MO WILLEMS (Playwright and Lyricist). #1 New York Times Bestseller Mo Willems began his career as a writer and animator for PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered 6 Emmy Awards for his writing. During his nine seasons at Sesame Street, Mo also served as a weekly commentator for BBC Radio and created two animated series, Nickelodeon’s The Off-Beats and Cartoon Network’s Sheep in the Big City. While serving as head writer for Cartoon Network’s #1 rated show, Codename: Kids Next Door, Mo began writing and drawing books for children. His debut effort, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! became a New York Times Bestseller and was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2004. The following year Knuffle Bunny: a Cautionary Tale was awarded a Caldecott Honor. The sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too: a Case of Mistaken Identity garnered Mo his third Caldecott Honor in 2008. In addition to picture books, Mo created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of “Easy Readers”, which were awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009 and a Geisel Honor in 2011. For older audiences he has published an illustrated memoir of his year-long trip around the world in 1990-91 entitled You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons. Mo’s drawings, wire sculptures, and ceramics (done in collaboration with his father) have exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the nation and his graphic story about his family experiences during 9-11 for DC comics resides in the Library of Congress’ permanent collection. Mo has been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered where he occasionally serves as the broadcast’s ‘Radio Cartoonist’. While no longer working in television, Mo voices and produces animated cartoons based on his books with Weston Woods studios. The animated Knuffle Bunny was awarded Best Film during the New York International Children’s Film Festival in 2008 and received the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2007. The animated Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! garnered Mo his second Carnegie Medal in 2010. Mo wrote the script and lyrics for Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, commissioned by the Kennedy Center for its 2010 season. Mo lives in Massachusetts with his family. 

DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA (Music). A composer, music director, and orchestrator, Deborah Wicks La Puma is one of the most produced Theatre for Young Audiences artists working today. Some of her most popular musicals include Ella Enchanted (based on the book by Gail Carson Levine), Oliverio: A Brazilian Twist, Einstein Is A Dummy with playwright Karen Zacarías, and the Off-Broadway hit She Persisted (based on the book by Chelsea Clinton) with playwright Adam Tobin at Atlantic Theater Company. Deborah has created three musicals with bestselling children’s author Mo Willems: Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”; Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience; and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical. On the small screen, she has worked with Willems on the adaptation of Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience (released 2022 on HBO Max), and the upcoming animated series Unlimited Squirrels. As a music director and orchestrator, she has worked with major regional theatre companies across the country, including the Guthrie, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She received her MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. Her honors include the Harold Oaks Award for Sustained Excellence in TYA, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Musical, the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, an NEA New American Works Grant, two Parents’ Choice Awards, and a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical Adaptation. A proud Mexican-American and “Navy brat” who grew up in Brazil, Portugal, and California, La Puma is a member of TYA/USA, ASCAP, and The Dramatists Guild. Mother to three daughters and Mimi the Cat, La Puma lives in Southern California with her PR agent and loving husband, Chris. 

MK Lawson (Director and Choreographer) has been teaching, developing and directing theatre professionally for the past 15 years. She is proud to be back working on this, her eighth, production with Atlantic for Kids. Past projects with Atlantic include the World Premiere of the Big One Oh! and the award-winning She Persisted. She has directed and/or choreographed productions for Ocean State Theatre Company, Florida Rep, Sharon Playhouse, and WPPAC among others. She has also developed pieces for the NY International Fringe Festival and the NY Children’s Theatre Festival. As an Associate Director, she has worked on numerous productions at various stages of development. MK is an interdisciplinary performing artist at heart, with a passion for teaching and inspiring young people to connect with themselves and each other through theatre. She is currently the head of Musical Theatre at The Hotchkiss School in Northwest Connecticut.

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).

JUAN CASTRO (Gerald) is thrilled to make his Atlantic Theater Company debut! He is a NYC-based actor originally from LA. In 2018, he was Vocal Director of the pilot production of Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” JR. with Bay Area Children’s Theatre so getting to play Gerald is a full circle moment! Favorite roles include Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Cabrillo Stage), Willy in Flora the Red Menace (Forager Theatre Company), William Barfée in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Artistree VT), and Bobby Strong in Urinetown (The Secret Theatre). @juancastrophe | juancastroofficial.com

NATHAN DIAZ (Dog/Penguin) is so pumped to be making his debut at Atlantic! He recently graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah University. Favorite credits include Paul in A Chorus Line, Otto in Spring Awakening (Shenandoah Conservatory) and Indio in West Side Story (Mac-Haydn Theatre). He would like to thank his family and friends, the incredible faculty at Shenandoah, the entire Bloc team, and God who has guided every step of the way!

FRENKI HYKOLLARI (Piggie). Atlantic Theater Company debut! Frenki is a NYC-based performer originally from Tirana, Albania, and an alumna of Arizona State University. Most recently, Frenki spent some time at sea while performing as a lead vocalist on the Carnival Jubilee. She aims to use her art to bring audiences new perspectives and truthful representation, both on the stage and in front of the camera. Theatre credits include Shrek The Musical (Donkey), Mamma Mia (Sophie Sheridan), Nunsense (Sister Robert Anne), Bright Star (Alice Murphy), Fly By Night (Daphne). Endless gratitude to her family, and her partner JT. frenkihykollari.com

CHRISTIAN ADRIANA JOHANNSEN (Squirrelle) (she/her/hers) is absolutely thrilled to be returning to Atlantic Theater Company after making her debut in The New York Times Critics Pick El Otro Oz last season. Regional & other credits include RENT (Greasepaint Theatre), Elf, The Prom, and Onward & Upward (The Phoenix Theatre Company). Much love to her friends and family back in California and her BLOC Fam <3 @christian.johannsen

CINDY TSAI (Squirrelle) (she/her) is a Taiwanese and Chinese-American performer, producer, and arts advocate from the San Gabriel Valley, delighted to be making her debut at Atlantic Theater Company. Select performing work includes Fish Meat at The Connelly Theater (Ro), The Chinese Lady at Southern Plains Productions (Afong Moy), You Should Be So Lucky at WP Theater (Jenny), Jeannette workshop at Signature Theatre in NYC. Select producing work includes Safe presented by BAM and NYCLU, Performing Filipina, The Deciders at NYCLU. BFA Musical Theatre, Minor in Critical Race and Ethnicities. Communications Associate at Producer Hub. Theater Producers of Color 2023 Cohort. New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) Artist Ambassador. IG: @cindyctsai | cindy-tsai.com

​​GABRIELLA SCOTT (Squirrelle) is thrilled to be making her Atlantic Theater Company debut! She discovered her love for the arts at age four, and has been pursuing her passions ever since. Recent credits include Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Tuacahn Amphitheatre), Angel in Six Minutes (GZM Shows), New Voices Concerts: 2021, 2022 (Paper Mill Playhouse), and Norah in Ismail Bronson’s The Cobbler’s Wife. Gabriella would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her dreams and, most importantly, gives all glory to God!