Artistic Director’s Welcome
When I first saw the workshop of this musical in November 2024, I immediately knew this was a piece we had to share with our audiences. Wonder is a story that is deeply human—one that reminds us to listen and lead with our hearts. The musical composers and lyricists Ian Axel and Chad King of A Great Big World, joined by playwright Sarah Ruhl, have crafted a vibrant and deeply moving world where we can experience Auggie’s journey in an entirely new musical form.
While this is the first time Wonder will be told on stage, this story has already made a profound impact worldwide. R.J. Palacio’s novel is a #1 New York Times bestseller, has sold over 16 million copies, and is regularly studied by early and middle-grade students in school. Lionsgate and Mandeville Films’ feature adaptation was an international hit and earned an Academy Award nomination. The myFace Wonder Project, teaching empathy, inclusivity, and being an upstander against bullying, has been presented at over 350 schools across the US, reaching more than 100,000 young people to date. The A.R.T. is honored to join the Wonder family and bring you this world-premiere musical.
I am thrilled to be welcoming back so many extraordinary artists for this production. Director Taibi Magar (Night Side Songs; The Half-God of Rainfall; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; Macbeth In Stride; We Live in Cairo) returns for her sixth production with us. We also welcome back music supervisor Nadia DiGiallonardo (Real Women Have Curves, Waitress, Pippin), choreographer Katie Spelman (Pirates of Penzance), scenic designer Matt Saunders (Night Side Songs), costume designer Linda Cho (The Half-God of Rainfall, Endlings), lighting designer Bradley King (Evita; Moby-Dick; We Live in Cairo; Endlings; Burn All Night; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), sound designer Cody Spencer (Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)), and music director Ryan Cantwell (Diary of a Tap Dancer, Romeo and Juliet, 1776).
At its heart, Wonder teaches us about the transformative power of choosing kindness. This heartfelt story reminds us that even across differences, there is undeniable strength in leading with compassion.
Thank you for being a part of the A.R.T. and joining us for Wonder!
Diane Paulus
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director
American Repertory Theater
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director
Diane Paulus
presents
WONDER
Creative Team
Produced by special arrangement with Jill Furman Productions and Mara Burros Sandler.
First performance at the Loeb Drama Center on December 12, 2025.
Production support of Wonder is provided by Janet and Irv Plotkin and The Linda Hammett Ory & Andrew Ory Charitable Trust.
Media Support of Wonder is provided by WBUR.
A.R.T. Season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barton & Guestier, and Meyer Sound.
The A.R.T. 2025/26 Season is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Runtime: Two hours and ten minutes, including one intermission.
This production depicts bullying and contains fog, haze, strobe, and flashing lights.
Company & Staff
Cast (in Alphabetical Order)
Mr. Tushman
Melvin Abston
Mr. Tushman
Melvin Abston
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Purlie Victorious, Sister Act, Death of a Salesman. Off-Broadway: Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical, The Town Hall; Toni Stone, Roundabout Theatre. Regional: Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, Drury Lane, ZACH Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, 5th Avenue Theatre, Goodman Theatre. National Tours: The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, The Lion King. TV: “Law & Order: SVU,” “Blue Bloods,” “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Actors’ Equity Association member
Jack
Donovan Louis Bazemore
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: The Lion King (Young Simba). Off-Broadway: Oh, Happy Day! (Kevin), The Public Theater; The Lion King (Young Simba), Rafiki Tour. Regional: Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker III), The Snowy Day (Peter), Arden Theatre Company; Rachel (Young Jimmy/Matthew), Quintessence Theatre Group. Workshops: Basement, Illinois, Williamstown Theatre Festival; Wonder; Oh, Happy Day!. TV/Film: “The Last OG,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Survival of the Thickest,” “Dope Thief,” “Sneaks.”
Actors’ Equity Association member
Ensemble
Ryan Behan
Ensemble
Ryan Behan
A.R.T.: Debut. Tours: Peter Pan (Tootles, Peter Pan US). Regional: Grease (Eugene Florczyk); Frozen (Olaf US), North Shore Music Theatre; A Chorus Line (Mark Anthony), Seacoast Repertory Theatre; Footloose (Ren McCormack), Prescott Park Arts Festival. Concerts: Ragtime in Concert, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Education/Training: B.F.A. Candidate in Musical Theatre, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Justin
Diego Cordova
Justin
Diego Cordova
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Virginia Stage Company; Our Town (George Gibbs), Syracuse Stage; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander), Redhouse Arts Center. Educational: Guys & Dolls (Nathan Detroit), Syracuse University; Pippin (Pippin), Brookline High School; Guys & Dolls (Sky Masterson), Artbarn Community Theater. Education/Training: Acting B.F.A., Vocal Performance concentration, Syracuse University; Brookline High School/Roland Hayes School.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Via
Kaylin Hedges
Via
Kaylin Hedges
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Annie, Hollywood Bowl; Loch Ness, The Rev Theatre; Looking for Christmas, The Old Globe Theatre. Workshops: The Bedwetter, Gavroche, Norma Rae. TV/Film: “American Idol” (Platinum Ticket Winner), “Almost Family,” “The Other Two,” 13: The Musical (Vocalist).
Actors’ Equity Association member
Summer
Kylie MiRae Kuioka
Summer
Kylie MiRae Kuioka
A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: Meet Me in St. Louis (Tootie), Irish Repertory Theatre; Panama Hattie (Geraldine), The York Theatre; Child’s Christmas in Wales, Irish Repertory Theatre. Broadway National Tour: The King and I. Film: Better Nate Than Ever, Disney+; Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, Paramount; Kinda Pregnant, Netflix; Have You Heard of Christmas, Showtime. Workshops: Wonder, Endless, Mulan, The Nightingale. Awards: Recanati-Kaplan Scholar.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Ensemble
Maddy Le
Ensemble
Maddy Le
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Jagged Little Pill (Frankie Healy), White Plains Performing Arts Center; Hairspray (Shayna/Dynamite), Festival 56. Education: Musical Theater Associate’s degree, American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Mr. Browne
Raymond J. Lee
Mr. Browne
Raymond J. Lee
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Sweeney Todd, Aladdin, Groundhog Day, The Heart of Rock and Roll, Honeymoon in Vegas, Anything Goes, Tammy Faye, Mamma Mia!. Off-Broadway: Masquerade, LW Entertainment; Soft Power, The Public Theater; Mack & Mabel, Encores!. Regional: A.C.T., Alliance Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Goodspeed Musicals, La Jolla Playhouse, The MUNY. TV: “Law & Order,” “Succession,” “Billions,” “Red Oaks,” “The First Lady,” “Smash”. Film: Marriage Story, Ghost Town, The Greatest Showman. Voiceover: Disney, Netflix, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, various audiobooks. Education/Training: Northwestern University.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Julian
Reese Levine
Julian
Reese Levine
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: The Who’s Tommy (10-year-old Tommy). Regional: The Secret Garden (Colin), Ahmanson Theatre, Center Theatre Group Los Angeles; School of Rock (Billy), PAP; James and the Giant Peach (James), CMTSJ. Workshops: Wonder. TV: “Barry” (Young Barry), HBO; “Side Hustle” (Rago), Nickelodeon. Film: Almost Popular (Young Bobbie).
Actors’ Equity Association member
Isabel
Alison Luff
Isabel
Alison Luff
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway/National Tour: & Juliet (Anne Hathaway); The Who’s Tommy (Mrs. Walker); Waitress (Jenna); Escape to Margaritaville (Rachel); Les Misérables (Fantine); Matilda (Miss Honey); Wicked (Elphaba); Ghost; Scandalous; Mamma Mia!. Regional: Nell Gwynn (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play), Folger Theatre D.C. TV/Film: “Heels,” “Power Book II: Ghost,” “New Amsterdam.” Music: Big Sur Bound band.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Charlotte
Skylar Matthews
Charlotte
Skylar Matthews
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway National Tour: Annie (Pepper, Annie US). Regional: Fun Home (Small Alison, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Connecticut Critics Circle nomination), TheaterWorks Hartford. TV/Film: “FBI” (Naomi); Baby Girl. Workshops: Wonder (Charlotte); Hoop Dee Doo (Carol). Audio Projects: Sound Trekkers: Sailing the Seven C’s (Molly); Krampus Night (Sally).
Actors’ Equity Association member
Auggie (at certain performances)
Garrett McNally
Auggie (at certain performances)
Garrett McNally
A.R.T.: Debut. Performances: Holland Texas Elementary School Christmas Plays. Education/Training: Quincy Jr./Sr. High School.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Nate
Javier Muñoz
Nate
Javier Muñoz
A.R.T.: Wild: A Musical Becoming. Broadway: Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton); In the Heights (Usnavi). Regional: Schmigadoon!, Kennedy Center; Galileo, Berkeley Repertory Theatre; The Devil Wears Prada (Nigel Owens), Theatre Alliance Chicago. Film/TV: Monuments; Love Reconsidered; Three Months (Paramount+); “Eureka!” (Disney Jr.); “Shadowhunters,” “Blindspot,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” Activism: USAID, LGBTQ+ rights, (RED) Global Ambassador, GMHC.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Miranda
Paravi
Miranda
Paravi
A.R.T.: WILD: A Musical Becoming (Forte), Loeb Drama Center. Concerts: SXSW Official Artist 2025, SXSW; Gold House x Live Nation x Spotify Music Future Accelerator, The Echoplex. Film/TV: Elvis Soundtrack Album. Music: PARAVI EP, Thank You For Being Here EP. Career Awards: UCLA Inaugural Class Artist 2023. Education: Musical Theater B.A., University of California, Los Angeles.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Moon Boy
Nathan Salstone
Moon Boy
Nathan Salstone
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Off-Broadway: Titanic, New York City Center Encores. Regional: What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, The Old Globe; Knoxville, Asolo Repertory Theatre; 3 Summers of Lincoln, La Jolla Playhouse. TV: “FBI: Most Wanted.” Education/Training: B.F.A., Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Ms. Petosa, Mrs. Albans
Pearl Sun
Ms. Petosa, Mrs. Albans
Pearl Sun
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Come From Away, If/Then, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Off-Broadway: Regretfully, So the Birds Are, Playwrights Horizons; Plays for the Plague Year, The Public Theater; Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along, Encores!; Happiness, Lincoln Center Theater; The Seven, New York Theatre Workshop. Regional: Sunset Boulevard, ACT of CT; The Price, Arena Stage; Bernstein’s Mass, Philadelphia Orchestra; Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, La Jolla Playhouse; Next to Normal, First National Tour. TV: “Law & Order: SVU,” “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” “New Amsterdam,” “The Blacklist,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Gotham,” “The Good Wife.” Education/Training: B.F.A., NYU.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Amos
Nicholas Trupia
Amos
Nicholas Trupia
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Matilda the Musical (Bruce); Newsies (Elmer), MPAC. Workshops: Wonder. Education/Training: Mayo Performing Arts Center.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Auggie (at certain performances)
Max Voehl
Auggie (at certain performances)
Max Voehl
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Beauty & the Beast, Jr. (LeFou), Annie KIDS (Rooster), Peter Pan, Jr. (Michael), Frozen KIDS (Weselton), Moana, Jr. (Villager), 101 Dalmatians KIDS (Horace), Winnie the Pooh KIDS (Narrator), Backstage Performing Arts Utah. Julius Caesar (Brutus), The Jungle Book Kids (King Louie), Legacy Preparatory Academy. Workshops: Wonder. Training: Aspire Company, Backstage Performing Arts Utah.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Understudy for Charlotte, Summer
Sky Vaux Fuller
Understudy for Charlotte, Summer
Sky Vaux Fuller
A.R.T.: Debut. Theater: Matilda, Wheelock Family Theater; Once (Ivanka), Boston University. Film/TV: Spirited; “Up Here,” Disney. Training: Katie Pohlman (Acting), Eva Kendrick (Vocal Coach).
Actors’ Equity Association member
Understudy for Ms. Petosa, Mrs. Albans
Brit Garner
Understudy for Ms. Petosa, Mrs. Albans
Brit Garner
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Fun Home (Alison), Newton Theatre Company; The Antelope Party (Rachel), Apollinaire Theatre Company; T: An MBTA Musical (Michelle), Infinite Rotary Productions; Eleemosynary (Artie), Curtain Call Theatre; tick, tick…BOOM! (Susan), Cadmium Company; The Rocky Horror Show (Janet), Montana Actors’ Theatre; The Spitfire Grill (Percy), Missoula Community Theatre. Workshops: The Book of Us. YouTube: SciShow Psych, Nature League, Animal Wonders Montana. Education: PhD, Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Montana.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Ensemble Understudy
Gabrielle Greene
Ensemble Understudy
Gabrielle Greene
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: School of Rock the Musical (Tomika). Concerts: Harvard College Annual Black Convocation (Guest Soloist). Creative Projects: The Hasty Pudding Theatricals (Claire-Ickle-Error), The Human Comedy 29HR (Bess), Philly Sound Exchange Collaboration (Composer). Awards: Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts Grant Winner. Poetry: My Metamorphosis: In, Through, and Forward. Other: The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones (Music Director). Education/Training: History, Harvard University; Contemporary Vocal Performance, Berklee College of Music.
Understudy for Amos, Jack, Julian
Quinn Murphy
Understudy for Amos, Jack, Julian
Quinn Murphy
A.R.T. Debut. Regional: Leopoldstadt (Norton Award Winner), The Huntington; A Christmas Carol, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company; Macbeth, Boston Lyric Opera; A Christmas Carol, Full Monty, North Shore Music Theatre; Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert, Boston Symphony Pops. Other: New England School of Performing Arts, North Shore Music Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company, Stage 284, Five Star Theatre Company, Parker Middle School. Training: Noel Smith Voice Studio.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Understudy for Mr. Browne, Mr. Tushman
Rob Tucker
Understudy for Mr. Browne, Mr. Tushman
Rob Tucker
A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Sweeney Todd, All’s Well That Ends Well, King Lear, Utah Shakespeare; …Deaths of Queens (EgoPo); Twelfth Night, Shakespeare in Clark Park; Big Red Sun; Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour; Peter and the Starcatcher, Actors Theatre of Louisville; The Light Princess, Sweeney Todd, Arden Theatre; This Is The Week That Is, 1812 Productions; I Left My Heart…, Milwaukee Repertory; Margaret Garner, Philadelphia Opera. London: Drag Divas, West End; The Winter’s Tale; Othello; Racine’s Britannicus.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Understudies
Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement for the appearance is made at the time of the performance.
Musicians
Additional Staff
Access Staff
A.R.T. Staff
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director: Diane Paulus
SENIOR STAFF
Director of Facilities and Capital Projects: Peter Atkinson
Public Relations Director: Rebecca Curtiss
General Manager: Connor Davis
Managing Director: Anna Fitzloff
Director of Finance: Julia Goldmacher
Senior Theater and Facilities Manager: Tracy Keene
Chief Development Officer: Eileen Kennedy
Director of Production: Krystin Matsumoto
Director of Artistic Programs & Dramaturg: Ryan McKittrick
Associate Artistic Director: Dayron J. Miles
Producer: Evan O’Brient
Chief Marketing Officer: Jennifer Weissman
STAFF
Artistic & EngagementArtistic Coordinator & Special Assistant to the Artistic Director: Karina Cowperthwaite ProducingAssociate Producer: Emma Watt Marketing & CommunicationsAssociate Director, Creative Services: Joel Zayac DevelopmentAssociate Director, Institutional Giving: Anna Cline FacilitiesAssistant Project Manager: Alex Giorgetti FinanceController: Toufiq Aitelfqih Patron ServicesHead of Patron Services: Emma Putnam |
ProductionProduction Manager: Skip Curtiss PaintCharge Scenic Artist: Gerard Vogt Stage OperationsStage Operations Manager: Kevin Belcher CostumesCostume Manager: Muriel Mangual-Bennett WardrobeWardrobe Manager: Alycia Marucci SoundSound Manager: Camilo Atehortua LightingLighting and Projections Supervisor: Matthew Adelman PropertiesProperties Manager: Erin Kehr Production OverhireScenic Carpenters: Spencer Cohen, Michael Costa, Thomas Eckenfels, Michael Greene, Ivan Korn, John Larson, Aiden Marshall, Wesley Scanlon, Eric Schapero, Mac Weaver, Nathan Williams |
Special Thanks
Julie & Ben McNally, Jeanne & Jesse Voehl, Dawn Marie & Dwight Bazemore, Aki Leslie & Reid Kuioka, Sarah & Josh Levine, Stephanie & Brett Matthews, Domenica & Michael Trupia
Rachel Zucker, Adrianna Guerrero
Gregg Mozgala, Jono Lancaster, Jay Zimmerman, Bess Wohl, Chris Cubeta, Meredith Okamoto
Bespoke Theatricals
A.R.T. Summer ’25 Artistic Interns: Gabrielle Greene, Carolyn Hao, Emilija Morkevicius, Nike Okafor, AJ Yi
Mignone Center for Career Success at Harvard.
Rehearsal props provided by BB Props
Rehearsed at New 42nd Street Studios
NYC Rehearsal Support provided by Donut Fabrication, Odeum Labor, and Mike Weir
Scenery provided by Hudson Scenic Studio, Tom Carroll Scenery, Cobalt Studios, Mystic Custom Fabrication, and Ne Neon Company, Inc.
Automated Scenery support provided by Stage Machines LLC and Creative Conners
Actor flying effects provided and overseen by Vertigo
Special thanks to Rose Brand
Additional lighting equipment provided by Christie Lites
Additional sound equipment provided by PRG
Children’s Teacher(s) provided by On Location Education.
The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
The director, choreographer, and fight director of this production are members of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.
United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre.
The musicians employed in this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians.
A1/Front of House Mixer is represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
Musical Numbers
Act I
3-2-1 Blast Off!
Ordinary
Precepts
You Are Beautiful
Best Friends
Around the Sun
If It Makes You Feel Better
It’s Halloween!
Black Hole
Act II
You Didn’t Hear That from Me
Choose Kind
Shoes
Our Town
This Is War
Change the Way We See
Moment to Shine
Moon Boy
Stare
One in a Million
