Cleveland Play House Announces the World Premiere of the Musical Freak The Mighty

Cleveland Play House (CPH), in a co-production with Seattle Rep, will launch the world premiere of Freak The Mighty, a new musical based on the 1993 young adult novel by Rodman Philbrick. The musical by Anthony Drewe (book and lyrics) and Ryan Fielding Garrett (music) runs May 22-June 21 in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square.

Freak The Mighty, directed by Michael Barakiva, follows the adventures of unlikely friends Maxwell Kane and Kevin “Freak” Avery, two outsiders who transform into “Freak The Mighty,” a heroic duo empowered to take on the world.

The cast includes Netza Jimenez (Maxwell Kane), Cornelius Kittrell (Kevin Avery/Freak), Spencer LaRue (Blade, Ensemble), Wade McCollum (Kenny “Killer” Kane), Caleb Miofsky (Bones, Ensemble, u/s Maxwell Kane), Ryah Nixon (Loretta Lee, Ensemble), Analise Rios (Molly, Nurse, Ensemble), Bart Shatto (Mr. Donelli, Ensemble, u/s Grim), Kanoa Sims (Gwen Avery), Nicole Sumlin (Dr. Spivak, Mrs. Johnson, Ensemble, u/s Gwen), Astrid Van Wieren (Gram), Harter Clingman (Iggy, Ensemble), Christopher Gurr (Grim), Anita Hollander (Mrs. Price, Ensemble, u/s Gram), Mikaela Ray (Swing), Nicolas Vivar (u/s Kevin Avery/Freak), Alec Michael Ryan (u/s Kenny, Iggy, Mr. Donelli), and Kooper Campbell (u/s Blade, Bones).

The creative team includes choreographer Patrick McCollum, scenic designer Wilson Chin, costume designer Suzanne Chesney, lighting designer Miriam Nilofa Crowe, sound designer Ken Travis, wig designer Ora Jewell-Busche, music director Patrick Sulken, fight choreographer Christian Kelly-Sordelet, orchestrator Scott Wasserman, and voice and dialect coach Hayley Jannielli.