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January 30 -February 22, 2026
“I highly recommend JUST DESSERTS.” Broadway World
Book and Lyrics by Barbara Campbell
Music by Brad Ross
Directed by Tom Wallace
“You're in for a treat!” ~ River Cities’ Reader
“A wonderfully sweet and simple concoction with a welcome warmth...”
It’s sweet. It’s savory. It’s five strangers putting their hearts, reputations, and baking skills on the line to become the crème de la crème of bakers at a county fair.
A determined young woman dreaming of opening her own bakery. A twice-divorced nail technician who wants to fit in with her new boyfriend’s circle of friends. A shy school nurse who is torn between family obligations and a desire to participate. A mysterious man from Brooklyn who arouses suspicion about his past. And the reigning champion who disguises her ruthless drive to win with smiles and pleasantries.
Who will win? Who will lose? Who will get their Just Desserts?
It’s all happening at the Jefferson County Bake-Off where the competition may be fierce, but the results are always delicious!
JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 22, 2026
25 PERFORMANCES
PREVIEWS:
Friday, January 30 at 7pm
Saturday, January 31 at 2pm and 7pm
OPENING:
Sunday, February 1 at 3pm
PERFORMANCES:
Wednesdays at 2pm and 7pm
Thursdays at 7pm
Fridays at 7pm
Saturdays at 2pm and 7pm
Sundays at 3pm
AMT Theater, 354 West 45th St, NYC, NY, 10036
CREATIVE TEAM
BARBARA CAMPBELL
Book and Lyrics
Barbara Campbell has written more than a dozen musicals for children and families, a cantata, and various choral pieces. Her full-length musicals have been produced in the U.S., Great Britain, and New Zealand; her musical adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd was optioned for Broadway. With composer Byron Janis, she wrote “A Hero Passing By,” the theme from the TBS television special “Gary Cooper: American Life, American Legend.” Barbara is an award-winning author with five novels published by DAW Books, including Spellcast (written as Barbara Ashford), a romantasy set in a magical summer stock theatre.
BRAD ROSS
Composer
Brad Ross, winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, has three musicals published by Concord Theatricals. Brad's music has been performed at The Kennedy Center,
by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Off-Broadway by The York Theatre Company, and all over YouTube and Instagram. Brad's musical setting of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" has been performed by vocalists and choirs with over 30 symphony orchestras nationwide.
@bradrossmusic www.YouTube.com/bradtunesmusic
TOM WALLACE
Director
Tom Wallace couldn’t be happier to bring Just Desserts to the AMT Theater. He directed 2 productions of Just Desserts at The Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, as well as several readings in NYC and Connecticut. He has directed over 75 plays and musicals. Some of his favorites include The Trip To Bountiful, Regrets Only, Blithe Spirit, The Oldest Profession, La Cage Aux Folles, Gypsy, Grand Hotel and Company. In NYC, he directed the premiere of Providence at the Roy Arias and Tess, A New Musical for the New Works Series at The York Theatre. He is very proud of the 6 concerts he developed and staged as part of the Concert Series for The Gray Wig at Hofstra University. He is thrilled to be working with Barbara Campbell, Brad Ross and the team at AMT on Just Desserts.
MATTHEW LOWY
Music Director
Matthew Lowy is an NYC-based music director and composer. Selected theater: Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter (Assoc. MD, Arena Stage), The Sabbath Girl (MD, 59E59 Off-Broadway), Fiddler on the Roof (Assoc. MD, Paper Mill Playhouse), piano sub at The Music Man (Broadway) and Beetlejuice (Broadway). Nat’l Tours: A Chorus Line (MD/Orchestrator), 42nd Street (MD). Matt is a composer in the Advanced BMI Workshop (2019 Jerry Harrington Award). matthewlowy.com
ROBERT ELHAI
Orchestrations
Tony and Drama Desk nominee for the orchestrations to Broadway’s The Lion King, is based in Minneapolis where his music has been performed by Theatre Latté Da, Jungle Theater, and Nautilus Music-Theater, among others. His arrangements have been heard at Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Opera, and many other music venues on the air and around the world. Film score orchestrations include those by Elliot Goldenthal (the Oscar-winning score to Frida), Michael Kamen (Band Of Brothers) and Brian Tyler (Fast and Furious). robertelhai.com
HOLLY BUCZEK
Casting Director HDB Casting:
National & International tours: Miracle on 34 th Street, Elf, Jesus Christ Superstar - 50th Anniversary Tour, Shrek The Musical, Rent, Rock Of Ages, Something Rotten, Motown, Kinky Boots, Jekyll & Hyde, Dreamgirls, Annie, Wizard Of Oz, The Illusionists, Daniel Tiger, PJ Masks, Charlie Brown Christmas, Blippi Live, Baby Shark, Live and more.
Other Projects: The Little Prince – Broadway, 50 Shades, The Original Parody –
off Broadway and Touring Companies, Church & State and Othello, The Remix–off Broadway. Regional: The John W. Engeman Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Theatre
Raleigh, Tuacahn Performing Arts Center, Riverside Theatre, Arvada Center, Stages St. Louis, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre and Saguaro City Music Theatre. HDB Casting has been Casting in residence with J2 Spotlight Musical Theatre Company, Musicals Tonight!, Matt Murphy Productions, Vital Theatre Company & Resounding LLC. TV: The Hunt With John Walsh on CNN.
Films: Naz & Maalik, Diva and Symposium. Web: Commercials for Intel and
Lipton, plus others. For more information visit www.hdbcasting.com
STEVEN FINE
Sound Designer and A-1
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2019, Steven has worked a variety of Off-Broadway shows, making a wide range of sounds across the city. Recent shows worked on include “Here There are Blueberries” at New York Theatre Workshop, “Upside down” at AMT, and “Murdoch: The Final Interview” at theater 555.
BETH ANN MASTROMARINO
Production Manager
For the past twenty years Beth has been a steadying force behind the scenes of Off-Broadway musicals and plays, regional opera, and feature films. Outside of the theatre, she’s an award-winning independent film producer and Italian Folk musician. She is thrilled to be part of this production which combines two of her childhood loves, Music and Baking. Her favorite roles include: Countess Atavanti in Tosca, and Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet.
MELANIE LEFF
Lighting Designer
Melanie Leff is a Westchester, NY-based lighting designer whose work includes community and high school theater, as well as dance performances and various concerts. Recent credits include Jekyll & Hyde (Yorktown Stage), Les Miserables (Star 2 B Performing Arts), and Rodger's & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Valhalla High School ). She recently designed the previous productions of Just Desserts at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in 2023 and 2025.
HEATHER OLMSTEAD
Stage Manager
Heather is the 2023 NYIT Outstanding Stage Manager award recipient. Favorite NYC productions include The Maid and the Mesmerizer, Monstress, Telling Trifles festival, and Messenger#1 with Hunger and Thirst; Freedom’s Last Stand, Floydada, and Manna-hata with Peculiar Works Project; On Striver’s Row, and Injunction Granted at Metropolitan Playhouse; Coping in the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival and Fringe Encore Series.
ROBERT W. SCHNEIDER
Public Relations
Robert W. Schneider is the Artistic Director of The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company and CEO of RWS Public Relations, faithfully serving the off-Broadway community. Robert’s team includes the wonderful social media strategist, Jordan Ari Gross (Haus of Diva) and the brilliant research and marketing developer Aidan Loeser. In addition to his own company, Robert has assisted in the development of press strategies for multiple New York City productions. @robwschneider
ADAM WOLFE
Percussion
Adam Wolfe is a New York drummer and percussionist with recent credits including BANDSTAND (2017), Between the Lines (2022), and collaborations with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Active across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and recording projects, he brings musicality, feel, and a strong focus on sound. Adam also runs a Midtown drum studio, creating custom drum tracks and offering programming and production support for artists and composers.
THE CAST
KLEA BLACKHURST
Mildred
Klea Blackhurst has contributed to the development of many new works, notably the world premieres of Hazel, The Nutty Professor and most recently Dolly: a True Original Musical. Off-Bway credits: Everything the Traffic Will Allow, Party Face; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Bingo, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony. Other credits: Gypsy (Drury Lane Chicago,) Ragtime (Boston Pops,) Into the Woods (Opera North,) Show Boat (Glimmerglass) and Chicago (Pioneer Theatre Company) in her hometown of Salt Lake City. www.kleablackhurst.com. @klea_blackhurst
GINA LAMPARELLA
Jean
Gina Lamparella has appeared on Broadway in Caroline or Change, The Phantom of the Opera, A Little Night Music, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Fiddler on the Roof (Tzeitel), Gypsy, Imaginary Friends, Jane Eyre (Blanche Ingram), and Les Misérables. Other theater: Sense and Sensibility, The Graduate, Henry IV Part 2, Pericles, The Tempest, The Sound of Music, Miss Saigon, and Crazy For You. TV: “The Blacklist,” “Master of None,” and “The Other Two.” www.ginalamp.com. @ginalamp
ELLIOT LITHERLAND
Zack / Donny
Elliott Litherland (he/him) change is good. Favorite Credits - The Music Man (Harold Hill), Carousel (Billy), Beautiful (Gerry), All Shook Up (Chad), Beauty and the Beast (Gaston) at Berkeley Rep, Walnut Street, Opera North, Gainesville Orchestra, AMT, Westchester Broadway, The Argyle, Arrow Rock Lyceum, Mason Street Warehouse. Love and gratitude to Tom, Brad, Matthew, Holly, Mikey at the collective, my family, Becca, and Richie. Thank you for supporting live theatre!www.elliottlitherland.com @elliottlitherland
TORI JADE LOPEZ
Emma
Tori is so thrilled to be making her Off-Broadway debut in Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off! Growing up in Brooklyn, NY she has always had big dreams of being on stage. Some of her theater credits include Cinderella in Into the Woods (Prima Theater) and Belle in Beauty and the Beast (Virginia Children’s Theater). When she isn’t auditioning she’s performing at NYC’s own Broadway-themed dinner theater, Gayle's Broadway Rose. Tori would like to thank her friends, family, and the CTG team for supporting her. @latinallyblonde
JP SARRO
Lou
JP Sarro is an accomplished actor whose work spans television, film, and stage. He is also the co-host of The Lapsed Fan (iTunes; Spreaker) and Under the CineMat (Patreon) podcasts. JP is grateful to the creative team for the opportunity to help tell this tasty story! Special thanks to MMV Talent, and much love and gratitude to Nicole, his daughter Paloma, and his parents for their endless support. @jpsarrogram
LAUREN NICOLE SHERWOOD
Brandy
Lauren Nicole Sherwood is so excited to be working on this delicious show for the 3rd time! Past credits: Cabaret (Sally), A Chorus Line (Val), West Side Story (Anita), 9 to 5 (Judy), and title roles in Peter Pan, Sweet Charity, and Hello, Dolly! M.F.A.FSU. Lauren does custom design work for all occasions through her production company, Diva Star Productions. Love to her boys, M, J & S. @thedivalauren
LANI CORSON
Understudy
Lani Corson is thrilled to join the cast of Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off! She has toured the country (and beyond) with Jagged Little Pill (MJ u/s), Chicago (June, Velma u/s), 42nd Street (Lorraine). Select regional credits include: Rocky Horror (Janet), And The World Goes Round (Woman 2), Seussical (Mayzie), The Wizard of Oz (Glinda/Aunt Em). Lani is also an accomplished aerialist, performing solo and with her company 2 Ring Circus. For Ken and Zoë. @lkcorson
ADAM KASTER
Understudy
Adam Kaster (Understudy)- Adam is so grateful for the sweet experience of bringing Just Desserts to the stage. Off-Broadway: Drama Desk-nominated The Golden Bride (Nat. Yiddish Theatre); Regional: Beauty & the Beast (Gaston) West Side Story (Tony), Heathers (Ram), Mamma Mia (Bill). Adam resides with his wife and two sons in New Jersey. IG: @adam_kaster
