Frog Kiss

CURTIS HOLBROOK most recently had the pleasure of re-creating the role of "Action" in the Broadway revival of West Side Story. His other Broadway credits include: Xanadu (Starring as "Sonny Malone"), Follies ("Young Buddy"), All Shook Up ("Dean Hyde"), The Boy From Oz, Taboo, Fosse and Footloose. Off-Broadway he has appeared at Playwrights Horizon in Saved! ("Roland") and at the Public Theater in Radiant Baby ("Incredibly Hot Man"). Film Credits include: Hairspray (as Corny Collins council member "Brad") and Across the Universe (Directed by Julie Taymor). TV Credits: Law and Order: SVU, Sesame Street, All My Children and As the World Turns.

HANLEY SMITH is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a fabulous, talented team! Recent credits: Powerhouse (Sinking Ship Productions); A Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre); Into the Woods (Mill Mountain); and The Glass Menagerie (Blowing Rock Stage). She thanks SCAW and her parents for their unswerving support. The Princess sends her love!

TERRY BURRELL. Broadway: Three Penny Opera, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Swinging On A Star, Into The Woods, Dreamgirls, Honky Tonk Nights, Eubie, and the first London production of Showboat.  Regional: Up From Paradise, Crowns, Mahalia, Of Thee I Sing, Thunder Knocking On The Door,  The Women of Brewster Place, Cinderella, Smokey Joe's Café, for colored girls, Sophisticated Ladies, Man Of La Mancha, Copacabana, Ain’t Misbehavin and  Brownie Points.  Off Broadway: Almost Heaven, And The World Goes Round, Taking a Chance On Love. Concerts for Jazz In July at the 92nd Street Y, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Oslo Jazz Festival. She was nominated for a Helen Hayes award for her work in Queenie Pie and Showboat. Her one woman show Heebie Jeebies Ethel Waters bits and pieces will make it’s debut next season at the St. Louis Black Rep.

JOSEPH DELLGER is delighted to be part of this delightful new show.  He recently played the Splendid Vet in the first Nat. Tour of 101 Dalmatians.  On Broadway he was Father in Ragtime and originated the role of Magnus in the Elton John musical Lestat.  He played Monsieur Andre in the San Francisco Production of The Phantom Of The Opera.  Other roles include:  Inspector Hanke in the world premiere of The Visit at the Goodman Theater, Ben Stone in Follies at the Signature Theater in Wash. D.C, The Padre in the 25th anniversary production of  Man Of La Mancha at The Goodspeed Opera House, Arthur in Camelot, also at North Shore Music Theater.  Joe is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.  For the Chief.

MANNA NICHOLS is so excited to be a part of her very first NYMF show! She would like to thank the entire Frog Kiss team for this wonderful opportunity as well as the guys at BRS. Thanks are also due to her family, friends, and CG for all of their love, support, and prayers! God is good.

THEIS WECKESSER. Regional: Four Score..., Knight Life, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Sweeney Todd, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Good News, Twelth Night. Television: As The World Turns. Film: The Producers.Black Ninja.

JORDAN BARBOUR NY/ Off B’way: Langston in Harlem, Our Country’s Good, Dance Dance Revolution. Regional: Stormy Weather, Rent, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Yellowman, Topdog/Underdog. Int’l tour: The Shipment by Young Jean Lee. Training: Juilliard, Williamstown. Many thanks to friends and family for all the love and support. Keep supporting NYMF!

KENITA MILLER. Broadway/ Off Broadway: Xanadu(Erato/Kira Cover), The Color Purple(Celie), Dessa Rose (Dessa ), Langston In Harlem(Zora Neale Hurston- Drama Desk nomination). Training: Eastman School of Music, AMDA. Thanks to her husband Justin, family & friends, and most of all God for the gift of life and song!   www.kenitamiller.com

KATE PAZAKIS. Broadway/special events; Jerry Springer the Opera, Best Little Whorehouse (Actors Fund) Off-bway; Newsical, Bway Diva Xmas and Kates critically acclaimed one woman show "The Sexless Years".  Her debut album; Kate Pazakis Unzipped was just released on the P.S Classics label and is available on iTunes and in all three remaining music stores. She is slowly working her way to gay icon status as she just played herself in the Big Gay Musical Movie. Currently Kate is writing a new play with Mark Snyder and a new musical with Bobby Cronin.

HERMAN SEBEK BFA in Dance from Juilliard. (Broadway) West Side Story: 1980 revival, Cats: original cast , Song & Dance, Shogun and The Engineer in Miss Saigon. (Regional) Engineer in Miss Saigon: Toronto, Stuttgart, Chicago, Denver, Miami. Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Title role in The King & I. (Workshops) Smokey Joe's Cafe, To Sir with Love. (Television) Fame pilot.  Mr. Sebek is a composer/ lyricist who coaches voice and performance in New York’s Hudson Valley specifically serving the area's young talent. He is also a celebrated director/choreographer for local theatrical productions of The Music Man, Oliver, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Seussical.

ANDREW CAO.  Andrew just finished dancing in the Broadway-Bound ROBIN AND THE SEVEN HOODS at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.  Also recently: Bernardo in WEST SIDE STORY at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival; Tommy Keeler in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN at The Goodspeed Opera House.  Love to my amazing wife Sophie.

LINDSAY CHAMBERS.  I'm everywoman, it's all in me. Anything you want done, baby: I'll do it naturally. Woah, woah, woah-oh. Lindsay would first like to apologize for quoting Chaka Kahn in her bio, but come on.  Most recently seen as Natalie in All Shook Up at the Arvada Center. Broadway: Hairspray, Legally Blonde. Robin in the World Premiere of Give It Up! at the Dallas Theatre Center.

CHARLES LEIPART (Book & Lyrics).  Awards: The Kleban Award for Librettist.  Winner of the Global Search for New Musicals, Cardiff, Wales, 2005.  Finalist with composer Eric Schorr for the Fred Ebb Award in Songwriting 2008, 2006 & 2005.  Upcoming: Swimming at the Ritz tours the UK beginning January 2011; premiere of a musical adapted from Enchanted April, with a score by Richard B. Evans, June 2011; an original musical Lady on a Carousel, with composer William Goldstein, Chase Mishkin, producer, Broadway 2011-12; an original animated musical feature, Jazzland, with a score by Eric Scott Reed, 2013.  Other musicals:  The Price of Everything, Espresso Trasho, The Showgirl of 52nd Street, The Doctor’s Wife.  Charles is a former Fellow of the Edward F. Albee Foundation and a recipient of a regional Emmy for The Undefeated Rhumba Champ.  His work is published by Dramatists Play Service and Applause Theatre Books of New York.  www.charlesleipart.com

ERIC SCHORR (Music) In addition to Frog Kiss, Eric has written three other musicals with Charles Leipart: Espresso Trasho, based on The School for Scandal (world premiere, 2003 NY International Fringe Festival; MMD West End Showcase, London, 2003); The Doctor’s Wife, an adaptation of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, (Manhattan Theater Club reading and N.E.A. Opera-Musical Theatre Award).  Frog Kiss (formerly titled The Frog Prince) was presented at the 2005 International Festival of Musical Theatre in Cardiff and was featured in the “Bound for Broadway V” Concert of New Musicals at Merkin Hall in New York City, 2005.  It was seen in August 2005 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  Eric wrote the music and lyrics for Young Tom Edison and The Civil War: The South Carolina Black Regiment, both of which were commissioned and produced by Theatreworks/USA.  TV credits include Discovery Kids, and PBS’s Sesame Street.  Member: Local 802, American Federation of Musicians; Dramatists Guild; ASCAP. Education: New England Conservatory; Yale and Harvard Universities. www.ericschorr.com

KENNETH ROBERSON (Director) choreographed the 2004 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Avenue Q. NYC credits include All Shook Up, Purlie (Encores!), Harlem Song at the legendary Apollo, Freak (John Leguizamo), Jar the Floor, Stupid Kids, The Mineola Twins and Blade to the Heat. Regional credits include Purlie, Once on This Island (dir./chor.), Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill (dir./chor.), Ain't Misbehavin' (dir./chor.), Smokey Joe's Cafe (dir./chor.), Guys and Dolls. Film work includes "Preaching to the Choir," HBO's "Lackawanna Blues," "Brother to Brother." Awards include two NAACP Awards, Emmy Award nomination, Lucille Lortel Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nomination, NYC Council of the Arts Award and ADELCO Award.

JOSH LUXENBERG is a Brooklyn-based writer and director. He has worked as the assistant director (with director David Schweizer) on several productions, including Paper Mill Playhouse’s The Importance of Being Earnest (with Lynn Redgrave) Tony Kushner’s Caroline, Or Change at Baltimore Centerstage and These Shining Lives (world premiere, Centerstage). He assisted Donald Hicken on The Turn of the Screw (Everyman Theatre). Josh is co-founder of Sinking Ship Productions and a Brooklyn-based writer and director. For SSP, he wrote and produced Powerhouse, which premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2009 (FringeNYC Excellence Award for Outstanding Ensemble) and produced There Will Come Soft Rains, which he produced at FringeNYC in 2008. He has also worked in the writers office of HBO’s The Wire. Josh is an alum of the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he studied acting, and of Oberlin College.

LORNA VENTURA (Choreographer) Broadway: Associate Choreographer for George C. Wolfe and Kenneth Roberson on HARLEM SONG and Christopher Ashley on ALL SHOOK UP.  Regional: Assistant choreographer: Sweeney Todd Concert directed by: Lonnie Price; National Tour of Guys and Dolls directed by Charles Wright.  On film she has choreographed Hugh Jackman, and Meg Ryan in KATE AND LEOPOLD; and Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas in IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.  On television her credits include several episodes from Seasons 1, 2 and 3 of hit show: GOSSIP GIRL.  Special choreography for Hilary Duff, Blake Lively, Chace Crawford among others.  Lorna directed and choreographed about dancers living and working in NYC, scheduled for completion in September 2010.  

ZANE MARK (Musical Director) Broadway: All Shook Up, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Never Gonna Dance, The Full Monty, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk (Tony® and Grammy nomination), Bubblin’ Brown Sugar and The Wiz. Off-Broadway and regional: THE OLD GLOBE: The First Wives Club, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, Thunder Knocking on the Door, Ray Charles Live, Imagine Tap, Radiant Baby, George C. Wolfe’s Harlem Song (Audelco Award), Insurrection and Betsy Brown. FILM: Lackawanna Blues and Frances Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club. Zane has also written arranged, recorded, or performed with: Regina Belle, Angela Bofill, Jonathan Butler, Peabo Bryson, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Judy Collins, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Will Downing, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Hugh Jackman, Eartha Kitt, Melba Moore, Queen Latifah and Phylicia Rashad to name a few.

DARYL WATERS Orchestrations: 2010 Tony Award for Memphis, Jelly’s Last Jam; Street Corner Symphony; Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (Broadway); and Miracle Brothers (Off-Broadway). Dance music arrangements: The Color Purple (Broadway). Music supervision/ arrangements: A Civil War Christmas, Turn of the Century (regional). Music direction: The Seven, The Colored Museum (Off-Broadway/regional). Original music: Noise/Funk (Tony/Grammy nominations), Drowning Crow (Broadway), Blue Door, In Real Life (Off-Broadway), Magnolia, Crowns and The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove (regional). Longtime music director for Eartha Kitt.

SCOTT CROCKETT  (Illustrator/Logo Design) trained in traditional animation at the California Institute of the Arts under Disney animators. As an animator, theatrical illustrator, storyboard artist and multimedia designer, Scott has worked in a wide range of projects for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Folgers, Hasbro and others.  Scott also created the original poster art for Chase Mishkin’s upcoming Broadway musical Lady on a Carousel, book and lyrics by Charles Leipart and music by William Goldstein.  www.scrockett.com 

JAMIE ROG Is thrilled to be among this wonderful group of Frog Kissers. Most recently Jamie worked on Family Dinner at the Beckett at Theater Row. Other credits include Tales from the Tunnel; Jack's Precious Moment; Perez Hilton Saves the Universe the Musical; Rest, in Pieces (world premiere); The Toymaker; Night Sky, Glimpses of the Moon; My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm in Therapy and numerous staged readings and workshops. Love to my family, and to Sam.

TAMARA TUNIE (Production Advisor):  Star of Stage, Screen, Television.  Producer credits: TONY AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL 2007 & 2007 DRAMA DESK AWARD OUTSTANDING MUSICAL Spring Awakening; TONY Nominee for Best Play 2007 & 2007 DRAMA DESK AWARD Nominee for Outstanding Play August Wilson’s Radio Golf.  Produced and directed the Industry Presentation of FROG KISS in May 2008.  Produced and directed the upcoming film See You in September.

BRIERPATCH PRODUCTIONS started in 2008 as a partnership between Laura Janik Cronin and Scott Newsome, Brierpatch Productions provides management for Broadway and Off-Broadway theatrical productions and tours. Current projects include Tales From the Tunnel (Off-Broadway), Enchanted April - the Musical, Wallenberg - the Musical, Get Got - A Rock Musical, a Broadway revival of Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens (spring 2011), and additional productions of Rest, In Pieces (Premiered summer 2009 starring Marcia Wallace).  Previous productions include The Toymaker and Marrying Meg for New York Musical Festival 2009, the new musicals The Frog Kiss, Shine! and Bloodties (2010 NYMF) and Tokio Confidential, and the 2008-2009 run of Glimpses of the Moon at the Algonquin’s Oak Room.