MELISSA LUCERO McCARL (Director) works through out the area as director, choreographer, playwright, performer and teacher.  She is best known as the author and director of Painted Bread, a play that follows the tumultuous life of Frida Kahlo (voted "Best Play of 2003" by the Denver Post).  She was recently named "Top Playwright" by the Rocky Mountain News and her latest play, Poignant Irritations, a commissioned piece about Gertrude Stein, was named best new play by Westword and the Denver Post. Last spring she joined a prestigious group of playwrights (including Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel and Susan Lori Parks) participating in the Curious Theatre's War Anthology, which addresses the American experience of war throughout history. She most recently directed The King and I for Town Hall Arts Center.

EMILY FELLNER (Musical Director/Pianist/Accordion 2) graduated from University of Northern Colorado with a bachelors of music in vocal performance.  While in college, Emily accompanied for many music students, including those in Alex Ryer's studio.  She loves her time on the stage just as much as playing an instrument.  Her favorite roles include Josephine in HMS Pinafore, Rose in Street Scene, and Emily in Our Town.  Currently, Emily lives and works in New York City.

 

 

 

JEFF JENKINS (Musical Arrangements) is a Denver musician, writer, producer, and engineer. He has several CD releases under his own name, and is recently featured on McNeil’s Sleep Won’t Come, saxophone legend Phil Woods’ Phil  Woods and Carl Saunders Play the Music of Henry Mancini and Terra Firma with the Ken Walker Sextet. Jeff spends most of his days at his new recording studio “Mile High Music”, and is often gigging at night. He has toured as a pianist with the 1st National Tours of Little Shop of Horrors, and The Who’s Tommy. Jeff has worked with the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris, David Fathead Newman, Marlena Shaw, Pete Townshend, John Abercrombie, Dave Pietro, and Brazillian singer, Joyce.

 

TINA ANDERSON (set design)  has been designing and building sets in and around the Denver Metro area for the last five years.  Most recent sets were The King and I at Town Hall Arts Center, Insignificance and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse at the Mizel Center. The Vigil and The Raft for Modern Muse.  Alexander Who Would Not Not Not Not Move at Arvada Center. Various other sets consist of Into the Woods, West Side Story, and Syringa Tree.  Some of Tina's favorite sets she has designed are Cabaret, Ruthless the Musical, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, West Side Story, Poignant Irritations and Into the Woods.   Tina has enjoyed the opportunity to work on this show with such talented and creative people.

 

GARY SCHNELL (Business Manager) has been involved with theatre and music in the Greeley, Colorado area for about 15 years both onstage and performing the “business” roles behind the scenes.  As co-owner of Nile Company Productions with Alex Ryer, Gary has coordinated the nuts and bolts of this production from financing to acquiring the rights to perform the songs, to booking the performances.