Musical Theatre Radio presents "Be Our Guest"

Richard C. Walter

BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS

A composer-lyricist who has studied and worked in genres including musical theatre, choral, a cappella, pop, jazz, and film scoring. His show Madame Clicquot (co-written with Lisette Glodowski), has had two developmental readings in New York, and was part of New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series in 2020. Richard has been a guest composer at Columbia University, and was commissioned by NYU to team up with his Madame Clicquot collaborator Lisette Glodowski, to write the song "Go Ahead" for the Tisch School of The Arts 2020 graduation ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. Richard has been honored to volunteer as a composer with the 52nd Street Project in NYC, writing new songs and plays with kids. Richard received his B.A. in music from University of Chapel Hill and his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing at NYU's Tisch School. of the Arts. www.richardcwalter.com

LISETTE GLODOWSKI

BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICSLisette Glodowski is an award-winning composer-lyricist, actor, choreographer and educator. She has performed on stages coast to coast, written numerous musicals and plays, choreographed for regional houses, coached many broadway singers, and earned her MFA at The Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, NYU Tisch School of the Arts | BFA in Musical Theatre/Acting at East Carolina University. Current writing credits with collaborator Richard C. Walter: Madame Clicquot: A Revolutionary Musical –– Studio Cast Recording, The sold-out concert at The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina (2021), Industry Readings and more–– Tambora: The Lost Kingdom (Industry Reading at NYU) and Escrow! A New Musical. Lisette’s other shows include Velvet Over Steel, The Adventures of Atalanta, Much A Cruise About Nothing, Starving Artist: A Song Cycle, Call Me Coppelia and more. Proud member of The Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, AEA, SDC, and the recipient of the Dramatists Guild Foundation Grant in 2020. For more info on her other artistic hats, visit www.lisetteglodowski.com

A Girl in Persia is a epic sung-through full-length musical adaptation of the Book of Esther from the Tanakh (the Bible). Aiming to be faithful to Scripture, this adaptation's book, lyrics, and music are all written with a historical and cultural focus in mind. A runtime of nearly 3 hours (with an interval) allows for a fully immersive experience in the world of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BCE, the First Persian Empire). Without further ado, allow us to present to you a teaser below of its music. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a minute of music is worth ten thousand:

Ute Lemper's decades-long career spans stage, film, and music, with over 30 recordings. Renowned for her interpretations of Berlin Cabaret, Kurt Weill, Brecht, and chanson legends like Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf, she has also starred in major musicals across Broadway, the West End, Paris, and Berlin. She won the American Theater World Award and the Laurence Olivier Award for her performance as Chicago’s Velma Kelly in the West End and on Broadway, the Molière Award for her performance as Cabaret’s Sally Bowles in Paris, among others, and earned Grammy nominations.

Her global tours feature diverse projects, including Rendezvous with Marlene, Songs for Eternity, and tributes to Piazzolla and Brecht. She has composed music inspired by Bukowski, Neruda, and Coelho and released a bestselling autobiography in 2023. She released her self-penned and contemporary album Time Traveler just last year. Singing in five languages, she continues to perform worldwide. A longtime New York resident, she lives there with her family and four children.

We talk about her newest album Pirate Jenny and her upcoming concert at Cadogan Hall on June 13th, 2025.

We speak with two of the creators of The Brass Teapot (Chaz and Ramaa) as well as the director (Zoe) and actor (Sarah) about the upcoming Firefly Theatre Group workshop staging at The Sherry Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

THE BRASS TEAPOT is a magical, mischievous dark comedy that warns to be careful what you wish for. Based on the 2012 indie cult film

DONNA TRINKOFF – Artistic Producer - of Amas Musical Theatre, a non-profit performing arts organization in New York City devoted the creation, development and production of new musicals and to the training and encouragement of inner-city young people. Since 1994, Donna has produced the original musicals Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou, Red Eye of Love, The Other Josh Cohen, Triassic Parq! Wanda’s World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, Magpie, Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Story, Zanna, Don’t!, Latin Heat, From My Hometown, Langston Hughes’ Little Ham, 4 Guys Named José, Rollin’ on the T.O.B.A., among others, and she has presented over 90 original musicals in the Amas Musical Theatre Lab. As Starry Night Productions, Donna presented the Off-Broadway premiere of SILENCE! The Musical (Christopher Gattelli, Hunter Bell, Jon & Al Kaplan), the unauthorized parody of the iconic film “The Silence of the Lambs” to critical acclaim, sold-out houses and a two-year run. SILENCE! won the Off Broadway Alliance Award and the Obie Award for Best Musical and was named as one of the 'Top 10 Plays of the Year' by TIME Magazine. The original cast album has been released on Sh-K-Boom Records. Donna was an associate artistic director at the Cabaret and Performance Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Center in CT and worked with Aruba Productions on new and upcoming musicals. She holds a BA in English and Theatre from SUNY Binghamton, is a graduate of the National Theatre Institute, and she received a Certificate of Merit from the Drama Studio in London. Donna is a member of the League for Professional Theatre Women. She is a recipient of the New York Municipal Art Society Award of Merit and the Galaxy Award from the NY Women’s Association. 

Amas Musical Theatre is a non-profit, multi-ethnic theatrical organization founded in 1968 by Ms. Rosetta LeNoire. Amas (“you love” in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals, the celebration of cultural equity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people.

Amas celebrates its impact in pioneering multi-ethnic casting in the American Theatre and reiterates its commitment to this reflection of our diverse society.

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Amas Musical Theatre commits its work to:

Contributing to the vitality of the American Musical Theatre - a unique American esthetic expression -- through the creation, development and professional production of original musicals.

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Bringing creative, musical theatre to the American education system, and enhancing the experience of students.

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Encouraging tolerance and civility among people of our diverse society by bringing them together through the art of musical theatre.

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Audiences are built by bringing both children and other community members into Amas with free performances and free ticket programs. Amas actively combines artists and audience members from every possible racial, ethnic and religious background, bringing them together to work and learn from each other.

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For 50 years, Amas has engraved its unique trademark on the world of musical theatre. We produce quality musical theatre presenting different cultural viewpoints, while reaching out to underserved audiences. Amas attracts actors and artists of distinction and reputation, while offering opportunities for new talent to learn and develop.

We revisit the shows creators Scott and Aaron and are joined by cast memeber Allison as we talk about the upcoming Concert of Romero & Juliet

Zombies! Shakespeare! 1980s inspired music! All of these elements are the foundation for the new rock musical, ROMERO & JULIET.
Romero, a human, falls for Juliet, a zombie, during a music festival called Deadstock on Friday the 13 th in September 1985. Romance, comedy, horror, and tragedy ensue. The show is set in Verona, PA- not far from where George Romero’s class film “Night of the Living Dead” was filmed, and not far from where the concert will be presented.
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ROMERO & JULIET features an original score inspired by eighties pop music icons Madonna, Bon Jovi, George Michael, Boy George, Jim Steinman and others. It is described as being in the same vein as LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.

Romero and Juliet” will premiere on May 17, 2025 at Saint Vincent College with production by Split Stage Productions of Greensburg. There is a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening performance at 7.

Michael Kooman (music) and Christopher Dimond (book & lyrics) received the 2013 Fred Ebb Award, a 2010 Jonathan Larson Grant, and are the first recipients of the Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and the Samuel French Next Step Award. Between them, they have received the Burton Lane Award, the Harold Adamson Award, the KC/ACTF Musical Theatre Award, a NYFA Fellowship, and numerous ASCAP Plus awards.

Their most recent musical, ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, debuted to rave reviews at Shakespeare's Globe this fall. They also currently serve as songwriters for VAMPIRINA, an animated musical TV series airing on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior which has reached over 49 million viewers in 115 countries.

Their other projects include THE NOTEWORTHY LIFE OF HOWARD BARNES (developed at the O’Neill Music Theater Conference and the Village Theater), ORPHIE & THE BOOK OF HEROES (The Kennedy Center), THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF PERCIVAL VON SCHMOOTZ (commissioned by the Canadian Music Theatre Project), JUDGE JACKIE JUSTICE(Pittsburgh CLO), DANI GIRL (Exit, Pursued by a Bear; licensed by Samuel French), GOLDEN GATE (Williamstown Theatre Festival), HOMEMADE FUSION (London’s Ambassadors Theater, Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and JUNIOR CLAUS (Orlando Repertory Theatre; licensed by Dramatic Publishing).

Romantics Anonymous

Angélique makes beautiful chocolates, carefully infused with all the emotion that seems to overwhelm her in daily life. Jean-René runs a chocolate factory that is running out of steam, rather like his own existence. Both seek help from the usual sources: Jean-René favours self-help tapes and Angélique joins a support group, Les Émotifs Anonymes.

Romantics Anonymous is an unusual and tender love story in which the obstacles to happiness are not the usual external barriers, but those sneaky little ones we know all too intimately: the ones within.

We speak with Dan Petrenko, the Artistic Director of Winnipeg Jewish Theatre and the director of the upcoming production of The Band's Visit, as well as with actor Anat Kriger.

Alexis Sakellaris is a triple citizen and grew up between Europe and the US, always singing, acting, dancing their way from place to place :)

They are currently performing their original queer musical comedy show A STAN IS BORN! at various theatre festivals in the UK.

Alexis just finished a US tour and a run at Soho Theatre London with comedian Matt Rogers, supporting his show “Have You Heard Of Christmas?” as a featured vocalist.

Madison Cole (any pronouns) is a an award-winning theatre and film maker based in London. They have a dual B.A. in English and Theatre Studies from Yale University with concentrations in Playwriting and Directing, respectively. Recently, they directed the sold-out world premiere of Daughters of the Pirate Queen at the National Concert Hall of Ireland.

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Recent directorial projects include A Stan is Born at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024, as well as Edward II at the Camden Fringe Festival 2024, both of which received London transfers. She also directed her original play Inferna in its world premiere at Riverside Studios in January 2025, to sold-out audiences.

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Assistant work includes Bronco Billy: The Musical at the Charing Cross Theatre, The Worst Witch at the Tower Theatre, and Sisters at the Jack Studio Theatre. They also recently worked as 1st AD to award-winning cinematographer Steven Fierberg on the film The Spirit Lock, scheduled to release in late 2024.

Blair Russell is a Tony nominated producer and developer of theatre and live performance whose experience ranges from fringe festivals to Broadway shows.

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Credits include STILL (Off-Broadway); LIZARD BOY (Theatreworks Silicon Valley, Hope Mill Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, Off-Broadway, Oregon Shakespeare Festival); POP OFF, MICHELANGELO! (Edinburgh Fringe, The Other Palace - London); For Tonight (Adelphi Theatre - London); DIVA: LIVE FROM HELL! (Edinburgh Fringe, Kings Head Theatre - London); SALEM (50k followers, Green Room 42 - New York); and SLAVE PLAY (Broadway - 12 Tony Noms, West End). Other projects include THE WIZ (Broadway/ NT 2024), Sweeney Todd (Immersive Off-Broadway 2017), and GYPSY with Imelda Staunton (West End 2014). On the board of The New Harmony Project, Goodspeed Musicals, and SPACE. VCU Graduate. 

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Blair has been a guest speaker/artist at a number of institutions including the University of Maryland, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, and the York School in Monterey, CA. Blair has served as the Producer-in-Residence for the Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals for two years. He was also a visiting lecturer for the semester-long Atelier program at Princeton University where he collaborated with composer Georgia Stitt on her oratorio The Circling Universe.

Blair has appeared as a guest on a number of podcasts (American Theatre Artists Online, A Star Is Bored, Backstage Talk, Broadway ReFocused), web series (Actors Unscripted, Awkward Conversations, Be Our Guest! - Live and In Color, Dreamland XR, In The (Home) Office - Goodspeed Musicals), and at global conferences (National Alliance for Musical Theater, Global XR Conference, Immerse Global Summit Series)

Blair Russell Productions, LLC (BRP) goes beyond the confines of traditional theatrical production. Driven by a desire to put art first, we consistently create opportunities for emerging artists, aiming to broaden the scope of who gets to make theater and who gets to consume it. We focus on finding innovative financial frameworks, following non-traditional development paths, and harnessing the latest in technological advancements.
Founded by Blair Russell in 2018, BRP's journey in the theatrical landscape has been marked by a commitment to challenging the status quo. With every production, we prioritize making theatre accessible, ensuring that each story resonates deeply and widely.
Blair Russell Productions continues to relentlessly support artists who are reimagining the idea of contemporary theatre. Our mission is unwavering: to bring bold narratives to diverse audiences while showcasing the impact and potential of modern storytelling.