JEAN SHEPHERD (Originating Author) One of the most nostalgic, humorous storytellers of his day, Shepherd wrote for several magazines and his articles were published in a series of books including The America of George Ade, In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, A Fistful of Fig Newtons and The Ferrari in the Bedroom. Shepherd’s radio broadcasting career began in Cincinnati in 1948. He eventually moved to WOR Radio in New York. He performed entirely without scripts. From 1971 to 1994, Shepherd became a screenwriter, writing and producing numerous television and cinema works. In 2005, Shepherd was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Broadcast Cable Hall of Fame.
BENJAMIN “BOB” CLARK (Motion Picture Director/Co-Screenwriter) was an actor, director, screenwriter and producer. Mr. Clark directed a diverse collection of both blockbuster and cult hits including Black Christmas, Murder by Degree, Tribute and Porky’s. Working from Jean Shepherd’s book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, Mr. Clark directed, and co-wrote with Shepherd and Leigh Brown, the motion picture A Christmas Story. Films that followed included Rhinestone, Turk 182!, From the Hip, Loose Cannons, and Baby Geniuses.
JOSEPH ROBINETTE (Book) is a 2013 Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award nominee and the award-winning author of fifty-five published plays and musicals. His works have been produced in all fifty states and in seventeen foreign countries. Twelve of his plays have been translated into foreign languages. His plays have been produced by Lincoln Center, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Barter Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, Goodman Theatre and the BBC, among others. Robinette collaborated with E.B.White on the authorized stage version of Charlotte’s Web, and he wrote the musical version with composer Charles Strouse.
BENJ PASEK AND JUSTIN PAUL (Lyrics/Music/Arrangements) are the Tony, Oscar® and Golden Globe-winning songwriting team behind the Broadway musicals Dear Evan Hansen (Tony, Drama Desk Award, Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Helen Hayes Award) and A Christmas Story, The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). Other musicals include Dogfight, (Lucille Lortel Award winner, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, London Evening Standard Awards nominations), James and The Giant Peach, and Edges. Film projects include: La La Land (Lionsgate); Trolls (Dreamworks Animation). Upcoming film projects include The Greatest Showman (FOX); Snow White (Walt Disney Pictures); Medusa (Sony Pictures Animation); Aladdin (Walt Disney Pictures). TV credits include Smash, Sesame Street, The Flash and Johnny and the Sprites, and Fox’s upcoming A Christmas Story live musical. Additional honors: Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre (American Academy of Arts and Letters); ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award; Jonathan Larson Award. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre program and members of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
JOHN RANDO (Original Broadway Direction) Broadway credits include the currently highly acclaimed revival of On The Town, A Christmas Story, The Wedding Singer, Urinetown (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Director), A Thousand Clowns and Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party. His recent Off-Broadway credits include this season’s Lives of the Saints (Primary Stages), The Heir Apparent (2014 SDCF Calloway Award for Direction – Classic Stage Company), All in the Timing (Primary Stages – 2013 Obie Award for Direction), and The Toxic Avenger, among many others. He directed the Encores! Productions of Little Me, It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, On the Town, Damn Yankee, Face the Music, Strike Up the Band, Do Re Mi, The Pajama Game and Of Thee I Sing. He also directed the staged performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel at the New York Philharmonic.
MATT LENZ (Director) Broadway: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, The Velocity of Autumn (Associate Director on original productions), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Resident Director). Off-Broadway: Pageant: The Musical (Drama Desk nomination), The Irish Curse (Soho Playhouse), Idaho! (NYMF), The Great Daisy Theory, Fingers and Toes (NYMF), and Alan Ball’s The Amazing Adventures of Tense Guy. National Tours: A Christmas Story: The Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Sound of Music, Cheers Live Onstage, Catch Me If you Can, and Hairspray. Lenz also directed productions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Australia and Hairspray in South Africa; U.K.; Toronto; Las Vegas; and Germany. Regional: Numerous plays and musicals at; Paper Mill Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, St. Louis MUNY, Ogunquit Playhouse, Cape Playhouse, Maltz Jupiter Theater, La Mirada Theatre, North Carolina Theatre, Zach Theatre, Gulfshore Playhouse, Casa Manana, Gateway Playhouse, Short North Stage, Forestburgh Playhouse, and Stamford Center for the Arts. Upcoming: Grumpy Old Men: The Musical. Lenz is a member of SDC and a teaching artist with the Broadway Dreams Foundation www.mattlenzdirector.com
WARREN CARLYLE (Choreographer) Broadway: Director and Choreographer for After Midnight (Brooks Atkinson, Tony Award for Best Choreography), Chaplin (Barrymore), Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway (Broadhurst), Finian’s Rainbow (St. James) and A Tale of Two Cities (Hirschfeld). Also on Broadway he provided Choreography for A Christmas Story (Lunt Fontanne), She Loves Me ( Studio 54), On The 20th Century (American Airlines Theater), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Studio 54) and Follies (Marriot Marquis). Off-Broadway credits include Cotton Club Parade, Girl Crazy, On The Town, Juno, and Stairway to Paradise (City Center Encores!); Working (Zipper), Slut! (ATA). Regionally, he directed and choreographed Limelight (La Jolla Playhouse), Buddy’s Tavern (The O’Neill Theater Center), and Lucky Guy (Goodspeed). He also choreographed Dancing In The Dark (Old Globe Theater), Randy Newman’s Harps & Angels (Mark Taper Forum), Camelot (Stratford Shakespeare Festival), 101 Dalmatians (Tour/Madison Square Garden), A Christmas Story (Tour), Mame (Kennedy Center), The Pirates of Penzance (Paper Mill, Goodspeed, Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography), The Baker’s Wife (Goodspeed), and Pageant (Second City Chicago). He is represented on film and television by Deception starring Hugh Jackman (20th Century Fox), “Hope and Faith” (ABC), “An Evening at the Boston Pops” (PBS), and Elton John’s Made in England music video. Warren received a 2013 Emmy nomination for his work on Carousel for Live at Lincoln Center. He is currently choreographing the upcoming Broadway revival of Hello Dolly!, starring Bette Midler.
MICHAEL RADER (Tour Director) is a stage director based in New York City who made his mark internationally as an Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil. Most recently, he served as the Producing Artistic Director for the historic Cape Playhouse where he was celebrated for leading the organization through a significant renaissance and securing the theatre’s position in the American Theatre landscape. His diverse career in the arts has afforded him positions such as Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil, Broadway Liaison and Arts Education Consultant to the New York City Department of Education and Director of Entertainment of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Directing and associate credits include: Off-Broadway: Stalking The Bogeyman (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), multiple productions with The York Theatre, You are Not Alone with Betty Buckley, Elegies a Song Cycle, The Testament of Mary, Mandela!; Tours: Varekai (Cirque Du Soleil), Scrooge: The Musical; Regional: The Cape Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Westport County Playhouse, The Zach Theatre, The Forestburgh Playhouse, The Human Race Theatre, The Dramatist Guild, The Actors Studio. Proud member of SDC. MERRY CHRISTMAS! www.michaelrader.com
JASON A. SPARKS (Associate Choreographer)
WALT SPANGLER (Original Broadway Scenic Design) Walt designed the original Broadway production of A Christmas Story The Musical. Recent/upcoming projects include the Broadway premiere of Escape To Margaritaville, directed by Christopher Ashley and the Broadway premiere of Tuck Everlasting, directed by Casey Nicholaw. Please visit: waltspangler.com.
ELIZABETH HOPE CLANCY (Original Broadway Costume Design) Broadway: A Christmas Story, The Musical, Passing Strange, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, Bobbi Boland and The Ride Down Mt. Morgan. International: The Glass Menagerie (Shanghai Dramatic Arts), Death of a Salesman (Gate Theatre), A Few Good Men (Theatre Royal, Haymarket). New York: The Lady from Dubuque (Signature Theatre), Measure for Measure (Shakespeare in the Park), The Antigone Project (Henry Hewes nomination)
HOWELL BINKLEY (Original Broadway Lighting Design) Broadway: Prince of Broadway, Come From Away (2017 Tony nom), A Bronx Tale, Hamilton (2016 Tony Winner), After Midnight (2014 Tony nom), How to Succeed…starring Daniel Radcliffe (2011 Tony nom), West Side Story (2009 Tony nom), Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, In The Heights (2008 Tony nom), Jersey Boys (2006 Tony Winner), Avenue Q, Parade, Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1993 Tony nom.) Co-Founder and Resident Lighting Designer for Parsons Dance. 1993 Sir Laurence Olivier and Canadian Dora Awards for Kiss of The Spider Woman. 2006 Henry Hewes Design Award for Jersey Boys. 2016 Henry Hewes Design Award for Hamilton.
MICHAEL CARNAHAN (Scenic Design Adaption) Off-Broadway—Atlantic Theater Company: Skeleton Crew ; 59E59: I and You; Second Stage: The Happiest Song Plays Last; Signature Theatre: The Piano Lesson, The First Breeze of Summer; Life Could Be A Dream, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Three Mo’ Tenors, Pygmalion, Howie the Rookie, Brando. Tours—Cheers, Live On Stage; A Christmas Story The Musical. Regional—credits include Arena Stage, American Conservatory Theater, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Pasadena Playhouse, Two River Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Laguna Playhouse, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Northlight Theatre, Signature Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse, Arsht Center, Musical Theatre West, San Jose Repertory, Center Rep. Broadway-Associate scenic designer—Groundhog Day the Musical, Allegiance, The River, Peter and The Starcatcher, ANN: The Ann Richards Play, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Importance of Being Earnest, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, All About Me, White Christmas, Curtains. michaelcarnahandesign.com.
CHARLIE MORRISON (Tour Lighting Designer) National/international tours: Disney’s The Little Mermaid, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (NYC, Grand Ole Opry, US Tour), A Chorus Line (U.S., Japan, and China), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Miss Saigon, Aida (U.S. and Asia), The Producers, Man of La Mancha, Guys and Dolls, Groovaloo (N.Y.C., L.A., U.S. Tour), Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, The King and I (U.S. and Korea), Spelling Bee, Gypsy, 42nd Street (U.S. and Japan), Smokey Joe’s CafО, The Who’s Tommy (Europe and Japan), Titanic, The Music Man and many others. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Guthrie Theater, Shakespeare Theatre Company (D.C.), Goodspeed Musicals, Seattle Repertory, Seattle 5th Avenue, Broadway Sacramento at Music Circus, Theatre Under the Stars, Dallas Summer Musicals, Kansas City Starlight, Pittsburgh CLO, George Street Playhouse, North Carolina Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory, Tulsa Opera and many others. Charlie is the recipient of two Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design. www.cmlighting.com.
DON HANNA (Sound Design) is happy to be joining Big League Productions and the tour of A Christmas Story. Don is a freelance sound designer and engineer whose work can be seen (well, heard) in national tours, regional theaters, and concert productions alike. Touring Highlights: An American In Paris (Sound Design, Big League Productions), The Wizard of Oz National/International Tour (Sound Design, Apex Touring) Pippin National Tour (Associate Sound Design/Head Audio, Apex Touring), Fame The Musical (Sound Design). Regional Highlights: Regional Premier of Rock of Ages (Sound Design, Gateway Playhouse), the world premier of Heartbreak Hotel (Sound Design, Ogunquit Playhouse), Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein (Sound Design, North Shore Music Theatre, Gateway Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse), In The Heights (Sound Design, John W Engeman Theatre), among many more. A special thank you to my friends, family and Bethany for their continual love and support.
GERARD KELLY (Hair & Wig Design) Broadway: Hair. Tour: Ain’t Misbehavin’, Hair, Hello, Dolly!, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Musical!, My Fair Lady. West End: Hair. New York: The Public Theater, The Pearl Theater, The Classic Stage Company. Regionally: Westchester Broadway Theater, Maltz Jupiter Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Maine State Music Theater, Carousel Dinner Theater, Phoenix Theater, Sierra Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Theater Works, Cape Playhouse, The Allmanson Theater, Sacramento Music Theater, Down Town Cabaret, West-Port Country Playhouse, George Street Playhouse. Shakespeare Festivals: New York, Lake Tahoe, New Jersey, Idaho, San Francisco. Movie: The Conjuring, Transamerica, Girls Will Be Girls, Notorious, The Ten, The Savages, The Other Woman. TV: Law and Order SVU, The Ru Paul Show, Are We There Yet. Others: The b-52’s, RuPaul, Charles Busch, Varla Jean Merman, Lypsinka, Jennifer Holiday, Laura Linney, Felicity Huffman, Marlo Thomas, Whoopie Goldberg, Lesley Mann, and William Hurt.
ALISON FRANCK (Casting Director) has been a casting director in NYC for more than 25 years. She started as an assistant for many Broadway Productions, then she worked in film/TV for several years, then from 2000-2010, she was the Resident Casting Director at Paper Mill Playhouse. In 2011 she joined the team at Liz Lewis Casting Partners, where she cast commercials, voice overs, film/TV and theatre. Alison now runs her own company, Franck Casting, where she has cast several tours of well-known musicals including Dreamgirls, An American in Paris, A Christmas Story: The Musical, A Chorus Line, Legally Blonde, The Simon and Garfunkel Story & upcoming The British Invasion Live.
GLENN POPPLETON (Exclusive Tour Direction) also represents Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical; Mandy Patinkin in Concert; and An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. Past tours include Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan; Disney’s Beauty and the Beast; and Monty Python’s Spamalot.
ANDREW SMITHSON (Musical Supervisor, Music Director) Tours: A Christmas Story: The Musical, Joseph…Dreamcoat (starring Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young), Gypsy, Aida, Legally Blonde, Jesus Christ Superstar. Off-Broadway: The Wonderful Wizard of Song, Flanagan’s Wake. Regional: Once on This Island, White Christmas, The Full Monty, A Chorus Line, and The Producers. Music Director and Orchestrator for A Christmas Carol (Trinity Rep), POPart: the musical (NYMF Festival), and Hard Times (First Irish Theatre Festival). Previous adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, vocal coach at PACE University in New York City, and Vocal Director at Celebrity Cruises Entertainment.
BIG LEAGUE PRODUCTIONS/DANIEL SHER (Executive Producer) is celebrating its 30th season of producing and general managing Broadway shows and attractions throughout the world. Early highlights were collaborations with Disney on Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida (North America, Taiwan, and China) and with Cameron Mackintosh on a new production of Miss Saigon. Also, US tours of the Tony®-Award winning Broadway revival of 42nd Street and Susan Stroman’s Broadway production of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. Others: Footloose (Las Vegas, USA), Titanic, 1776, Peter Pan, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Rip Taylor, Blast!, The Who’s Tommy (North America, South America, Europe, and Japan), Ain’t Misbehavin’ with Ruben Studdard, and the First National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – flying car and all. More recent: The Producers (Susan Stroman’s original work), Hello, Dolly! with Sally Struthers, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady (US Tour and China premiere), original hip-hop dance show Groovaloo (Off-Broadway), Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (10 USA tours, Grand Ole Opry, and Madison Square Garden), Dreamgirls (US, China premiere, Japan), Hair (US and Japan), Bring it On (US and Japan), and Legally Blonde (US, China premiere, Singapore). In 2018-19, A Chorus Line toured the USA and Japan before performing for the first time ever in China in 2019. In the post-pandemic 2021-22 season, Big League will remount its acclaimed tour of An American in Paris, premiere its new production of South Pacific, and tour its flagship production of A Christmas Story, The Musical for a seventh holiday season. Future tours include Legally Blonde, Memphis and The Cher Show. For more information, visit www.BigLeague.org.