LEADING MEN OF “JOY: A NEW TRUE MUSICAL” ANNOUNCED; PERFORMANCES BEGIN SATURDAY, JUNE 21
Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Briana Sanchez
rick@omdkc.com / briana@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, PLEASE
LEADING MEN OF
“JOY: A NEW TRUE MUSICAL”
CELEBRATING BUSINESS ICON
JOY MANGANO
ANNOUNCED
CHARL BROWN
AS
‘DAN’
ADAM GRUPPER
AS
‘RUDY’
MAURICIO MARTINEZ
AS
‘TONY’
JOIN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
TONY AWARD® NOMINEE BETSY WOLFE
AS ‘JOY’
PERFORMANCES BEGIN SATURDAY, JUNE 21
FOR A SUNDAY, JULY 20 OPENING NIGHT
PLAYING THROUGH SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
FOR 8 WEEKS ONLY
AT THE LAURA PELS THEATRE
AT THE HAROLD AND MIRIAM STEINBERG CENTER FOR THEATRE
New York, NY (March 19, 2025) –Today, producers Sandi Moran and Ken Davenport announced that the leading men joining Tony Award nominee Betsy Wolfe this summer in JOY: A New True Musical are Charl Brown, Adam Grupper, and Mauricio Martinez, who will play ‘Dan,’ ‘Rudy,’ and ‘Tony’ respectively.
Based on the life of trailblazing businesswoman and inventor Joy Mangano, Wolfe will play ‘Joy’ with the previously announced Jill Abramovitz and Honor Blue Savage rounding out three generations of casting in the production portraying Joy’s mother ‘Toots’ and daughter ‘Christie’ respectively.
Headshots for the cast can be found HERE.
Previews will begin at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street) on Saturday, June 21 with an opening night set for Sunday, July 20. The powerful and uplifting new musical features a book by Tony winner Ken Davenport, music and lyrics by GRAMMY® and Tony Award nominee AnnMarie Milazzo, music supervision and arrangements by Andy Einhorn, choreography by Emmy Award® winner Joshua Bergasse, and direction by Lorin Latarro.
Tickets are on sale now at www.joythemusical.com or by calling (212) 719-1300.
Complete casting for JOY: A New True Musical will be announced soon. Sign up at www.joythemusical.com for additional information.
JOY: A New True Musical is an uplifting work based on the true story of entrepreneur and inventor Joy Mangano. Her journey—also told in the 2015 film JOY, starring Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence—now comes to life on stage. From single motherhood and financial struggles to building a business empire, Joy’s story epitomizes the power of resilience and determination, an inspiring celebration of a woman who never gave up and redefined the American Dream!
The creative team for JOY: A New True Musical includes Tony Award nominee Anna Louizos (Scenic Design), Tina McCartney (Costume Design), Tony Award nominee David Bengali (Projection and Video Design), Darion Matthews (Hair and Wig Design), Jillian Zack (Music Director), Gary Mickelson (Production Stage Manager), with ShowTown Theatricals serving as general manager.
In addition to Moran and Davenport, JOY: A New True Musical is also co-produced by TBD Theatricals, Christine Petti, Jonathan & Rae Corr, Scott Abrams, Adam Riemer, Christine G. Williamson, Sheri & Les Biller, Michael T. Cohen & Robin Reinach, Ashley Howe, Marco Santarelli, Mark Jacobs, Sara Miller McCune, Megan Ann Rasmussen, and Larry & Robin Kaufman.
Last month, Milazzo released “The Shape of Things: Songs From Joy The Musical,” a concept album inspired by JOY: A New True Musical on Joy Machine Records.
Written and performed by Milazzo, produced by Sonny Paladino, and with music supervision by Andy Einhorn, the digital album is available for streaming HERE.
Additionally, the music video for “The Shape of Things” performed by Milazzo is now available HERE.
Though it is being performed at The Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, JOY: A New True Musical is not a Roundabout Theatre Company production.
BIOGRAPHIES
Charl Brown (Dan) Credits: Tammy Faye (Steve Pieters) Broadway. Motown: The Musical (Smokey Robinson)*Tony Nomination; Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Broadway and West End. Jersey Boys (Barry Belson) Broadway and Las Vegas. Sister Act (Eddie u/s, TJ u/s) Broadway. Walmartopia (Pearson/Lawrence) Off-Broadway. Hair (Hud) European Tour. Regional: Dreamgirls (Curtis) The Muny. Smokey Joe’s Café (Adrian) The Muny. Tommy: in Concert (Specialist) Kennedy Center. Ragtime (Coalhouse) Moonlight Stage. Tommy (Captain Walker) Denver Center. Children of Eden: In Concert (Adam/Noah) Kennedy Center. Television; “Madam Secretary,” “Evil,” “FBI” (CBS), “The Doowop Project” (PBS) Proud Alumni USC School of Dramatic Arts. @browncharl CharlBrown.com
Adam Grupper (Rudy) Broadway: Pictures From Home, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked, The Addams Family, Brighton Beach Memoirs, La Boheme, 45 Seconds from Broadway, The Wild Party, Guys and Dolls, The Secret Garden, City of Angels, Into the Woods. Off-Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along, Down the Garden Paths, Lake Hollywood, I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, No Way to Treat a Lady. National Tours: My Fair Lady, Into the Woods. Regional: Gatsby – ART, Spin – Wilma Theater (Barrymore nomination), Dinner With Friends – Humana Festival, The Misanthrope – Cleveland Playhouse. TV: “Dopesick,” “Pose,” “The Bite,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Blacklist,” “Homeland,” “Rise,” “Master of None,” “Elementary,” “Ugly Betty,” “Fringe,” “The Sopranos,” all “Law & Orders.” Film: Sisterhood Inc., Spirited, Come Find Me, The Rebound, Pippa Lee, Music and Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice. Award-winning audiobook narrator with over two hundred titles. www.adamgrupper.com
Mauricio Martinez (Tony) is a Mexican born, International Emmy Winning actor and recording artist who starred on Broadway as Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet! His television credits include NBC Universo’s El Vato, the telenovelas Señora Acero, Clap and La Mujer Del Vendaval as well as the 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, the 2019 Gershwin Prize, One Voice: The Songs We Share and Bryant Park Christmas Tree Lighting. Regional credits: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Unmasked (Paper Mill Playhouse), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing (Goodspeed Opera House), Evita (Kansas City Rep) and Man Of La Mancha (Asolo Rep).
On the Mexico City stage, Mauricio has starred in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Saturday Night Fever, A View from The Bridge, Sweet Charity, The Drowsy Chaperone, Songs from An Unmade Bed and The Last Five Years. His new album Live in NYC is available on all music platforms. @martinezmau
####
www.joythemusical.com
www.facebook.com/joynewmusical
www.instagram.com/joythemusical
www.tiktok.com/@joynewmusical
www.youtube.com/@JoyNewMusical
www.omdkc.com
www.bsky.app/profile/omdkc.bsky.social
www.facebook.com/omdkc
www.instagram.com/omdkc