Under Fire (2009)

Barry Harman (Director, Playwright and Lyricist)

authored and directed Broadway’s ROMANCE/ROMANCE, which garnered five Tony nominations (including best Book, Lyrics and Musical), four Outer Critic Awards (Book & Lyrics) and a Drama Desk nod for Best Lyrics.   He performed the same duties for the off-Broadway musical OLYMPUS ON MY MIND, receiving an Outer Critics Award (Best Lyrics) and a Drama Desk nomination for Best Direction.   He began his career writing for TV, winning Emmys for THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW and ALL IN THE FAMILY. Other favorite TV gigs include the premiere episode of THE JEFFERSONS, SOME ENCHANTED EVENING: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein for PBS “Great Performances,” and the HBO animated family special HOW DO YOU SPELL GOD?, (prime time Emmy for Best Children’s Program).  He also served as head writer and lyricist for several classic educational TV shows for children.   Author of two musicals for children, STARBLAST and FABLE COUNTRY, he also wrote additional lyrics for the musical CARMELINA, plus the musicals JAMMIN’ WITH POPS, LONG ROAD HOME, SUSPECT and TELECAST.  He directed productions at such theaters as the Old Globe, The Walnut Street Playhouse, the Loeb Drama Center and NYC’S York and WPA Theaters.   His new musical revue AMAZING SEX is scheduled to debut this fall, and he is working on several new projects.  A graduate of Harvard, where he was an editor of THE LAMPOON and president and author of HASTY PUDDING THEATRICALS, Barry Harman is a member of The Dramatists Guild, The Writers Guild of America, The Society of Directors and Choreographers, and ASCAP.

Grant Sturiale (Composer)

Mr. Sturiale garnered an Outer Critic’s Circle Award nomination for his score for the Off-Broadway musical OLYMPUS ON MY MIND, and conducted its New York run and original cast album.  His musical KIKI BABY, presented at the O’Neill Theatre Festival in 2006 is scheduled to premiere at the Long Wharf Theatre followed by a production at the Roundabout Theatre in New York.  He has written music for ABC TV’s ONE LIFE TO LIVE, arranged and conducted music for ALL MY CHILDREN and provided original music for the Children’s Television Workshop program BIG BAG. For 8 seasons, Mr. Sturiale was principle conductor and composer for the annual Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. His music was also performed regularly in the Macy’s Day Parade and the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony broadcast on NBC. He was Associate Conductor for the Broadway productions of DREAM and JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. He conducted the Off-Broadway revivals of THE ROTHSCHILDS and JUNO, the national tours of BLOOD BROTHERS and THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, a North American tour of the musical DURANTE and a European tour of EVITA. An evening of his work as a composer was presented April 27 of this year at Lincoln Center produced by Arts And Artists At St. Paul.  He is a grant recipient from the National Endowment For The Arts and has won numerous ASCAP awards.

 

Jonathan Cerullo (Choreographer)

Jonathan has choreographed “Orpheus in the Underworld” for, “Evening At Pops,” Great Performances, the Big Apple Circus’ Carnivale and Picturesque at Lincoln Center and two dances for the Broadway production of Say Goodnight, Gracie starring the late Frank Gorshin. Additional Broadway credits include, Assistant Director/Choreographer for Band In Berlin, Associate Choreographer for Anna Karenina, and as a dancer was featured in Legs Diamond, and CATS. Off Broadway, he choreographed Midsummer Nights for Musical Theatre Works, Wonderful Town at the Equity Library Theatre, and directed Uta Hagen’s 50-Year Tribute. His film and television work includes Assistant to the Choreographer on “The First Wives Club,” Donny Osmond's "This Is The Moment," and “Natalie Cole’s Christmas Special”. Jonathan also had the pleasure of working with Bette Midler by creating the Special Effects Movement for her in “The Stepford Wives.” Regionally he choreographed Camelot at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, was private dance instructor to Uta Hagen in Six Dance Lessons at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, and appeared at the Tony award winning Goodspeed Opera House. Upcoming projects include: Pre-Broadway musical, Sandstorm (Direction and Choreography) and the New York premiere of Ray Qualey (Direction) by award winning playwright Garry M. White. Jonathan is a proud member of the Stage Director and Choreographers Society. For more info please visit his web site at www.jscproductions.com.

John Bonanni (Executive Producer)

John created Big Fish Big Pond, Ltd. to develop and produce new theatrical works. Since the humble days at David Merrick, he has provided theatrical management services as stage manager, production supervisor and executive producer on numerous Broadway productions including ME AND MY GIRL, CITY OF ANGELS and CRAZY FOR YOU, and for over 1000 concerts and events at RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, including the VMA, Grammy, Daytime Emmy and Tony Awards.  Executive Producer of the RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR since 2004, John successfully produced the critically acclaimed 75th ANNIVERSARY production in 2007.  Presently, in addition to UNDER FIRE, John is currently producing the following new musical properties: THE ROAD TO HOLLYWOOD, an irresistibly engaging tribute to the Lamour-Hope-Crosby “Road” comedies; LOVELESS, TEXAS, a lighthearted adaptation of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labors Lost; LAWDY, the working title of a new musical about the origins of Rock and Roll with the legendary Lloyd Price; and developing new theatrical technology that will enhance the physical capabilities of future productions.

Neil Callari (Associate Producer)

With over 35 years of experience in advertising as an award-winning writer, designer, director and producer of hundreds of print ads, and radio and television commercials, Neil recently turned his focus to the theatre. His recent projects include MINDGAME, directed by Ken Russell and starring Keith Carradine, KING DAVID the Musical, and the critically acclaimed musical ROOMS. He will also be part of the team that is preparing an updated version of the ‘70’s smash hit musical, LET MY PEOPLE COME, and the soon-to-be-produced feature film MONSTER’S FACE. Executive Producer John Bonanni and Neil share a friendship that started nearly 45 years ago at Bishop Ford High School, when they were part of the Chalk Circle Players together. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Neil now lives on Brooklyn Street in Austin, TX, where his company, BROOKLYN MEDIA, INC, continues to produce advertising material such as the poster for this production of UNDER FIRE.

Merope Vachliotis (Set and Costume Design)

Numerous productions include: Long Road Home @ the Hudson Guild (Barry Harman Writer-Director). Resident designer for Theater By The Blind from 1996 to 2007 productions include : Oedipus, Hamlet, Dial M for Murder, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Missalliance, Ten Little Indians. Ontological Hysteric productions include: Unconscious Motives of the Motion Picture Industry, Speed Freaks (set and costumes), The Sticky Banister. The Mysteries of Eleusis (BAM), Caverns (costumes) @ the Ohio. The Lady From the Sea (Mitzi E. Newhouse) LCT Directors’ Lab.   For Penobscot Theater : The Crucible, The Smell of A Kill (costumes), Long Days Journey Into Night. The Bakkhai (sets and costumes,Connecticut College). 23 Skidoo (costumes) @ the 78th Street Theater Lab, Electra (set and costumes) @ the NYPL. Narcissus and Echo (Wings Theater Company), Oklahoma (Gallery Players), Confidence Women (Axis Theater). Oleanna (Yale Repertory), The Seagull (Yale Repertory). For the Yale Dramatic Association : Hair, Blood Wedding. With Tony award winner has worked for David Mitchell on : Annie (Martin Charnin Dir), The Big Love, EFX (MGM Grand), Jolson Sings Again (Arthur Laurents Writer), Sleeping Beauty (ABT) Peter Martins Choreo(Metropolitan Opera), The House of Bernarda Alba (design proposal); Ming Cho Lee on Annie II, Long Days Journey Into Night (Arena Stage). Derek McLane on Salome (Canadian Opera), Touch of A Poet (Steppenwolf) , Lion King ,set models.

John J. Petrafesa, Jr. (Sound Designer)

John is a director of Syntonic Design Group where he focuses on sound system design for theatre, live music and special events.  Recent design credits include; the 2010 tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the 2009 FIFA World Congress, the 2009 World Science Festival in NYC, NYSP 09, and numerous corporate and special events throughout the US.  John was the production sound engineer for the 2000 Broadway revival of “The Music Man”, Associate Sound Designer and Production Sound Engineer for multiple companies of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and sound  engineer for  the touring productions of “Les Miserables” and “Guys and Dolls”.

B. Jeffrey Madoff (Video Designer)

is the director and founder of Madoff Productions in NYC. He is an award winning film/video director with many commercial, stage & television credits. His love of movies, theater, dance and live events fuel his passion for creative collaboration, expression and fun. "It all comes down to telling a story people will want to hear." He tells his stories to his wife and two children who don't always want to hear them, but they love each other anyway.

Javier Molina (Assistant to the Director)

Javier Molina was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and raised in the mean streets of Passaic, NJ.  As a teen Javier could never have imagined that he would end up in the theatre.  His path had him heading for a life in the penitentiary, but an encounter with an artistic English teacher would forever alter his life.  A desire to graduate high school led him to his English teacher, who would only let him pass the class if he agreed to take a part in the high school production of “ Chorus Line”.  This extra credit assignment introduced him to the theatre, where he found a world where he was free to create a universe unlike any other.  Wanting to develop his new found passion with further training he enrolled at New Jersey City University, where he would earn his B.A in English/Theatre.  Simultaneously, he wrote a movie “Transformations.”  After graduating from NJCU, he secured funding to film “Transformations” and developed his production company, Pure Productions LLC, resulting in an open path to the world of music videos.  However, the theatre would never leave his mind or heart - a decision to help a friend audition for a master’s program in NYC would bring him back to the stage.  After the audition he was asked if he would be interested in attending the program as a director.  He accepted and is today an MFA graduate of The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.  Next, Mr. Molina hopes to develop a directing career that will allow him to present the type of opportunities to low-income communities that changed his life – he’s confident that through his passion and art he can change some lives for the better.  

Joseph A. Onorato (Production Stage Manager)

Back in 1984 Mr. Onorato Stage Managed Starblast, which was a Sturiale /Harman Musical.  Somehow twenty five years has passed since that time and he is thrilled to be working with them again on Under Fire. Since that time he has spent  over twenty years at Radio City Music  Hall working on such shows as The Christmas Spectacular , The Spring Spectacular,  Night of 100 Stars III, Tony Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards and MTV Awards.  Other credits include: Broadway: Romance Romance,  Richard Rogers Turns 100; Off Broadway: Olympus On My Mind by Sturiale/Harman, Mambo Mouth with John Leguizamo, Nunsense, Weird Romance; Tours:  Jelly’s Last Jam with Maurice Hines and Savion Glover, Goosebumps directed by Rupert Holmes,  Last of the Red Hot Lovers with Barbara Eden and Don Knotts;  Regional: five seasons at the Birmingham Theatre (Birmingham, MI) representative shows Man of La Mancha, Annie Get Your Gun, and Lend Me A Tenor.  Mr. Onorato has been with the Actors Studio Drama School as Production Stage Manager of their Repertory Season since its beginning in 1997. Joe has also Stage Managed such Industrials as Avon, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, The Clinton Global Initiative, and A Taste of Tennessee with Dixie Carter for the 52nd Presidential Inauguration.

Casey Cook (Stage Manager)

Casey Cook:  Dear Liar, Eclipsed, Invasions & Legacies, The Hostage, Our Lady of Sligo, 3 benefits, The Irish Repertory Theatre; The Torch-Bearers, Drama Dept; Jackie Mason's Freshly Squeezed and Much Ado About Everything; numerous corporate meetings/ events in NYC and across the country; and 2 years on the Stage Management Team at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Attended the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.

Howard Joines (Music Coordinator)

Music Coordinator: Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, The Times They Are A -Changin’, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Romantic Poetry, Adrift in Macao, and the upcoming First Wives Club and Pure Country.  Conductor/Percussionist: Billy Elliot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Never Gonna Dance, Flower Drum Song, The Full Monty, Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon, Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. Percussionist/Drummer: Les Misérables, Singing in the Rain, The King and I. Recordings/performances: Jewel, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Rochester Philharmonic, Orpheus, St. Lukes.  Jingles/film/television: Coca-Cola, Miller Beer, Across the Universe, Alamo, Peggy Sue Got Married, Snake Eyes, Twilight, The Age of Innocence, Femme Fatale. On-camera: Maid in Manhattan, MTV Music Video Awards, Guiding Light

Ron Piretti (Fight Director)

Ron Piretti is an actor, fight director and director.  Currently, he is the Fight Director for the Broadway productions of "West Side Story and "In the Heights". He has staged the fights for numerous productions including:  Pentecost, Gray Area (The Barrow Group), Earth to Bucky (Bay Street Theatre), Queen Amarantha  by Charles Busch; Unlocked, Roller Derby and Emerald Man (NYMTF); The Grapes of Wrath, Camille (Marymount Manhattan College); Operas - The Florentine Tragedy and Regina (Summerscape at Bard College).  As an actor, Ron has appeared in theatre, film and television.   Ron has taught workshops at Wagner College, Yale, and is the Acting Department Director at the Broadway Theatre Project in Tampa, Fl.  He currently teaches acting at Marymount Manhattan College.  He received his MFA from the Goodman School of Drama.

Peter Dean (Production Manager, Creative Consultant)

New York credits include American Dream & The Sandbox directed by Edward Albee (Cherry Lane), Women Beware Women, (Red Bull Theater), The Actor's Studio Repetory Season (Pace University) The Atheist, In Conflict (Barrow Street Theatre), Celia, the Musical (New World Stages), Unconditional, A View From 151st St., The Worst of Bogosian, A Small, Melodramatic Story (LAByrinth), Little Flower of East Orange, School of the Americas(LAByrinth/Public).  Peter is General Manager for the Off Theater Company who focus on creating cost effective and eco-friendly model of "green" theatre for future generations. Regional Credits include A.R.T., Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, The Huntington Theater Company, The Denver Center Theater Company and Trinity Rep. Peter is a graduate of Otterbein College (PBS/OFA).

Mark J. Selva (Publicity)

MJS LIVE Inc. (Marketing and Publicity) is Mark J. Selva and Ian Weiss.  Currently represented off-Broadway in Marketing and Publicity roles for Celebrity Autobiography, Erotic Broadway at The Triad (Associate Producers), Lillias White Live, Nightmare: New York, and Souled Out.  Past credits include the Broadway production of Irena's Vow, The Soap Myth (Associate Producers),and Woyzeck at Fringe NYC.  Upcoming productions: Frankenstein the Rock Opera and the International Cultural and Entertainment Festival.  www.mjslive.com.