11/02/2022
Movers & Shakers was created to bring light to those bringing positive change to Northeast Arkansas. One such organization of changemakers is "The Link Theatre Company." This theatre company is combining Broadway talent and training, with locally gifted individuals. "The Link Theatre Company" recently released their cast list for "She Loves Me." We would love to personally congratulate our Northeast Arkansas talents!
The Link Theatre Company will present the musical, SHE LOVES ME, a charming romantic comedy December 15 – 18 at the Simpson Theatre located in the Fowler Center on the campus of Arkansas State University.
The Link Theatre Company
Cast announced for The Link Theatre Company SHE LOVES ME!
Little Rock native, Taylor Quick, will lead The Link Theatre’s “She Loves Me!”
Taylor Quick, a Little Rock native whose professional credits include the national tour of Anastasia, will star as Amalia Balash in The Link Theatre’s upcoming production of SHE LOVES ME.
Quick will be joined on stage by fellow Broadway veterans Spencer Davis Milford (The Winslow Boy – Broadway) as Georg Nowack, Kate Loprest (Hairspray – Broadway) as Ilona Ritter, and George Psomas (South Pacific – Broadway) as Steven Kodaly.
SHE LOVES ME is an award-winning musical comedy featuring a score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick and a book by Joe Masteroff. The Link Theatre’s production will take place December 15th – 18th at the Simpson Theatre located in the Fowler Center on the campus of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Evening performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are at 7:30 with matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00.
Broadway veteran, Joe Langworth will direct and choreograph the production. Set, Lighting and Costume designs will be provided by Arkansas State University Department of Theatre faculty members Claire Abernathy and Jeff McLaughlin. Music Direction will be provided by Mary Medrick.
The rest of the cast includes Quinton Sanders as Arpad Laszlo, John Mixon as Ladislav Sipos, Matt Carey as Mr. Maraczek. The ensemble includes Josh Pryor, Gavin Wilson, Jharel Jerez, Fernanda Posadas, Allie Jones, and Maddie Bowdon.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thelinktheatre.org or by calling the A-State Box Office at 870-972-2781.
Seating is limited for each performance. Audience members are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.
Set in a 1930s European perfumery, SHE LOVES ME is considered by many to be the most charming musical ever written. The play on which it is based, Parfumerie, has inspired many adaptations, including the beloved film You've Got Mail starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
The Link Theater, founded by Broadway couple Matt Cavenaugh and Jenny Powers, is a professional theatre company located in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The 501(c)3 nonprofit draws on the finest Broadway, University, and Local talent to bring innovative musicals and plays to the Northeast Arkansas community.
Artist biographies below -
TAYLOR QUICK (Amalia Balash) is over the moon to be performing in her home state of Arkansas! Her credits include: u/s Anya & Young Anastasia, Anastasia (1st Broadway National Tour); Millie Dillmount, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Goodspeed Opera House); Liesl, The Sound of Music (Fulton Theatre, Maine State Music Theatre); Laurey Williams/Dream Laurey, Oklahoma! (Ogunquit Playhouse); Nicola, Kinky Boots (Maine State Music Theatre, Fulton Theatre); Penny Lou Pingleton, Hairspray (Maltz Jupiter Theatre); Flaemmchen, Grand Hotel (Lyric Stage Dallas); Mary Robert U/S, Sister Act (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Emily U/S, A Christmas Carol! (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Emma Carew, Jekyll and Hyde (Onstage Bedford); Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot (Casa Mañana); Catch Me If You Can (Uptown Players). Film: God’s Not Dead 2. Taylor has also enjoyed performing on the concert stage, appearing most recently with The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra as a featured soloist for their Broadway at Long’s Park series. In 2012, she earned the title of Distinguished Young Woman of Arkansas, and is a proud TCU alum. Much love to my family and DGRW. Rejoice Always.
SPENCER DAVIS MILFORD (Georg Nowack) is a St. Louis native currently based in Chicago. He made his Broadway debut as the titular role in The Winslow Boy. First National Tours: Billy Elliot; How the Grinch Stole Christmas. World Premieres: Buzz (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Nibbler (Rattlestick Playwrights), Con College (STL Fringe). Regional: Hello, Dolly (Marriott Theatre); Newsies, 42nd Street, Camelot (The Muny); Peter and the Starcatcher (St. Louis Rep). Spencer graduated with a Masters Degree in Acting from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Big thanks to the team at Stewart Talent! Endless love and gratitude to my family and friends for the constant support!
KATE LOPREST (Ilona Ritter) Broadway: First Date (Allison), Hairspray (Amber), Xanadu, Wonderland, Drowsy Chaperone. Tour: Wicked (Glinda, Nessa u/s), Little House on the Prairie (Nellie Oleson, 1st Nat’l). Regional: The Guthrie, Asolo Rep, Barrington Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Washington National and Dallas Opera Theatre, and others. TV: “Boardwalk Empire” (Corrine), "I Love You...But I Lied", “Running Wilde”, “All My Children”. Kate created the role of Minky in Come Fall In Love at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre this past fall. She is the creator and host of Living Small NYC, now streaming on Broadway on Demand. www.KateLoprest.com
GEORGE PSOMAS (Steven Kodaly) – Broadway: Fiddler On The Roof, South Pacific. Broadway National Tour: My Fair Lady. Regional: 6 World Premiere plays and musicals
including Ken Ludwig’s The Gods Of Comedy (Old Globe/McCarter Theatre) and
Errol and Fidel (NYMF, Best Supporting Actor Award). Voiceover: Transitions by
William Bridges (40th Anniversary Audiobook), Pizza Hut, Animated pilot for the
Cartoon Network. George was also the 2016-2019 Host of Broadway Under The Stars
in NYC, and the season 2 winner of Broadway Idol. Instagram
JOE LANGWORTH (Director/Choreographer) recently wrote, directed and choreographed
the premiere of his new musical, 15 MINUTES MORE, a “dramedy” about family, faith
and the transformative power of friendship. Joe directed Tony nominee Laura Osnes at the Café Carlyle, Tony winner Paulo Szot at Italy’s Spoleto Festival and Broadway’s (and Arkansas’) Matt Cavenaugh and Jenny Powers in their sold-out cabaret at Birdland.
Joe’s directing work has been nominated by BroadwayWorld (Carousel), the LA Drama
Critics Circle (West Side Story) and was awarded a “Best Director” nod at the 2018 New
York Theatre Festival (Suicidal Life Coach.) Broadway credits include Lincoln Center Theater’s South Pacific (Associate Choreographer/Casting Director) and Geoffrey Naufft’s Next Fall (Associate Director). As a Broadway Performer: A Chorus Line, Ragtime and Stephen Sondheim’s Follies. Regional theatre premieres: Companion Piece by Kevin Armento and Once Upon A Pastime by Terry Cashman. Off-Broadway, The Book of Merman. Joe is thrilled to join The Link Theatre and support their mission to “engage, inspire and elevate” through the arts.
JEFF MCLAUGHLIN (Set Design, Lighting Design) is excited to design his first show for The Link Theatre! He is an Associate Professor of Theatre Design and Technology at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. In addition to serving as Scenic Designer and Technical Director, Jeff teaches courses in Scenic Design, Scenic Painting, Stagecraft, Principles and Elements of Design, Stage Management, and Computer-aided Design. He enjoys watching students problem-solve and make discoveries about the world and themselves. He has worked with
many theatres, including The Tent Theatre, Mt. Washington Valley Theatre Company, Coterie Theatre, American Player's Theatre, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, and New Stage Theatre.
CLAIRE ABERNATHY (Costume Design, Lighting Design) A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Claire Abernathy received her M.F.A from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She is currently on faculty at Arkansas State University where she teaches a variety of design and technology courses and manages the costume shop. She has designed costumes for more than forty productions at A-State, including Into the Woods, Godspell, and Silent Sky. In 2018 she was invited to design costumes for a new play, The Field, which premiered off-Broadway as part of the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival in New York City. This is her third collaboration with The Link Theatre!
MARY MEDRICK (Music Director) is an accomplished writer, music director and performer with many international credits, including pianist for the premiere of Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess in Israel. She has performed on the Festival Cervantino in Mexico City and the Bowdoin Festival in Maine, as well as with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, the Dallas Summer Musicals, the Charleston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra (Guadalajara, MX) and many more. She is a member of the American Federation of Musicians and a recipient of eight ASCAP Special Awards for performances of her original works. Medrick has conducted major choral works, jazz vocal ensembles and musical theater shows, including A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center), The Threepenny Opera (UNT), Titanic (JCC) and Little Women and Curtains (Theatre Coppell). Medrick is librettist for three operas with composer Robert Xavier Rodriguez. She has also composed the scores for three musicals including the often-performed Frankenstein, the Musical. Medrick left her position at University of Texas at Dallas, where she was Associate Professor and Director of Music to move to Jonesboro in 2020. She is currently an adjunct music instructor at Arkansas State University.
THE LINK THEATRE COMPANY (Producer) is a professional theatre company based in Jonesboro, Arkansas founded by husband and wife team Matt Cavenaugh and Jenny Powers, who met as performers on Broadway and now dream of sharing their passion for theatre with others. The Link’s mission is to elevate the arts in Northeast Arkansas by creating compelling musicals, plays, concerts and other cultural experiences through innovative design and imaginative storytelling while engaging Broadway, University, and Local talent. The Link is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and donations are tax deductible. For information on upcoming productions, educational programming, and how you can support The Link please visit www.thelinktheatre.org
