Meet the Company

REEVE CARNEY (Devil) most recently starred on Broadway, creating the central role of Orpheus in the Tony Award- and Grammy© Award-winning musical Hadestown. On screen, he was Tom Ford in Ridley Scott’s feature film House of Gucci opposite Adam Driver. Reeve is also known for his portrayal of Dorian Gray in the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful,” and for originating the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man — a role that he was handpicked for by Julie Taymor and U2’s Bono — in the Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

JAVIER MUÑOZ (Lord) is an actor and activist whose impressive body of work spans theater, film and television. He is best known for starring and co-creating the role of Alexander Hamilton in the hit musical Hamilton on Broadway for two years after Lin-Manuel Miranda departed the show. (Muñoz was Miranda's alternate prior to that.) He got his break starring as Usnavi in In the Heights on Broadway, also created by Miranda. He just starred in the rock musical Galileo at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, opposite Raúl Esparza, and the pre-Broadway run of the musical The Devil Wears Prada in the role of Nigel Owens (originated by Stanley Tucci in the feature film), with music by Elton John. Muñoz starred in the dark comedy indie feature Monuments, opposite David Sullivan and Marguerite Moreau; he starred in the indie feature Love ... Reconsidered and in Three Months, opposite Troye Sivan and Judy Greer, on Paramount+. He voices a lead character in the Disney Jr. animated series “Eureka!” Other TV credits include recurring roles on “Shadowhunters,” “Blindspot,” and “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” Muñoz is also an outspoken activist for LGBTQ+ rights, a Global Ambassador for (RED), which fights to end HIV/AIDS, and supporter of GMHC.

JORDAN TEMPLE (Narrator/Adapted Narration Writer) is a Los Angeles-based comedian and TV writer-producer from Queens, New York, who has written for Emmy-winning shows such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Atlanta,” and “Abbott Elementary.” Temple wrote and starred in his own mashup plays such as The Color Urkel and Hidden Fences. The latter was a satirical play based on the viral mistake made at the Golden Globes and Oscars in 2017 that combined Hidden Figures and Fences that was staged in 2017 and 2018. Currently, Temple is writing for season four of “Abbott Elementary” and restaging his one-man experimental jazz-infused show about the love of his grandmother called Sweet Lorraine. Temple was born to be an artist, is a lover of theater, and is a big Randy Newman fan.

RYAN McCARTAN (Henry Faust) originated J.D. in Heathers: The Musical at Hudson Backstage in Los Angeles and then at New World Stages Off-Broadway. He went on to make his Broadway debut as Fiyero in Wicked. Additional theater credits include Hans in Frozen (Broadway), Tony in West Side Story (Lyric Opera of Chicago), and Cletis in Lone Star (Ruth Stage, Off-Broadway). McCartan starred as Brad Majors in Fox’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again alongside Laverne Cox, Reeve Carney, and Victoria Justice, directed by Kenny Ortega. He has recurred on “The Winchesters” (CW), “Royal Pains” (USA), and “Liv and Maddie” (Disney Channel).

JOANNA LYNN-JACOBS (Margaret) is a classically trained vocalist, mover and performer. She blends her strong background in opera with diverse musical influences, such as folk music from around the world, musical theater, blues and jazz. Some of her recent appearances include the role of Poppea opposite Anthony Roth Costanzo in The Comet/Poppea at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, co-produced by American Modern Opera Company and The Industry. She has also played Tess/chorus in Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ Omar at San Francisco Opera, and the role of Iphigenia of the Sea in the U.S. premiere and tour of …(Iphigenia) by Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding. Previously, Lynn-Jacobs performed in The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s War of the Worlds narrated by Sigourney Weaver and directed by MacArthur Fellow Yuval Sharon and starred in their production of ATLAS by Meredith Monk the following year. Lynn-Jacobs currently performs in Europe and the U.S. with Monk’s Cellular Songs. Lynn-Jacobs continually explores new artistic horizons such as improvisational movement and vocals with Heidi Duckler Dance and collaborative storytelling with Street Symphony’s Crossroads Concert Series.

VERONICA SWIFT (Martha) ascended to the upper echelon of early-21st century jazz singers because of her virtuosic brilliance, interpretive ingenuity, bracing songwriting, and keen arrangements. Simply put, Swift is not only one of the most dazzling singers to emerge in her generation, but she’s also one of the most versatile. While her first two albums solidified her position in modern jazz, Swift shows that she’s more than a jazz singer, exploring French and Italian opera, European classical music, bossa nova, blues, industrial rock, funk, and vaudeville. She pulls the feat off without the results sounding callow or pastiche. Swift’s expansive artistic voice remains firmly intact regardless of genre. Swift first gained major international attention in 2015 when she won second place in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Vocals Competition. Four years later, Mack Avenue Records released her acclaimed album Confessions when she was only 25 years old. She demonstrated her flair for conceptual song cycles on her follow-up album, This Bitter Earth, which not only gave glimpses of her rock influences but thematically touched upon some of the harder truths of being a woman, particularly when it comes to domestic abuse. For her new album, she’d been exploring her “transgenre” concept for about two-and-half years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she strategized the unveiling of this more artistically naked version of herself to the public while being mindful of how conservative the mainstream jazz industry can be. She forged and refined most of the material for Veronica Swift on the road. Much to her delight, audiences enthusiastically welcomed the new direction.

TONALITY (Chorus) is an award-winning ensemble, established in 2016, known for “open-hearted singing” (Lauri'’s List). Tonality was recently recognized as a 2024 Grammy winner in New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for Carla Patullo's So She Howls with the Scorchio Quartet. Led by Executive/Founding Artistic Director Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake, he imagined Tonality as an ensemble that represents the diverse cultures and ethnicities within the Los Angeles area. Within a year of its forming, Tonality's mission evolved to use its collective voices to present concerts on themes of social justice in hopes of acting as a catalyst toward empathy and community activism. The group premiered its first album in 2019, titled Sing About It. Tonality received the 2020 Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, a prize given for commitment to singing and commissioning new works. Tonality has collaborated with choral and film composers to create the works presented in concert, striving for diverse voices and perspectives within the composer community. Collaborators include Joe Trapanese, Roman GianArthur, Gaayatri Kaundinya, Reena Esmail, Shawn Kirchner, Zanaida Robles, Moira Smiley, Alex Wurman, Kris Bowers, and Michael J. Giacchino. Tonality has performed with MacArthur Fellow Taylor Mac, Pete Townshend of The Who, pianist Lara Downes, internationally acclaimed performer Björk, Dutch DJ Tiësto, Kelly Clarkson (in support of her album Chemistry), and Scott Hoying (Pentatonix) on his latest single, “Rose Without the Thorns.”

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ANGELICA ROWELL is a classically trained singer and actor who has performed in productions from Shakespeare to Puccini and everything in between. She is adamant about the power art has to change perspectives, and strives to create works that open doors for marginalized peoples while educating others in hopes of creating a more understanding and just world. Recent credits include Ursula in The Little Mermaid, Avatar 2: The Way of Water, and AMC Networks Allblk’s “Snap.”

CASSANDRA DUSCHANE (Little Girl) is an LA-based soprano known for her ethereal tone and versatility in choral and pop a cappella performances. Her work with the Grammy Award-winning choir Tonality highlights her exceptional vocal artistry and skill.

HANNAH ABRAHIM is a first-generation American singer-songwriter, producer, and music director from Southern California, whose vocals you may recognize as Cleo de Nile on “Monster High” (Paramount+). She has also notably offered her vocals, original music, and arrangements to productions such as Nickelodeon’s “Dora the Explorer,” The Lion King 30th Anniversary live-to-film concert, and “Agatha All Along.” A versatile musician yet also a powerhouse solo artist, Abrahim is a storytelling and sonic visionary in the R&B/neo-soul/pop scene, blending her “Egyptiarican” culture to transport her listeners to ethereal dreamscapes with infectious grooves and introspective yet bold lyrics.

HANNAH LEWIS is a singer, songwriter, arranger, and educator born and raised in Los Angeles. She is proud to be returning to The Soraya as a CSUN alum, class of 2019.

KION HEIDARI (Angel Rick) is an LA-based vocal artist, composer, folk musician, and actor. A versatile singer, you’ll find him performing in new opera and musical theater productions along with ensembles such as Tonality and HEX. Heidari is honored to be a part of Randy Newman's FAUST: The Concert.

SAM GARCIA is a classically trained baritone equally at home in the world of vocal jazz and musical theater. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and works as a session vocalist. Garcia is a member of Tonality, a vocal ensemble led by founder and artistic director Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake whose mission is to deliver authentic stories through voice and body to incite change, understanding, and dialogue.

SAMUEL AVILA (he/they) is a Los Angeles-based vocalist who received his undergrad degree at USC Thornton School of Music. Since his time at USC, Avila has had the opportunity to perform around the world, teach with numerous children’s music organizations in LA, and perform with some of the most influential musicians in the choral and pop music industries. Avila is so grateful for his incredible family, especially his parents and sister, for their unconditional love and support. Follow him on Instagram @samueljavila.

ZEV MARX-KAHN is an LA-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Thrilled to be making his Soraya debut, he would like to thank everyone important in his life (you know who you are!). Feel free to follow along on Instagram @zev_mk for information on upcoming shows or to contact for bookings.

RANDY NEWMAN (Music, Lyrics & Original Story) With songs that run the gamut from heartbreaking to satirical and a host of unforgettable film scores, Newman has used his many talents to create musical masterpieces widely recognized by generations of audiences. After starting his songwriting career as a teenager, Newman launched into recording as a singer and pianist in 1968 with his self-titled album Randy Newman. Throughout the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, he released several acclaimed albums, such as 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, Little Criminals, Born Again, Trouble in Paradise, Land of Dreams, and Bad Love. Since 2003, Nonesuch Records has released three Randy Newman Songbook volumes, the Randy Newman: Live in London CD/DVD, Harps and Angels, and Dark Matter. The 1995 album Randy Newman’s Faust, a modern interpretation of the 19th century Goethe play, featured performances by Newman as well as James Taylor, Don Henley, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, and Linda Ronstadt. A musical theater production of Faust was performed at San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse in 1995 and at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in 1996, and a concert version was part of the Encores! series at New York City Center in 2014. In addition to his solo recordings and regular international touring, Newman began composing and scoring for films in the 1980s. The list of movies he has worked on includes The Natural, Awakenings, Ragtime, all four Toy Story pictures, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, Seabiscuit, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug’s Life, The Meyerowitz Stories, and Marriage Story. Randy Newman’s many honors include seven Grammys, three Emmys, and two Academy Awards, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and has been awarded an Ivor Novello PRS for Music Special International Award as well as a PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award. Newman is the subject of a new biography by former Los Angeles Times journalist Robert Hilburn, A Few Words in Defense of Our Country, scheduled for release in October 2024.

MICHAEL ROTH (Music Director, Orchestrator, Vocal Arranger, Conductor, Piano/Synthesizer) — whose work has been called music “one could imagine Charles Ives composing had he lived long enough to encounter rock-and-roll and beat poetry” — is a composer, sound designer, music director, orchestrator, and pianist. His work encompasses chamber music, new opera and music/theater, film, dance, PBS, and music and sound for theater — over 250 productions throughout North America including Broadway, Off-Broadway and Canada’s Stratford Festival. Roth has received much recent recognition for The Web Opera, his award-winning, experimental sung-through-web series, streaming at thewebopera.com, which was composed and self-produced to raise awareness of cyber-abuse (based on true events). It was an official selection at 35 film festivals, screened at the 2021 New Music Gathering and 2022 Culver City Festival, winning Best Experimental Short. Additional work in new opera and music/theater includes: Imagination Dead Imagine, his treatment of Samuel Beckett's text, authorized by Beckett, for string quartet, recorded voices, and laptop, seen in Los Angeles, San Diego, Prague, and upcoming at a Beckett Festival in Ashland, Oregon; Their Thought and Back Again, available on CD; and The Golem of La Jolla, an opera-in-progress examining contemporary anti-Semitism. He is particularly proud of his many collaborations with Randy Newman, including music direction for Disney's The Princess and the Frog, editing five definitive anthologies of Newman's music, and orchestrations for Faust, first heard in La Jolla, then Chicago, and New York, and culminating at The Soraya. Recent projects: with Al Pacino, composing/improvising the score for an ongoing series of readings of Richard III; with Tom Hanks, Henry IV in Los Angeles; with Christopher Plummer, The Tempest, onstage and filmed; and A Word Or Two, Plummer’s solo show; two U.S. premieres with Tom Stoppard; with Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, Last Words of Uncle Dirt (Playwrights Horizons, with Wu Man on pipa), and Mary and the Monsters, a new opera; many collaborations with Culture Clash; accompanying singers from Marni Nixon to Alicia Keys; and his work with Stacy Keach, Des McAnuff, MacArthur Fellows Peter Sellars and Sarah Ruhl, and many others. Michael studied composition with William Bolcom, and taught sound design at UC San Diego. His recent premieres include, as part of the California Festival, “Kyrie-Mercy-Ana M,” a motet for eight voices performed by the Hex Ensemble for Hear Now, and “Sheetcake,” for 4 pia.