Join us for a Conversation with Tony Award-Winner director & choreographer Jerry Mitchell and Tony Award-Nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead along with Jasmine Amy Rogers and the cast of BOOP! the Musical Moderated by BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge, of "Backstage with Richard Ridge."
SAG-AFTRA Foundation and BroadwayWorld have partnered for a filmed Conversations Q&A series to recognize and celebrate the vibrant theatre community in New York City and the actors who aspire to have a career on the stage and screen.
For almost a century, Betty Boop, created by animation pioneer Max Fleischer, has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP! The Musical, Betty's dream of an ordinary day off from the super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to an extraordinary adventure of color, music, and finding love in New York City — one that reminds her and the world, “You are capable of amazing things.”
JERRY MITCHELL (Director/Choreographer) received the Tony Award for Best Choreography twice—for the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots (also Tony nominated for Best Director) and the revival of La Cage aux Folles. His most recent Broadway production, currently touring, is Pretty Woman (Director/ Choreographer). He directed the Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet! (also the international tour and at London’s Coliseum Theatre) and was nominated for an Olivier Award for his choreography in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which he also directed and co-produced in London. In the 35 preceding years, Jerry has been involved with more than 50 Broadway, West End and touring productions. His Broadway debut as Choreographer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, was followed by The Full Monty (Tony nominated), The Rocky Horror Show, Hairspray (Tony nominated, NBC Live), Gypsy, Never Gonna Dance (Tony nominated), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony nominated), La Cage aux Folles, Imaginary Friends, Legally Blonde (Tony nominated, which he also directed on Broadway and in London), Catch Me If You Can and Kinky Boots. Choreography for Off-Broadway includes Hedwig & The Angry Inch and Jeffrey. For film, Jerry created memorable dance sequences for Scent Of A Woman, The Object Of My Affection, In and Out and Drop Dead Gorgeous, among others. Thirty or so years ago, Jerry conceived and created Broadway Bares, a comedy burlesque show performed annually for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, for which he was recognized in the form of a third Tony Award in 2023.
SUSAN BIRKENHEAD (Lyrics). Broadway: Working (with Mary Rodgers, Stephen Schwartz, etc), Jelly’s Last Jam (with George C. Wolfe), Triumph of Love (with James Magruder and Jeffrey Stock), and High Society (with Arthur Kopit and Des MacAnuff – additional lyrics). Off-Broadway, Regional, and London: The Secret Life of Bees (with Lynn Nottage and Duncan Sheik), Minsky’s (with Bob Martin and Charles Strouse), What About Luv (with Howard Marren and Jeffery Sweet) and Pieces of Eight (with Jule Styne, Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble). 2x Tony nominee; Drama Desk winner; 2x OCC winner; LA Drama Critics Circle award winner; council member, Dramatists Guild; Grammy nominee.
JASMINE AMY ROGERS (Betty Boop) is making her Broadway debut after debuting Betty Boop in the pre-Broadway Chicago run. Credits include Anita in Jelly’s Last Jam (Pasadena Playhouse), Gretchen Wieners in the National Tour of Mean Girls, Melody Green in The Wanderer (Papermill Playhouse), Francis in the world premiere of Becoming Nancy (Alliance Theatre). TV credits include “Evil” on Paramount+. She was a Jimmy Awards finalist and appeared in Cabaret as Sally Bowles at the Manhattan School of Music where she studied musical theatre. “Thank you to my team, my friends, and my family for guiding me on this journey. We made it.”
FAITH PRINCE (Valentina) Broadway: Tony Award winner for Guys and Dolls. Other nominations for: Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Bells Are Ringing, A Catered Affair. Also Nick & Nora, What’s Wrong With This Picture?, The King and I, Little Me, James Joyce’s The Dead, Noises Off, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Annie, and Disaster. TV/Film appearances include “Monarch”, “Emily in Paris”, “Scream Queens”, “Modern Family”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “Huff”, “Spin City”, Dave, My Father the Hero, Picture Perfect, Our Very Own. Her many live appearances and two solo albums available for streaming. Ms. Prince has a BFA and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati (CCM).
AINSLEY MELHAM he/him (Dwayne) starred as Aladdin in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway and the Australian National Tour (Helpmann Nomination). Other credits in his home country—Australia—include the national tours of Wicked (Fiyero), Pippin (Pippin), and Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Prince Topher). Also Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Molina), Merrily We Roll Along (Charley Kringas), The Normal Heart (Felix), Xanadu (Sonny), Watershed: The Death of Dr. Duncan (Lost Boy), and Hi-5 (host). He is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and his work on Boop! is dedicated to his dear friend Diana and the Perini family. @ainsleymelham
ERICH BERGEN (Raymond Demarest). Erich is best known for his six-season run as Blake Moran on television's “Madam Secretary,” and for his portrayal of Bob Gaudio in the Clint Eastwood film, Jersey Boys, a role he first performed on stage. On Broadway, he starred as Dr. Pomatter Waitress and Billy Flynn in Chicago, with TV credits including Bull, The Good Fight, Gossip Girl, and more. As a Producer and Director, Erich has lead many live, virtual, and television events for NBC, CNN, Paramount +, President Obama, Clive Davis, Glenn Close, Michael Kors, John Legend and other industry icons. IG: @erichbergen
STEPHEN DeROSA (Grampy). Broadway: Mr. Saturday Night, Gary: A Sequel, On the Town, Betrayal, The Nance, Hairspray, Twentieth Century, Henry IV, Into the Woods, The Man Who Came to Dinner. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, The Alchemist, The Government Inspector, These Paper Bullets!, Love's Fire (The Acting Company),The Mystery of Irma Vep. Regional: Bay Street Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse. World Premiere: The Queen of Versailles (Boston). Film/TV: “A Holiday Spectacular,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” (Eddie Cantor). MFA: Yale.
