Beauty and the Beast

THEATER: God Bless You Mr Rosewater, Little Shop Of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin, and Newsies. FILM: Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled, and Mirror Mirror. SONGS: Rocky V, Home Alone 2, and Captain America. AWARDS: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony® (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier, and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. HONORS: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Howard Ashman is best known as a pivotal creative mind behind the renaissance of Disney animation and his work on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast (which is dedicated to, “Our friend, Howard Ashman, who gave a Mermaid her voice and a Beast his soul…”), Mr. Ashman’s first love was theater. He was a founder of off off Broadway’s renowned WPA Theater, where he conceived, wrote and directed God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as well as the classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors (both music by Alan Menken). In 1986, he wrote and directed the Broadway musical Smile (music by Marvin Hamlisch). Lamented as a lost treasure of the 1980s theater scene, Smile remains popular on high school and college campuses throughout the country. Mr. Ashman died in 1991 from complications of AIDS. For more information, visit www.howardashman.com.

Tim Rice has worked in music, theater, and film since 1965, when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim’s ambitions to write rock or pop songs, they turned their attention to Andrew’s obsession— musical theater. Their first collaboration, The Likes Of Us (lyrics by Tim, music by Andrew), was an unsuccessful show based on the life of Dr. Barnardo, the Victorian philanthropist. Their next three works together were much more successful: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita. Tim has also worked with other distinguished popular composers such as Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin, King David, Beauty and the Beast), and Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess). From Here to Eternity, with music by newcomer Stuart Brayson, coproduced with Lee Menzies, directed by Tamara Harvey, and with book by Bill Oakes, premiered in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2013. He formed his own cricket team in 1973 and was president of the MCC in 2002. In 2013, he wrote and presented a 52-part series for BBC Radio 2, American Pie, a trawl through the music and musicians of every American State. He has won several awards, mainly for the wrong thing or for simply turning up.

Writing credits include the screenplay for the animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (Golden Globe winner and Academy Award Best Picture nominee); the screenplay (shared) for Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey; screenplay (shared) for the animated feature film The Lion King; the book for the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast (Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical, winner 1998 Olivier Award Best New Musical); and book (shared) for Elton John and Tim Rice’s Broadway musical Aida. Also she has written two young-adult novels, Star-Wind and Running Before the Wind. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from California State University Long Beach and a Master’s degree in Theatre from California State University Fullerton. Linda is currently involved in writing and producing film projects for Miramax and Revolution studios. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Lee Flicker and daughter Keaton.

Mak is happy to be back on the Pier after directing and choreographing last summer’s Beauty and the Beast. Other Directing/Choreography credits include The Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Hairspray, and Elf (Paramount Theatre); Peter Pan, a musical Adventure (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre); Cinderella (Drury Lane Oakbrook); and many other regional shows. Mak was the SDC Observer/Assistant to Susan Stroman on the Chicago and Broadway productions of Big Fish. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. Her most proud productions to date are her two beautiful kids who inspired much of the action today on stage. As always, thanks to her partner, Michael, for helping her to live all her dreams. www.ambermak.com

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Associate Music Director/Conductor on Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Legally Blonde (Paramount Theatre); Conductor on Into the Woods (Writers Theatre); Music Director/Conductor on Queen of the Mist (Firebrand Theatre); Conductor on Fun Home (Victory Gardens Theater); Conductor on Marry Me a Little (Porchlight Music Theatre), Music Director/Conductor on Urinetown (BoHo Theatre, Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination – Outstanding Music Direction).

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan. CHICAGO: productions with Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Timeline Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Raven Theatre, The Artistic Home. REGIONAL: productions with American Players Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Heritage Theatre Festival, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. TELEVISION: The Waltons’: Homecoming (The CW); Hot Mess Holiday (Comedy Central); Ripple Effects. AWARDS: Joseph Jefferson for The Little Mermaid (Paramount Theatre), Deathtrap (Drury Lane Theatre), Les Misérables (Paramount Theatre, co-design with Kevin Depinet). EDUCATION: MFA, University of Virginia; BFA, Illinois State University. Jeffrey is a member of USA 829.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: The Wizard of Oz, Nell Gwynn, Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure, Ride the Cyclone, The Little Mermaid, Seussical, Shrek the Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet. CHICAGO: Disney Beauty and the Beast (Porchlight Music Theatre); Something Rotten! (Marriott Theatre); Drury Lane Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Northlight Theatre, Paramount Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Raven Theatre. OFF-BROADWAY: Ride the Cyclone (MCC Theatre). REGIONAL: Something Wicked This Way Comes (Delaware Theatre Company); Carmen (Finger Lakes Opera); Alliance Theatre, ACT Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Ogunquit Playhouse. FILMS: Paper Girls (Amazon Prime); Hot Mess Holiday (Comedy Central). EDUCATION: BA in theatre from Eastern Illinois University, MFA in costume design from Illinois State University. AWARDS: 3 Joseph Jeffersons Awards and 12 nominations, Outstanding Costume Design; 2018 Barrymore Award, Outstanding Costume Design. Ham supervises the costume shop at Loyola University Chicago. She has designed over 100 theatrical productions including plays, musicals and opera. She resides in Chicago with her husband and son.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: I, Cinna, I, Banquo, Hamlet (assistant). CHICAGO: Layalina, the ripple, the wave that carried me home, Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer, School Girls; Or,The African Mean Girls Play, I Hate It Here, Ohio State Murders, The Sound Inside, Lottery Day (Goodman Theatre); 1919, Choir Boy (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). OFF BROADWAY: You Are Here: An Evening with Solea Pfeiffer (Audible Theatre/Minetta Lane Theatre). REGIONAL: Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Geva Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Long Wharf Theatre, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Repertory Company, Trinity Repertory Company. OPERA: The Dallas Opera, Portland Opera, The Santa Fe Opera. FILM: The Half-Life of Marie Curie, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Theatre Squared). AWARDS: 1 Joseph Jefferson, 2 Black Theater Alliance/Ira Aldridge, Michael Maggio Emerging Designer. www.jasondlynch.com, @jasonlynch.design on Instagram.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: over a dozen productions, including Hamlet, Tug of War: Civil Strife, Ride the Cyclone, Sunday in the Park with George. Tutaj has designed countless shows in Chicago, regionally and internationally. Tutaj is the Head of the Projection Design Program at the Theatre School, DePaul University. www.miketutaj.com

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: over forty productions as Sound and Video Supervisor (Court Theatre); Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Drury Lane Theatre, American Blues Theater, Griffin Theatre, About Face Theatre, The Gift Theatre Company, Congo Square Theatre Company, Bailiwick Chicago, Teatro Luna, Prop Thtr, LiveWire Lounge Chicago. REGIONAL: Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, First Stage Children’s Theater, Renaissance Theaterworks, The Gateway, Piedmont Opera. EDUCATION: BFA in sound design, North Carolina School of the Arts.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: debut. CHICAGO: orchestrator for Grease (Drury Lane Theater), music director/conductor for Children of Eden (Chicagoland Theater Fund), music director/composer/lyricist/orchestrator for Queer Eye: the Musical Parody (The Second City), composer/orchestrator/music director for Saint Hildegard: the Rupertsberg Tour (Theo Ubique workshop). REGIONAL: composer/lyricist for Micro (Music Theatre of Madison), music director for The It Girl (Meadowbrook Theater). INTERNATIONAL: composer for The Venetian Blind (Venice, Italy). OPERA: composer/music director for The Sausage Show and Other Bites, Big Entrance, and the La La Lady Show (Forte Chicago), composer for Connla and The Fairy Maiden (Chicago College of Performing Arts). EDUCATION: MM-Composition, Chicago College of Performing Arts. AWARDS: Inaugural winner of CreateTheater & SUNY Cortland new works collaboration for The Bone Harp. Heidi is an adjunct professor at North Park University. Love to my family, especially Ruby.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Peter Pan. CHICAGO: Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre), Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Kinky Boots, Hand to God, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s Newsies, Once, Cabaret, Million Dollar Quartet, Sweeney Todd, The Little Mermaid (Paramount Theatre); The Mountaintop (Invictus), The Life and Deaths of Alan Turing, Albert Herring (Chicago Opera Theatre), Ironbound, Requiem for a Heavyweight (Artistic Home), The Gulf (About Face Theatre), Cabaret (Theatre at the Center), Brigadoon, Secret Garden, Cabaret (Music Theater Works), The Whaleship Essex, Mill Fire (Shattered Globe), and others. Acting credits: Paramount Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Drury Lane Theatre, Artists’ Ensemble, The Old Globe.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: It Came From Outer Space, All’s Well That Ends Well, As You Like It. CHICAGO: Selected credits include Zurich (Steep Theatre); Djembe! The Show (Apollo Theatre Chicago); I Know My Own Heart, Southern Comfort (Pride Films & Plays); Between Riverside and Crazy (Redtwist Theatre); Head Over Heels (Kokandy Productions); Mad Beat Hip & Gone (Promethean Theatre Ensemble); The Rover (DePaul University); Legally Blonde (Northwestern University); Neither (Lifeline Theatre). REGIONAL: As You Like It (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). TELEVISION: Ripple Effects (Apple+); Somebody Somewhere (HBO); The Chi (Showtime); Finesse (VAM Studios); Fargo (FX); Damaged Goods (VAM Studios). EDUCATION: MFA in acting, American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre School; Intimacy for the Stage Instructor: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Raleigh Little Theatre. Scanlon is a certified Intimacy Director and Coordinator with IDC Professionals and Intimacy Directors International.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Fight Choreographer for Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performer and Fight Captain for A Midsummer Night’s Dream during CST’s inaugural season. CHICAGO: How We Got On (Haven); Season on the Line (House Theatre); Camelot (Drury Lane Oakbrook). REGIONAL: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth (Theatre at the Center); numerous productions of West Side Story.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Indecent, The Revolutionists (Northwestern University); The Moors (A Red Orchid Theatre); Hello, Dolly! (Marriott Theatre); Wolf at the End of the Block (Teatro Vista); Spamilton (Forbidden Broadway); Pinocchio (Neverbird Project/Chicago Children’s Theatre); associate scenic designer on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Paramount Theatre). TOUR: associate scenic designer on The King’s Speech. INTERNATIONAL: associate scenic designer on The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre, London). EDUCATION: BA in theatre design, Columbia College Chicago; MFA Candidate in theatre design, Northwestern University.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Rock of Ages, Fun Home, School of Rock (Paramount Theatre); OSLO, A Shayna Maidel (TimeLine Theatre Company); A Chorus Line, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Memphis (Porchlight Music Theatre); Into the Woods (Music Theater Works). REGIONAL: Tarzan, Children of Eden, Hairspray (Rising Stars Theatre Company). EDUCATION: Clarke University. Mary served as the Production Front of House & Business Manager for The Polar Express train ride for Rail Events Productions, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Donnelly’s Chicago production credits include Islander, Disney’s Beauty and The Beast for Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Anything Goes, Cabaret for Porchlight Music Theatre; Sweeney Todd for Kokandy Productions; The Drag Seed, Snowgirls, Satan’s School for Girls, Bewildered for Hell in a Handbag Productions; Gentle, The Edge of Our Bodies at TUTA Theatre; Triassic Parq, 35MM at Circle Theatre; Always Saturday, Beth In July for Prop Thtr; The Glass Menagerie, Superior Donuts at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.