Announcing the Cast and Creative Team of The Underground Rep
Coming to the Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families January 2026
The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the cast of its ambitious Underground Rep Series, where the same cast members will play a different role in each of the three productions running concurrently. The Underground Rep features the return of the Alliance Theatre’s delightful family musicals INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE (Jan 31 – Jun 27, 2026); NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE (Feb 21 – Jun 20, 2026); and the world-premiere, THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER (May 15 – Jul 5, 2025).
“This exciting repertory model lets us fulfill the promise of this new stage by offering families a reason to come back again and again – an open invitation to come whenever inspiration strikes, where every week holds something new to be enchanted by, and where the Alliance is a joyful part of growing up.”
– Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses
The Underground Rep follows a year of construction on the new Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families. Inspired by the massive construction project that uncovered the dirt floor beneath the Memorial Arts Building, the repertory runs from January 2026 through the summer. The Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families will be a transformative space for Atlanta’s youngest patrons, featuring thoughtfully curated, year-round programming by Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
The cast of the UNDERGROUND REP series will feature:
Shelli Delgado, playing:
- Squirrel Nutkin in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Tall Mole Rat in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Blake Fountain, playing:
- Pricklepin in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Grand-Pah Mole Rat/Stark Naked Mole Rat/Naked Mole Rat 4 in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Jontavious Johnson, playing:
- Mr. Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Venti Mole Rat in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Candy McLellan, playing:
- Benjamin Bunny in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Grande Mole Rat in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Jordan Patrick, playing:
- Jeremy Fisher in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Weather Mole Rat/Naked Mole Rat 5 in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Juan Carlos Unzueta, playing:
- Peter Rabbit in INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT™ TALE
- Wilbur J. Mole Rat, Jr. in NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- And an Ant (Character TBD) in THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
Understudies for each production are Karastyn Bibb, Sarah Ann Burke, Hope Clayborne, Evan Ellicott, Arianna Hardaway, and Chris McKnight.
Creative team members for THE UNDERGROUND REP include:
INTO THE BURROW: A PETER RABBIT TALE
- Mark Valdez, Director
- Kerrington Griffin, Spelman Leadership Fellow, Choreographer
- Kat Conley, Set Design
- Garry Lennon, Costume Design
- Rachael N. Page-Blackwell & Ben Rawson, Co-Lighting Designers
- Clay Benning & Hidenori “Hide” Nakajo, Co-Sound Designers
- Brittany Bland, Projection Consultant
- Imani Quinones, Music Director
NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
- Samantha Provenzano, Director
- Kerrington Griffin, Spelman Leadership Fellow, Choreographer
- Kat Conley, Set Design
- Fabian Aguilar, Costume Design
- Rachael N. Page-Blackwell & Ben Rawson, Co-Lighting Designers
- Clay Benning & Hidenori “Hide” Nakajo, Co-Sound Designers
- Brittany Bland, Projection Consultant
- Imani Quinones, Music Director
THE GREAT ANT SLEEPOVER
- Jamil Jude, Director
- Kari Twyman, Choreographer
- Kat Conley, Set Design
- TBA, Costume Design
- Rachael N. Page-Blackwell & Ben Rawson, Co-Lighting Designers
- Clay Benning & Hidenori “Hide” Nakajo, Co-Sound Designers
- Brittany Bland, Projection Consultant
- Holt McCarley, Music Director
Come Curious. Leave Changed.
Join us for transformative theater that speaks to the heart of Atlanta.
Full Creative Team Announced for the World Premiere of Basura
The Inspiring True Story of Finding Music in Unlikely Places
MAY 30 – JULY 5, 2025 ON THE COCA-COLA STAGE
MUSIC & LYRICS BY GLORIA ESTEFAN and EMILY ESTEFAN
BOOK BY KAREN ZACARÍAS
DIRECTED BY MICHAEL GREIF
CHOREOGRAPHY BY PATRICIA DELGADO
MUSIC SUPERVISION, ORCHESTRATIONS and ARRANGEMENTS BY ALEX LACAMOIRE
DRAMATURGY BY KEN CERNIGLIA
FEATURING
SCENIC DESIGN BY DAVID KORINS
COSTUME DESIGN BY DEDE AYITE
LIGHTING DESIGN BY BEN STANTON
SOUND DESIGN BY PETER HYLENSKI
Producers Michael Shulman, Colin Callender, and Daniel Unitas announced today the creative team for the world premiere production of Basura, a new musical with music and lyrics by Gloria Estefan and Emily Estefan, premiering at the Alliance Theatre in Summer 2026. The production will feature scenic design by four-time Tony Award nominee David Korins, costume design by Tony Award winner Dede Ayite, lighting design by five-time Tony Award nominee Ben Stanton, and sound design by Tony Award Winner Peter Hylenski. Victoria Navarro will serve as the Production Stage Manager.
“From the very beginning we set out to surround this uplifting musical with the most passionate and talented creatives in our industry. We are thrilled that these award-winning designers will be working with us to bring this story and the authentic world of BASURA to life on stage. Their collective artistry will perfectly capture the ingenuity and heart that define the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura.”
– Producers Michael Shulman, Colin Callender, and Daniel Unitas
As previously announced, Basura will be directed by the Broadway stage visionary and five-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Dear Evan Hansen), written by National Latino Playwriting Award-winner Karen Zacarías (Native Gardens, Destiny of Desire). Grammy Award® and Tony Award® winner Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, In the Heights) is the musical supervisor, orchestrator, and arranger. Tony Award® winner Patricia Delgado (Buena Vista Social Club) will choreograph, Ken Cerniglia (Hadestown, Newsies) serves as dramaturg, Cynthia Meng (Dead Outlaw) will serve as Music Director, Andy Señor Jr. will serve as Associate Director and Casting is by Kristian Charbonier, CSA for The Telsey Office. Casting Director for Alliance Theatre is Jody Feldman.
Performances of Basura will begin on Friday, May 30, 2026 at the Alliance Theatre’s Coca-Cola Stage (1280 Peachtree Street NE) in Atlanta, GA. Tickets are now on sale for the World-Premiere production, which is set to play through July 12, 2026. A private developmental reading of the musical will be held in New York in December 2025.
Ten-time Grammy Award® winner Gloria Estefan — whose music has sold over 100 million records worldwide — has shaped generations through song. Now, she joins her daughter and acclaimed singer-songwriter, Grammy Award® nominee Emily Estefan, to co-write the music and lyrics for Basura, a powerful and bold new musical inspired by the true story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra, where young artists turn scrap material into instruments and music into possibilities. This world premiere musical continues Estefan’s global legacy — proving that music can rise from anywhere and change everything.
What do you do when the world gives you nothing? You build something beautiful. In a community against all odds, an inspired music teacher starts an orchestra for the students, but they have no instruments. Empty paint cans, a fork, and a bent license plate become a violin, an oil drum transforms into a colorful cello, and the newly formed orchestra hits every note to the beat of something bigger. When the students’ instruments become symbols of possibility, the sound is heard around the world.
Based on the award-winning documentary film “Landfill Harmonic,” the new musical carries the sound of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra farther than anyone could have ever imagined. Basura is an unforgettable journey of rhythm, resilience, and extraordinary music — a radiant, heart-swelling reminder that even in the most unlikely places, you can build something beautiful.
“This is a story that has been close to my heart for several years since I first encountered the determination and ingenuity of the young people of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra. Emily and I are thrilled for our music to be a part of telling their story in this original musical. We could not be more excited for BASURA to begin its theatrical life in a city as influential and diverse as Atlanta with a theater as consequential as the Alliance.”
– Gloria Estefan
Produced in partnership with Michael Shulman (Sand and Snow Entertainment) and Colin Callender & Daniel Unitas (Playground). Wendy Orshan and Jeffrey Wilson of 101 Productions, Ltd will serve as Executive Producers and General Managers.
Basura was developed, in part, with support from The Orchard Project, Ari Edelson, Artistic Director.
For more information, please visit BasuraMusical.com
Performances of BASURA run on The Coca-Cola Stage May 30 through July 5, 2025 – learn more.
Come Curious. Leave Changed.
Join us for transformative theater that speaks to the heart of Atlanta.