Musical Theatre Radio presents "Be Our Guest"

BRAD ROSS - Winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, composer Brad Ross has three musicals published by Samuel French.

The Kennedy Center commissioned and premiered Brad’s musical THE TALES OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON, based on the books by Ogden Nash. His musical, LITTLE BY LITTLE, ran Off-Broadway at New York’s York Theatre Company with Vocal Selections published by Alfred Music.

Brad is a graduate of Cornell University (Bachelor of Music) and NYU (Masters from Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program).

BARBARA CAMPBELL - Began writing for the theatre in elementary school, adapting such classics as Cinderella and Peter Pan, and creating an original “Time Tunnel” episode for a sixth grade presentation on the Incas.

Barbara was accepted into the Lehman Engel-BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, where she met Just Desserts composer Brad Ross. Since then, she has written more than a dozen musicals for children and families and numerous choral pieces.

Barbara’s musicals have been presented at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the Global Search for New Musicals, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. Her musical adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd was optioned for Broadway.

Maisie is originally from Swindon, and is a classically trained flautist, pianist and musical theatre vocalist, with a passion for music theory. She is currently in her third year at Bath Spa University studying a BA in music specializing in performance and composition.

Billy Recce is a Billboard charting, two-time MAC and NEO award-winning writer, composer and singer/songwriter living in New York City.

One of the most prolific young musical theatre writers of his generation, Billy’s career began with the award winning and international headline making Balloon Boy: The Musical, for which he was the youngest writer ever selected for the New York Musical Theatre Festival at 17. Its World Premiere Production was featured on CBS, NBC, NPR, Colorado Public Radio, TIME.com, the LA Times, and even Fox News, and has since been produced across the country.

By the time he was a senior at Fordham University, he had already penned the music and lyrics to a hit off-broadway musical; the long running “A Musical About Star Wars,” which transferred to St. Luke’s Theatre for a year long run after an initial run at Theatre Row. It is slated to re-open once the New York Theatre Shutdown ends, and its cast album is available on Broadway Records.

JEFFREY LODIN and WILLIAM SQUIER have collaborated on the musicals Disney’s Doug Live! (Walt Disney World), 100 Years into the Heart (Village Theater Festival of New Musicals, Spirit of Broadway, NYMF), Top of the Heap (Gallery Players, SBT, NMTN “Director’s Choice”, Global Search for New Musicals, Curtain Call, New Voices in the Heartland), Rebels 1775 (Starlight Theatre, SBT), A Merry Mulberry Street Musical (Curtain Call), Baby Bumps (Curtain Call, B.T. McNicholl, dir., Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival’s The PiTCH) and their latest collaboration, Love on Ice (Book & Co-Lyrics: Bill Nabel). In 2013, the team was commissioned to write a musical stage adaptation of the successful children’s book Merrilee Mannerly, in collaboration with authors Mary Cashman and Cynthia Whipple. They were also commissioned by the Spirit of Broadway Theater to write the score for Benedict Arnold, in collaboration with Pulitzer-nominated playwright Richard Vetere. Their songs have appeared on television: P.B.&J. Otter; film: Doug’s First Movie; and at the International Children’s Festival. Both Jeff and Bill are members of the Dramatists Guild and BMI.

We speak with Alexander S. Bermange (composer/lyricist), Chris Whittaker (director/choreographer ), Luke Bayer (Leading Man) of the musical 'I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical'.

An award-winning comedic musical revue revealing the secrets of musical theatre; productions in London, Edinburgh, and Seoul.

https://bermange.co.uk/iwmlwlam

Sean is the founder & managing Artistic Director of 4Score productions which was founded by in 2019.

Sean Yauk (BA, MAAL) is a professional arts manager, producer, music director, and composer from Toronto, Canada. With a combined interest in musical theatre, politics, and classical music, he spent several years exploring live performance as an actor, musician, director, researcher, arranger, and writer. He completed an academic research project exploring the impacts of commercial theatre venues in Canadian cities. This inspired him to continue to write about the commercial musical theatre industry! Currently, Sean serves as the owner and managing artistic director of 4Score. He also serves as a fund development and management consultant associated with Global Philanthropic, specializing in strategic development work for not for profit arts organizations.

We speak with the creator and stars of the short film 'Non-Eq'

Stacy and Michael dream of being in a Broadway musical, but they are still at the bottom of the industry as non-equity (non-union) actors living in New York City. Full of determination to build their careers, they race to be seen at an audition for a regional theater production currently casting in the city, but it’s not an easy life being Non-Eq!

Matthew is an artist, educator, and community leader. His artistic body of work is multi-disciplinary and some of his favorite projects are: A Christmas Carol, an eight-minute solo-performance; Read, Sing; Resist, Melania Trump; The Talking Cure Speaks; Gay Fantasia, a late-night immersive event; CHICKEN, a solo-performance journey of life, liberty, and the pursuit of healthiness in the shadow of HIV, as well as directing productions of FROST/NIXON and 1984.

As an educator he has taught at independent schools, colleges and universities across the nation. His students have gone on to careers starring in Broadway shows, television, and major motion pictures. In 2006, Matthew was a member of faculty awarded the Creative Ticket National School of Distinction Award from the John F. Kennedy Center’s Alliance for the Arts Education Network.

Matthew is the Producing Executive Director at St Lou Fringe and Director of the Emerging Leaders Program & Member Relations for FOCUS St. Louis. He also owns an independent arts company named, The Drama Club STL.

Matthew was honored to be named one of the 2020 Diverse Business Leaders by the St. Louis Business Journal last year for his work with St Lou Fringe.

Originally from Swansea, South Wales, Annemarie graduated with a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts from Middlesex Polytechnic in 1989. The degree majored in music with voice & piano as joint first instruments and trumpet as her third instrument. On leaving college she co-founded the TIE Top Hat Theatre Company, writing original mini-musicals for schools on any subject the schools required.

In 2009 Annemarie opened her own drama college – The MTA. In 2012 it was named as the School of the Year in The Stage 100 Awards. In 2017 it became the only college to win the award for a second time.

Devanand Janki is an award winning Director-Choreographer based in New York City. His credits include, Off-B’way: Zanna, Don’t! (Winner Lortel, Callaway and GLAAD Awards), Junie B. Jones (Lortel nomination.), Henry and Mudge (Lortel nom.), The Yellow Brick Road (Callaway Nom.), Skippyjon Jones (Lortel Nom.), This One Girl’s Story, Cupid and Psyche, Love and Real Estate and Romantic Poetry. The All Star Broadway concerts for the Actors Fund: Hair, Funny Girl, Dreamgirls (Assoc.) and Seth Rudestky’s Broadway 101. Lincoln Center: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Babes in Toylandand Anything Goes in concert (Choreo. Assist.); 9 years as Artistic Assoc. for BC/EFA’s Broadway Bares. Regional Theatre: The Wings of Ikarus Jackson , Barrio Grrrl! (Kennedy Center), Rent, The Rocky Horror Show (Hangar Theatre) Disney’s Aladdin (Chicago Shakespeare), Asphalt Beach, Full Monty, Scarlet Pimpernel, Man of La Mancha. TYA tours: Martha Speaks, Nate the Great, If You Give a Pig Pancake, The Berenstain Bears and The Jack Sprat Low Fat World Tour at the Wharton Center. As a performer Dev has appeared on Broadway in Cats, Miss Saigon, The King and I and Side Show and tours of West Side Story and A Chorus Line. He is the Artistic Director of Live & In Color which develops new plays and musicals for diverse artists.

Set in the tumultuous political and cultural landscape of the UK in the 1980s, Billy & the Dreamerz tells the story of a small-town band presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. As winner of a national music contest, Billy & the Dreamerz are offered the ultimate prize, a tour of the USA. On the eve of their departure tragedy strikes and Billy must choose between love, fame and family.

From tender ballads to protest rock songs, Billy & the Dreamerz rides on the ‘New Wave’, telling a moving story of Love, Hope and Dreamz.

Billy & the Dreamerz arrives at a time of resurgent interest in all things 80’s, uniting music fans across multiple generations. With its emphasis on the strong bonds of friendship in the face of working class struggles, Billy & the Dreamerz is a modern Musical inspired by the Dickens classics ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (novel) and ‘Oliver!’ (Musical).

Refracted through the lens of 1980’s music and culture, Billy & the Dreamerz explores the gulf between opportunity and obligation - a gulf that is ultimately bridged by love.