Tony Award nominee Kerry Butler will rock Broadway as the newest leading lady in Rock of Ages. The actress will play small-town girl Sherrie beginning September 21 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Butler has signed on for a six-month engagement, performing six shows a week; understudy Erika Hunter and an as-yet unannounced second understudy will play the role for both performances on Sundays. Butler replaces current Rock star Savannah Wise, who departs the production for the upcoming revival of Ragtime.
Butler most recently starred on Broadway as Kira in Xanadu, landing her first Tony Award nod in the process. The actress has made her mark on Broadway playing such characters as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, the original Penny in Hairspray, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Eponine in Les Misérables and Ms. Jones in Blood Brothers. Off Broadway credits include Bat Boy: The Musical, Prodigal, Miracle Brothers and The Opposite of Sex. Regionally, she recently originated the role of Brenda in the world premiere of new musical Catch Me if You Can at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theater. TV appearance include Lipstick Jungle, Cupid, Second Honeymoon, Another World, Sesame Street, Hometown and One Life to Live.
Butler joins a cast featuring Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis, James Carpinello, Adam Dannheisser, Mitchell Jarvis, Michele Mais, Lauren Molina, Don Stephenson, Wesley Taylor, Ericka Hunter, Jeremy Jordan, Michael Minarik, Angel Reed, Bahiyah Sayyed-Gaines, Becca Tobin, Katherine Tokarz, Andre Ward, Tad Wilson and Jeremy Woodard.
In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small-town girl met a big-city dreamer in L.A.’s most legendary rock club, and they fell in love to the greatest songs of the ‘80’s. Rock of Ages is a hilarious, feel-good love story told through the hit songs of iconic rockers Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake, and many more. The Tony Award nominated show is written by Chris D’Arienzo, directed by Kristin Hanggi and choreographed by Kelly Devine.