Galileo

BOOK BY DANNY STRONG
SONGS BY MICHAEL WEINER & ZOE SARNAK
CHOREOGRAPHED BY DAVID NEUMANN
DIRECTED BY MICHAEL MAYER
WORLD PREMIERE
RODA THEATRE

MAY 5–JUN 23, 2024

Spellbinding…a ceaselessly high-octane rock music score exploited mightily by the wicked talents of director Michael Mayer.

KQED

Raúl Esparza is brilliant…he sets the stage ablaze.

San Jose Mercury News

Raucous, sumptuous, and moving.

SFist

Exceptionally acted…a gorgeous production.

Berkeleyside

Visually stunning, intellectually stimulating.

BroadwayWorld

If you skip this production of Galileo, you will miss something compelling, powerful, even magical.

Talkin’ Broadway

Four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza stars in a dazzling world-premiere musical helmed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot, Swept Away), written by two-time Emmy winner Danny Strong (Dopesick, Empire, The Butler). When maverick scientist Galileo Galilei makes celestial observations that challenge humanity’s understanding of its place in the universe, he’s summoned to Rome to defend his discoveries before the most powerful religious institution in the world, which is facing a rebellion of its own. With an original rock score and lyrics by Michael Weiner (Broadway’s First Date) and Zoe Sarnak (The Lonely Few, Empire Records), Galileo is an explosive collision of science and faith, truth and power. Galileo will likely join the constellation of world premieres that traveled from Berkeley Rep to Broadway — be the first to see it here!

Production information

Runtime: Approximately two hours and 30 minutes including one 15-minute intermission

Stage effects advisory: None

Content advisory: Loud noises and sound effects throughout

Creative team

Rachel Hauck | Scenic Design

Anita Yavich | Costume Design

Kevin Adams | Lighting Design

John Shivers | Sound Design

Jason H. Thompson, Kaitlyn Pietras | Projection Design

Tom Watson | Hair, Wig, Make-Up Design

Jim Carnahan, CSA; Jason Thinger, CSA | Casting

Brian Usifer | Music Supervision and Orchestrations

Roberto Sinha | Music Director

Ben Villegas Randle | Associate Director

T. Oliver Reid | Associate Choreographer

Jonathan Bauerfeld | Associate Music Director and Score Associate

Sean Kana | Contractor

Rick Steiger* | Production Stage Manager

Amy Marsico* | Stage Manager

Karen Evanouskas* | Assistant Stage Manager

Cast
(in alphabetical order)

Bradley Dean* | Bishop Grasso; U/S Galileo Galilei

Gabrielle Elisabeth* | Ensemble; U/S Virginia Galilei & Young Nun

Raúl Esparza* | Galileo Galilei

Adam Halpin* | Ensemble (Bruno Giordano & Vice Commander Caspari); U/S Bishop Maffeo Barberini

Michal Kolaczkowski* | Swing; Dance Captain; U/S Bruno Giordano & Vice Commander Caspari

Jeremy Kushnier* | Bishop Maffeo Barberini

Claire Kwon* | Swing; U/S Young Nun

Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert* | Ensemble; U/S Virginia Galilei & Mother Superior

Christian Magby* | Alessandro Tarantola

Michael J. Mainwaring* | Ensemble; U/S Paolo Tarantola

Madalynn Mathews* | Virginia Galilei

Alexander Mendoza* | Ensemble; U/S Alessandro Tarantola & Bishop Grasso

Javier Muñoz* | Cardinal Morosini

Brian Ray Norris* | Ensemble; U/S Galileo Galilei & Paolo Tarantola

Chase Peacock* | Ensemble; U/S Bishop Maffeo Barberini

Noah Plomgren* | Swing; U/S Cardinal Morosini, Bruno Giordano & Vice Commander Caspari

David Rowen* | Swing

DeMone Seraphin* | Ensemble (Paolo Tarantola); U/S Bishop Grasso & Cardinal Morosini

Madeleine Spacapan* | Ensemble; U/S Mother Superior

Erica Sweany* | Ensemble (Mother Superior)

Zalah Brenae Vallien* | Ensemble (Young Nun)

Adrian Villegas* | Ensemble; U/S Alessandro Tarantola

Band

Roberto Sinha | Keys / Music Director

Jonathan Bauerfeld | Keys / Associate Music Director

Stephen Danska | Guitar

Daniel Fabricant | Bass

Yuri Kye | Violin

Dave MacNab | Guitar

Joshua Mikus-Mahoney | Cello

Chris Sutherland | Drums

* Indicates a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional stage actors and stage managers in the United States