Meet the Cast of Fiorello

The Upper School Musical will be performed on three nights, March 12-14, beginning at 7 p.m., in RSPA Panther Hall. The performance is open to the public. The story follows the life of Fiorello H. La Guardia during World War I and 10 years later. As mayor of New York City, La Guardia reforms city politics by helping end Tammany Hall’s vaunted political machine. Below is the cast list:

Fiorello LaGuardia - George Timmins
Marie Fischer - Madeline Shanley
Thea LaGuardia - Lucy McGinty
Ben Marino - Erik Bovino
Floyd Macduff/Third Player/Hack- Karl Brand
Morris Cohen - Carmine Mastrokostas
Mitzi Travers - Sophia Jackman
Dora - Peri Rohl
Neil - Ben Iglesia
Nina - Tessa Payer
Sophie - Evan Shultz
Florence - Sydney Harley
Mrs. Pomerantz - Alex Shay
Secretary/Derby - Rose Faccone-Stockwell
Factory Girl/First Cutie Dancer - Chrissi Michael
Factory Girl/ Second Cutie Dancer/2nd (wo)man - Tyler Oden
Factory Girl/ Third Cutie Dancer - Katherine Bibilour
Factory Girl/ Fourth Cutie Dancer - Maddy Denton
Factory Girl/1st (wo)man - Samantha Schaaff
Factory Girl- Nikki Short
Factory Girl/Politician - Christine Yost
First Heckler/First Player/
Hack/Announcer/Mr. Lopez/Commissioner/Tough Man -Taylor Zenner
Second Heckler/Mr. Zappatella/Fifth Player/Hack - Jack Fink
Third Heckler/Second Player(Ed Peterson)/Hack/Ed Peterson/Reporter - Jack Wingertzahn
Sixth Player /Hack/Frankie Scarpini/Frantic - Aidan Flynn
Fourth Player/Hack/Fourth Heckler/Seedy Man/Judge Carter/Fedora - Jared Rush

Below is the synopsis:

Act I

Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia is reading the comics over the radio because there is a newspaper strike. As he reads, the time changes to 1915; he is in the law office where clients are eagerly waiting to speak to LaGuardia. His law clerks assure the crowd that he will help one and all, regardless of their ability to pay. Fiorello's secretary Marie and her friend Dora discuss a crisis. Thea Almerigatti, the leader of the women shirtwaist strikers, has been arrested. LaGuardia promises to help the strikers. As the district leader Ben and his political buddies play poker, Marie introduces LaGuardia as a potential Congressional candidate. They want to beat the corrupt machine of Tammany Hall.

While helping the women strikers, Fiorello asks Marie to dinner, but Thea, newly released from prison arrives. She asks Fiorello to dinner to plan strategy and he breaks his date with Marie. Marie feels foolish for caring while he cares so little.
Next year, Fiorello is campaigning for Congress and Thea introduces him. Fiorello promises to break the stranglehold of Tammany Hall. LaGuardia wins the election. In another year, LaGuardia enlists in the Air Force and proposes to Thea. He and Marie say their farewells as he is about to leave for the war. LaGuardia's participation in the war is presented as a series of montages. With the war over, Fiorello returns home, with both Marie and Thea waiting for him. He goes to Thea who has agreed to marriage. Morris, the office manager, comforts Marie.

Act II

In 1929, LaGuardia runs for Mayor of New York, after he and Thea are married. Thea, home from a visit to the doctor, exclaims her love. At Dora and her husband Floyd's (who has retired from the police force) home, the corrupt backers of Fiorello's competitor for mayor, Jimmy Walker, meet. As one of the gang wants to have Fiorello killed at his public speech, Dora rushes to secretly warn Marie.

However, Fiorello's campaign is in turmoil, with Ben being fired and his worry over Thea's deteriorating health. At LaGuardia's speech, the gang's plan to kill him is foiled. But Thea dies, and Marie, Morris and Neil have to tell Fiorello. The race for mayor is won by Jimmy Walker. Fiorello is inspired by tragedy to continue his campaign.

In 1933, Ben and his political friends are again playing poker. Marie arrives and announces that she is quitting her job and will marry "The Very Next Man" who asks her. She convinces Ben to return to Fiorello to help him win the upcoming mayoral election. She then helps Fiorello to overcome his fears of losing and run again. He runs with Ben's help, and also asks Marie to marry him. She accepts and Fiorello finally becomes the mayor.
(Book by Jerome Weidman and George Abbott; mMusic by Jerry Bock; Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick;Original Production Presented by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince; Fiorello is presented under the licensure of Music Theater International )