Creatives

Frank Loesser

Music & Lyrics

Loesser’s five Broadway musicals — Where’s Charley?, Guys and Dolls (Tony® Award), The Most Happy Fella, Greenwillow and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Pulitzer Prize) — stand as unique contributions to the art of musical theatre. Before his Broadway success, Loesser was known for the dozens of hit songs from his work in Hollywood, where he supplied lyrics to the music of Jule Styne, Hoagy Carmichael, Burton Lane and Arthur Schwartz, among others, producing such hits as “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You,” “Heart and Soul,” “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old” and, with his own music, “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year,” “On a Slow Boat to China” and the Oscar-winning “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” The biography A Most Remarkable Fella, by daughter Susan Loesser, is published by Hal Leonard Corporation. Heart & Soul: The Music & Lyrics of Frank Loesser is available on DVD from Final Cut Productions.

Abe Burrows

Book

(December 18, 1910–May 17, 1985). Born in NYC, Burrows graduated New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn and attended City College and NYU. His career in radio and television writing began with “This Is New York,” followed by “The Rudy Vallee Program,” “Duffy's Tavern” and “The Abe Burrows' Show.” Burrows also wrote, doctored or directed such shows as Guys and Dolls; Make a Wish; Two on the Aisle; Three Wishes for Jamie; Can-Can; Silk Stockings; Say, Darling; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; Cactus Flower; Breakfast at Tiffany's; Forty Carats; Good News; Four on a Garden and many others. With Frank Loesser, Burrows won a Pulitzer Prize for How to Succeed…. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, he won four Tony® Awards.

Jack Weinstock

Book

A prominent physician as well as a prize-winning playwright, Weinstock co-authored the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Subsequent stage credits include the 1963 musical comedy Hot Spot and the 1965 comedy mystery Catch Me If You Can. Television credits range from science fiction to classic children’s shows and sketches for comedian Jackie Gleason. Born in New York, “Dr. Jack,&rdquo as his colleagues called him, was a graduate of Columbia University and NYU Medical College and a practicing surgeon at two hospitals. He received a Tony® Award for How to Succeed…. He died in 1969.

Willie Gilbert

Book

(1916–1980) Gilbert began his show business career in the early days of television as a writer for numerous quiz, children’s and variety shows. His Broadway credits include the Pulitzer Prizewinning musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, for which he won a Tony® Award and the Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1962; the acclaimed comedy-murder mystery Catch Me If You Can; and Hot Spot, with Judy Holliday. Gilbert wrote hundreds of television scripts in a career spanning three decades and consulted on numerous theatrical productions up until his death in 1980.

Shepherd Mead

Original Author

Shepherd Mead’s experiences and observations at a large ad agency on Madison Avenue lead him to write his best seller, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in eight weeks in 1951. Having succeeded in advertising, he left at age 40 to write a total of 19 books, including How to Live Like a Lord Without Really Trying and How to Succeed with Women Without Really Trying. Many are now being published as ebooks. Mead took his family to Europe in 1957, where they all succeeded in many things; he left this world in 1994.

Rob Ashford

Direction & Choreography

Rob Ashford is director and choreographer of the current Broadway revival of Promises, Promises starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth. Other Broadway credits include Cry-Baby (Tony® nomination), Curtains (Tony® nomination), The Wedding Singer (Tony® nomination), Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Tony Award®, Best Choreography), and The Boys From Syracuse (Roundabout). In London, A Streetcar Named Desire starring Rachel Weisz at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier nomination, Best Revival), Parade at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier nominations for Direction and Choreography), Evita (Olivier nomination), Guys and Dolls (Olivier nomination), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Olivier nomination), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Once in a Lifetime (National Theatre). Other credits include Parade (Mark Taper Forum), Candide (English National Opera, La Scala, Milan, Chatelet, Paris), Tenderloin, Bloomer Girl, A Connecticut Yankee… and Pardon My English (Encores!). He provided choreography for the film Beyond the Sea directed by and starring Kevin Spacey. Mr. Ashford just won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for his work on the 81st Annual Academy Awards, and was recently appointed an Associate Director at The Donmar Warehouse in London.

Derek McLane

Scenic Design

Broadway: Anything Goes, Ragtime, Million Dollar Quartet, 33 Variations (2009 Tony®, Best Scenic Design), The Pajama Game (Tony®, Best Revival), Grease, The Threepenny Opera, Little Women, I Am My Own Wife (Tony®, Best Play), The Women, Present Laughter, Holiday. Off-Broadway: Ruined; A Lie of the Mind; Becky Shaw; Rafta, 10 Million Miles; Things We Want; The Voysey Inheritance; Two Trains Running; Hurlyburly; Abigail’s Party; Aunt Dan and Lemon. Awards: 1997, 2004 Obie Awards; 2004, 2005, 2007 Lucille Lortel Awards.

Catherine Zuber

Costume Design

Broadway Includes: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, South Pacific (Tony®); The Coast of Utopia (Tony®); The Light in the Piazza (Tony®); Edward Albee’s Seascape (Tony® nomination); Awake and Sing! (Tony®); The Royal Family (Tony®, Outer Critics Circle nomination); Dinner at Eight (Tony®, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations); Twelfth Night (Tony®, Drama Desk nominations); Ivanov; Triumph of Love (Drama Desk nomination). Many Opera/Off-Broadway credits. Graduate of the Yale School of Drama.

Howell Binkley

Lighting Design

Broadway works include: Lombardi, Million Dollar Quartet, Memphis, West Side Story (2009 Tony® nomination), Guys and Dolls, Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, In the Heights (2008 Tony® nomination), Jersey Boys (Tony® Award winner), Avenue Q, The Full Monty, Parade, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony® nomination, Olivier winner) and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Matthew Broderick. Six musicals in rep for the Kennedy Center’s Sondheim Celebration. Also the Joffrey Ballet’s Billboards, and designs for more than 60 pieces for Parsons Dance, which he co-founded with David Parsons.

Jon Weston

Sound Design

Broadway: 13; Les Misérables; The Color Purple; The Glass Menagerie; Caroline, or Change (AUDELCO Award); Nine; Imaginary Friends; Thoroughly Modern Millie; The Green Bird; It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues; On the Town; Company (Lincoln Center); Man of La Mancha. Off Broadway/Regional: Bloodsong of Love: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Spaghetti Western; Wonderland; Parade; The First Wives Club; Rooms…; A Little Night Music (L.A. Drama Critics Award); Himself & Nora; The Thing About Men; tick, tick…BOOM!; Bright Lights, Big City; Family Guy, Live!.

Tom Watson

Hair & Wig Design

Tom Watson is head of the wig and makeup department at the Metropolitan Opera. He has designed wigs for more than 45 Broadway productions. Current and recent Broadway designs include The Addams Family; Promises, Promises; Elling; Million Dollar Quartet; Mrs. Warren’s Profession; Wicked; Rock of Ages; South Pacific; Sondheim on Sondheim; A View From the Bridge; and Sunday in the Park With George.

Stephen Sposito

Associate Director

Broadway/NYC: Promises, Promises; Shrek; Jerry Springer: The Opera (Carnegie Hall); Speech and Debate (Roundabout). National tours: Shrek. Regional: Leap of Faith (Ahmanson Theatre), Parade (Mark Taper Forum). Television: 81st Annual Academy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors (Production Coordinator). Graduate of the University of Michigan.

Chris Bailey

Associate Choreographer

Choreography, Seoul Korea: Dancing Shadows (Won National Korean Theatre Award for Best Choreography 2007.) Associate Choreography, Broadway: Promises, Promises; Cry Baby. West End: Guys and Dolls, Evita, Once in a Lifetime, Candide (also Paris). Tours: The Wedding Singer (US), Guys and Dolls (UK, Australia), Thoroughly Modern Millie (UK).

Doug Besterman

Orchestrations

Broadway: Elf, Young Frankenstein, Tarzan, Dracula, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony®, Drama Desk), The Producers (Tony®, Drama Desk), Seussical, The Music Man, Fosse (Tony®), Big, Damn Yankees, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. International: Sister Act, Guys and Dolls, Der Schuh Des Manitu. Regional: Limelight, Minsky’s. Film/television: Nine, The Producers, Mulan, Anastasia, Lincoln, Cinderella, Annie, Geppetto, South Pacific, Superstar, Scrubs.

David Chase

Music Director and Arranger

HOW TO SUCCEED… marks David’s 23rd Broadway production as music director and/or dance arranger. Currently: music director of Billy Elliot and dance arranger of Anything Goes. Other arranging credits include: London (Guys and Dolls and Evita, both choreographed by Mr. Ashford), Radio City and the Boston Pops. Music education: Harvard biology degree. Special thanks to Don Smith, who was at the piano creating the original dance routines in 1960.

Howard Joines

Music Contractor

Contractor: Promises, Promises; Bye Bye Birdie; Grease; The Times They Are A-Changin’; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Vanities; Romantic Poetry; Adrift in Macao. Conductor/percussionist: Billy Elliot, Scoundrels , Never Gonna Dance, Flower Drum Song, The Full Monty, Superstar, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Singing in the Rain, The King and I, Cleavage, Radio City. For Robin and Taylor.

Juniper Street Productions

Production Manager

Hillary Blanken, Kevin Broomell, Guy Kwan, Ana Rose Greene, Joseph DeLuise & Alexandra Paull. Founded in 1998, the company has helped create over 30 Broadway productions, over 20 national tours, and numerous Las Vegas productions. Highlights include: Spider-Man; Promises, Promises; Memphis; Million Dollar Quartet; Gypsy; Bette Midler at Caesar’s Palace; Xanadu; Company; Grey Gardens; The Producers; All Shook Up; Blue Man Group Live at Luxor; and Fosse.

Kristen Harris

Production Stage Manager

Broadway: La Cage aux Folles, Chicago, Legally Blonde, The Color Purple, Wicked, Never Gonna Dance, Annie Get Your Gun, The Green Bird, The Rainmaker. Tours: La Cage aux Folles, The Color Purple, Mamma Mia!, Annie Get Your Gun, Rent (1st and 2nd Nationals), Robert Wilson’s Hamlet: A Monologue. Off-Broadway includes Fucking A, In the Blood, The Chang Fragments, Him, Songs for a New World. Regional: American Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse.

Glynn David Turner

Stage Manager

Broadway/National Tours: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, La Cage Aux Folles, Kristina (Carnegie Hall), Dirty Dancing, The Color Purple, Mamma Mia!, The Full Monty, Annie Get Your Gun, Victor/Victoria, How to Succeed... (with Matthew Broderick). Off Broadway: Jar the Floor, When Pigs Fly. Upcoming: Michael West's Almost Live.

Shannon Hammons

Assistant Stage Manager

Broadway: Promises, Promises, Off-Broadway: Avenue Q, National Tours: Legally Blonde, Other: Bring It On, FOX Upfronts. Performing Broadway credits: A Funny Thing…Forum, Contact and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Love to DB.

Tara Rubin Casting

Casting

Broadway: Promises, Promises; A Little Night Music; Billy Elliot; Shrek; Guys and Dolls; Country Girl; Rock n’ Roll; The Farnsworth Invention; Young Frankenstein; The Little Mermaid; Mary Poppins; My Fair Lady; The Pirate Queen; Les Misérables; The History Boys; Spamalot; Jersey Boys; …Spelling Bee; The Producers; Mamma Mia!; Phantom; Oklahoma!; Happiness; The Frogs; Contact; Thou Shalt Not. Yale Rep.

Alan Wasser & Allan Williams

General Managers

Along with Mark Shacket and Aaron Lustbader, oversee and supervise Tony® Award Productions, The Phantom of the Opera, Million Dollar Quartet, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway, Phantom in Las Vegas, and Madagascar Live! on tour in North America. Upcoming productions include Baby It’s You and The Nutty Professor.

Broadway Across America

Producer

Broadway Across America (Producer) is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 40 North American cities. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO & Head of Production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Recent Broadway productions include Promises, Promises; Million Dollar Quartet; La Cage aux Folles; Memphis; West Side Story and The Scottsboro Boys. Touring productions include Dreamgirls and the upcoming Madagascar. For more information on Broadway Across America go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron

Producers

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron began at the Public Theater working for Joseph Papp. Prior to that, Zadan wrote the acclaimed book, Sondheim & Co. Zadan and Meron recently produced the Tony®-winning Promises, Promises on Broadway. Their movies have garnered six Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, eleven Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and a Grammy Award. Their feature films include: Chicago (six Oscars including Best Picture), Hairspray, The Bucket List and Footloose. Their television projects (69 Emmy nominations) include: Gypsy, Cinderella, Annie, The Music Man, Life With Judy Garland, Martin & Lewis, Serving In Silence, The Beach Boys, Brian's Song, The Three Stooges, The Reagans, A Raisin In The Sun, plus the hit TV series Drop Dead Diva. They are currently producing, with Steven Spielberg, the pilot for a new television drama, Smash, about the behind-the-scenes creation of a Broadway musical for NBC.

Michael McCabe/Joseph Smith

Producer

UK-based McCabe/Smith are currently represented on Broadway by HOW TO SUCCEED… and in London's West End by Sweeney Todd starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton. Other producing credits include: Spring Awakening (London, 2009), winner of the Critics’ Circle Award for “Best Musical” and four Olivier Awards, including “Best Musical”; Promises, Promises (Broadway, 2010); Lysistrata Jones (Broadway, 2011); On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Broadway, 2011) and Million Dollar Quartet (West End, 2011). Joseph is currently Executive Producer for Old Vic Productions (OVP) in London, where he represents the company in its role as co-producer, alongside Working Title Films, of Billy Elliot The Musical. Michael is UK Executive Producer of Wicked (Olivier Award, Evening Standard Theatre Award), now in its 6th year. www.mccabesmith.com

Candy Spelling

Producer

NY Times best-selling author Candy Spelling made her Broadway producing debut with Promises, Promises. She is the “Ambassador for Tourism” for L.A. INC, the L.A. Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is a board member of Los Angeles's World Affairs Council, L.A. INC., founding board member of the L.A. Parks Foundation and Board of Governors member of L.A.'s Best. She was recently named Ambassador of the Craft & Hobby Association.

Hilary A. Williams

Producer

Produced Laurence Mark Wythe’s musical Tomorrow Morning in London, later in Chicago (Director Tom Mullen, Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Musical). She will co-produce Tomorrow Morning with York Theatre in New York in March 2011. Her latest London co-producing credit is End Of The Rainbow starring Tracie Bennett. Hilary was Associate Producer of Sasha Regan’s all male award-winning Pirates Of Penzance and again for Sasha’s all male Iolanthe in London April 2011.

Takonkiet Viravan/Scenario Thailand

Producer

Under the direction of Takonkiet Viravan, Scenario produces television dramas, sit-coms, music, concerts, and theatre in Thailand. Several of its TV dramas have also been shown in China, including Battle of the Angels. It owns and operates Muang Thai Rachadalai Theatre, hosting several international touring productions and also produces original Thai musicals, including Behind the Painting, Mae Nark of Prakanong, and Lady Chinatown.

Two Left Feet Productions/Power Arts

Producer

Two Left Feet Productions: Joel Dodge and Jonathan Feder are directors of Two Left Feet Productions, an Australian company investing in theatrical productions worldwide. Current productions include Hairspray (UK tour), The Wizard of Oz (London), The Sound of Music (UK Tour), Million Dollar Quartet (Broadway/London), Wicked (Australia) twoleftfeet.com.au. Power Arts is an Australian investment and production company. It has been a part of the recent Australian tours of Wicked, Chicago, Fame the Musical, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening, as well as the upcoming premiereseason of Doctor Zhivago.

Jen Namoff/Fakston Productions

Producer

Jen Namoff: Broadway producing debut! Jen is the owner and founder of Intrepid Talent Management. Thanks to Dan & Ken, Craig Burns, my associates Adam Kantor & Antonio Marion and to Neil for leading the way. Lastly, to my parents, for which my blessings in life wouldn't be possible without. Fakston Productions: Ken Fakler and Dan Stone are thrilled to be on the producing team of How To Succeed…. They are currently represented on Broadway by Catch Me If You Can and the upcoming first-ever Broadway revival of Funny Girl. Much love to Francine, Leo, Donna and Mort.

HOP Theatricals, LLC/Paul Chau/Daniel Frishwasser/Michael Jackowitz

Producer

Larry Kaye: Broadway projects include Blithe Spirit, Oleanna and American Idiot (Tony® nomination). Thanks to associate Theatreland Productions, family, friends & Case. For Cindy. hopth.com Paul Chau: Off-Broadway: Signs of Life. Film: Scalp, Life Of An Actress. Thanks to Gloria, Cynthia and Rachael. pcptns.com. Dan Frishwasser: Long Story Short, La Bete, Memphis (Tony®), A Little Night Music, The Norman Conquests (Tony®). OB: Black Tie, Inventing Avi. Upcoming: Ballroom, The King’s Speech, Sleuth, Annie. Michael Jackowitz: Seance on a Wet Afternoon, Daddy Long Legs, My Fairytale, The Best Is Yet To Come, It’s Only Life, Food Chain, AVOW, Abyssinia, tick tick…BOOM, My Antonia. michaeljackowitz.com.

Michael Speyer & Bernie Abrams/TBS Service

Producer

Michael Speyeris cofounder and co-president of StageVentures Inc., a leading Canadian financier of Broadway shows. Credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life; Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Finian’s Rainbow; Promises, Promises; the upcoming Wonderland; and, in Las Vegas, Peepshow and Absinthe. He has financed numerous films and TV shows, including the upcoming series Med School. Bernie Abrams is co-founder and co-president of StageVentures Inc., a leading Canadian financier of Broadway shows. Mr. Abrams was also involved in financing much of the film and television production in Canadafrom 1989 to 2001. Stage credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life; Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Finian’s Rainbow; Promises, Promises; the upcoming Wonderland; and, in Las Vegas, Peepshow and Absinthe. TBS Service: Led by current CEO, Morihiro Kodama, TBS Service provides media-related services in entertainment industry, such as domestic/overseas program distribution, audio-visual services, advertising/promotional goods production, printing and publishing. Investors in West Side Story, Dreamgirls, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (West End), as well as Million Dollar Quartet.

Jacki Barlia Florin

Producer

Broadway: Jesus Christ Superstar, On A Clear Day...,The Mountaintop, Jerusalem, High, The Scottsboro Boys, All About Me, The Seagull, Passing Strange, Is He Dead?. Regional: All About Us. Graduate: Emerson College.

Adam Blanshay

Producer

Broadway: Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, On A Clear Day..., Jerusalem, Catch Me If You Can, The Scottsboro Boys. Graduate: McGill University.

Arlene Scanlan

Producer

Arlene Scanlan began her entertainment marketing career at Columbia Pictures and Marvel Comics. Broadway includes: current revival of La Cage aux Folles (Tony® Award); On Golden Pond (Tony® nomination); Blithe Spirit (starring Angela Lansbury); Oleanna. Off-Broadway: Two Cities, The Musical and her most successful productions to date: Leah, Matthew and Daniel.

Beth Williams

Executive Producer

COO and Head of Production for Key Brand Entertainment, parent company of Broadway Across America. Amongst her producing credits are Promises, Promises; Million Dollar Quartet; Grey Gardens; The Producers; Sweet Smell of Success, Fosse, Cabaret (Tour) and many Nickelodeon family productions. Beth also was fortunate to work as a conductor and/or pianist on Les Misérables; Miss Saigon; Phantom of the Opera and Dreamgirls.