everything Was Possible. Her history includes touring with Shen Wei Dance Arts, Parsons Dance Company, Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, LeeSaar/The Company, LA Dance Project, Rosy Simas Danse, Rebecca Lazier, and the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. 

Sound Consultant

Trey Smith designed and mixed sound for various national and world tours, such as Sara Bareilles, The Chieftains, and Little Big Town. Breaking his way into the Broadway scene in 2015, Trey worked as a Sound Consultant on the Broadway musical, Waitress (Tony nomination for Best Musical). www.TFS-Productions.com

Original Costume Designer

Sarah Coffey holds a Bachelor of Arts from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, where she also minored in Fashion Design. While studying at LU, she served as the Wardrobe Manager for several productions, including The Music Man and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Sarah has been working at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg since 2007 as a Dresser and Technical Captain, managing such shows as Celtic Fyre, Entwined, Fiends, and Gloria! 

Costume Designer

Ashley Wilson studied theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University. She worked as a dresser at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg for eight years on such shows as Emerald Beat, Monster Stomp, Celtic Fyre, and Monster Stomp Revamped. She has since served as the Wardrobe Supervisor for four national tours (Oklahoma!, Riverdance, Moscow Ballet’s The Nutcracker, and Elf the Musical), as well as for The Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, ME; The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, NY: and New Federal Theatre’s Every Day a Visitor in NYC. 

Costume Designer

Sarah Cubbage recent projects include: Crazy for You, David Geffen Hall (dir. Susan Stroman); Beauty & The Beast, Disney Creative Entertainment/Disney Cruise Lines; Off-Broadway: Soho Rep, Theatre for the New City, Aquila Theatre Company, Urban Stages, Ohio Theatre, Atlantic Stage 2. Regional: Studio Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Center Stage, Rep Stage, Syracuse Stage, American Repertory Theatre, Hangar Theatre, Northern Stage, Premiere Stages, Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. Associate/Assistant Broadway design work includes: Fish in the Dark, A Delicate Balance, It’s Only a Play, This is Our Youth, Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish.  Film: A Clerk’s Tale (dir. James Franco), So Over You (dir. Karen Odyniec), Half the Perfect World (dir. Cynthia Arzaga Fredette. Dance: Dark Lark (BAM, Kate Weare Company); The Radio Show (Bessie Award, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion). MFA: NYU. Member USA 829.

Set Designer

 Jason Ardizzone-West is a New York based set designer. Recent & upcoming designs include Illyria (The Public Theater, w/ Susan Hilferty), The Royale (The Cleveland Playhouse), Ethel Circus - Wandering City (Asolo Theatre / tour), 36th Marathon Of One Act Plays (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Caroline, Or Change (Tantrum Theatre), The Gabriels: Election Year In The Life Of One Family (The Public Theater, w/ Susan Hilferty), Bullets Over Broadway (National Tour, NETworks Presentations), Adele Live In Nyc (Radio City Music Hall, with Es Devlin), and Single Wide (New York Musical Theater Festival). As an associate set designer, Jason has worked with Es Devlin: Beyoncé (Formation Global Tour, MIA/GC Festivals, VMA '16), The Weeknd (SNL), American Psycho (Broadway), Jan Versweyveld: The Crucible (Broadway), Santo Loquasto: Bullets Over Broadway (Broadway), Mimi Lien: Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet Of 1812 (Broadway), and Christine Jones: Harry Potter & The Cursed Child (Broadway '18), The Winter’s Tale (McCarter Theater). Jason has designed events for Cornell, Princeton, Duke, (Herson Group Ltd) and The New 42nd Street. Prior to focusing on set design, Jason was an architect, working with Mitchell Kurtz Architect PC to design theater and cultural arts spaces including: Playwrights Horizons, The Chautauqua Institution’s Bratton Theater, & El Teatro Heckscher. Jason received a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, College of Architecture, Art & Planning, a Masters of Fine Arts from New York University, Department of Design for Stage & Film, and is a member of USA 829.

Lead Dancer

Ashley Smith-Wallace at the age of 3 began taking Irish dance lessons from her father and mother in Boston, MA. Ashley was crowned the World Irish Step Dancing Champion in Belfast, Ireland, in 2004, the youngest American female ever to win the world title at that time. She went on to win two more world championship titles in 2005 and 2009. In addition, Ashley has won four All Ireland Championships—The Great Britain Championships, and The Australian Nationals—and numerous North American and regional titles. A top-30 female finalist on the hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance,” Ashley was a featured dancer on the Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook. 

Male Vocalist

Esteban Suero is a Miami, FL native currently residing in New York City. He completed both of his Opera Performance degrees from the University of Miami and Oklahoma City University. Past credits include Will Bloom in Big Fish, Che in Evita, Angel in RENT, and Ensemble/Clopin Understudy In the New York Regional Premier of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at White Plains Performing Arts Center.

Femal Vocalist

Megan Lynn Browning is back with her favorite show Rockin' Road to Dublin on their 2018 National Tour.  Recently seen in the new a cappella sensation Gift of Harmony at Busch Gardens Europe directed by Loren Van Brenk and composed by Tom Anderson. Megan uses whatever free time she has to hit the road with her own band Harley Boone and has opened for Justin Moore, Parmalee, Steep Canyon Rangers, countless State and County fairs, and resorts on the East Coast.  

Dance Troupe/Lead Understudy

Tyler Schwartz has won many titles including the Midwest Regional Championship, the All-Ireland Championship, All-Scotland Championship, North American Championship, and Great-Britain Championship, and he won the Senior Men’s World Championship in 2013. He has been principal lead dancer for the Magic of the Dance, Trinity Irish Dance Company, Gaelforce Dance, and Busch Gardens’ Celtic Fyre. 

Dance Troupe/ Understudy

Brea Reed McGaffey Dorosz began Irish dancing in Birmingham, Michigan at the age of seven. She competed for twelve years and went on to win the regional championships twice along with being top five in the nation and a two -time world medal holder.  Brea began her professional Irish dancing career with Lord of the Dance in 2012 and has toured all over the world performing in over 22 countries. In 2015, Brea achieved her dream of performing the lead role as Morrighan in Lord of the Dance Dangerous Games. The highlight of her dance career has been performing lead alongside Michael Flatley in the Lyric Theatre on Broadway and performing at the Presidential Inauguration in 2017. 

Dance Troupe

Mark Chichester won the All England Tap Championship, All England National Championship and was crowned UK’s Young Tap Dancer of the Year. He went on to join the cast of Excalibur: The Celtic Rock Opera, Gaelforce Dance, Dance Masters, Celtic Dream, and Rhythm of the Dance, as well as Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance. He has since danced in Celtic Fyre and choreographed a tap-vs.-Irish piece for the world mobile Congress for TapTronic. Mark has just returned from the World premiere of ProdiJIG: The Revolution. 

Dance Captain

Declan Crowley ) is an eight-time Mid-Atlantic, two-time National, and All-Ireland champion. He also won the coveted Minor Belt National Championship in 2005, and has placed within the top three in the world times over. Crowley’s filmography credits include Feet of Flames RAW (2010), Irish Celtic Generations—Live in Paris (2016), and West Side Story: Mashup (HBO, 2012). 

Dance Troupe/Dance Captain

Bernadette Devereaux has won multiple titles during her competitive career, including winning first place at her Regional Championships five times, placing in the top five at the National Championships, and placing at the World Championships. She toured with Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance and achieved her dream of dancing the lead, performing alongside Flatley. 

Dance Troupe

Patrick Holland is a 2-time Mid-American champion, placed as high as 4th in the North American Championships, and 10th in the World Championships.  Patrick has performed with various productions including Cherish the Ladies, Michael Londra’s Celtic Fire, and The Chieftains.

Dance Troupe

Billy Kanaly has been a professional Irish dancer for eight years, performing around the world, including four years as a cast member of Riverdance.

Dance Troupe

Zach began his 20 year dance career at the age of five in Columbus, Ohio.  As a pupil of the prolific, Richens/Timm Academy, Zach was guided toward much success as a competitor by the late Ann Richens and John Timm.  Zach became a regional champion, national runner-up, and a four-time-world medalist by age 18.  Zach went on to join the critically acclaimed, Lord of the Dance, where he would become Miachel Flatley's Principle dancer.  In addition Zach has performed in Riverdance and Heartbeat of Home and has gone on to choreograph three full length dance productions.  He has also produced and co-created the viral YouTube project TapTronic and is most currently immersed in his solo music and dance creation, Wunderlust.  

Dance Troupe

Samantha is from Westfield, New Jersey and began dancing at the age of five for the Denogla School of Irish Dance. She had a successful competitive career including ten World Championship qualifications and multiple top five places both regionally and nationally.  Her most recent work includes Titanic Dance at their residency in Branson, Missouri, Magic of The Dance in Germany, and dance manager/principle dancer of four national tours with Christmas with the Celts. 

Dance Troupe

Kelsey is a 23 year old Irish Dancer from Sarasota, Florida. Kelsey began dancing in 1999 at the age of 4 with the Drake School of Irish Dance. Since she began dancing, Kelsey has quickly achieved regional, national, and international rankings. She has recently retired from competitive dancing to further her professional career. Since retiring, Kelsey has toured with dance companies throughout the US, Ireland and France. While working hard to further her dancing experience, Kelsey also attended and graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree. Kelsey plans to continue her dance training while furthering her education in hopes of one day becoming a Physical Therapist and owning her own dance studio

Dance Troupe

Annie grew up dancing in Cleveland, Ohio. She has competed at the Regional, National, and World Championship level. Over the past few years Annie has danced and performed in several shows across the world some of which include Danceperados of Ireland, Rhythms of Ireland, Rhythm in the Night, and The American Company of Irish Dance.  

Dance Troupe

Erika Nielsen has competitively achieved Southern Region Oireachtas Champion three times, top five at the North American Nationals, and medaled at the All Ireland and World Championships. Her most notable entertainment achievement thus far is performing with Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games on Broadway. 

Lead Guitar

Marc Malsegna is an award-winning guitarist from Rochester, NY. Accomplished on both guitar and violin, he developed his skills with studies at Eastman School of Music and Berklee College of Music in Boston and as a musician at Cedar Fair in Sandusky, Ohio. He performs as a member of Thinkin’ Big throughout the Boston area.

Rhythm Guitar

Kelly Mills has performed with groups from Oregon, Colorado, and Tennessee. He competed in Drum Corps and Percussion World Championships for five years and received second place twice. Kelly recently taught Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble and has been performing at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Percussion

Mike Moore has a music degree from Christopher Newport University and has performed in shows at Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion in Virginia. Since learning in a Nashville studio, he also records music that can be found at www.reverbnation.com/rhythmicmike. 

Keyboard/Music Director

Joe Schermann holds Music Director/Pianist credits that include: Guys and Dolls, White Christmas, Grease, Smokey Joe’s Café, Best Little Whorehouse, William Finn’s Elegies, Bat Boy, My Way, Pete’N’Keeley, Shout!, The Bikinis, Wicked City, Savin’ Up For Saturday Night, Riffin’ and Tappin’, and numerous cabarets and concerts in NYC.

Violin

Corey Walden began his career teaching using the Suzuki Method and performing with several string quartets and chamber orchestras. Corey has been performing internationally with The American Rogues, all while running The Suzuki School of Milford, which he founded in 2013. He has also recently performed and recorded with Eddie Mottau, renowned guitarist for John Lennon & Yoko Ono. 

Violin

Julia Hoffmann is very excited to be joining the company of Rockin’ Road to Dublin! Favorite credits include: Once the Musical (Broadway National Tour), Regional: Once, Smoke on the Mountain, The Curious Savage, Annie and Hello, Dolly! Julia holds her BFA in Acting from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud National Theater Institute and Mosow Art Theater alumna. As a musician, Julia plays fiddle and sings in multiple bands in Philadelphia and NYC. 

Bass

Brandon Cantwell is a bassist from Chicago, Illinois. At a young age he was introduced to music and chose to pursue it ever since. Cantwell recently received his BA in jazz performance from the University of Illinois. Now he works as a professional musician in Nashville, Tennessee.

Narrator

Philip O'Gorman is a native Irishman from County Kilkenny. Following a number of plays with London's semi-professional Tower Theatre Company, Philip quit his day job, sold his flat, and moved to New York to pursue a full-time career as an actor. At HB Studio he studied with Christopher Martin, Founding Artistic Director of Classic Stage Company, and Stuart Vaughan, Founding Artistic Director of both NY Shakespeare Festival and Seattle Repertory Theatre, and appeared in HBPerformance Lab productions of Shakespeare's MACBETH, and Ibsen's THE LADY FROM THE SEA.  Completing his studies, he was awarded hispost-completion work permit (OPT) , and booked his first professional role in Tom Lazarus' award-winning film, THE BENCH, returning to the stage in the US premiere of Lermontov's MASQUERADE with the String Orchestra of Brooklyn at St. Ann's Church, and collaborating with Christopher Martin he produced Pinter's OLD TIMES (appearing as Deeley) for a critically successful off-Off Broadway run. 

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