Casting and recruitment experts Greg Brown, Ericka Womack and Kendra Lucas join RWS Entertainment Group elevating cruise line and theatrical casting capabilities
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — RWS Entertainment Group, the world’s exclusive, full-service provider of award-winning guest experiences and attractions, welcomes two powerhouse creative leaders to the team. Jason A. Sparks joins as Senior Director, Theatrical Creative Content and Damien Gray joins as Director, Immersive Creative Content. Sparks, recently Associate Director for the anticipated Broadway revival of Take Me Out, will add a fresh layer of expertise to creative direction, direction and choreography for RWS theatrical productions. Gray, an expert in creating immersive experiences, brings a rich portfolio of international projects.
An award-winning creative director, director and choreographer, Jason A. Sparks has worked in a wide range of mediums, from Broadway musicals and independent short films to award shows and concert dance. He has served as the associate to Warren Carlyle on multiple Tony Award-winning Broadway productions, including Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler; Kiss Me, Kate; She Loves Me; and After Midnight, as well as choreographing productions for New York City Ballet and the Tony Awards.
Damien Gray is known for his boundary-breaking work for top companies worldwide, including Universal Studios Japan, Universal Beijing Resort and the soon-to-open Ocean Flower Island Resort and theme park in Hainan, China. For Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment, Gray created the smash concert spectacular, SING ON TOUR, based on the animated hit film SING, which is now playing at the Illumination Theaters in Osaka and Beijing. He also created both Steps in Time, at Disney California Adventure and the long-running hit Animagique, for Walt Disney Studios in Paris. He will infuse RWS experiences with his wild imagination, knowledge of leading-edge technology and love for all things pop culture.
“The level of natural talent and boundary-pushing creativity that Jason and Damien bring to our team is invigorating,” said Craig Laurie, Executive Vice President, Creative. “Both are uniquely qualified to bring a vibrant perspective to our productions. With more than thirty years of combined skill, creativity and insight into live and immersive experiences, our clients and their guests will be thrilled with the results.”
RWS also welcomes Greg Brown, Vice President, Talent Casting & Recruitment; Ericka Womack, Senior Casting Manager, Performer Casting & Guest Entertainers; and Kendra Lucas, Manager, Performer Casting & Guest Entertainers.
- Greg Brown, Vice President, Talent Casting & Recruitment: Previously with Royal Caribbean Group as Manager, Talent Casting, Brown has more than 20 years in the entertainment industry and brings his unique creative output as director, music director, orchestrator, arranger, professor and casting professional. His body of work includes casting for Broadway, concert and performance venues across the globe. With a passion for guiding and training young artists, Brown continues to make an impact on the next generation of arts professionals through his active teaching career and professorship.
- Ericka Womack, Senior Casting Manager, Performer Casting & Guest Entertainers: Previously with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Womack brings experience in all aspects of entertainment performance, choreography, show creation and management. She is dedicated to working side by side with front-line performers, management and executives.
- Kendra Lucas, Manager, Performer Casting & Guest Entertainers: Previously a performer for RWS, Lucas now uses her knowledge and experience to help guide RWS productions as part of the casting team. She began her casting career in NYC assisting at various casting offices working on projects including national tours, regional theater productions and musicals on major cruise lines. Lucas has a passion for casting and is committed to making entertainment more equitable, inclusive and diverse.
Over the past two decades, RWS has established a career trajectory for performers and technicians, giving them the opportunity to follow their dreams, develop their skills and showcase their talent on stage and on screen. RWS’ 6,500 seasonal roles provide performers and technicians with a memorable summer job, a roadmap to success or the opportunity of a lifetime.
With offices in New York, London and Cincinnati, RWS continues to expand with full-time, seasonal and contract positions: https://rws.applytojob.com.
ABOUT RWS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP:
RWS Entertainment Group is a global, Emmy Award-winning entertainment company with headquarters in New York, London and Cincinnati. Together with its subsidiaries, RWS designs, fabricates, installs and operates custom entertainment, live events, attractions, exhibits, destinations, décor and branded experiences. With projects on six of the world’s seven continents and all the oceans in between, RWS Entertainment Group allows clients to realize their vision for exceptional experiences at theme parks, attractions, cruise ships, zoos, aquariums, museums, theater venues, casinos, hotels and resorts, botanical gardens, visitor centers, port of call destinations, retail and real estate, municipalities, airports, corporate and branded experiences.
Founded in 2003, RWS operates the largest live production facility in New York City which includes 56,000 square feet of office space, a rehearsal studio complex and performer housing. RWS properties include a Theatrical and Ticketed Experiences division; Binder Casting serving the stage, film and commercial markets; the innovative RWS Fun Crew: Staffing Reimagined; RWS Décor Products; RWS Leased Experiences and JRA, an award-winning creative studio providing master planning, writing and content development, attraction/exhibit planning and design, graphic design, executive media production, art direction and project management.
RWS Entertainment Group has supplied groundbreaking productions for an impressive roster of clients that includes Warner Bros., Lionsgate, The Coca-Cola Company, Apple, Disney, O, the Oprah Magazine, Vera Wang, Disney Cruise Lines, Azamara, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Hard Rock Resorts, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Europa-Park Resort, Paultons Park, Ferrari World, The Galleria Al Maryah Island, Six Flags, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Science Centre Singapore, Space Center Houston, The Denver Zoo, The FRIENDS™ Experience by Superfly X, Toyota and many more.
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SOURCE RWS Entertainment Group
Rod Washington: Rod is a blogger, writer, filmmaker, photographer, daydreamer who likes to cook. Rod produces and directs the web series, CUPIC: Diary of an Investigator. He also produces news and documentary video projects. Check out his podcast StoriesThisMoment at https://m3e.d71.myftpupload.com/stm-tncn-podcasts/
