The Pigeon Boys (2011)

Anne Berlin is an award winning musical theater writer for the musicals REVOLUTION! and Charlie Chang and the Mysterious Salami (with Andy Cohen). Anne and Andrew Bleckner just recently presented their new musical Howling Hilda, a solo musical about the greatest Brooklyn Dodgers fan, Hilda Chester, starring Mary Testa. Other musicals include The Green Manifesto, Love Stinks, Ripcords, Pocket Change, The Little Drummer Boy and Rocky’s First Christmas (all with Andy Cohen). She has written lyrics for a choral piece about Anne Frank, entitled Ode to a Young Girl: Annalies Marie Frank (music by Andrew Bleckner). Her work has appeared in FringeNYC ’08 and ‘09, SPF’s Abridged Musical Series ‘09, The Shortened Attention Span Musical Festival, E.A.T. Emerging Artists Theatre’s Illuminating Artists Series ’08, and ‘09’ and Planet Connections Theatre Festivity ’09 and ’10 and this year's festival. Her musical Howling Hilda has been nominated for best overall production of a reading and best actress in a reading and won for best actress (Mary Testa). She is also the writer and producer of Monaco which premiered in the presence of Prince Albert of Monaco and was the first short film ever licensed to the TV station Romance Classics. Monaco was also seen on IFC and film festivals here and abroad. She is the author and lyricist of nine original musicals. Anne is a proud member of ASCAP and an ASCAP Awards Plus recipient. For more information on Anne’s work please contact Anne at Ripcordsalb@gmail.com

Described by National Public Radio as "part of the next generation of exciting composers," Andrew Bleckner studied composition with George Crumb at the University of Pennsylvania, and received a Ph.D. in composition in 1995.  With an eclectic approach to composition, Bleckner's concert music is inspired by sacred texts and African drumming.  Bleckner has received composition awards, grants, and fellowships from ASCAP, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, the American Composers Forum, the University of Pennsylvania, and the MacDowell Colony. He has teamed with author and lyricist Anne Berlin on two new musicals: The Pigeon Boys and Howling Hilda. For more information on Mr. Bleckner's work please visit his website at http://www.andrewbleckner.com/index.html

Born in the Philippines and raised in Hawaii, Jeremy Rafal has been a pianist, music director, teacher, and composer.  Now a resident of New York City, he has performed across the United States and abroad including Japan, Taiwan, Italy, Russia, among others.  Most recently, he has worked as a coach accompanist for the world premiere of Efraín Amaya’s La Bisbetica in Italy, assisted in directing the music for the new musical Pieces, and directed the music for Secret Theatre’s production of Parade and Sweet and Tart’s production of Side Show.  Jeremy holds music degrees from University of Cincinnati, Indiana University, and DePauw University.  Jeremy is always excited to be a part of emerging musicals, and is thrilled to direct the music for The Pigeon Boys.  For more information, visit Jeremy's website at http://www.jeremyrafal.com.

Having grown up in California and now living in New York, Estie proudly considers herself bicoastal. As a stage manager, she most recently worked on Jewish Date Party for the Planet Connectivity Festival, Human Comedy (Asst. Stage Manager-APAC), and On Campus at Laba Theater. Other shows she has staged managed include The Giver, Protrayed, Robin Hood, By Hands Unknown, Hippolytus, The Albatross, Married Plus One, Children of Eden, Trying,Walls, The Cholmondeley Chronicles, and many more. She recieved her BA in Theater Arts from Western Washington University. Other accomplishments include having worked Sound and Lighting for the NY Fringe Festival and Dramatic Question Theater Co, as well as speaking Spanish.

Valentina Fratti most recently directed Howling Hilda staring Mary Testa and Mark William’s play The Other Day at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. With Berlin and Bleckner the first presentation of The Pigeon Boys; with Berlin and Andy Cohen The Green Manifesto (FringeNYC) Pocket Change, Love Stinks (SPF at The Public); Ginna Carter’s Traffic School with Elaine Stritch. Other NY directing credits include Jeff Daniels’ Apartment 3A and Young Playwrights Festivals (2003, 2004 and 2006) at the Cherry Lane Alternative and the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons. At the Miranda Theater Co, which she co founded and where served as Artistic Director for 12 years, she directed The Book of Wren, Innocent Thoughts, Prostitutki and Near Normal. Writing credits include The Male Appetite, Unearthed, and Shooting Medea. Valentina works with Jane Harmon Associates, independent producer, developing and presenting new plays. She was the associate producer of the Broadway production of Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo, (TONY Award, Best Play) and is on faculty at The New School for Drama.

Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater's South Pacific (original company member); Off-Broadway: The Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard Theater); National Tours: Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! ; Regional: The Master Butcher's Singing Club (Guthrie Theater), Saint -Ex (Weston Playhouse), The Burnt Part Boys, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Barrington Stage Company), Signature Theater, North Shore Music Theater, Walnut Street Theater, St. Louis Muny, Kansas City Starlight. BFA in Drama from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Recently made his Lincoln Center debut opposite Kelli O’Hara and Victor Garber as Brom Broeck in, Knickerbocker Holiday (recorded by Sh-K-Boom). Broadway credits include A Little Night Music (Mr. Lindquist, u/s Carl Magnus, Fredrik), Les Miserables (Javert & Enjolras), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Trevor Graydon), Baz Luhrmann’s La Boheme (Marcello- *2003 Tony Honor) Tour: Spamalot (Galahad) Regional: Show Boat at Goodspeed Opera House (Ravenal), 110 In The Shade at Pasadena Playhouse (File), Mame (Older Patrick) and Bernstein’s Mass at The Hollywood Bowl. Concerts with LA Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony Film/TV: Papageno in Mozart’s, The Magic Flute directed by Kenneth Branagh, Numb3rs. All this because of Annie. Visit www.benjaminjaydavis.com

David Perlman is thrilled to be taking part in The Pigeon Boys.  Credits include the Broadway production of Baby It’s You! (Stanley standby), Off-Broadway’s Yank! (Rotelli) at the York Theatre, and the national tour of Madagascar Live! (Melman), which played Radio City Music Hall.  He has also performed in shows without exclamation points in their titles, inculding the European tour of Hair (Woof), and Once Upon a Time in New Jersey (Vinnie) with the Prospect Theater Company.  TV credits include “30 Rock” (bilarious) and “Law and Order.”  As always, love to Mom and Dad.  For more info., visit www.David-Perlman.com.