The Great Unknown

Jim Wann (Composer/Lyricist)

Jim Wann is the principal author/composer of Broadway's PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, a Tony and Olivier nominee for Best Musical and the longest-running musical in Chicago theatre history.  An original cast recording of his most recent work, THE PEOPLE VS. MONA, featuring Marc Kudisch, Christiane Noll, Lillias White, Natalie Toro and Ron Raines, has just been released on Jay Records.

William Hauptman (Book Author)

William Hauptman is the Tony-winning librettist of BIG RIVER, based on Huckleberry Finn, which also won a Tony for Best Musical.  He has published Good Rockin' Tonight, a collection of short stories; The Storm Season, a novel; a plays including Domino Courts/Comanche Cafe, an Obie winner.  A Guggenheim fellow, his work includes screenplays for Amblin and Merchant-Ivory and journalism for the New York Times.

Patricia Miller (Executive Producer)

Patricia Miller has worn many hats in the world of professional theatre as an actor, writer, producer, and administrator.  Ms. Miller was raised in Vidalia, GA.  She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in Theatre and has a Masters in Arts Administration from New York University.  

 As an actor (member of AEA since 1974), she has worked in New York City, toured the country and Canada and appeared in regional theatre.  Her acting credits include:  VANITIES, (Off-Broadway) and the National Tour of CRIMES OF THE HEART.  She was the founder and artistic director in 1990 of a national playwrighting conference, The Gathering at Bigfork, in Bigfork, Montana.  Ms. Miller studied with Uta Hagen, Herbert Berghof and Stella Adler.  Her writing credits include THE PEOPLE VS MONA, written with husband, Jim Wann, which enjoyed a sold-out engagement Off-Broadway in 2007.  They also created JIM’S GARAGE, which premiered at the Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina in 2002.  In 2005, Miller and Wann toured with their theatrical concert, PARDON MY SOUTHERN ACCENT.   Ms. Miller produced Jim Wann’s KING MACKEREL & THE BLUES ARE RUNNING at the Westbank Downstairs Theatre in 1995, and served as Executive Director for the show at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC in 1996.  As a theatre administrator, Ms. Miller was Managing Director for the Westbank Downstairs Theatre in New York City’s Theatre Row District, and Managing Director for INTAR Hispanic American Arts Center, New York City’s oldest Hispanic Theatre and art gallery.   Ms. Miller has served as a panelist for NYSCA and the Georgia Council for the Arts.  She was President of the Tybee Island Fine Arts Commission and currently serves on the Tybee Island Better Hometown program, a downtown revitalization effort that is a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  On Tybee Island, she has produced KING MACKEREL with the original NY cast as a benefit performance to raise money to save the Post Theatre, CELEBRATE TYBEE a celebration of Tybee’s 125th birthday and, most recently a successful monthly concert series, THIRD THURSDAYS ON TYBEE.

Don Stephenson (Director)

DON STEPHENSON most recently directed a OF MICE AND MANHATTAN at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, TITANIC at The MUNY Opera and THE 39 STEPS at The Flat Rock Playhouse. He directed the critically acclaimed productions of OLEANNA, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, THREE TO GET READY, and the hit musical comedy DOCTORS AND DISEASES at the historic Barter theatre. His production of DOCTORS AND DISEASES subsequently moved Off-Broadway to the Players Theatre. Other New York directing credits include BUCK SIMPLE (Garrick Gaities), WHEN PIGS FLY (Kaufman Theatre), GOLDEN VOICES  (Symphony Space), OLD FLAMES (Theatre Studio Inc.) and a workshop production of MY TIME OF DAY:  THE LETTERS, LYRICS, AND MUSIC OF FRANK LOESSER. Regionally, Don has directed productions of THE DESPERATE HOURS and THROUGH ALL KINDS OF WEATHER, both at the Clarence Brown Theatre and SLEEPING BEAUTY at American Stage Festival. As an actor, he was most recently seen on Broadway in ROCK OF AGES where he played the role of Hertz Kleinman. He starred as Leo Bloom in the TONY award winning Broadway production of THE PRODUCERS, and before that played Victor in the TONY Award winning revival of PRIVATE LIVES. Also on Broadway he created the role of Renfield in DRACULA and created the role of Charles Clarke in the TONY Award winning production of TITANIC. Don later returned to the show where he played radioman Harold Bride. Other Broadway credits include Leo Frank and Mr. Peavy in the original company of PARADE at The Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Bingo Little in BY JEEVES at the Helen Hayes Theatre, Dickie Clarke in PARDON MY ENGLISH, and he appeared as Frank Lippencott in the revival of WONDERFUL TOWN at Lincoln Center. On television he has appeared on UGLY BETTY, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS (pilot), NOW AND AGAIN, ALL MY CHILDREN, AS THE WORLD TURNS, LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, LAW AND ORDER,  LAW AND ORDER: SUV, BY JEEVES, and played the role of David Jordan on the soap ANOTHER WORLD. A native of Chattanooga Tennessee, Don holds a B.A. from University of Tennessee.  He is married to actress Emily Loesser and they have four children.

Liza Gennaro (Choreographer)

Liza Gennaro choreographed the critically acclaimed Broadway revival of The Most Happy Fella and the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress starring Sarah Jessica Parker. She has choreographed extensively in regional theaters across the country including: The Guthrie, The Old Globe, Hartford Stage, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, The Goodspeed Opera House, and collaborated with Stephen Flaherty and Frank Galati on their chamber musical Loving, Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein for the About Face Theater in Chicago. She choreographed the 30th Anniversary tour of Annie and Roundabout Theater Company’s Tin Pan Alley Rag (2010 Outer Critics Circle Nomination, Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical). In addition to her choreographic career Liza teaches at Barnard College and holds a master’s degree in Dance Studies from New York University. Her essay,“Evolution of Dance in the Golden Era of the American 'Book Musical'” will appear in The Oxford Handbook of the American Musical, later this year. Her essay “’Broken Dolls’: Representations of Dancing Women in the Broadway Musical” can be read in the online Journal Bodies of Work, http://www.bodiesofwork.info/Bob%20Fosse.html.

Diana Glazer / DiStar Productions (Line Producer/General Manager)

Diana Glazer is a New York based director, producer, casting director and creative consultant with expertise in new music theater works. She has worked on the Broadway productions of Chicago, La Cage Aux Folles and Soul of Shaolin and the Asian tours of Aida and Fame. Diana is the President & CEO of DiStar Productions and is the Casting Director at Prospect Theater Company.  She currently works with Ira Weitzman, producing music theater projects at Lincoln Center Theater and also recently served as Artistic Coordinator at the Weisslers'office.  Credits: Directing: Onward (59e59), Act IV Cabaret (Weston Playhouse), Birth Day (Hudson Guild), Assassins, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, & How To Wake Up. Producing: A Political Party! (Sage), green eyes (Fringe), Angels Twice Descending, Camp Out (the cell), A Mikvah (Fringe).  Past: Nederlander Worldwide, MTC, Primary Stages, Harden-Curtis, Weston Playhouse, & Mason Street Warehouse. Diana's musical Birth Day, co-written with Larson Award winner J. Oconer Navarro, won the New Works prize at Emerson College.  Currently: Chinglish(by David Henry Hwang), Petropolis (with Navarro), The Morning After/The Night Before (Lortel/Fringe 2010), MovingMidway and many more.  Diana served as a undergraduate teaching assistant in the theater department at Northwestern University, from which she graduated. www.diglazer.com

Lily Perlmutter (Stage Manager)

James Weinman (Production Manager)

James was the associate production manager for three years at the Atlantic Theatre Company and has assisted with production management at many theaters including Theatre Row, 59E59, Atlantic Stage II and PS122. When not production managing James is a theater director, focusing on work that fuses drama with dance and music. He also works for the American Theatre Wing. This is his first year working at NYMF.

Wayne Barker (Music Director)

Wayne Barker just returned to New York from orchestrating Mark Bennett’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream score for La Jolla Playhouse. Wayne performed for five years with Chicago City Limits, New York’s most prestigious improvisational comedy theater, and with Harry Prichett and John Cameron Telfer created the interactive Radio Active Theater which was heard on WFMU and WKCR. His symphony pops work has been played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Chicago, Minnesota, San Francisco, Baltimore, St. Louis, Pittsburgh symphonies, among many others. Wayne served on the staff of the HBO Family series “A Little Curious” and his music is heard in virtually every episode. Wayne arranges for and plays in the seven-piece Raymond Scott Orchestrette, serving up Scott’s one-of-kind chamber swing on their CD Pushbutton Parfait.  In 2000 Wayne began his long association with international megastar Dame Edna Everage, as her on-stage pianist for her North American tours, leading to her return to Broadway in Back With A Vengeance! for which Wayne also wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics with Barry Humphries. He has also appeared with Dame Edna onstage at the Metropolitan Opera and in the Strelna, the summer mansion of the Russian President. Wayne’s songwriting for Edna includes “We’ve Made The Most Of Melbourne” (finale of the 2006 Commonwealth Games) and “Fifty On The Stage” sung for Her Majesty the Queen at the 75th Royal Command Variety Performance, and most recently on Broadway (the catchy “I’m Forcing Myself To Like Michael Feinstein”). He is currently developing an original musical Live! Nude! Girl! (NYMF, 2009) with Donna Kaz and this spring the New York Theater Workshop will present Peter & The Starcatchers, for which he composed the score. Also coming: Common Criminals and Wayne Barker And Other Musical Curiosities, featuring the Victory Meat Extenders. He is a member of Local 802 and The Dramatists Guild.

Ritt Henn (Associate Music Director, Bass)

Ritt Henn is an award-winning songwriter who has released 3 CDs of original music (available at iTunes) and produced 212 episodes of "ManBassBoxTV" (as seen on TV in NYC and on the web at YouTube). Previous forays with Jim Wann: The People vs. Mona (including leading the band for the York Theatre production and the ensuing cast album), Jim's Garage (premiered at Flat Rock Playhouse, NC), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Los Angeles). Other theater: Shockheaded Peter (Off-Broadway), Little Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway, First National Tour), Forever Plaid (Beverly Hills). Film/TV: Across the Universe, for which he had his face painted orange and carried a sousaphone, and "Star Trek: The Next Generation," in which he portrayed an alien bassoonist. As a sideman, he's accompanied Chuck Berry, Tom Jones, Buddy Rich and Martha Reeves, though unfortunately not at the same time. This fall, he will be performing the role of God (who is, of course, a bass player) in the debut of Mary Liz McNamara's The Good Girl, as part of Musical Mondays at the Snapple Theater. RittHenn.com

Mark Sanderlin (Assistant Musical Director)

Previous music directing credits include productions of "Nickel & Dimed," "The Last Five Years" and "Sweeney Todd." Performance credits include (West Coast) productions of "Peter Pan," "Gypsy," "Jesus Christ Superstar" "Oliver!," "Death of a Salesman" and "Carmen" and "La Boheme" with Portland Opera. A versatile composer, songwriter and lyricist with two albums of original songs available on iTunes, Mark's work has appeared in films and on stage and his lyrics have been set to music for chamber and choral works. Mark is the composer/lyricist of "Tangled: A New Musical by Alexandra Rubin & Mark Sanderlin." More information at MarkSanderlin.com.

Christopher E. Edwards (Lighting Designer)

Brought 2 U from the Lone Star State, Christopher has designed locally and elsewhere 4 the following: Purelements: An Evolution In Dance, The Family Tree Collective, C. Eule Dance Company, Shades of Truth Theatre Company, The Kumble Theater for The Performing Arts, Restoration Dance Theatre Jr. Co., City Attic Theatre Co., The Milk Can Theatre Co., Hot City Theatre Co. and  The Relavations Group 2 name a few.

He is Spicy Thrilled 2 B part of this production team. Special Thanks goes out 2 the Edwards and Vernon Clan 4 their love & Keys.

Lois Catanzaro (Assistant Lighting Designer)

Edward Ross (Scenic/Props Designer)

Martin T. Lopez (Costume Designer)

Melissa Heller / DiStar Productions (Associate Producer)

Melissa Heller has credits as a producer, general manager, stage manager, special projects manager, writer, and more.  She has worked on the Broadway productions of Oleanna and Shrek The Musical; the Off-Broadway productions of Avenue Q, Altar Boyz, My First Time, and The Awesome 80s Prom; as well as the National and International Tours of Sweeney Todd and The Rat Pack: Live at the Sands, respectively.  Melissa works as the Assistant to the President at Davenport Theatrical Enterprises where she recently oversaw development of the new AT THE BOOTH™ iPhone app. An associate of DiStar productions, and based in NYC, she is currently working on a multitude of festival shows for the 2010 season.

Justin Huebener / DiStar Productions (Assistant Producer)

Justin Huebener is a New York based producer/actor/special projects manager. Justin graduated with latin honors from Washington University in St. Louis with majors in Drama and Dance and was the recipient of the John G. Jutkowitz Award for Outstanding Achievement in Performing Arts. Currently an Assistant Producer with DiStar Productions, Justin has previously appeared in the national tour of CATS and has worked with theatres such as Stages St. Louis, The MUNY, Theatre at the Center and Step Theatre Company. When he is not “putting things together” Justin works in the real estate group of a leading global alternative asset management and financial services company…which is actually much more exciting than it sounds on paper.

Benjamin Otto / DiStar Productions (Assistant Producer)

Benjamin Otto is a New York based Producer/Director. He graduated from Fordham University with a major in English and a minor in Creative Writing. Ben has worked with the Flea Theater, The Arden Theatre Company and is currently working with The Public Theater in the Associate Producer department and with St. Ann’s Warehouse in their Marketing and Development Departments.

Alison Franck (Casting Director)

Alison Franck was the Resident Casting Director for Paper Mill Playhouse for 10 years. She has cast over 50 productions for Paper Mill Playhouse,including the Broadway transfer of I’m Not Rappaport, starring Judd Hirsch and Ben Vereen, directed by Daniel Sullivan. Regional:Pirates! (Goodspeed/Paper Mill), Hairspray, and Les Misérables (North Shore) and 2007’s mini-tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (TUTS/Paper Mill Playhouse/North Shore/TOTS). Recent: National Tour of Ain’t Misbehavin’ starring Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis and the premiere National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Independent film: Broke Even (Best Drama, 2000 NY Independent Film Festival).

Mark Dundas Wood (Dramaturg)

Mark has served as literary manager for New Professional Theatre since 2000, working with such writers as Keith Josef Adkins, Katori Hall, and Colman Domingo. In 2009, he was dramaturg for NYMF’s production of Mark Robinson’s Marrying Meg. He has also worked as a theatre writer for a variety of publications, including Back Stage, American Theatre, and Prologue (Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s subscriber magazine). Mark is a graduate of the dramaturgy program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts.