Showcase 2026: The Performers
Stephanie Boyd
Stephanie (she/her) is thrilled to perform with New Musicals Chicago Showcase! Chicago credits include: Twihard! @ The Apollo Theatre (Chicago Reader Best of nom. for Best Musical), The Drowsy Chaperone (The Drowsy Chaperone) at Surging F&T (Jeff Nom. — Best Production), Assassins at Theo (Jeff Award — Best Ensemble), Urinetown: The Musical (Hope Cladwell) at Surging F&T (Jeff Nom. — Ensemble), The Ballad of Lefty and Crabbe at Underscore (Jeff Nom. — Ensemble). TV/Film: “88” (Best TV/Web Series -— NY Movie Awards 2023). Regional: National WWII Museum’s Stage Door Canteen. Training: Second City, Vagabond. Centenary College of Louisiana & University of Central Oklahoma alumna. Insta: @stepherieboyd. Much love to her amazing friends, fam & spoiled chi-corgi Chloe!
Megan Cook
Megan (soprano) is a Chicago-based vocalist and performer. Raised by two music educators, she developed an early passion for the arts and went on to perform in numerous community musicals and tour nationally with a world-class drum and bugle corps. Recent appearances include with Vox Venti (section leader/soloist), VOX 3 Collective (company member), Magical Keys (company member), and New Moon Opera. Favorite roles include Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), and the Countessa (Le Nozze di Figaro). Concert highlights include appearances with the Lumina Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Illinois Philharmonic, and a featured recital with Fourth Presbyterian’s Noonday Concert Series. Ms. Cook holds degrees from Viterbo University (B.M. Music Education/Musical Theatre), Roosevelt University (M.M. Vocal Performance), and DePaul University (Artist Diploma).
Mike Idalski
Mike (he/they) is an avid lover of new works and is excited to be back here again with friends old and new!! Previous credits include: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jesus Christ Superstar (TBCP), Carrie 2 (Underscore Theatre), Stabbed in the Heart (Factory Theater). Follow him on (most) social medias - @singingski
Nick Pardo
Nick (@pardonickpardo) is a Colombian-American actor-director from North Bergen, NJ and raised in Charlotte, NC who now calls Chicago, IL home. Some of his Chicago credits include: Chorus 2 u/s in INANIMATE (Theater Wit)* Two-Bit in THE OUTSIDERS (Athenaeum Theatre), Seth in ADVENTURERS! (Underscore Theatre Company), Leor in HERSHEL AND THE HANUKKAH GOBLINS (Strawdog Theatre), and). A couple of his Charlotte credits include Conrad Birdie in BYE BYE BIRDIE (Belmont Abbey Theater) and Oscar in GRAND CONCOURSE (Three Bone Theatre). Additionally, you may have seen him perform as frontman of alt-rock band Frogmouth (@frgmth) at local venues such as Cubby Bear, Montrose Dock, and Cary’s Lounge. Offstage, he currently serves as Artistic Director for Chicago Writer’s Bloc. He thanks you for making the active commitment to support live performance.
Maxwell Peters
Maxwell is excited to work with the team at New Musicals Chicago again! Recent credits include Twihard! @ The Apollo Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakes, Aston Rep(Jeff Award Nominee), and The Impostors (Jeff Award Nominee). Broadway: The King and I, Les Misérables. National Tour: Hadestown, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Regional: The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts (Ovation Award Winner), Casa0101 (Broadway World & NAACP Theatre Award Winner), and The Rockwell. TV/Film: “Smash”, “Grease: Live”. Writing: To All The Boys… Parts 2 & 3 (Netflix), Pen15 (Hulu, Emmy Nominated - Outstanding Writing for Comedy), The Summer I Turned Pretty (People’s Choice Award Winner - Amazon). He is currently the Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Intrinsic Schools. Emerson College Alumnus. British American Drama Academy Midsummer in Oxford Cohort 41. Much love to my family & friends. @MaxwellPeters
Britain Shutters
Britain is thrilled to participate in this reading! Chicago credits include Bessica Feltcher in Murder ReWrote with Hell in a Handbag (Jeff Award Nomination-Principal Performer), Sister Mary in Disaster! (Big Noise, CTW), Ragtime (ensemble/US Mother) with Highland Park Players, Into the Woods & Head Over Heels (Kokandy Productions), Sue Snell in The Rage: Carrie 2 (Underscore Theater & 54 Below), Queenie in Lippa’s The Wild Party, High Fidelity, Cabaret, and Rent. Next up: The Real Housewives of the North Pole with Hell in a Handbag. Proudly represented by BMG Talent.
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Lorenzo Shawn Parnell
Lorenzo, a tenor originally from Rochester, New York, is honored to participate in the New Musicals Chicago Showcase. Mr. Parnell was recently featured as the Iceberg in the Porchlight Music Theatre production of Titanique. His regional credits include the roles of “Macy’s Manager/Charlie” in Elf: The Musical (Drury Lane Theatre), “Lola” in Kinky Boots (Shea’s 710), “Mayor/Ja Keith” in Rock of Ages (Kavinoky Theatre), “Coalhouse Walker Jr” in Ragtime (Musicalfare), “Lt. Eddie Souther” in Sister Act: The Musical (Lancaster Opera House), and “Tom Robinson” in To Kill a Mockingbird (GEVA Theatre). Mr. Parnell is also scheduled to appear in the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company’s production of The Gondoliers this spring
Caroline Shaul
Caroline has been a vibrant performer since the early 2000s, spending much of her early career immersed in the professional opera scene. In 2011, she moved to Chicago and immediately fell in love with the city’s gritty, storefront theater culture. Since then, Caroline has embraced the bold and the experimental, with favorite highlights including site-specific, environmental theater like Punk Punk and Cornerstone with Nothing Without a Company, as well as the deliciously dark Evil Women at the Chicago Fringe Festival. A versatile creator, she also wrote and produced her own one-woman show, The ShaulShank Redemption. From political theater and burlesque to collaborative cabarets, Caroline’s heart belongs to the Chicago stage, and she is absolutely delighted to be back under the lights with this review!
Nakia Steel
Nakia is thrilled to be welcomed back to Chicago’s theatre scene with The NMOC Showcase. From appearances at The Goodman Theatre and Northlight Theatre, to featured cameos in pop music videos, Nakia is a singer, dancer, and actress with a foundation in musical theatre, ensemble work, and contemporary performance. A native Chicagoan, she obtained her Associates Degree in the Arts from Harry S. Truman College in Fall 2025. Recent favorite projects of hers include: Anything Goes: A Living Newspaper (Truman College), Fear and Progress (The Goodman Theatre), Biff & Otis (Northlight Theatre), and A Beautiful Life music video. Nakia wants to thank her family, friends, and teachers for their constant anchoring, motivation, and skill.
Max Trotter
Max is a Chicago based actor who has performed all across Chicago and the US. Regional credits: The Four C Notes residency at Florida Studio Theatre, The Story of My Life (Alvin) at The Towle Theatre. Select recent Chicago credits: Next to Normal (Gabe), A Little Night Music (Henrik; Lou Award for Best Musical), Head Over Heels (Musidorus), Something Rotten (Nigel), Sweeney Todd (Anthony), Hunchback of Notre Dame (St. Aphrodisius), and Joseph...Dreamcoat (Joseph). Thanks to Jamie and his family, friends, and coaches for their continued support.