SOMa Residents Join The Cast of THE VIEW UPSTAIRS

Maplewood, NJ- Progressive Theater presents The View UpStairs, written by Max Vernon, which takes a fictional approach on illustrating the vibrant UpStairs Lounge community. Most importantly, this musical highlights a piece of unknown history, honoring this event and the community who were affected by this tragic incident. When Wes, a young fashion designer from 2017, buys an abandoned building in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he finds himself transported to the UpStairs Lounge. As this forgotten community comes to life, Wes embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-exploration that spans two generations of queer history. This smash Off Broadway hit features a gritty, glam rock score and a tight-knit ensemble of unforgettable characters.The View UpStairs asks what has been gained and lost in the fight for equality, and how the past can help guide all of us through an uncertain future.

The cast of The View UpStairs is filled with incredible talent, two of which come from the South Orange/Maplewood area of Essex County: Autumn Jones and Tommy Nichols.
Autumn Jones is a singer-songwriter from Maplewood, NJ, and a recent graduate from Berklee College of Music. The soulful R&B she creates is an expression of her life experiences as told through her stories and in each of her songs, which are available on all major platforms. Autumn has toured across the county & abroad in venues most notably; City Winery, Hard Rock Cafe Silvana in Harlem, Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan, Radio City in Valencia and the annual Maplewoodstock festival. She also opened for Vivian Green and Jon B. at the acclaimed SOPAC in South Orange, NJ. Her recent release, "Bittersweet" was selected as a finalist in the Tracks Music Awards for Best Music Video. She's excited to challenge herself in returning to theater her first ever major role in a musical.

Jones plays Henri, the bar owner, who she describes to be “a no non-sense gal who will sooner kick you than kiss you.” While Henri may have a hardened exterior, explains Jones, she has “a special relationship and bond with the community she’s housed in her bar.” Jones explains how her relationship with her character sparked her interest in joining the show. “What made me want to audition for Henri was how connected I felt by the description of her personality and allyship,” she explained. Along with this, she was moved by the synopsis of the play and wanted to learn more about the history of which the play is based on.

Tommy Nichols has appeared on stage in NYC and around the country, in GODSPELL, CABARET, THE PRODUCERS, PECOS BILL, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, and THE PIED PIPER, among many others. He often performs cabaret shows at Don’t Tell Mama in NYC, and hopes to return there again sometime soon in post-pandemic times. Tommy wrote shows for ABC's Disney Saturday Morning, including DOUG, PB&J OTTER, and STANLEY. His play, INCIDENT ON WEST 43RD STREET, was showcased in 2019 at Equity Library Theater. Tommy spent his early years in theater following in the footsteps of Matthew Broderick, always called in to audition when Matthew was moving on to his next great project. This experience features prominently in the new musical Tommy is writing about his own life, titled (what else?) THE TOMMY SHOW. He lives in South Orange, NJ, and considers his 3 adult children, Kate, Max and Harry, his greatest accomplishment in life.

Tommy Nichols portrays Richard, who is the pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church in New Orleans. Nichols expresses his relationship to the character because of his passion for helping the community. He says, “It's a great role for me, having been a pastor myself during my ‘trying to be straight for Jesus’ phase of life! Being straight didn't end up working out for me, but I relate to Richard's desire to help all the community in the Upstairs Lounge to work their way through their problems and live up to their best selves.” Nichols was an ordained minister for the past 17 years of his life, and he has recalled what he has learned throughout his experiences, which helped him connect more with Richard. “I have found myself drawing on some of my own experiences in trying to help people experience God in a powerful, positive way,” Nichols explains. “Richard is so sincere in his desire to help gay men and women accept and celebrate who God made them to be. I was part of a stream of Christianity that believed being gay was NOT okay with God, and I tried to be "healed" from my homosexuality. I got married to a woman and had three children, got ordained as a minister, and eventually served as a pastor in our church. Yet all the while, I now realize I was suppressing and pushing down who I really am. I began to drink to squelch the pain and misery of trying to be someone I truly was not, and became a full-fledged alcoholic. I'm sober now over 6 years, am finally at peace with who I am as a gay man, and it is a joy to play a minister who is very secure and happy in his own sexuality. Richard not only wants to help people be proud and free in their sexuality, but also to learn to walk in love with all people, as he attempts to do. Richard is a joy for me to play, as he is to my mind an even better version of the minister that I once was, because Richard is secure in himself and in his relationship with God.” Like Jones, Nichols was truly connected with his character and, then, fell in love with the entire show. As he explains, “Gregory Omar Osborne, the very impressive founder of the Progressive Theater Company, actually reached out to me in response to videos I've posted on social media over the last couple of years (especially during the pandemic!) singing songs both as myself, and as a character I created, Polly Pandemic! (She has since vanished into the night, once vaccinated).... Gregory felt this role would be perfect for me, and as I have now immersed myself in the role, and the character, I believe he is right! Plus, as I've gotten to know the show and the score, I am truly IN LOVE with this show!”

As rehearsals begin, each actor has a specific focus when preparing for their role. For Nichols, it is honing in on developing his character, Richard, whether it is how he thinks, how he talks, or how he looks. “I've...been giving a lot of thought to how Richard thinks, how he talks (how much of a southern accent does he have, for example? - the real man on which this character is based was born in Kentucky and raised in Ohio, before serving in the military and ending up as a minister in New Orleans)...I'm also still working out what he's going to look like, and how he interacts with everyone else in the bar...it's funny, really. It's like Richard is taking over ME!” He has, also, been taking time working on his vocal parts on his piano. On the other hand, Jones was attentive on knowing her lines. As she described, “I have to thank my very best friend Jelia Hayes for helping me learn and relearn….and relearn again all of my lines. Like I said, my experience of theater has mostly been ensemble and choir work. Learning and memorizing my lines; that was a new challenge.” They have been putting in the work, diving into their characters, even before rehearsals started.

The idea of getting the opportunity to perform in their hometown brings a sense of excitement for both actors. Jones explains how fulfilling it is to show her community how much she has progressed throughout her career. “It’s crazy to think that the last musical I was ever a part of was at Columbia High School. At the time I was not the performer I am today and would often find myself hiding in the ensembles where I was safe. Now to play one of the major roles, I feel that high school me would be very proud of overcoming the fear I once had of stepping into the spotlight.” As for Nichols, he is thrilled to perform for his community in the Maplewood/South Orange area. Though originally from West Virginia, he came to NYC at a young age to pursue his career in theater, but “life had other plans,” as he described, bringing great success writing for children’s television and performing in cabarets in the city. The Maplewood area is where he moved in 2000 with his late ex-wife and raised their three children, Kate, Max, and Henry. “As anyone who lives here knows,” explains Nichols, “it is a wonderful place to grow up, with great education, wonderful cultural diversity, and has the feel of a typical small town but with enlightened progressive liberal values - which I love!” With that, he hopes his friends and neighbors come to see The View UpStairs.

Not only do they want their community to enjoy the show, but they hope to leave an overall impact on the audience. Nichols wants people to be entertained and enlightened when they see The View UpStairs. “I can't imagine anyone not wanting to get up and dance during some of the songs and be part of the fun! But it also powerfully illustrates how far we've come in our society's acceptance of fellow humans who are gay, or transgender, or simply different than they are. The price paid by these gay folk you meet from 1973 will pack a wallop on the minds and hearts of those in 2021 who may not even realize how far we've come, and how awful it could be for many gay men and women in the past...I hope people leave with their minds enlightened and their hearts expanded to love and embrace everyone!” Jones hopes that after seeing the play, people will self-reflect and think about the impact they can make in society. As she explained, “What I’d love for people to take away from The View Upstairs is a re-evaluation of their own roles within our current society, especially in regards to social and civil justice. Every character is a reflection of the people all around us, which one are you? Which role would you like to play? Often times we find ourselves feeling insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but that’s what’s brilliant about the arts. It reminds you that there are many stories and lives to be written. So don’t give up on writing yours. Become the character you’d like to create. Be the change you wish to see.”

The View UpStairs will be presented at The Woodland on June 25th and 26th at 7:30 P.M. Registration details and more information can be found on On The Stage .