Asolo Announces Cast for Lady Molly of Scotland Yard

December 19, 2024 | Sarasota

Asolo Repertory Theatre, the eminent theatre on the Cultural Coast, announces complete casting for the World Premiere of Ken Ludwig’s Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, which begins previews on January 17, 2025.  Kate Loprest (Lady Molly) and Adelin Phelps (Peg) will lead the company.

“Asolo Rep has a long and successful history of producing Ken Ludwig plays: Crazy For You, Three Musketeers, Murder on the Orient Express, The Games Afoot. It is an extraordinary honor that one of the most celebrated playwrights of our time has chosen the Asolo to develop and produce his latest play. We are looking forward to this lively opening to the season.” stated Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director and Director of the production, Peter Rothstein. 

“Asolo Rep has staged such wonderful productions of my work over the last several years that I knew there was no theatre in the country better suited to developing Lady Molly of Scotland Yard,” stated playwright Ken Ludwig. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Peter Rothstein, whose expertise and experience will bring this play so joyously to life.”

By Ken Ludwig
Directed by Peter Rothstein
January 17 – February 8, 2025

A new world premiere from prolific master of stage comedy Ken Ludwig, writer of Crazy for You and Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. You know Holmes and Watson. You know Nick and Nora. Now, meet Molly and Peg: two brilliant detectives from Scotland Yard. With bombs dropping over London, a simple murder investigation leads Molly and Peg deep into the British war effort and the top-secret code-breaking operation at Bletchley Park. Going undercover as cryptographers, they uncover a plot that will strike at the very heart of the United Kingdom, launching a high-octane, laugh-out-loud race against time. Saving the world has never been so much fun. Inspired by a series of short stories by Baroness Orczy.

CAST OF KEN LUDWIG’S LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD (In Alphabetical Order)

EVAN BERTRAM (u/s Lady Molly) is delighted to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Her recent credits include the national tour of My Fair Lady (u/s Eliza Doolittle), Titanic (North Shore MT), Guys and Dolls (Axelrod), Million Dollar Quartet (Ogunquit), The Secret Garden (ACT of CT), A Christmas Carol (Gateway), and Bright Star (Riverside). She’s a proud JMU MT alum.

CARON BUINIS (u/s Interrogator, Rhonda, Ximena, Clementine Churchill, Miss Grunecker, Gladys Claypole) CHICAGO: Paramount Theatre Aurora, Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago Shakespeare, Shattered Globe, Porchlight Music Theatre, Windy City Playhouse, Piven Theatre, Kokandy Productions. REGIONAL: Penobscot Theatre – Maine, Forward Theatre – Madison, Wisconsin, George Street Playhouse – New Jersey. FILM: Lacy’s Christmas Do-Over, Silent as the Grave. TELEVISION: Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago PD (NBC), Illinois Lottery Commercial. EDUCATION: MFA Theatre Arts (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) Acting/Audition Coach, Acts of Kindness Cabaret Performer.

LLEN HARVEY (Interrogator, Rhonda, Ximena, Clementine Churchill, Miss Grunecker, Gladys Claypole) Broadway: Present Laughter (Miss Erikson w/Kevin Kline), How To Succeed in Business…. (Miss Jones w/ Daniel Radcliffe), Phantom Of The Opera (Madame Giry), The Music Man, Thou Shalt Not. National Tours: Mary Poppins (Miss Andrew), Disney’s High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), Mamma Mia!, (Tanya). Regional Favorites: Originated Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Soprano (Mrs. Wiley, Alley Theatre), Murder on the Orient Express (Helen Hubbard, The Old Globe), Knoxville (Aunt Hannah, Asolo Rep), Sunset Boulevard (Norma Desmond, Broadway Sacramento), Company (Joanne, Barrington Stage), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett, KC Rep). TV: Blue Bloods, We Crashed, House of Cards, Blacklist, Gotham, Younger.

CHRIS HOCH (Winston Churchill, Professor Grey, Trilby, Professor Housman, Cmdr. Denniston) Broadway: A Christmas Carol, War Paint, Amazing Grace, Matilda, La Cage Aux Folles, Shrek, Spamalot, Dracula, and Beauty and the Beast. Off-Broadway: Clueless (The New Group), Far From Heaven (Playwrights Horizons), Die Mommie Die!, Nantucket Sleigh Ride (Lincoln Center) and Face the Music (Encores!). National tours: Jagged Little Pill, A Christmas Carol, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast. Regional: Guys And Dolls (Asolo Rep), also Signature Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Sacramento Music Circus. Film/TV: 30 Rock, Guiding Light, All My Children, One Life to Live, The Good Wife, Gossip Girl. BFA: Carnegie Mellon University. He is co-writing the book for the upcoming musical adaptation of The Lost Boys directed by Michael Arden.

ALAN KIM (Pianist, Scientist, Movie- Goer, Rev. Grimes) is excited to be at Asolo Repertory Theatre. His credits include Peter Pan, Wolf Play (Rec Room Arts), Medea (Classical Theatre Company), King Lear, Cymbeline (Houston Shakespeare Festival), Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Thunderclap Productions), and Peaches (Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company).

JOHN LEGGETT (Featured Singer, Hired Thug, Clyde, Scientist, Movie-Goer, Ticket Seller, Soldier) This is John’s second season with Asolo Rep! John was seen on the Mertz stage in 2021 as a Fight Swing in Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers! John is a Third Year MFA Candidate in Florida State University’s Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Recent Credits include Piknik Theatre’s Complete Works [Abridged] (Daniel as Self) and Patches: A New Musical (Will), FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt) and Chekhov’s The Three Sisters (Baron Tuzenbach).

JAKE LOEWENTHAL (Serviceman, Jock Colville, Professor Turing, Soldier) is a DC based actor making his Asolo Repertory Theatre Debut. Select regional credits include Signature Theatre (Private Jones, Ragtime, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, RENT), Shakespeare Theatre (Our Town, King Lear), Ford’s Theatre (Little Shop of Horrors), Barrington Stage (Cabaret), Hartford Stage (Macbeth, La Dispute), Trinity Rep (A Christmas Carol), Rep Stage (Falsettos). MFA Brown/Trinity.

KATE LOPREST (Lady Molly) played Baroness Elsa Schraeder in Asolo Rep’s 2019 production of The Sound of Music and is absolutely thrilled to be back as Lady Molly. Broadway: First Date (Allison), Hairspray (Amber), Xanadu, Wonderland, Drowsy Chaperone. Regional: The Guthrie, Barrington Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Washington National and Dallas Opera Theatre, and others. Select TV: ADA Heidi Russell on Law & Order: SVU, FBI, Boardwalk Empire (Corrine), and the upcoming film There She Goes starring Rachael Leigh Cook.

CONOR MCGIFFIN (u/s Winston Churchill, Professor Grey, Trilby, Professor Housman, Cmdr. Denniston) is a New York-based actor, puppeteer, and writer. He’s a proud University of Michigan graduate and is thrilled to perform at Asolo Rep! Recent productions include Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (TV and Tour), Fiddler On the Roof (First National Tour) and Sunset Boulevard (ACT). You can watch him as Tom Servo on the MST3K streaming app!

ELLE MILLER (Savoy Patron, Wren, Movie-Goer, Debutante) is thrilled to join the Asolo Repertory Theatre in her third year as a FSU/Asolo Conservatory MFA student. Recent credits include FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s Miss Julie (Julie), Three Sisters (Olga), Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet); Asolo Rep: u/s Henrietta Leavitt (Silent Sky) u/s Sword/Ensemble (Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers); Jacoby Arts, IL Constellations (Marianne).

JACQUELYN MORALES (u/s Savoy Patron, Wren, Movie-Goer, Debutante) is overjoyed to play on the Asolo Rep stage for the first time! Jacquelyn most recently toured as Abuelita in Dulce (PCPA) for the young audiences of California’s central coast. Jacquelyn also performed regionally as Shelby in Steel Magnolias (SLO REP). Her most recent educational credits include Joanne in Company and Viola in Twelfth Night (Cal Poly SLO).

IBUKUN OMOTOWA (u/s Inspector Victoria, Clement, Duke, Louis Armstrong) is a conservatory trained actor who most recently appeared as Montrellous in Clyde’s and Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. Of note, Ibukun was awarded 2024 Best Performer in a Play by BroadwayWorld Sarasota. With roots in the Atlanta Film Scene, featuring in award winning independent films, theater has become a new love for the up-and-coming artist. Previously, Ibukun obtained his BA in History and Molecular Biology from Harvard University.

CORRIE OWENS (u/s Savoy Patron, Wren, Movie Goer, Debutante) is a graduate of Shakespeare & Company’s Month-Long Intensive. She earned her BA in Stage Acting and Theater Education from Hampshire College. Recent credits include Polina Zherebtsova (In the Garden of Z), Malcolm, Witch, and Lady MacDuff (Macbeth), Belle, Caroline, Fred’s Wife (A Christmas Carol) with Theater in the Open, and Geisha Girl (Madama Butterfly) at The Music Hall.

AYDA OZDOGANLAR (Featured Singer, Waitress, Betty Root, Movie-Goer, Sarah Churchill, Debutante) is delighted for her second season with the Asolo Rep. Previous roles include u/s Margret in Silent Sky. She attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she played Sophie in Mamma Mia! and received her BS in Biology and Minor in Drama with a dramaturgical focus. Recent credits include Regan in Lear and Jane in Pride and Prejudice at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, as well as Irina in Three Sisters, Kristin in Miss Julie, and Benvolia in Romeo and Juliet.

ADELIN PHELPS (Peg) is thrilled to be returning to Asolo Rep this season after making her debut in Intimate Apparel last season. She is currently a Minneapolis based stage, film, and voiceover artist and is excited to be expanding to more parts of the country. She has worked with The Guthrie Theater, The Jungle Theater, The Playwright’s Center, Theatre Novi Most, Theater Latté Da, Transatlantic Love Affair, History Theatre, Park Square Theatre, and many more. Adelin received her BA in Theatre Arts from Coe College and studied with The Actors Workout, Guthrie Theater from 2010–2018.

AUSTIN RIDLEY (u/s Hired Thug, Clyde, Scientist, Movie-Goer, Ticket Seller, Soldier) is excited to make his Asolo Repertory Theatre debut. Seen before at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival in *Check Your F*%&^ing Email*. A first-year student at FSU/Asolo Conservatory, he looks forward to engaging with Sarasota’s vibrant arts community.

CAITLIN ROSE (Savoy Patron, Wren, Movie-Goer, Debutante) is an actor and model from Knoxville, TN earning their MFA with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previously at Asolo Rep, Caitlin was Don Pedro/Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing and understudied Milady in Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers. Recent credits: Jess in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at Piknik Theatre; and with FSU/Asolo: Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Julie in Miss Julie. “This above all: to thine own self be true.”

CHRISTIAN THOMPSON (Inspector Victoria, Clement, Duke, Louis Armstrong) a multi-hyphenated artist from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Broadway credits: Wicked (Fiyero), Thoughts Of A Colored Man (Passion), Ain’t Too Proud (Smokey Robinson, OBC). Regional: Comedy of Errors (STC); As You Like It (STL Shakes Fest); Devil Wears Prada (World Premiere), Catch Me If You Can (Arena Stage). Tour: Wicked (Fiyero), Rent 20th Anniversary (Benny, u/s Roger). Commission Playwright of new musical In-Gauged at Penn State, ’22. Johnny Mercer Foundation Writer’s Grove Selected for original musical, íobairt, Goodspeed ’24. BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University.

MACKSUD YILLAH (u/s Hired Thug, Clyde, Scientist, Movie-Goer, Ticket Seller, Soldier) is grateful to be at Asolo Rep. Hailing from Philadelphia, his recent theatrical credits include Choir Boy (Temple University Theaters), and Blood at the Root (Temple University Theaters).

BRIAN ZANE (Pianist, Scientist, Movie-Goer, Rev. Grimes) last worked at Asolo Rep as an understudy for Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers and Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Other regional credits include Master Class (Timeline Theatre Company), Clyde’s (FSU/Asolo Conservatory), Far from Heaven and City of Angels (Porchlight Music Theatre), The Tempest (Virginia Shakespeare Festival), South Pacific and Anything Goes (Music Theater Works), Noises Off and The Fantasticks (Crossroads Repertory Company), One Flea Spare (Connective Theatre Company).

ZOE ZERVAS (Savoy Patron, Wren, Movie-Goer, Debutante) is delighted to make her Asolo Rep debut! Her past credits include Caius Cassius in Julius Caesar, Marmee in Wheaton’s Conservatory Opera Mainstage production of Little Women: The Musical, Ruth in The Ruth Project, credits in Spoon River, and three years with the Wheaton Park District’s Shakespeare in the Park productions, including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry IV, Part I. In her spare time, she loves to read, dance, and bake bread.

PLAYWRIGHT

KEN LUDWIG may well be the most well-performed playwright of his generation. He has had six productions on Broadway and eight in London’s West End. His 34 plays and musicals are staged around the world and throughout the United States every night of the year. They have been produced in over 20 languages in more than 30 countries, and many have become standards of the American repertoire. His first play, Lend Me a Tenor, won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. Crazy For You was on Broadway for five years, on the West End for three, and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical. His play Murder on the Orient Express will shortly begin a tour of China and his musical Crazy For You is currently touring Japan.

In addition, he has won the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theatre, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, the Charles MacArthur Award, and the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the Kennedy Center Honors. His other plays include Moon Over Buffalo; Leading Ladies; Baskerville; Sherwood, Twentieth Century, Dear Jack, Dear Louise; A Fox on the Fairway, A Comedy of Tenors-, The Game’s Afoot, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and Moriarty. They have starred, among others, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Tony Shaloub, Joan Collins, and Kristin Bell. His book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin Random House, has been a bestseller and is coming out this year in a new, expanded edition. It won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year. His essays on theatre are published in the Yale Review, and he gives the Annual Ken Ludwig Playwriting Scholarship at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. His first opera, Tenor Overboard, opened at the Glimmerglass Festival in July 2022. His most recent world premieres were Lend Me A Soprano and Moriarty, and his newest plays and musicals include Pride and Prejudice Part 2: Napoleon at Pemberley, Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, Beginner’s Luck and Easter Parade. He has been commissioned to write plays by the Agatha Christie Estate, the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Globe Theatre, and the Bristol Old Vic. For more information visit

www.KenLudwig.com.

CREATIVE TEAM

Peter Rothstein (Director), Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), Jen Caprio (Costume Design), Philip Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Alex Ritter (Sound Design), Greg Emetaz (Projection Design), Michelle Hart (Hair, Makeup and Wig Design), Ashley D. Polasek (Creative Associate), Cat Brindisi (Assistant Director), Jonathan Godfrey (Music Supervisor and Additional Arrangements), Jenny Kim-Godfrey (Music Director), Annie Enneking (Fight & Intimacy Coordinator), Patricia Delorey (Voice and Dialect Coach), DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Consultant), Murnane Casting, Chad Murnane, CSA, Amber Snead, CSA, Jacqueline Singleton (Production Stage Manager) and Sarah Nicholson (Assistant Stage Manager).