A Cinderella Christmas

VERONICA DUNNE (Cinderella) is overjoyed to be working with the Lythgoe family once again after originating the role of Cinderella in A Cinderella Christmas. She is most recognized for her role as Marisa on Disney Channel’s “KC Undercover” and making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Along with other TV and Film protects, some stage credits include: Cabaret (Sally Bowls) Into the Woods (Bakers Wife) Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey). Veronica hopes you enjoy this beloved fairytale once again and wants to thank Becky, Bonnie and Kris for making it all come to life! Instagram: @veronica_dunne.

JOELY FISHER (Baroness) is a triple-threat star of television, musical theatre, and motion pictures. She starred on Broadway in Tommy Tune’s revival of Grease and her turn as Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes’ and Rob Marshall’s revival of Cabaret (Broadway, and the National Tour) earned her rave reviews. However, it was her five seasons as Paige Clark on the groundbreaking ABC show, “Ellen,” that introduced her to TV audiences around the world, and earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Other notable TV roles include: Pamela Gamble-Miller in “Normal, Ohio,” Zoe Busiek in “Wild Card,” Nina Fletcher in “Desperate Housewives,” Joy Stark in ’Til Death,” and Wendi Gracin in “Last Man Standing”. Her film credits include The Mask, Mixed Nuts, and I’ll Do Anything. Her crowning achievement to date was starring with Matthew Broderick in the hit Disney film Inspector Gadget. Her television movies include Thirst, Jitters, Seduction in a Small Town, Cupid and last years Lifetime’s ripped from the headlines hit Girl in the Basement. In recent years Ms. Fisher has embarked on a directing career ranging from directing television shows like “Sunset Fever” and directing Laguna’s own “Cinderella,” Veronica Dunne in an episode of “KC Undercover,” to directing socially conscious PSA campaigns for IFAW and Welcome US. She will make her feature directorial debut this January with Girls Gone Wine.  She has led the charge to improve the lives of members of SAG/AFTRA for the past few years and she is happy to be back in Laguna after a seven-year absence. Greatest role to date is mother of five.

MARK GAGLIARDI (Vine) was most recently a regular on the CBS/Paramount+ series “Blood and Treasure” (2019-2022) as Father Chuck, a role that landed him a 2023 Movieguide Award nomination. Before that, he was the original & frequent narrator of the Emmy-winning Comedy Central series “Drunk History” and appeared in numerous network & kids’ sitcoms. He is also one of many stars of “The Thrilling Adventure Hour”, a live staged old-time podcast with a global fan base that has taken him to conventions around the world. He has voiced Batman in “DC’s Super Friends”, Gus Gorilla in “Willy’s Wonderland”, roles in “Venture Bros.”, “Star vs the Forces of Evil” and other animated series, games, and commercials. His weekly podcast “We Got This!” w/ Mark & Hal on Maximum Fun has over two million downloads and has sparked national live performances. He has also appeared on stage as the Genie in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disneyland, as an actor & coach at Universal Studios Hollywood, and in dozens of plays. He holds a BFA in Acting from DePaul’s Theatre School, graduated from The Second City Training Center, and is a veteran of many LA improv stages.

BEN GIROUX (Buttons) stars as Nate Wright on Paramount’s Emmy-nominated BIG NATE series and The Toddler on Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger” and “Danger Force” franchise. He’s amassed over 100 television and voice credits including “The Big Show Show” (Netflix), “Coop & Cami” (Disney), “Psych” (USA), “Bones” (FOX), “House” (FOX), and “Rick & Morty” (Adult Swim). Giroux regularly creates viral content for his nearly 5 million TikTok fans, including his celebratory “Back to the 90s” music video that charted on Billboard and landed him in Las Vegas with The Backstreet Boys. A prolific comedy writer, Giroux is currently developing multiple optioned TV pilots.

AUSTYN MYERS (Dandini) is thrilled to be making his debut at the Laguna Playhouse with A Cinderella Christmas! Acting Credits include: Broadway: Les Miserables. T.V. / Film; “Meet Dave”, “Team Spitz”, “Moon Rocks” and “Lighter Fluid”. Regional: Rogers the Musical (Disney California Adventure’s Hyperion) Kingdom City (La Jolla Playhouse); October Sky, Brighton Beach memoirs, Lost in Yonkers, The First Wives Club (The Old Globe); Newsies (Moonlight Amphitheatre) Witnesses (California Center for the Arts, Escondido) Lost in Yonkers, Newsies (McCoy Rigby Entertainment); Secret Garden (Lambs Players); Spring Awakening, Peter and the Starcatcher, Secret Garden (Barnstage Theatre).

PATRICK ORTIZ (Prince) TV: NBC’s “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”where he played Eddie (recurring), “One Life To Live”, and “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”. BROADWAY CREDITS: West Side Story (Chino) and Mamma Mia! (Eddie u/s) NATIONAL TOURS: We Will Rock You (Brit u/s), West Side Story (Shark swing) REGIONAL: The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), the MUNY’s West Side Story (Pepe), Drag: The Musical, BAZ Star Crossed Love at The Palazzo, Las Vegas, Invicible w/ Pat Benatar (Paris), The Brat Pack (NCL and The Line Hotel, Los Angeles), Altar Boyz as Juan (North Carolina Theatre and Westchester Broadway Theater, NY), West Side Story (Bernardo) Palos Verdes and 5 Star Theatricals, Bottle Shock the musical (Gustavo Brambila), Mamma Mia! at The Tropicana, Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pan, Orchid: A Burlesque Circus, Miami, FL as lead vocalist and vocal captain. BFA in Musical Theatre CSUF. @patrick.m.ortiz

JEFF SUMNER (Hollywood) returns to the Lythgoe Panto Universe in Laguna having previously appeared in The Winter of Oz (Scarecrow); Sleeping Beauty (Nanny Tickle). Other Lythgoe Pantos: Cinderella (Seacrest) El Portal Theatre; Sleeping Beauty (Nanny Tickle) TUTS Houston; Aladdin and his Winter Wish (Widow Twanky) Raleigh. Other notable credits include: 44: The Obama Musical (Lindsey Graham) Bourbon Room Hollywood; Disney’s Aladdin A Musical Spectacular (Genie); The Legend of Georgia McBride (Tracy Mills) ICT; Annie (Bundles/Harold Ickes) Hollywood Bowl; and Happy Days (Jumpy Malachi) National Tour. FILM: “Dumb and Dumber To”. TELEVISION: “Ugly Betty”, “Desperate Housewives”,“Togetherness”,“Rosewood”, and “Clipped”. Jeff teaches musical theatre to kids and has an amazing dog named Duffy. jeffsumner.net

JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN (Fairy Godmother) has been lauded for her show-stopping performance as “Alice’s Daughter” in the original Broadway cast of Big River (song written for her by Roger Miller), to the original Little Shop of Horrors, to the original Broadway Marie Christine, the Drama Desk nominated Lonesome Traveler, all four tours of A Night with Janis Joplin ( BroadwayHD.com), Rock My Soul (LA Philharmonic/Disney Concert Hall) and is thrilled to return to the role she originated in the very first Lythgoe US Panto. Television: “RENT: LIVE,” “The Tonight Show,” “CONAN,” “Kimmel “(with Broken Bells, The Kills, Trombone Shorty, Lisa Loeb, OK GO). Film: “Valentine’s Day,” “The Other Sister,” “Grace of My Heart,” “The Crossing Guard,” “Sour Grapes,” “What’s Love Got to do with it”. A Dartmouth grad and a proud SAG-AFTRA AEA member. JenniferLeighWarren.com, @jenniferleighwarrensing

BECKY LYTHGOE (Producer, standby Baroness, Casting Director) One of the founders of Lythgoe Family Productions which has received congressional recognition for their contribution to the arts. TV: “How I Met Your Mother” (Fox), “House, M.D.” (Fox), “All of Us” (CW), host of “Stars in Danger” (Fox), host of “CD:USA” (DirecTV), host of “Planet Green” (Discovery), host of “Star Weekly” (E!). Recording Artist: Universal Records debut album, #1 Billboard charting dance artist. Director: Rodgers & Hammerstein‘s Cinderella (TACFA). Moderator/Keynote Speaker: OMEGA (Swatch Group), CHLA, AT&T, IMG, Coca-Cola Lifehouse. She is a proud graduate of The University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department and a member of The Board of Trustees for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Love always to my real life Princes- Kris, George and Leo.

ASHLEY CHAVARRIA (Chorus) is a dancer/teacher/choreographer from California. Theatre credits include: In The Heights (Yolanda/Dance Captain), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat (Ensemble/Stilt Walker), West Side Story (Ensemble), Spamalot (Ensemble). Commercial credits include: music videos (Prince of Eden, GIN), Ontario City commercial (Invisible Connections) print modeling and various live events (Nocturna Entertainment, Herbalife, independent). Ashley is a member of the Royal Flux Dance Company, featuring in their live performances and videos such as “Paper Trails”. Additionally, she choreographs for studios throughout SoCal and for Beckman High School. All her love to her family, friends and those supporting the arts! @ashleychavarria

MARCELLO SALVATIERRA (Chorus) is excited to be joining A Cinderella Christmas this year as a member of their ensemble! Marcello has just graduated from high school in San Jose, California where he was a part of his high school dance team, as well as competitively dancing with his home studio. Now, he is currently a freshman at Chapman University where he is studying psychology. Along with school, he is training in Shannon Mathers Bridge Into the Industry program, which helps young adults make their way into the dance world. Marcello is extremely excited to be sharing his passion on stage this season and can not wait for more in future!

ALEX THO (Chorus) Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Alex Tho is making his live theater debut with A Cinderella Christmas! His credits include “The Masked Singer” (FOX), “The Voice” (NBC), “Ravens Home” (DISNEY), “General Hospital” (ABC), The Karate Kid Musical (Pre-Broadway Lab) and more. Much gratitude to the creative team, mentors, Bloc, family and friends. 

ALISSA WILSEY (Chorus) is so excited to be back telling the classic story of Cinderella with the Lythgoe Family Productions, but this time as a Christmas Panto! After over a decade of performing on stages around the world, this Laguna local is thrilled to be performing in her own backyard. Favorite credits include: Disney Junior Live on Tour, Warren Carlyle’s ¡Havana!, Disney Cruise Line, Tokyo Disneyland, Happy Hour The Musical (Norwegian Cruise Line), Benise’s Fuego Tour, Feld Entertainment, West Side Story, 42nd Street (PVPA), and Guys and Dolls (MTW). Psalms 37:4