Meet the Cast of the American Music Showcase!
Ward Billeisen: Billeisen has performed on Broadway in New York City and throughout the United States for more than a decade. He has performed on stage with David Hyde Pierce, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Audra McDonald, Patty LuPone, Ana Gasteyer, Mandy Patinkin, Harvey Fierstein, Gary Beach and Victoria Clark. Billeisen has performed in 49 of the 50 United States and Canada. He recently filmed Stephen Sondheim's 80th Birthday Gala for PBS that airs in November 2010.
Ashton Byrum: Byrum has performed on Broadway in A Christmas Carol and in national tours of The Producer, Fiddler On The Roof, Grease, Will Rogers Follies, I Love New York, My Fair Lady. He’s also been on stage in Europe, regional theatre, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Byrum earned a master’s of fine arts in directing from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (June 2010).
Bernard Dotson: Dotson, born and raised in Los Angeles, has performed over the last 24 years with Bette Midler, Usher, Chita Rivera, Ben Vereen, Gwen Verden, Melanie Griffin, Hal Linden, Huey Lewis, Bebe Neuwirth, Rita Wilson, Robin Williams, Marvin Hamlish, Cherry Jones, Robin Givens and Wayne Brady. Dotson lives in New York and has spent the last 12 years working on Broadway.
Carly Hughes: Hughes has performed on Broadway in Ragtime, Putnam County Spelling Bee, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Off-Broadway in SIDD: The Musical. She has been in regional productions of Dessa Rose, Footloose, Aida, Ragtime, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Dreamgirls, Constant Star, Beehive and Little Shop of Horrors. She received the Princess Grace Award for Acting and Excellence in the Arts, 2003-2004 (pgfusa.com).
Kelly King: King, a singer-songwriter, has had three Billboard hits, a national radio promo tour and has opened for Michael Bolton and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. Born in Atlanta and raised in Nashville, King has sung backup or worked with such artists as Al Green, Brenda Lee, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Dolly Parton, Sylvester Stallone and Van Stevenson. King also performed in Off-Broadway Shows in New York and sang with the Duke Ellington Orchestra at the legendary venue Birdland.
Greg LoBuono: Born and raised in Cincinnati, LoBuono has performed on Broadway in Grease and on national tours of Grease, Starlight Express, Smokey Joe's Café, Hot ’n Cole and Pippin. He’s also been a involved in regional productions of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Wedding Singer, A Chorus Line, West Side Story and Grease.
Monica Moran: Moran, a native of Boston, has been a featured soloist at the Apollo Theatre in New York for NBC's Showtime at the Apollo, performed the national anthem for the Boston Red Sox and was 2006 Miss Hawaiian Tropic representing the state of New Hampshire. She has also worked on Holland America Cruise Line as a singer/dancer and was recently seen in the 2008-2009 Broadway National Tour of Annie.
Erin West: West grew up in Russellville, Ark., but currently lives in New York. She has traveled the world performing on cruise ships, regional theaters and tours in North America and Japan. West was a soloist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Pops Series and has performed at New York’s Nokia Center, City Center and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. |