Casting Announcements for NYCC Encores 2026

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:24pm

Just announced!

Jasmine Amy Rogers (Queenie) and Adrienne Warren (Kate) in THE WILD PARTY.

Katrina Lenk (Elvira) and Andrea Martin (Mme. Arcati) in HIGH SPIRITS (with Soo & Pasquale)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4ETfiDd7F/?igsh=OTk4NTJrazMwM2pq

[Kad]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:33pm

Those are all really great casting choices!

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:34pm

Andrea Martin as Arcati is inspired casting.

Jasmine Amy Rogers seems a bit young for Queenie, no? Toni Colette was 28/29 when she played it (Jasmine is 26), but read at least a few years older than that, where Jasmine reads younger. For comparison, Tonya Pinkins was 10 years older than Toni, and Adrienne Warren is 12 years older than Jasmine, but it still feels off to me. I don’t know, maybe I’m doing too much age math, but a 26-year-old who reads even younger than that doesn’t scream “Queenie” to me.

Updated On: 10/16/25 at 12:34 PM

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:40pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "Andrea Martin as Arcati is inspired casting.

Jasmine Amy Rogers seems a bit young for Queenie, no? Toni Colette was 28/29 when she played it (Jasmine is 26), but read at least a few years older than that, where Jasmine reads younger. For comparison, Tonya Pinkins was 10 years older than Toni, and Adrienne Warren is 12 years older than Jasmine, but it still feels off to me. I don’t know, maybe I’m doing too much age math, but a 26-year-old who reads even younger than that doesn’t scream “Queenie” to me."

It might also feel off because Jasmine has mostly played youth-centric roles (I.e. Gretchen, Olive, Betty to an extent). She’ll obviously be fantastic, but I can see what you mean for sure. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:57pm

Oh this is some amazing casting. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:58pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "Andrea Martin as Arcati is inspired casting.

Jasmine Amy Rogers seems a bit young for Queenie, no? Toni Colette was 28/29 when she played it (Jasmine is 26), but read at least a few years older than that, where Jasmine reads younger. For comparison, Tonya Pinkins was 10 years older than Toni, and Adrienne Warren is 12 years older than Jasmine, but it still feels off to me. I don’t know, maybe I’m doing too much age math, but a 26-year-old who reads even younger than that doesn’t scream “Queenie” to me."

 

It's a staged concert.  It'll be fine.

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 1:05pm

JSquared2 said: "It's a staged concert. It’ll be fine."

Invaluable insight, as always.

[broadway86]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 2:34pm

So excited for Jasmine. I imagine she's excited to work on some darker material, I think she'll be great.

[halfhourcheckwithmerman]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 2:58pm

I think having a Queenie this age could actually be quite moving. She's not THAT much older than Nadine. She feels old and washed up, and that happens pretty quickly in a world like this. 

This is one of my favorite scores... I think Jasmine will eat into this wonderfully.

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 3:03pm

I hope they bring in a diva of Eartha Kitt’s stature for Dolores, but I’m hard pressed to think of anyone. 

Who on Broadway is over 65 and yet can bring a raw sexual energy and grandiosity of the jazz era?

My only thought would be Jenifer Lewis

[pmensky]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 3:22pm

Rita Moreno for Dolores. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 3:29pm

quizking101 said: "I hope they bring in a diva of Eartha Kitt’s stature for Dolores, but I’m hard pressed to think of anyone.

Who on Broadway is over 65 and yet can bring a raw sexual energy and grandiosity of the jazz era?

My only thought would be Jenifer Lewis"

 

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Jennifer Holiday  (brought down the house with "I'm Still Here" at a FOLLIES benefit last year)

Kecia Lewis

Lillias White

Phylicia Rashad (not sure she could still sing it?)

Debbie Allen (same question)

Updated On: 10/16/25 at 03:29 PM

[halfhourcheckwithmerman]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 4:25pm

It's a really hard part to cast, especially because of the intensity Eartha Kitt brought to it. There are many of these featured older women parts that every diva can cycle through (Carlotta in FOLLIES, etc.) but there's a quality to Delores that makes most of those divas seem a bit off for it. There are very few people that can match that kind of energy. (I'm not sure if they're going to go for an all-Black cast, and she's also been dead for ten years, but Julie Wilson is the only person I can think of who would fit it to a T). Donna McKechnie played her off-West End in 2017, and as much as I admire her, I can't see that working. I'm very intrigued to see who they'll get! 

Come to think of it, many of the parts in this show are so tailored for specific performers that it'll be very interesting to see how they cast this. Burrs as well, especially. 

I'm very excited for this season, which seems a bit of a return to form for ENCORES!. There's not much of a commercial edge to this show, nor HIGH SPIRITS.