Meet our Industry Professionals

After graduating from The Juilliard School, Mari began her professional career in The New York Shakespeare Festival production of Twelfth Night at The Delcorte in Central Park with Michelle Pfeiffer, Gregory Hines and Jeff Goldblum. In her Broadway debut, she originated the role of Elisabeth in John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation with Stockard Channing. Subsequent Broadway appearances include Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls with Nathan Lane and Peter Gallagher as well as Moira in Brian Friel's Translations with Brian Dennehy and Rufus Sewell. Mari was also in the world premiere of Joe Orton’s Up Against It, with music by Todd Rundgren (Joseph Papp Public Theater). Regional credits include Private Lives (Alley Theater, Houston); Camelot (Paper Mill Playhouse, NJ); Arms and the Man, As You Like It, An Ideal Husband (Center Stage, Baltimore); Present Laughter (Hartford Stage). Closer to home, Mari has been featured in Arms and the Man, Intimate Apparel and Nora (The Intiman Theater); An American Daughter, Twelfth Night, Dancing at Lughnasa, Sylvia, A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theater). Going to Saint Ives, Omnium Gatherum, Grand Magic, Miss Witherspoon and Bad Apples (A Contemporary Theater); Into The Woods, Afterwords (5th Ave Theatre); Urinetown (5th Ave/ACT); Billy Elliot, Into The Woods (The Village Theatre); The Tempest, Bring Down The House, Richard III (Upstart Crow/Seattle Shakespeare Company); How Can I Love You (The Gorge/Stage B); The Fifth Wave (Macha Theater); Tribes, A My Name is Alice, The Voice of the Turtle, As You Like It, Hay Fever and Crimes of the Heart (Tacoma Arts Live/TAG); Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frozen, The Lovelist, The Constant Wife, Arcadia, The Tempest, Hapgood, Rough Crossing, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (The State Theater). Mari recorded Afterwords in its entirety for The Fifth Avenue Theater Digital Collection. World premier workshops include Welcome Home Dean Charbonneau by Adam Rapp, Radiance by Alan Alda, Come from Away (The Seattle Repertory Theater) as well as Afterwords (The Village Theatre). Film credits include Bad Girls, Back Spot Turn and Laggies, directed by Lynn Shelton. TV credits include Ilsa in One Life to Live, Brenda in Another World and MTV’s Pirate TV, as well as numerous commercial voiceovers for Campbell's, Kohler, GTE, United Way, Bain de Soleil, Evian, Converse, Evian and KitchenAid. Mari is featured in several recurring radio play series including Sherlock Holmes, Murder and the Murdochs and is the voice of Hilary Caine in the radio play series The Hilary Caine Mysteries (Aural Vision LLC). No stranger to the concert stage, Mari performed Honegger’s King David with The Orchestra of St. Luke’s and The Choir of Men and Boys (St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, NYC) as well as collaborating with Taj Mahal on Slain in the Spirit (St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY). Mari has been awarded Five Gordo Awards for Best Actress 2005- 2012, nominated Best Actress (BWW Best of 2014 and 2019) and was also awarded The Seattle Theater Writers Best Supporting Actress Award 2016. Gregory Award for Best Actress in a Play 2017. Most recently she garnered two 2019 Gregory Awards: Best Supporting Performance in a Musical as well as Best Supporting Performance in a Play. 

Richard Gray taught the summer musical theatre intensive at Cornish for three years before joining the theatre faculty in 2019. He has guest-directed several musicals at Cornish, including Nine, Quilters, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Grand Hotel, Lift, Company, and Dick Whittington. He has directed productions at many local theaters including the Village Theatre, 5th Avenue Theatre, Tacoma Actors’ Guild, and the Empty Space Theatre. In addition, Richard has musical directed (and/or conducted) over 60 productions in the Seattle area. As an actor, Richard has been nominated for three Gregory Awards (winning in 2017 for Murder for Two). He was also named as one of five finalists in both 2005 and 2006 for the Fred Ebb Award honoring up-and-coming new musical theatre writers. He has two musicals currently in advanced development: The Long Game and Cold Turkey.

https://www.cornish.edu/staff/richard-gray/

Katy Tabb is a distinguished choreographer and director based in Seattle, renowned for her dynamic and diverse choreography in musical theater. Her work has been celebrated for its ability to range from energetic sequences, such as the spirited "Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher," to graceful, balletic numbers like "Swan Lake." 

Tabb's choreography has been lauded for its vibrancy and technical excellence. She has received notable acclaim for her contributions to productions like Billy Elliot, where her choreography was described as "powerful" and "gut-wrenching," effectively capturing the protagonist's emotions. 

Her work on "Newsies" was highlighted for its "superb choreography," which brought stunning leaps and spins to the stage and transformed numbers into show-stopping performances. 

Her ability to infuse traditional sequences with subtle modern tweaks has been praised, particularly in productions like "Singin' in the Rain," where her choreography was noted for its delightful and rapturous dance sequences. 

Katy Tabb continues to contribute significantly to the performing arts community through her innovative approach and dedication to the craft. Her creative vision and expertise elevate each production.

https://www.katytabb.com