Signature Theatre Announces Cast for Regional Premiere of Adam Gwon's All the World's a Stage
Signature Theatre announced the cast and creative team for the regional premiere of new musical All the World's a Stage, a moving story about embracing who you are and the life-saving power of art. Written by Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days, Cake Off), the production will be directed by Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Signature's Merrily We Roll Along, Pippin), with music direction by Marika Countouris (Signature's Safety Not Guaranteed, Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Performances run October 20 - December 20, 2026 in Signature's ARK Theatre.
The cast of All the World's a Stage includes Erin Driscoll (Signature's Ragtime, Titanic) as Dede, Callum Francis (Broadway's Kinky Boots, Off-Broadway's Titanique) as Michael, Kyle Sherman (National Tour of Shucked, Off-Broadway's Ordinary Days) as Ricky, and Deema Turkomani (Signature's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Monumental's American Psycho) as Sam. Sydne Lyons (Signature's Safety Not Guaranteed) and Christian Montgomery (Signature's Hedwig and the Angry Inch) are understudies.
"Adam Gwon's All the World's a Stage is a beautiful new musical about embracing who you are and the power of teachers who encourage their students to be their authentic selves," said Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. "Signature has had a long artistic partnership with Adam since our world premiere production of his musical The Boy Detective Fails in 2011. I was captivated by this warm, touching story when Adam first sent me the script, and I'm thrilled to bring it to our stage. For many young queer people, having a teacher who creates a space where you feel seen and encouraged to be yourself can have an enormous impact on the person you become. All the World's a Stage celebrates those teachers and the courage it can take to create that space for a student who needs it. Every young person deserves a teacher like Ricky Alleman, and I am excited for DC-area audiences to discover his story this fall at Signature."
All the World's a Stage is moving new musical about embracing who you are and the life-saving power of art by one of contemporary musical theater's most exciting voices, Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days, Cake Off). In 1996, a closeted high school math teacher agrees to mentor a student for a theater competition. Both outsiders in their small-town community, their exploration of Angels in America unsettles the town's delicate balance, and the vise of intolerance begins to tighten, twisting their lives in unexpected ways. This deeply human tale, with an expressive score, is a rallying cry for authenticity and a touching tribute to all the teachers whose selfless courage uplifts and changes us all.
"I'm beyond thrilled that All the World's a Stage is making its regional premiere at Signature," said writer Adam Gwon. "It's a show about community, and how we find each other - and how the art we love is a compass that leads us to our people. Telling that story at Signature makes it feel true twice over, because the Signature community has been an artistic home for me since the beginning of my career. I can't wait to return to the ARK stage with Matthew and this incredible team."
The creative team for All the World's a Stage includes Scenic Design by Paige Hathaway (Signature's Strategic Love Play, HAIR), Costume Design by Shahrzad Mazaheri (Signature's Safety Not Guaranteed, In Clay), Lighting Design by Max Doolittle (Ford's Theatre's The American Five, Signature's No Place to Go), and Sound Design by Eric Norris (Signature's Merrily We Roll Along, Pippin). Casting is by Charlotte Sandor. New York Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting. Taylor Kiechlin is the Production Stage Manager, Fior Tat is the Assistant Stage Manager, Sasha Sklar is the Assistant Costume Designer, Rylie Vann is the Assistant Lighting Designer, and Levi Manners is the Assistant Sound Designer.
All the World's a Stage runs October 20 - December 20, 2026, in the ARK Theatre at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA. Tickets range from $47-$107.