Play It Cool (2008)

Victoria was born in New Orleans and raised in Las Vegas by a ballroom dancer and a jazz bassist. After getting started in various production shows in Las Vegas and Japan as a dancer, singer, and ice skater, she ran away to Monte Carlo where she held sway as the lead vocalist for production shows created for the Sporting Club, singing with greats Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Tommy Tune, Sammy Davis Jr. and others. Broadway credits: The Who's Tommy (Swing, Sally), Cabaret (Lulu, Kost), and The Boy from Oz (ensemble). Nat'l tours, etc.: ...Tommy (Mrs. Walker, Associate Director), How to Succeed... (Ms. Krumholz), Aida (Amneris). Victoria also toured with Steely Dan, making TV appearances and their critically-acclaimed DVD with them as well, and has starred as a guest artist with Universal recording artists The East Village Opera Company. Ms. Cave, aided by the many immensely talented musicians of her acquaintance, now concentrates on performing original music and standards in nightclubs throughout NYC.

The NEW YORK TIMES calls her a “singer of incandescent ebullience, deliciously saucy.” PEOPLE Magazine describes her as “the kind of rich theatrical voice that elevates a show tune.” And TIME Magazine says “Sally Mayes renders songs as richly nuanced as one-act plays.”

Sally Mayes made her Broadway debut in Cy Coleman’s WELCOME TO THE CLUB. Her performance won critical praise along with a Theater World Award and Outer Critics Circle nomination as one of Broadway's Outstanding Newcomers. On Broadway, Sally is perhaps best known for her performance in the Roundabout Theater revival of SHE LOVES ME for which she won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations. Sally’s most recent critical acclaim comes from her role as Aunt Corene in URBAN COWBOY (Drama Desk nomination). She recently drew raves as Mae West in the National Tour of DIRTY BLONDE, and also appeared in last years revival of STEEL MAGNOLIAS. She has also starred in several Off-Broadway productions including CLOSER THAN EVER (Outer Critics Circle nomination),DAS BARBECUE, and PETE N’ KEELY (Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical). Film and television credits include CITY HALL and BYE BYE BIRDIE, LAW AND ORDER, CRIMINAL INTENT, SEX AND THE CITY, and THE JOB. Sally also appears on countless cast recordings including, CLOSER THAN EVER, SHE LOVES ME, DAS BARBECUE, BYE BYE BIRDIE, LOST IN BOSTON, UNSUNG MUSICALS, UNSUNG SONDHEIM, NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, to mention a few. Sally has five solo albums, THE DOROTHY FIELDS SONGBOOK, OUR PRIVATE WORLD, THE COMDEN AND GREEN SONGBOOK, THE STORY HOUR, BOYS AND GIRLS LIKE YOU AND ME, and VALENTINE . Her rare and much anticipated nightclub appearances have garnered her rave reviews from coast to coast, and she has been nominated for twelve Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) awards, and has won two Back Stage BISTRO awards for excellence in cabaret and recording. www.sallymayes.net

Originally from Chatham, NJ he was recently seen parading around as The Canadian Mountie in “The Gay No More Telethon” for The NY International Fringe Festival. New York and regional credits include Oklahoma! (Jud), Oliver! (Bill Sykes), Jekyll & Hyde (Stride), Jesus Christ Superstar (Caiaphas), Sweeney Todd (Anthony), Grease (Danny), Lost in Yonkers (Uncle Louie), Miss Julie (Jean), and The Dumb Waiter (Gus) to name a few. Television credits include “As the World Turns” and “One Life to Live”. He will be appearing in the movie “Greta” with Hillary Duff and Ellen Burstyn opening later this year and can be seen and heard in various commercials; most notably the “Johnny Bandwagon” spots for IO Digital Cable. Michael is extremely excited to be a part of this amazing production and would like to thank his Mom for always encouraging him to “follow your dream”.

Josh Strickland is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Josh created the leading role of Tarzan in Disney’s Tarzan – The Broadway Musical and is featured on the Original Cast Recording. Other credits include ABC’s All My Children and the National Tour of Rent where he performed the roles of Mark and Roger. He has also appeared as Guest Vocalist with Shania Twain and has made many National TV and live appearances with Phil Collins. In addition, he was a national finalist in Fox television’s “American Idol” and appeared on ABC’s season premiere of “Star Search 2004.” Josh has also performed with national jazz musician Kevin Mahogany at the International Spoleto Arts Festival USA. www.joshstricklandonline.com

Daniel Torres (Eddie) is excited to return to NYMF with Play It Cool. NYC credits include The Woman in White (Original Broadway Company), The Pirate Queen (Original Broadway Company/Cast Recording), Young Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (Madison Square Garden), and Juan in Altar Boyz (Off-Broadway). Regionally, he’s appeared as Danny Reyes in Most Wanted (La Jolla Playhouse/Sundance Theatre Lab), Tobias in Sweeny Todd (Cleveland Opera), and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Seaside Music Theater). Projects in development include Ever After, The Addams Family, Most Wanted, and the upcoming Broadway revival of Godspell. Daniel is a San Juan, PR native, CCM grad, and proud member of the singing group “The Broadway Bo ys.” For more information please check out DanielTorres.net and Bwayboys.com.

Plays: Scituate (TBG Arts Center, New York, Spring, 2007); The Irish Curse (New York International Fringe Festival 2005 — Outstanding Playwriting Award; Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2006; off-Broadway, Fall 2007); Grand Junction; Beautiful Dreamer; Desert Fire (w/Roger Holzberg); Paydirt; Mates (L.A. Weekly Award and Drama-Logue Award for Best New Play). One-Acts: George Bush Goes to Hell (New York Last Chance Texaco Play Festival; Ohio State One-Act Festival); The Big Enchilada (Cal Arts One-Act Festival.) Musicals: Saint Heaven (Stamford Center for the Arts, 2006; NYMF 2006 — Director's Choice Award; TRU New Musicals Festival 2005; Stages 2003), Paper Moon (Paper Mill Playhouse; Goodspeed; Fords Theatre, Walnut Street; two seasons the Bunkamura Theatre, Tokyo), Happy Holidays (Pasadena Playhouse), Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll (Bailiwick, Chicago) and Doo-Dah! (Stratford Festival Reading Series, Canada).

Films: One Night Stand, directed by Talia Shire and starring Ally Sheedy and Frederic Forrest. Daytime: One Life to Live. Mr. Casella also wrote the upcoming feature film Tom's Dad, the TV movie Behind the Lens and Daddy's Girl, a comedy pilot for HBO. He recently finished writing A Thousand Ribbons, a film about the African-American poet Phillis Wheatley.

Current theatre projects include Free Money, a musical about the invention of credit cards; a musical about the infamous WWII radio announcer Toyko Rose; and Jimi Slept Here, a musical memory piece about the New York arts scene in 1980's. Mr. Casella taught playwriting at the California Institute of the Arts, and is a proud long-time member of the WGA, The Dramatists Guild, Screen Actor's Guild and Actor's Equity. He lives in New York City.

Larry has written for the stage, screen, television, as well as several essays. In 2004, he was tapped by CITC Productions to create/script an original series - "The Mamas & the Papas" was filmed in June of 2004. His stories, under the collective title Witness to the Bizarre, have been published in both print and online literary collections, and he has performed them at the Comedy Central Stage in Los Angeles.

Larry wrote his first play, Inverted Pyramid, in 1993 which had its professional world premiere at Performance Network in Ann Arbor and was named Best Original Play and Best Drama of the Year by the Ann Arbor News and was a winner at the Midwest Playwrights Festival in 1994.

His other plays include Bible Stories — which was performed in theatres, churches and even rock clubs in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio and later developed into an independent film as well as nominated for three LA Weekly Theatre Award including Best Playwriting- and Like an Old Song which was produced at the Hudson Avenue Theatre starring Tony winner Sammy Williams (A Chorus Line) and named Best Gay-Themed Play of the Year by Backstage West and Frontiers Newsmagazine in 2000.

Larry was a member of the prestigious Playwrights Kitchen; a founder of Playwrights 6, a playwrights-driven theatre company; and a board member of Celebration Theatre. Play It Cool is his first full-length book musical.

Mark is an award winning singer/lyricist who has had his tunes covered by such artists as Dianne Reeves, Randy Crawford, Liza Minnelli, Kenny Rankin and Nancy Wilson.

He has released nine CDs in the US. The latest being Mark Winkler sings Bobby Troup - a loving tribute to the hip California composer of "Route 66" and Garden of Earthly Delights: The Best of Mark Winkler and Friends - a compilation of 20 years of his songs just out on Varese Sarabande. His CDs have been released on Polydor in Japan and Bellaphon in Germany.

He is the co-writer of the hit Off-Broadway Musical Review Naked Boys Singing! entering its eighth year and is the creator and writer of Too Old for the Chorus which has played successful engagements in Los Angeles and San Diego, and will has been optioned by McCoy/Rigby Entertainment for a National tour. He has won both LA. Weekly and Backstage West Awards for best score for Naked Boys Singing!

He has written songs for another musical review called Bark! that has been playing in Los Angeles and Chicago, and will be opening in New York in 2007.

Phillip Swann is the composer of the award winning musical comedy, "The People vs. Friar Laurence, the Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet." The show ran at the famed Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for two summers, as well as, at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles. Swann's latest projects are: "DeLeaRious, a new musical-comedy based upon Shakespeare's, King Lear and the creation of the King James bible, "Shakespeare's Greatest Hits," "Moms," a show written exclusively for The Second City in Chicago, and "Trombone," a musical celebration based upon the poetry on famed African-American poet, journalist and statesman, James Weldon Johnson.

As staff songwriter and producer for DreamWorks SKG, Phil Swann's songs have been heard in both television and film and recorded by such major label artists as Clay Aiken, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Sheldon, Lee Greenwood, John Berry, The Kinleys, Lisa Brokop, Keith Norris and Kristin Garner.

Phil has appeared on many TV shows as an actor and musician. Currently, Swann can be seen on NBC's, Days of Our Lives, where recently he recently performed numerous songs including, "Whatever it Takes," a song he co-wrote with Mark Winkler for their new jazz-musical, "Play it Cool."

As a record producer, Swann's credits include: Helen Slater, Roberta Duchak, Dave Aguallo, Dan Namod, Jennifer Capelo, Adrina Thorpe and Greg Rowles.

A renown speaker at songwriting and creative organizations throughout the United States and Canada, Swann's creative workshops has been embraced by The Songwriters Guild of America, the Nashville Songwriters Association, the Dramatists Guild, BMI, ASCAP, as well as, UCLA, which offers Swann's commercial songwriting course twice a year. Phil currently sits on the board of directors of the Songwriters Guild of America, and the Board of Advisors for UCLA's new music production program.

A graduate of the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts in NYC, Phillip Swann now makes his home in Los Angeles with his wife, famed theatre educator, Amanda Swann. Phil is also the author of the new suspense-thriller, The Mozart Conspiracy, his first novel.

Jim Andron has had his songs covered by such stars as Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis and Stephanie
Mills and Jack Jones. He produced and co-wrote most of the songs on Mark Winkler's first CD "Jazz Life."

Michael was a collaborator of Mark Winkler's and contributed songs for "Fame" the TV series and "Kids Incorporated". He passed away in 1993.

Marilyn is a gold record awarded singer/composer whose last two CDs of original compositions have featured nine collaborations with Mark Winkler. She has sung on CDs with Jim Brickman and Phillip Ingram. Her voice has been heard on many national commercials and her latest recording "Round Trip" featuring the cream of la musicians reached #25 on the Jazz charts.

Robert is now the head of music for Twentieth Century Fox Pictures. But he is an Oscar nominated songwriter who has contributed to the scores of such movies as Swing Kids and The Mambo Kings.

Emilio is a keyboardist composer who writes music for many TV shows such as Nickelodeon's "Ned's Declassified Files". He also has played on recordings with Sam Riney and Grant Geissman as well as his own CD Home Free. He was part of a new age musical group with Mark Winkler in the 90s called "Amarna" that toured Japan and the US.

Joe was a member of the multi-platinum musical group The Jets. He also had a top 10 hit in the 90's with his group Boys Club. He produced Mark Winkler's Tales from Hollywood and wrote many of the songs on it.

Dan is a keyboardist/composer who has had over twenty years of chart topping albums out on such labels as Sony, Elektra and Inner City Records. He has had his tunes recorded by such wonderful singers as Kenny Rankin, Missing Persons and English jazz sensation Claire Martin.

Larry Steelman is a much in demand keyboardist, arranger,educator and songwriter who has had his songs covered by everyone from Carl Anderson to Lorraine Feather.

Sharon has been a part of the development and world premier production of Play It Cool. Along with Play It Cool she is preparing to direct the revival of Oh What A Lovely War which will be the first all female production in Broadway history. Sharon co-produced The Tricky Part (Off Broadway) which received an Obie award as well as Drama Desk and Outer critic's nominations. She was also one of the original producers of They Wrote That? The Music of Mann/Weil.

Sharon produced and directed the Los Angeles premiere of AlwaysPatsy Cline, starring Sally Struthers, playing at both The Coronet and The Laguna Playhouse, which received best production honors in Las Vegas in 2000. Her American Premiere production of Slow Love earned her seven Drama-Logue Awards (including Critic's Choice and Best Production) and her LA premiere of David Budbill's Judevine brought her three more. In New York she produced and directed the world premiere of Drowning in Euphoria at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre.

Sharon produced the Los Angeles production of RUMI with Paul Sills, founder of Second City and creator of the Tony Award-winning Story Theater. Other productions that have received critical praise include Still Photos, The Portrait Norman Rockwell Forgot To Paint, Waterworks, Echoes, Triplet and All I Want for Christmas.

She has worked extensively teaching theatre to both adults and children, and has taught acting and directing at various schools including NYU and The National Theatre Workshop for the Handicapped as well as communications at Brooklyn College.

Joseph Baker has been working on Broadway as a pianist, arranger, orchestrator,
composer, and conductor for more than 20 years. His Broadway roster includes Wicked, Footloose, The Lion King, Blood Brothers, The Life, Grand Hotel, Starlight Express, The Tap Dance Kid, Little Shop of Horrors, Catskills On Broadway, and Bells Are Ringing. He has also been the orchestrator, vocal arranger or dance arranger for Footloose, Bubbly Black Girl, The Green Heart, and The Ark.

Jazz related credits include: working on Cy Coleman's Jazz-inflected Musical, THE LIFE, Cabaret Performances with Patrick Degennaro, Keith Thompson, Adriene Lenox, and the annual Save the Rainforest Benefit w/Sting. Jazz arranging has included work for solo artists, combos, big band,and full orchestra.

He has performed with several well-known artists, and especially enjoys work in the concert pops field. He has conducted and played for Artists such as Helen Reddy, , Petula Clarke, Carole King,David and Shaun Cassidy .Art Garfunkel, Peter Gallagher Chita Rivera, Leslie Uggams, Jackie Mason, Vanessa Williams, Savion Glover, Jimmy Webb, and Ronan Tynan

Joseph's recording career includes new albums with artists from the world of Broadway He also works as a Recording Music Producer, and his work is currently on recordings by Jeremy Kushnier, (Star of RENT and FOOTLOOSE), Petula Clark, Jonny Peterson (Cabaret), Steven Lutvak, and J. Mark McVey (Les Miserables and Marvin Hammlisch) Jonathan Sandler, and the original Stormin' Norman,

He is currently musical producer, arranger and composer on the new PBS children's series, DITTYDOODLEWORKS, which began airing on New York television stations in the summer of 2005. He recently composed the score to the new documentary hit Mad Hot Ballroom, which was released by Paramount Classics and Nickelodeon. Recent composition projects include a musical revue of his own, with the ever classic title: IT"S JUST SEX!!. He is presently developing several new projects in his midtown recording facility, Bakerboys Studios, where he collaborates with 3 other producer-musicians, with work that ranges from Peter Frampton to Baby Einstein (!) and everywhere in between.

Native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He received his B.A. in English Literature at the University of Washington (Seattle), an MFA in dance at California Institute of The Arts.
He's a former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Los Angeles Inner City Repertory Dance Company, Donald McKayle (Artistic Director). He performed in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera in The King & I and the National Touring Company of Bob Fosse's Chicago with Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, and Jerry Orbacque. His film credits include, Funny Lady, Best 'Lil Whorehouse In Texas, and Staying Alive. He was also a singer and dancer with Leslie Uggams Nightclub act which toured Australia, England and the U.S.A. His choreographic experience extends from the dance concert stage to theatre productions, Ain't Misbehavin for South Coast Rep, I am A Man forThe Fountain Theatre, Picnic for A Noise Within and The Black Cat Cabaret for the Edgemar Theatre. He received the Artistic Director achievement award for best choreography of Rita Dove's, The Darker Face of The Earth at the American Renegade Theater - All Southern California Theater Companies. He is presently the resident choreographer for the Celebration Theater in Los Angeles where he collaborated the first production of Play It Cool and went on to work on The Bacchae, Splendora, Stupid Kids, Coffee Will Make You Black and Sissystrata, which opened just last month. Marvin has (23) years of service on the Theater School Faculty at CalArts, teaching movement for actors. He is a strong advocate for community outreach with the CalArts Community Arts Partnership Program, Plaza De La Raza Community Art Center, The California Youth Summer Theater Program, Los Angeles Unified Gifted and Talented Youth Conservatory, and The Center Theater Group. It's a blessing to be back in New York City, as dancer slash choreographer.

Producer/General Manager: The Little Dog Laughed, Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias, Golda's Balcony, Def Poetry Jam (Tony Award), Metamorphoses, The Laramie Project, Frozen, Jesus Hopped the A Train, A View From the Bridge (Tony Award), How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize), Beautiful Thing, Virgins & Other Myths. General Manager: Walmartopia, My Name Is Rachel Corrie, Dog Sees God, Souvenir, Five Course Love, Beast on the Moon, Altar Boyz, ‘night, Mother, Laugh Whore, Trying, Johnny Guitar, Talking Heads, The Last Sunday in June, Our Lady of 121st St., Burn This, The Last Five Years, tick, tickBOOM!, Lobby Hero, Passion Play, The Play About the Baby, Down the Garden Paths, Side Man (Tony Award), Wit (Pulitzer Prize), Three Tall Women (Pulitzer Prize), Snakebit, Honour, The Hairy Ape, Old Wicked Songs, Defying Gravity, Pera Palas, RSC's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare for My Father, True West. Trustee of Macalester College, St. Paul, MN

Judy is pleased to continue to be a part of PLAY IT COOL. Also cast for this year’s NYMF, Matt Prager’s SHE CAN’T BELIEVE SHE SAID THAT! Past NYMF shows include THE CHOCOLATE TREE(dir.Sheryl Kaller) & Martin Casella’s SAINT HEAVEN(also played Stamford’s Rich Forum and Village Theatre of Seattle). Other musicals include LOVE ACCORDING TO LUC(Greenwich Street Theatre), FRANKENSTEIN(Ontario, Canada), & Aaron Posner’s musical adaptation of TWELFTH NIGHT(Actors Theatre of Louisville). New York Plays: Edward Bond’s CHAIR(Theatre for a New Audience), WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HATE ALL YOUR FRIENDS(Lion Theatre), SWEET STORM(Public LAB series), Brett C. Leonard’s UNCONDITIONAL(LAByrinth/Public Theatre: dir.Mark Wing-Davey), Ariel Dorfman’s WIDOWS(dir.Hal Brooks), NIGHT OVER TAOS(dir.Estelle Parsons), REARVIEWMIRROR(dir.Carl Forsman), POINTS OF DEPARTURE(dir.Ron Daniels), MATTER OF CHOICE(dir.John Gould Rubin), Martin Casella’s SCITUATE(dir.David Hilder), & David Mamet’s THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD(Broadway, co-cast). For American Repertory Theatre: THE SEAGULL(upcoming), CARDENIO, JULIUS CAESAR, DONNIE DARKO, BRITANNICUS, WINGS OF DESIRE, ISLAND OF SLAVES, ROMEO & JULIET, THE KEENING, OLLY’S PRISON & DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS. Selected Regional Theatre: THE TWO OF YOU(Kitchen Theatre), Naomi Iizuka’s STRIKE/SLIP(dir. Chay Yew) & Carlos Murillo’s DARK PLAY OR STORIES FOR BOYS(dir. Michael John Garces): Humana Festival ’07. Film/TV: BODY/ANTIBODY, LEGACY, DUANE INCARNATE, several shorts, animation, & web series. NY Casting Associate: MEAN GIRLS, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, & SHORTBUS. Judy casts for the American Repertory

Recent design work includes Love Jerry (NYMF ‘08) Green Girl (Summer Play Festival ‘08) Semi-Permanent (Ace of Clubs, Spin Cycle NYC) Proximity (Sonnet Repertory Theatre) The Tailers (Crown Point Festival) A Beautiful Child (NY Fringe '07) Look What a Wonder Jesus Has Done (NYMF '07) The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged, Adventures from Ezra Jack Keats, and Metamorphoses (Weston Playhouse), Demon Dreams, Vanishing Point, and I have Loved Strangers (Williamstown Theater Festival Workshop) Tom Jones and The Oldest Story Ever Told (The Theater at Monmouth), When the World was Green (Luna Stage). Lara is a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Off Broadway; The Ruby Sunrise at The Public Theater.
Regional credits include; Trinity Repertory Company, City Theatre Company, Alliance Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Berkshire Theatre Festival and Actors' Theatre of Louisville, where she was resident lighting designer for two seasons and has designed a dozen world premiers as part of the Humana Festival of New American Plays.
Other theatres include, SPF 08', Two Rivers Theatre Company, New Rep, Gloucester Stage Company, Perishable Theatre, Boston Theatre Works, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Opera Providence and Festival Ballet Providence among many. Deb is a member of United Scenic Artists

JACK E. VANDEWARK (Production Stage Manager) For the past ten years, Mr.
Vandewark has been a stage manager working all around the world.
Favorite shows include Meet Me in St. Louis, Grease, Carmen, Turandot,
Show Boat, and Call Me Madam. Some national tours include My Way,
Cinderella, A Christmas Carol, Sesame Street Live, and Royal
Caribbean Cruise Lines. Mr. Vandewark was the stage manager for the
OBIE Award-winner for best play, Letters from Cuba.
Proud Member Of ACTORS EQUITY