Musical Theatre Radio presents "Be Our Guest"

Robert L. Freedman won the 2014 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Book of a Musical for the Tony-winning Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. With collaborator Steven Lutvak, Robert was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Score, and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics. Robert is writing Book and Lyrics for the new musical, The Flamingo Kid, with Music by Scott Frankel, based on the Garry Marshall film, which had its pre-Broadway try-out in May, 2019 at Hartford Stage in Connecticut, directed by Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman’s Guide, Anastasia) and choreographed by Denis Jones (Tootsie, Holiday Inn) & Witnesses which is getting a concert in June 2023.

Frank Galgano & Matt Castle are musical arrangers and orchestrators. Recent projects include: Madame Clicquot (Studio Cast), Scotland, PA (Roundabout), Found (Atlantic, Philadelphia, IAMA), Into the Woods (Roundabout/Fiasco), String (Village Theatre), Chick Flick, the Musical (off-Broadway), Once Upon a Mattress (Transport Group), A DOG STORY (off-Broadway), Disney Beauty and the Beast (Disney Cruise Line), The Elf on the Shelf and American Girl Live! (Mills Entertainment)

Estelle Avbuere is the daughter of an incredible God and Creator. She lives in NC with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a lifelong background in the performing arts disciplines of singing, dancing, and acting.

Her company Creatively Performing Arts is an online voice and performing arts studio where people can rediscover their CREATIVITY through singing and performing from home with virtual, beginner voice lessons, a membership for aspiring singers and more!

More Info: https://creativelybyestelle.com/

Matt is a Laurence Olivier Award-winning British singer and actor. He has performed in The Lion King, Saturday Night Fever, Avenue Q, Kinky Boots, for which he won the Olivier for Best Actor in a Musical, and The Drifters Girl to name a few. He also placed 4th on The Voice UK in 2013. In December 2017, he received an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for his contribution to theatre.

British musical theatre actress Louise Dearman is widely known through her many performances both on national tours and in London’s West End.

Following her graduation from Laine Theatre Arts College, where she won the Musical Theatre and Opera Award, she joined the touring cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the role of the Narrator. She then went on to play Jan for the UK tour of Grease in 2000, before returning in 2003 to London’s Victoria Palace Theatre to play the same role. Further past highlights include Sarah Brown for the national tour of Guys and Dolls, and Mimi in the Piccadilly Theatre production of the show; Lucy Harris in the UK tour of Jekyll and Hyde; Debbie in the 2007 Edinburgh Festival production of Debbie Does Dallas; Grizabella in the International production of Cats; Eva Peron in the UK touring production of Evita and becoming the first actress to star as both Glinda and Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked. Louise also created the role of Mrs D in the World Premiere Production of New Musical The Waterbabies.

In recent projects she headlined at the St James Theatre, Victoria, starred in An Evening of Movies and Musicals at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and at Swansea’s Grand Theatre. She also featured on Friday Night is Music Night on BBC Radio 2.

Louise played Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me Kate staged as part of BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra.

Most recent engagements include a Variety Gala Evening at Bradford Alhambra guesting with Michael Ball, an autumn UK Tour of Bond and Beyond and Louise was invited to perform on the International production of Tell Me On A Sunday.

Louise Dearman’s first album You And I was released in 2005, and was followed by Here Comes the Sun (2012), and It’s Time (2013).

Ben is an actor/singer who won ITV's Superstar competition in 2012 and played the lead role of Jesus in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. He has also performed in Grease, Evita, and The Phantom of the Operas, as the title role, and has returned many times to play Buddy in Elf: The Musical.

Ben is also part of Alpha's The Best of Th West End on April 12th, 2023 along with Lucie Jones,  Matt Henry and Louise Dearman.

https://bestwestend.co.uk/

Christopher is a director, actor and producer. He is the founder/poducing artistic director of Indieworks Theatre Company and creator of the bite-sized Broadway mini musical podcast.

More Info: https://www.christophermichaels.nyc/

Jonathon is a music director, composer, pianist, vocal coach, lyricist, copyist/transcriber, synth programmer, conductor, arranger, book writer, orchestrator, trumpeter, singer, actor, dancer. Plus the creator/producer/music supervisor/host of the bite-sized Broadway mini musical podcast.

More Info: http://jonathonlynchmusic.com/

More Info at: https://hilarieclarkmoore.com/

Mira Ormala is a musical theatre and classical crossover soprano.

Having graduated from the royal academy of music she made her west end debut understudying and playing Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber's original production of Love Never Dies' at the Adelphi theatre starring Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess and as Christine in the Norwegian premiere of 'The Phantom of the Opera', directed by Stephen Barlow.

Mira also release her album ‘Dreaming’ in November 2022.

Jeni is a Toronto based voice actor/singer/impressionist, Voice of Family Channel and Host of Singular Sensation.

Paul Salsini was a reporter, editor, and staff development director for The Milwaukee Journal for 37 years and a correspondent for The New York Times for 15 years.

He also taught journalism courses and a musical theater history course at Marquette University.

In 1994, he founded The Sondheim Review, a magazine devoted to the works of the composer/lyricist, and was its editor for ten years. Recently he wrote the book Sondheim & Me: revealing a Musical Genius where he describes his unlikely long-distance relationship with the fabled composer/lyricist. The memoir includes the dozens of notes that Sondheim sent Salsini about articles in the magazine

In recent years, he has been writing fiction, with ten books set in Tuscany.

Considered by Lin-Manuel Miranda as the “next big thing” on Broadway. Joe’s Pub Working Group 2020-2022. The Civilians R&D Group 2020-2021. JACK Resident Artist 2021. Selected works: Tlatelolco (Mexican Premiere), Myths (Mexican Premiere), El Otro Oz - formerly The Yellow Brick Road (Off-Broadway & National Tour), Carmen La Cubana (European Tour), Children of Salt(NYMF 2016 “Best of Fest” Production), A Never-Ending Line (Comédie Nation in Paris, France & Off-Broadway), Savage (UAB atBirmingham), Present Perfect (Live & In Color). Albums: Tlatelolco, R.Evolución Latina’s Dare to Go Beyond, Doreen Montalvo's American Soul/Latin Heart, A Never-Ending Line, Jaime Lozano & The Familia: Songs by an Immigrant with liner notes by Lin-Manuel Miranda; these last three released by Broadway Records. Film: In The Heights (orchestrations). Currently working on: Songs by an Immigrant Vol. 2, Broadway in Spanglish and Desaparecidas. Jaime can be seen in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial feature film debut Tick, Tick... Boom! alongside other celebrated Broadway composers. BFA: Music & Composition, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León; MFA: NYU/Tisch, Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program (Full Tuition Scholarship); part of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, AFM Local 802, BMI and GRAMMY and LatinGRAMMY voting member.

Zorana is a singing teacher, singer, performer, arts educator, and playwright of the show 'MixTape' which runs at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario from November 8-13th, 2022.

More Info: https://grandtheatre.com/event/mixtape

Taylor Armstrong Purdee is an American director, actor, screenwriter, and songwriter. He is best known for creating the musical film 'Killian & the Comeback Kids, as well as for his work preserving the documentary films of Academy Award-winning actor/director Lee Grant.  He is the first bi-racial director/star of African American descent to have a narrative film theatrically released in America in the 21st Century. 

Florencia is a brown Mexican immigrant singer, actress, and songwriter based in New York City. She made her first album "Aquí - Los Nuevos Standards" produced by husband Jaime Lozano which BwayTunes.com calls "One of the most unique cover albums of recent memory," and subsequently toured all around Mexico, Latin America and New York City, performing in some of the most prestigious jazz venues and festivals and being awarded with the Hot House Jazz Award 2016 for Best New Jazz Artist. She has performed Off-Broadway in numerous shows, including Children of Salt (NYMF 2016 Best of Fest) and A Never-Ending Line (album released by GRAMMY award winner label Broadway Records). She has performer in iconic venues such as Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Joe's Pub, among others.

Chunhwi Park is a musical theater composer/lyricist living in Korea and Vancouver. He has been writing music for Musicals, Plays, and other theatrical works for the past 20 years. Chunhwi has also translated over 30 musicals from Broadway and beyond. As a teacher, he taught graduate musical theater writing programs at KNUA (Korean National University of Arts), Choongmoo Musical Academy, and Daegu DIMF Musical Academy for over ten years.  

His most recent two musicals, [Darwin Young and the Origin of Evil] and a new adaptation of [The Little Women] earned him two consecutive nominations for his music in the Korean Musical Awards in 2020 and 2021.  

Chunhwi scored a newly discovered silent movie [Crossroads of Youth] in 2008. It is the earliest surviving film in Korean Film History. [Crossroads of Youth] is performed with a Byunsa, a sitting narrator who dubs all character lines and comments on the action, and a four-instrument live band and two singers who step out of the film to sing on their behalf. It closely mimics the 1930 Korean silent era tradition with a modern musical theater twist. [Crossroads of youth] has become a smash hit in various film festivals and has performed in Lincon Center(NY), Barbican Center(London), BFI London, London Themes Festival, Mexico, Berlin, Brisbane, Sydney.  

In addition to his theater work, Chunhwi was the original music director (8 years) and producer for the best-selling Korean children's book/DVD Series [English Egg]. It's recorded in New York with Broadway actors.  

More Info: linkedin.com/in/chunhwi-park-4355b67b

Born on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an eclectic mix of races. Exposed from childhood by his grandparents and mother to a mix of cultures, foods and people developed an understanding of hard work and sacrifice, always giving 110% to what he does has indeed made for a unique individual.

  Having worked for MAC Cosmetics, Broadway, Tours, TV, Ballet, Opera Boston and NY Symphony Orchestras, has curated a unique outlook on colour, techniques and applications. 

"KCD" designed the make-up and was Hair & Make-up Supervisor for Shakespeare in the Park's "Merry Wives" to reopen Broadway, made Broadway debut as Make-up Designer for "Trouble In Mind" followed by "Clyde's", "Skelton Crew", "Confederates", "Sand Blasted", "Birthday Candles", "Skin Of Our Teeth", "For Colored Girls", "A Strange Loop" and "POTUS".

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a producer of the musicals Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter, and Love In Hate Nation. She is also the Creative and Programming Director at Feinstein's/54 Below, and the author of The Untold Stories of Broadway book series. She is the creator of The Jonathan Larson Project and historian consultant on the upcoming film version of tick, tick...BOOM! Tepper was recently named recipient of a 2020 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.

As the leader of Feinstein's/54 Below's creative programming team, Tepper is responsible for programming every show at the Broadway supper club and concert venue. She has curated and overseen the production of over 3500 shows, ranging from musicals in concert, to original solo acts, to theatrical reunions, to songwriter celebrations, and beyond. Feinstein's/54 Below has become notable for being the only venue of its kind: presenting over a dozen shows every week, specializing in Broadway acts, and welcoming both traditional cabaret and innovative new work. Tepper's leadership has been instrumental in making the locale "Broadway's Living Room", where on any given night one can find Broadway's biggest stars and emerging talents side by side, creating and sharing new work in an intimate theatrical environment.

Tepper is the co-creator of the Bistro Award-winning concert series, If It Only Even Runs A Minute, now in its 7th year. ...Runs A Minute celebrates short-lived Broadway and off-Broadway musicals in concerts that feature photos and research as well as songs. Each concert also boasts original cast members and writers telling stories, as well as songs that have never been recorded. The series thus far has comprised over 250 performers and over 200 'under-appreciated' shows. AM New York has called the series: "Artistically compelling... displays the blood, guts, sweat and tears that go into making Broadway shows."

Her most recent contribution to the concert world is The Jonathan Larson Project, an evening of the RENT composer’s unheard work. After years of research at the Library of Congress, Tepper curated a show featuring songs from Larson’s never-produced shows like 1984 and Superbia, songs that were cut from RENT and tick tick BOOM, songs that had never been heard before. After a celebrated twelve-performance run at Feinstein’s/54 Below, the show was forever immortalized by Ghostlight Records.

As a writer, Tepper has authored three volumes of The Untold Stories of Broadway series, published by Dress Circle. For these books, Tepper interviewed 250 theatre professionals about the Broadway theaters themselves and their stories of working in each house. The books cover over 70 years of our theatrical history, shared through first-hand interviews with Broadway professionals who were there. The Untold Stories of Broadway books comprise stories with actors, producers, directors, writers, designers, stagehands, door men and women, musicians, house managers, press agents, ushers, and many more. Interspersed with interviewees' stories are Tepper's own tales and discoveries about each historic building. The Untold Stories of Broadway partners with a charitable organization that receives proceeds from each volume, and is currently partnered with Broadway Impact, the Theatre Development Fund, and the Broadway Green Alliance. Published in 2013, 2014, and 2016, each book has occupied the #1 spot on Amazon.com's Best Sellers List in Broadway & Musicals. NBC New York has called the books an 'inspiring Must-Read'.

We speak with Lisa Ruin the  artistic and executive  director of Segal Centre about the  North American premiere of April Fools: An Adult Rock Cabaret

May 1-22,2022

https://www.segalcentre.org/

David Armstrong is an American stage director, writer, producer, lecturer, educator and choreographer. He is best known for his work at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle where from 2000 to 2018 he served as the Producing Artistic Director and later as the Executive Producer and Artistic Director, and where he is currently the Artistic Director Emeritus.

He also currently serves on the faculty of the University of Washington School Of Drama where he teaches a course entitled: The Broadway Musical -How Immigrants, Jews, Queers and African-Americans Invented America's Signature Art Form.

On Broadway he directed the musical Scandalous!: The Life And Trials Of Aimee Semple McPherson starring Carolee Carmello who received a Tony nomination for her performance. He also directed this show’s pre-Broadway production at The 5th Avenue Theatre under the title Saving Aimee.

Other acclaimed 5th Avenue Theatre productions include Candide, Sweeney Todd, HAIR, A Little Night Music, Company, Hello, Dolly!, Oliver!, Anything Goes, MAME, Pippin, The Secret Garden, Vanities, White Christmas, The Rocky Horror Show, Yankee Doodle Dandy!, Holiday Inn, A Room With A View, Jaques Brel Is Alive… and Paint Your Wagon as well as concert productions of Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Hairspray and Titanic.

Under his leadership The 5th Avenue grew to become one of the nation’s leading musical theater companies, especially with regards to the development and production of new work. During his tenure The 5th produced full productions of 19 new musicals, nine of which subsequently transferred to Broadway, and two of which received the TONY Award for Best Musical (Hairspray and Memphis).

Mr. Armstrong’s direction and choreography have been seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in Los Angeles and at many leading regional theaters including DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Kennedy Center, Seattle’s ACT Theater, Ordway Center, Houston’s TUTS, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Dallas Summer Musicals, Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Cohoes Music Hall, Pittsburg CLO, and Ford’s Theater.  In 2018 he directed Shaw’s Arms And The Man for the Seattle Shakespeare Company.

Mr. Armstrong’s awards include the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2016 “Outstanding Voice” Award, the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa’s 2018 Humanities Achievement Award, and in honor of his 18 years as Executive Producer and Artistic Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan proclaimed June 26, 2018 to be “David Armstrong Day” in the city of Seattle.

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In the spring of 2019 he joined the faculty of The University of Washington School of Drama to teach a new course called The Broadway Musical: How Immigrants, Queers, Jews and African-Americans Invented America's Signature Art Form, which he will teach again in during spring quarter of 2020.

Preston Max Allen is a playwright, composer, and lyricist whose work has been featured at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Lincoln Center,  Signature Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory,  Feinstein's/54 Below, Joe's Pub, Theatre 80, New York Musical Festival, Laurie Beechman Theatre, York Theatre ("Tune In Time" winner), Gallery Players, Lululemon (it’s a long story), and Second City Chicago.

Preston conceived and wrote book, music, and lyrics for WE ARE THE TIGERS (Album now streaming; L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation winner for Best Lyrics/Composition, nominee for Best Musical); AGENT 355 (dramaturgy/co-book Jessica Kahkoska, Marion Fellowship Award Winner); and THE RAGE: CARRIE 2, AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY (Jeff Nominee, Best New Musical). His play MODERN GENTLEMAN was featured as part of the 2020 PRIDE PLAYS Festival (dir. Blayze Teicher).

Additional projects include music/lyrics for A VERY NETFL*X CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: NOW STREAMING LIVE! and AMY ADAMS WINS AN OSCAR (books by Edward Precht); book/lyrics for FRANKLIN PIERCE: DRAGON SLAYER (composer Will Buck); music/lyrics for BRADICAL AND THE PINK SOCKS; and music/lyrics for THE HUNTED: ENCORE (LA Webfest Outstanding Score). Preston is a member of the Ars Nova Play Group (2019/20), graduate of the Second City Chicago Comedy Studies Program, and an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Above all, he is the proud father to his cat -> Hero. @prestonmaxallen

Darryl, a native of Jacksonville, FL, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Florida. Mr. Hall is a member of the following professional acting unions: Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actor’s Guild, American Guild of Variety Artists, and American Guild of Musical Artists as well as the founder and Executive Artistic Director of Stage Aurora Theatrical Company.

 A veteran of the stage, Mr. Hall’s favorite credits include:

Gershwin's Porgy and Bess at Lincoln Center/ NYCO (PBS Live from Lincoln Center Telecast), Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt (Broadway National Tour), Street Corner Symphony (pre-Broadway Workshop).

Stormy Weather with Leslie Uggams (Manhattan Theatre Club, Signature Theatre), Stormy Weather with Phylicia Rashad (AMAS Musical Theatre), Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, Carnegie Hall with Linda Eder and the Broadway Gospel Choir, Three Mo' Tenors (PBS Great Performances and original cast recording), Hallelujah, Baby! (York Theatre Company), The In-Gathering (New Professional Theatre), Café Society (TRIBECA Performing Arts Center).

Man/Preacher in Crowns (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), Flick in Violet (Best Actor- Carbonell Award Nomination) and Victor in Smokey Joe's Café (Actor’s Playhouse), Jim in Big River (Lyceum Theatre), Gabey in On The Town (White- Willis Theatre), The Mikado (North Shore Music Theatre and Huntington Theater), High Spirits (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (Crossroads Theatre- Tony Award Winner/ Best Regional Theatre), Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls (Alhambra Dinner Theatre), No Moe in Five Guys Named Moe (Riverside Theatre).

Rob Rokicki is composer/lyricist whose shows have been nominated for Drama Desk, Lortel, and Off-Broadway Alliance awards. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Actor's Equity, and an alum of the Tony Award-winning BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing workshop.

As a writer, Rob wrote the music and lyrics for the critically acclaimed Broadway musical THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL, for Theatreworks USA (book by Joe Tracz). The hourlong adaptation ran in 2015 and was nominated for a Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical before touring the country. The two-act adaptation played Off-Broadway in 2017 and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical before launching a six month tour across North America. The show will open on Broadway at the Longacre theatre in 2019. Rob’s graphic novel musical MONSTERSONGS received a World Premiere Recording from Broadway Records in 2017 and was part of the prestigious NAMT festival in 2018. It is currently being developed as a virtual reality video game. Rob’s musical, LOVE, NY (co-written with Mike Ruby) won the 2009 American Harmony Award and was presented at New World Stages (NY), Curtain Call (CT), and Oklahoma University. Rob has had work featured in the York's NEO series, at Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, Ars Nova & at universities internationally. Also with Ruby: RELATIVITY (Theatre Row, selected for The Pitch at Fingerlakes Musical Theatre Festival), 20 TO LIFE (American University), STRANGE TAILS (West Village Musical Theatre Festival; Best Musical, Best Lyrics, Best Score, Best Book; ANT fest). Composer/lyricist for MARTHA & ME (NY Fringe) and SAMSON’S FIRE (The Cell Theater), GINGERBREAD HOUSE (New York Film Academy). Broadway performers have sung his songs throughout New York, benefits across the country.

A theatre producer and lawyer, Michael is most passionate about igniting creation and supporting storytellers. Over the last decade he sparked a renaissance in Canadian musical theatre by developing thirty new musicals through the Canadian Music Theatre Project (the "CMTP"), an internationally recognized incubator of new works that he founded in 2011. Michael conceived the creation of the international hit musical Come From Away, for which he is a Producer and the Creative Consultant on productions worldwide, and has received the Olivier Award for Best Musical, a Tony Award Nomination for Best New Musical and the Meritorious Service Cross awarded by the Governor General of Canada on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and all Canadians.

Divine Feminine Soul Cabaret - Catriona Fray and Alena Bernardi take you on a transcendent journey through the pathways of the divine feminine energetic experience on earth with an intention to marry the yin and the yang of all encounters. Although at times we feel fragile, stale, shame, and guilt we can breathe, direct, and awaken ourselves to the dawn of a new day. In our most contemplative states, we can discover the true beauty of this planet, the breeze that graces our noses with the smell of fresh flowers or an intention to surrender to personal evolution and the path of the unknown.

Catriona Fray is an emerging solo artist whose music transcends into an earthy, soulful Gospel/Worship/R&B/Pop experience. She is a graduate of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, where was a featured soprano in the UCLA ScatterTones a cappella group, traveled around the country singing at the White House, opened for Grammy Award winning Pentatonix, with recording artist Jojo in a national commercial for Freeform, at the Hollywood Bowl working alongside American Country Music Award nominee Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Disney's Emmy Award winning artist Dove Cameron, to name a few. During the pandemic, she founded her music teaching business Catriona Fray Studios where she is able to teach students of all ages piano, voice, guitar, yoga, acting, and dance. NYC Off-Broadway concert credits include, Swing 46, Town Hall, Feinstein’s/54 Below, (Le) Poisson Rouge, and the Duplex, where she produced, created, and starred in her own cabaret “The Melody Plays On: No One is Alone” to help raise awareness and donations for the local domestic violence awareness non-profit “Never Alone Again.” She just released a new single “Do I Believe In Love” out now on all platforms! Follow her journey on IG: @catrionafray

Alena Bernardi is a vocalist and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. Alena received her BA in Music Education with an emphasis on Vocal Music Performance from Michigan State University. Alena combines elements of folk, rock, bel canto vocalism, neo-soul, and the Great American Songbook in her writing. Her musical focus centers around nature, awareness, spirituality, and a peaceful connection to all that is. Alena has performed many roles around the greater Los Angeles area including Lily Garland in On The Twentieth Century and Rapunzel in Into The Woods. In June 2019 Alena performed her original one-woman musical, Swiped The Musical, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Swiped was the winner of the Festival's Encore Extension Award. Alena is also the founder of the Unicorn Music Academy; a holistic music school based in Homegrown Studios LA. Follow Alena Bernardi and Unicorn Music Academy on Instagram to keep up with the latest performances and offerings @AlenaBernardi @UnicornMusicAcademy

In 2016, Caroline Underwood formed The Caroline Underwood Agency, representing both British and American musical theatre writers ‘with a difference’.  For the previous five years, she was Musical Theatre Consultant at London literary agency Alan Brodie Representation, where she represented both established and emerging musical theatre writers, with a client base reaching from London to New York.

Caroline has over twenty years’ music publishing experience at Warner/Chappell Music.  As Head of Standard Repertoire and Musicals, she was responsible for exploiting the company’s musical theatre repertoire and American and British Songbook catalogue.  During her time there she worked with many of the company’s top clients including the Irving Berlin Estate, the George and Ira Gershwin Estates, the Cole Porter Estate, the Rodgers and Hart Estates, the Noël Coward Estate, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Charles Strouse, Steven Sater and many more.  She was also responsible for Warner/Chappell’s musical theatre licensing operation and for producing major theatrical events.

A playwright, a composer, an actor and a lawyer walk into a bar…and end up having a transformative discussion about how the current licensing system’s a bit behind the times and ripe for disruption. The internet...is a thing that exists now. We don’t depend on theatre critics or buying cast recording CDs at Tower Records anymore (RIP) as our only way to learn about incredible new shows.

They are not a publisher. They only license, and they peddle in digital files. No more erasing librettos and mailing them back. Working with pixels instead of pencils gives creators the ability to keep making their pieces better. We get a new draft, it’s up on the website as the new licensed version right away.

We’re on a mission to open up the theatrical pipeline to bring thrilling, fresh theatre to the people - all the people. Not just the ones in New York City. Dive into the perusals, check out the video and audio, and holler if we can answer any questions.

Ben Clark is a singer, songwriter, composer and an Indiana native. Ben has been writing music since age 14, and The Circus In Winter was his first full-length musical work. For the piece he received praise from both educational and professional worlds including the Kennedy Center Award for Outstanding Musical Composition, and a full production at Goodspeed's Norma Terrace Theatre in East Haddam, CT. Ben has a band in NYC called Ben Clark and the Long Shadows, as well as two other musicals in development: Skin And Bones, a collaboration with University of Nebraska playwright Andrew Kramer, and Bruno and the Gospel of Infinity. @blcofficial

Ryan comes from the Washington D.C. area and holds a degree in Foreign Language from George Mason University and La Universidad de Salamanca, Spain. Broadway: Gettin' the Band Back Together (Drama Teacher/Nick Styler/Mouthfeel Mate), Shrek (Piggie-Bricks/Donkey u.s.), Off-Broadway: Alter Boyz (original cast) Liberty:the musical

Robin is a Tony Award-nominated producer for NATASHA PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 and has been part of other Broadway shows including BE MORE CHILL and SYLVIA and is a Co-Producer on forthcoming high profile Broadway productions in development.

Eric Ulloa made his Broadway debut in On Your Feet! Eric has performed regionally throughout the United States and Internationally. Eric is also the author of the play 26 Pebbles, and the musicals Passing Through and Molly Sweeney.

Brett Ryback is an actor, composer/lyricist, and playwright based in LA.

He is the 2016 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation's Cole Porter Award. His plays and musicals include: Liberty Inn: The Musical (Ovation nominations Best Book, Best Music/Lyrics); Darling (Weston Playhouse New Musical Award, Featured on NBC's The Apprentice); The Tavern Keeper's Daughter (Best Musical, Pasadena Weekly); and Just a Little Critter Musical (Commission and Premiere by Milwaukee's First Stage children's theatre).

Tony Gibbs is a UK songwriter working on a new musical called ‘Twist and Turn’ set against the backdrop of the Isle of Man TT races. The storyline features the world superbike champion returning to the island of his birth after an absence of six years re-opening family conflict as well as dark secrets about his past being uncovered.

Motorbikes, mythology, lust, power and revenge all feature in this modern musical featuring all new rock songs.

Bobby Cronin is an award-winning composer/writer for theatre, short film, web, dance, and more. His projects include: Mary & Max [based on the clyamation film] with bookwriter Crystal Skillman which had its World Premiere at Theatre Calgary in the fall of 2018 and will have its European Premiere at Austria’s Theatre Linz in 2019, won the 2018 MUT Critics Award in Germany, Pace New Musicals 2018, SigWorks Finalist 2018; ‘Til Death Do Us Part (World Premiere 2020, 2018-2020 SDSU New Works Award; 2017 SigWorks Finalist; 2016 Overtures Series directed by Kent Nicholson) with bookwriter Caroline Prugh; a handful of songs in Off-Bway’s Camp Morning Wood; Till Soon, Anne with bookwriter/lyricist Christine Toy Johnson which had a residency at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center; Concrete Jungle, commissioned in 2011 for London’s esteemed ArtsEd (President: Andrew Lloyd Webber) opened in London June 2012, had a lab presentation at West Texas A&M 2015 and made the short list for the New American Musical Theatre Prize; Daybreak (winner of the 2011 New Jersey Playwrights Contest) premiered in Wayne, NJ & London’s Tristan Bates Theatre June 2012. His latest commission PSYKIDZ was produced in concert by A Class Act NY and now ready to be produced. Bobby composed the scores and songs for several musical films, which have been in festivals all over the country. He was part of the 2015 Prospect Theatre Company’s Off-Broadway show Fright Night where his 15-minute musical My Boyfriend Is An Alien written with Christine Toy Johnson premiered. His music won “Best Score of a Mockumentary” for the webseries Thank You, Next and Best Music/Lyrics for Ten Reasons I Won’t Go Home With You in 2010’s MITF. Bobby is one of the four NEO Writers for the York Theatre Company’s 2014-2015 season with Stephen Flaherty as his mentor.

BRAD ROSS - Winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, composer Brad Ross has three musicals published by Samuel French.

The Kennedy Center commissioned and premiered Brad’s musical THE TALES OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON, based on the books by Ogden Nash. His musical, LITTLE BY LITTLE, ran Off-Broadway at New York’s York Theatre Company with Vocal Selections published by Alfred Music.

Brad is a graduate of Cornell University (Bachelor of Music) and NYU (Masters from Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program).

BARBARA CAMPBELL - Began writing for the theatre in elementary school, adapting such classics as Cinderella and Peter Pan, and creating an original “Time Tunnel” episode for a sixth grade presentation on the Incas.

Barbara was accepted into the Lehman Engel-BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, where she met Just Desserts composer Brad Ross. Since then, she has written more than a dozen musicals for children and families and numerous choral pieces.

Barbara’s musicals have been presented at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the Global Search for New Musicals, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. Her musical adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd was optioned for Broadway.

Maisie is originally from Swindon, and is a classically trained flautist, pianist and musical theatre vocalist, with a passion for music theory. She is currently in her third year at Bath Spa University studying a BA in music specializing in performance and composition.

Billy Recce is a Billboard charting, two-time MAC and NEO award-winning writer, composer and singer/songwriter living in New York City.

One of the most prolific young musical theatre writers of his generation, Billy’s career began with the award winning and international headline making Balloon Boy: The Musical, for which he was the youngest writer ever selected for the New York Musical Theatre Festival at 17. Its World Premiere Production was featured on CBS, NBC, NPR, Colorado Public Radio, TIME.com, the LA Times, and even Fox News, and has since been produced across the country.

By the time he was a senior at Fordham University, he had already penned the music and lyrics to a hit off-broadway musical; the long running “A Musical About Star Wars,” which transferred to St. Luke’s Theatre for a year long run after an initial run at Theatre Row. It is slated to re-open once the New York Theatre Shutdown ends, and its cast album is available on Broadway Records.

JEFFREY LODIN and WILLIAM SQUIER have collaborated on the musicals Disney’s Doug Live! (Walt Disney World), 100 Years into the Heart (Village Theater Festival of New Musicals, Spirit of Broadway, NYMF), Top of the Heap (Gallery Players, SBT, NMTN “Director’s Choice”, Global Search for New Musicals, Curtain Call, New Voices in the Heartland), Rebels 1775 (Starlight Theatre, SBT), A Merry Mulberry Street Musical (Curtain Call), Baby Bumps (Curtain Call, B.T. McNicholl, dir., Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival’s The PiTCH) and their latest collaboration, Love on Ice (Book & Co-Lyrics: Bill Nabel). In 2013, the team was commissioned to write a musical stage adaptation of the successful children’s book Merrilee Mannerly, in collaboration with authors Mary Cashman and Cynthia Whipple. They were also commissioned by the Spirit of Broadway Theater to write the score for Benedict Arnold, in collaboration with Pulitzer-nominated playwright Richard Vetere. Their songs have appeared on television: P.B.&J. Otter; film: Doug’s First Movie; and at the International Children’s Festival. Both Jeff and Bill are members of the Dramatists Guild and BMI.

We speak with the creator and stars of the short film 'Non-Eq'

Stacy and Michael dream of being in a Broadway musical, but they are still at the bottom of the industry as non-equity (non-union) actors living in New York City. Full of determination to build their careers, they race to be seen at an audition for a regional theater production currently casting in the city, but it’s not an easy life being Non-Eq!

Matthew is an artist, educator, and community leader. His artistic body of work is multi-disciplinary and some of his favorite projects are: A Christmas Carol, an eight-minute solo-performance; Read, Sing; Resist, Melania Trump; The Talking Cure Speaks; Gay Fantasia, a late-night immersive event; CHICKEN, a solo-performance journey of life, liberty, and the pursuit of healthiness in the shadow of HIV, as well as directing productions of FROST/NIXON and 1984.

As an educator he has taught at independent schools, colleges and universities across the nation. His students have gone on to careers starring in Broadway shows, television, and major motion pictures. In 2006, Matthew was a member of faculty awarded the Creative Ticket National School of Distinction Award from the John F. Kennedy Center’s Alliance for the Arts Education Network.

Matthew is the Producing Executive Director at St Lou Fringe and Director of the Emerging Leaders Program & Member Relations for FOCUS St. Louis. He also owns an independent arts company named, The Drama Club STL.

Matthew was honored to be named one of the 2020 Diverse Business Leaders by the St. Louis Business Journal last year for his work with St Lou Fringe.

Originally from Swansea, South Wales, Annemarie graduated with a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts from Middlesex Polytechnic in 1989. The degree majored in music with voice & piano as joint first instruments and trumpet as her third instrument. On leaving college she co-founded the TIE Top Hat Theatre Company, writing original mini-musicals for schools on any subject the schools required.

In 2009 Annemarie opened her own drama college – The MTA. In 2012 it was named as the School of the Year in The Stage 100 Awards. In 2017 it became the only college to win the award for a second time.

Devanand Janki is an award winning Director-Choreographer based in New York City. His credits include, Off-B’way: Zanna, Don’t! (Winner Lortel, Callaway and GLAAD Awards), Junie B. Jones (Lortel nomination.), Henry and Mudge (Lortel nom.), The Yellow Brick Road (Callaway Nom.), Skippyjon Jones (Lortel Nom.), This One Girl’s Story, Cupid and Psyche, Love and Real Estate and Romantic Poetry. The All Star Broadway concerts for the Actors Fund: Hair, Funny Girl, Dreamgirls (Assoc.) and Seth Rudestky’s Broadway 101. Lincoln Center: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Babes in Toylandand Anything Goes in concert (Choreo. Assist.); 9 years as Artistic Assoc. for BC/EFA’s Broadway Bares. Regional Theatre: The Wings of Ikarus Jackson , Barrio Grrrl! (Kennedy Center), Rent, The Rocky Horror Show (Hangar Theatre) Disney’s Aladdin (Chicago Shakespeare), Asphalt Beach, Full Monty, Scarlet Pimpernel, Man of La Mancha. TYA tours: Martha Speaks, Nate the Great, If You Give a Pig Pancake, The Berenstain Bears and The Jack Sprat Low Fat World Tour at the Wharton Center. As a performer Dev has appeared on Broadway in Cats, Miss Saigon, The King and I and Side Show and tours of West Side Story and A Chorus Line. He is the Artistic Director of Live & In Color which develops new plays and musicals for diverse artists.

Set in the tumultuous political and cultural landscape of the UK in the 1980s, Billy & the Dreamerz tells the story of a small-town band presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. As winner of a national music contest, Billy & the Dreamerz are offered the ultimate prize, a tour of the USA. On the eve of their departure tragedy strikes and Billy must choose between love, fame and family.

From tender ballads to protest rock songs, Billy & the Dreamerz rides on the ‘New Wave’, telling a moving story of Love, Hope and Dreamz.

Billy & the Dreamerz arrives at a time of resurgent interest in all things 80’s, uniting music fans across multiple generations. With its emphasis on the strong bonds of friendship in the face of working class struggles, Billy & the Dreamerz is a modern Musical inspired by the Dickens classics ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (novel) and ‘Oliver!’ (Musical).

Refracted through the lens of 1980’s music and culture, Billy & the Dreamerz explores the gulf between opportunity and obligation - a gulf that is ultimately bridged by love.

Nat has been playing piano since he was three years old. A proud native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Nat performs one-man shows and concerts across the country. Nat is also a writer/composer and recording artist. He has written music and original material for CBS’ “The Good Fight,” and his original album “Fly More Than You Fall” (not the musical) is available on iTunes! He has written three original musicals with writing partner Eric Holmes, including “Fly More Than You Fall.”

Eric’s musical Fly More Than You Fall that he wrote with Nat Zegree, premiered at the NOORDA Center in Orem, Utah in 2019 where it won nine regional Broadway World Awards, including Best Musical and Best New Work.

Marc started his own agency Premier Party Servers, Inc. in 1989. He later developed an elevated version of that staffing company - Model Bartenders, Inc. in 2001. Since then both of those agencies have staffed and produced over 20,000 events. Gemini Theatrical Investors, LLC. began in 2013 - formed to correspond with Marc's passion for investing in Broadway and West End shows. Highlighted credits include - Now: Company (Broadway) • Tina -The Tina Turner Musical (Broadway) • Hadestown - (Broadway-Tony Award ) • My Fair Lady (USA Tour) Upcoming: Fly More Than You Fall • American Buffalo (Broadway).

David Warrack was born in Calgary, and first performed on the radio when he was five. It’s pretty much been non-stop since then. He has a commanding presence in every facet of the arts/entertainment industry.

​David has a varied career as a Composer, Conductor, Pianist, Vocalist, Lyricist, Librettist, Arranger, Orchestrator, Music Director, Director, Satirist, Comedian, Actor, Poet, Producer, Impresario, Bon Vivant, and Hockey Coach – he has truly done it all! And judging by his project board, “he’s only just begun”.

​As a writer, he has had 66 shows produced professionally and he has been Musical Director for over two hundred productions across North America, including Shenandoah starring John Cullum on Broadway.

​He won a Dora Mavor Moore Award in Toronto for his production of Toronto, Toronto, and for outstanding Music Direction on the production of Closer Than Ever.

Veteran Broadway press agent Jim Byk is the co-founder of The Press Room, a theatrical and entertainment publicity office based in New York City.

Current clients include Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, Born for This, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, Broadway Black’s The Antonyo Awards, Beyond Babel, Working Girl The Musical, Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist, Havana Music Hall, Make Some Noise: The Legend of Frankie Wilde, Out of the Box Theatrics’ The Last Five Years and Baby, Vineyard Theatre, The Wooster Group, Barrington Stage Company, Miami New Drama’s Seven Deadly Sins, Why Not Theatre’s Mahabharata for the Shaw Festival, actor/pianist Hershey Felder, Rosie’s Theater Kids, Hunter Theater Project, Theatre Row, New York Classical Theatre, Swamp Motel, Shakespeare’s Globe and Southern California’s 3-D Theatricals.

Ernest has been singing, dancing, and acting professionally since childhood. His formal training began at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. A protégé of famed vocal teacher Katie Agresta, Ernest credits her for helping him develop his critically acclaimed vocal talents. He has studied dance with the American Ballet Theater and the respected choreographers' Chuck Kelly and Drew Packolyk.

A recording artist and multi-talented performer, he has become a celebrated force within the music industry with an impressive body of international hits. With 21 consecutive “Top Ten” smash singles, seventeen of which soared to the Number One position in Dance Music Authority (DMA), Billboard, Street Sound and Dance Music Report’s (DMR) Top Fifty charts and Dance Radio charts

Hear the complete radio presentation of Word: the Urban Musical by Dante' Pirtle

Marc is an entrepreneur and producer who started out in the service industry as a cater waiter while attending college. After receiving requests from other vendors for him to help them with staffing their events - Marc started his own agency Premier Party Servers, Inc. in 1989. He later developed an elevated version of that staffing company - Model Bartenders, Inc. in 2001. Since then both of those agencies have staffed and produced over 20,000 events.  

Gemini Theatrical Investors, LLC. began in 2013 - formed to correspond with Marc's passion for investing in Broadway and West End shows. Highlighted credits include - Now: Company (Broadway) • Tina -The Tina Turner Musical (Broadway) • Hadestown - (Broadway-Tony Award ) • My Fair Lady (USA Tour) Upcoming: Fly More Than You Fall • American Buffalo (Broadway).

David is a performer, director, choreographer and creator of 'Matinee to Z' a musical theatre master class series.

More Information: https://www.davidwconnolly.com/matinee-to-z

Mark is the co-author of the book "Musical Misfires"

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/musical-misfires

David is a singer, producer and creator of the musical 'Scarface: The Musical"

Julian is a writer, composer, lyricist and theatre critic in the UK.

Andrea is a singer/actor and creator of the musical "The Velvet Devil.

Adam and Michael are the creators of the musical Scotland PA.

Jennifer is the lyricist and bookwriter of "Quarter Life Crisis: The Musical.

Stephanie is a Canadian actor, director and choreographer.  

Bruce is an actor and creator of musicals. He has performed in both Canada and the United States on Broadway and at the Stratford Festival in Ontario.

Ashley is an award winning actor, director and creator of the musicals "Lyra: A Dark Fairytale" & "Spectacle: The Musical"

Mariana is a stage manager and production manager in Mexico.

John is a former keyboardist for Ozzy Osborne and Spinal Tap as well as the composer and lyricist of the musical "Voice of a Generation"

Three times a charm as the talented creator Stuart Brayson visits us once again to talk about his show 'Pink Angora Sweater', '2 Dumb' and 'From Here To Eternity'.

Paul Boyd is the composer and lyricist for 23 musicals and counting working in the UK.

Billy Reece is an up and coming composer and lyricist based in NYC

We follow up with Stuart Brayson to see how the his shows are going and what the future holds

Alena Bernardi is an accomplished singer/actor and the creator of the musical Swiped: APPily Ever After.

Sami Staitman and Corbin Williams are cast members of the Off Broadway hit "The Green Room"