Casting Announced for Goodspeed's 'The Great Emu War'

Press release

Cast Announced for Goodspeed’s New Musical The Great Emu War at The Terris Theatre in Chester

EAST HADDAM – Goodspeed Musicals proudly announces the cast for The Great Emu War, a new musical based on a true story of Australian farmers declaring war on emus. The Great Emu War will run from Oct. 3 – Oct. 26 at Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. The Great Emu War concludes the 2025 season at The Terris Theatre, which is dedicated to the development of new musicals.

The Great Emu War features a book by Cal Silberstein and Paul Hodge and music and lyrics by Paul Hodge. Silberstein is a West-Australian writer, performer, producer, and dramaturg whose works have been performed in the United States and beyond. Hodge is an award-winning writer-composer from Brisbane whose work has been produced Off-Broadway, in London, Edinburgh and Australia, including at the Sydney Opera House.

Remember that one time that the Australian government sent their army with machine guns to wage war on emus in Western Australia? Neither do most people…but when Edith, the headstrong warbler, and her flock begin to feed on the wheat of local farmers—the humans take up arms against Australia’s favorite feathered friends. Think of it as Cats, but with emus. It’s the most emusing 90 minutes you’ll have in any theatre…don’t miss it!

Bard will be played by LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne. Edith will be played by Claire Saunders (The Terris: Cyrano, Broadway: Sweeney Todd). Ethan will be played by Ethan Peterson. Meredith will be played by Taylor Matthew (Off-Broadway: InunDATEd, Forbidden Broadway: Comes Out Swinging!). Enoch will be played by Jeremy Davis (The Goodspeed: Babes in Arms, George M!; Broadway: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, South Pacific, 9 to 5). McMurray will be played by Morgan Cowling (The Goodspeed: Oklahoma!; Off-Broadway: Empire, Marry Harry, Once We Lived Here).

The Great Emu War will be directed and choreographed by Amy Anders Corcoran (The Goodspeed: Christmas in Connecticut; Broadway: Escape to Margaritaville, associate director; Off-Broadway: Unexpected Joy). Music direction will be by Angie Benson.

Costume design will be by Herin Kaputkin (The Goodspeed: Christmas in Connecticut). Lighting design will be by Colleen Doherty (Off-Broadway: Machinal, Ghost of John McCain). Sound design will be by Jay Hilton who has designed countless productions at both The Goodspeed and The Terris Theatre and serves as Goodspeed’s Audio Supervisor. Orchestrations will be by Isaac Hayward (Broadway: King Kong, Phantom of the Opera, Bad Cinderella).

Devin Day will be the Production Stage Manager (The Terris: A Complicated Woman). Casting for this production is by Paul Hardt / Hardt Casting.

The Marquee Producing Partners on The Great Emu War are Fiona Egan, Hila & Saul Rosen and Russell Tait & Lee Anderson.

The Terris Theatre is supported by The Norma Terris/Albert D. Firestone Foundation.

The Great Emu War will run Oct 3 – Oct. 26, 2025, at The Terris Theatre located at 33 North Main Street, Chester, Conn. [Official Press Opening: Oct. 22, 2025.] Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets start at $20. Tickets are available through the Goodspeed Box Office (860.873.8668), open weekdays at 10:00 a.m. and weekends at 11:00 a.m., or online at goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more, visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.