Cassie Donegan joined the Cumberland County Playhouse family in 2019. She impressed the Playhouse’s Producing Director Bryce McDonald and the Artistic Director Britt Hancock before she set foot in the Playhouse.
McDonald shared that a few members of the Playhouse took a trip to Nashville to see a friend. Donegan was also performing that night.
“We saw her in a production in Nashville of a musical called ‘Freaky Friday’ based on a Disney film, and our good friend Martha Wilkerson had directed her and was starring beside her in the show,” said McDonald. “And so we went to go see Martha, and we were like, ‘This girl [Donegan] is amazing.’”
Donegan was cast as the narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” for the summer 2019 season.
“So Cassie came to audition, and we fell in love with her, and Britt cast her as the narrator, and she was with us for the summer of 2019, and was a fantastic narrator in the show,” said McDonald.
Donegan’s role as the narrator, McDonald explained, that the show has a narrator character that carries the audience throughout the entire show. The narrator sings a heavy vocal load for the show and sets up every scene. The narrator also introduces all of the characters.
McDonald said that the narrator role needs a strong, vocal talent.
“You’re looking for someone who just has great tone and pitch, and has flair,” said McDonald. “Flair is a good word to use. And if you go back and watch her Miss America talent [portion], I mean, she just has this unique, phenomenal voice that can just … it’s not a voice that a lot of people just have instantly. And it’s a God-given gift of hers.”
“… you’re looking for tone quality,” said McDonald. “You want something that’s enjoyable to listen to, but has power, and a great storyteller, and she’s all of those things.”
McDonald shared what it was like to work with Donegan for the show.
“So being able to have her in the room, I mean, the whole thing was a joyous time,” said McDonald. “It was a joyous show. We had a really joyous experience with it, but working with her was great. She took direction well. She was part of the team.”
“My first impression of Cassie was she has the most bubbly personality,” said McDonald. “And she has a laugh that’s infectious. The first time you met her, within minutes, you felt like she was an old friend.”
McDonald shared that Donegan is not the first Miss America to be part of the Playhouse family. Kellye Cash, a former Miss America winner, joined the Playhouse family as well. McDonald said that Donegan and Cash were interested in working together at some point in the future at the Playhouse.
“I expect to see Cassie, and I think if she gets a chance to come through on her Miss America year tour, I think that we’ll definitely try to get her back here and do something with her, or at least get to see her,” said McDonald. “I’d love to see her and just hug her and tell her how proud I am of her.”
Donegan was crowned Miss America Sept. 7. The national competition has 52 contestants who represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information about the competition, visit https://missamerica.org/the-competition/.