Creatives

Thomas Meehan is a three-time Tony Award winning librettist for the Broadway musicals Annie, 1977; The Producers, 2001 (co-written with Mel Brooks); and Hairspray, 2003 (co–written with Mark O’Donnell). He collaborated on many Broadway musicals including I Remember Mama; Ain’t Broadway Grand; Bombay Dreams (with Meera Syal); Cry Baby (with Mark O’Donnell); Young Frankenstein (with Mel Brooks); Elf, The Musical (with Bob Martin); Chaplin (with Christopher Curtis); Rocky; the upcoming Dave, The Musical (with Nell Benjamin); and the off-Broadway musicals, Annie Warbucks; Death Takes a Holiday (with Peter Stone) and the upcoming The Lady Eve (with Maury Yeston). He was a long-time contributor of humor pieces to The New Yorker, which were published in a collection entitled Yma, Ava, Yma, Abba, Yma, Oona, Yma, Ida, Yma Aga… and Others, by Simon and Schuster. Mr. Meehan, in collaboration with the poet J.D. McClatchy, co-authored the libretto of the opera 1984, composed by Lorin Maazel, first performed at London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in 2005. He was an Emmy Award winning writer of television comedy, and a collaborator on screenplays, including Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs, To Be or Not To Be, The Producers and One Magic Christmas. He was a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild.. 

Martin’s career in the entertainment industry began in 1957 when he created the role of Big Deal (one of Jerome Robbins’ authentic juvenile delinquents) in the original company of West Side Story. He played the role for exactly 1,000 performances. Since then, he was involved in over 140 theatrical, television, film, and night club productions as a director, producer, composer, or lyricist. He is one of the dozen people who have won Emmys, Tonys, and Grammys, and the Peabody Award for Broadcasting. Annie, which came to Broadway in 1977, originally ran for 2,377 performances, and has been revived there three times. He directed Annie 19 times (after directing the original production in New York), in London, Montreal, Amsterdam, and Melbourne as well as Annie’s 14 national U.S. companies. He collaborated with Charles Strouse, Vernon Duke, Marvin Hamlisch, Mary Rodgers, and twice with Richard Rodgers on I Remember Mama and Two by Two. He wrote for, or directed, Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Jack Lemmon, Ann-Margaret, Jack Benny, Anne Bancroft, Betty Hutton, Sutton Foster, Sarah Jessica Parker, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bebe Neuwirth, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Larry Kert, Chita Rivera, Jane Lynch, Tony Bennett, Jason Alexander, and Jay-Z, among countless others, and for his wife, Shelly Burch (who originated a leading role in the original company of Nine). Most recently, “Tomorrow” from Annie became one of the 100 most performed musical numbers in the last century.

A graduate of New York’s P.S. 87, Townsend Harris H.S., and the Eastman School of Music, Charles has studied composition with Aaron Copland, Arthur Berger, and David Diamond in the US and Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Charles has composed copious chamber music, two piano concertos, a string quartet and two operas. After which, being broke like most composers, he was a rehearsal pianist and dance arranger for many shows, played in bar rooms, ballet classes, at weddings and strip joints (a particular boon for one who was to write the music for the film The Night They Raided Minsky’s). One morning in 1960 he awoke to find he had written (with Lee Adams and Mike Stewart) Bye Bye Birdie (Tony Award), which is still among the most performed musicals in America, followed by Golden Boy with Sammy Davis, Jr. (Tony Nomination). Then came, Applause (Tony Award), It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman, Rags (Tony Nomination) and Annie (Tony Award).  In-between, there have been scores for movies including Bonnie and Clyde and All Dogs Go to Heaven. Throughout his career, Charles has received the Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, Frederick Lowe and the Leonard Bernstein Awards for musical achievement.  He is married to director/choreographer Barbara Siman and is the father of Benjamin (attorney, author, composer), Nicholas (psychotherapist), Victoria (screen writer) and William (also a screen writer). 

JENN THOMPSON (Director) is thrilled to be helming the national tour of Annie after having appeared as Pepper in the original Broadway run, many moons ago. Recent credits include the World-Premiere musical Anne of Green Gables – A New Musical at Goodspeed Opera House (available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, etc.) where she has also directed Gypsy, Bye Bye Birdie, Oklahoma! and The Music Man. Other recent credits include Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Musical at Children’s Theatre Company in association with Kevin McCollum and Buena Vista Theatrical (watch for upcoming album release) as well as Chains and Conflict for Off-Broadway’s celebrated Mint Theatre, where Jenn’s 2016 production of Women Without Men garnered both Lortel and Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominations for Outstanding Revival as well as 5 Drama Desk Award nominations including Outstanding Director and Revival. In addition to extensive productions in NYC, Jenn’s work has been seen at theaters across the country including; Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Denver Center, Hartford Stage, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Portland Stage, City Theatre, Barrington Stage, Theater Aspen, Theaterworks Hartford, Pioneer, The Rev, Arizona Theatre Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and many more. Jenn is married to actor Stephen Kunken, they live in Brooklyn NY with their daughter Naomi. This is for Martin, Charles, Tom and Peter. jennthompsondirector.com

PATRICIA WILCOX (Choreographer) choreographed Motown the Musical, for which she won the Fred Astaire Award and an NAACP Award.  Motown enjoyed long runs on Broadway and in the West End, and numerous tours here and abroad.  Also, on Broadway and on tour, Ms. Wilcox choreographed A Night with Janis Joplin.  At Encores! Off-Center, she choreographed the critically acclaimed Little Shop of Horrors, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Ellen Greene. National tours: An Officer and a Gentleman, Children’s Letters to God, Bowfire (and the resulting PBS special), Blues in the Night (NAACP Nomination), and Seussical.  Selected regional: The Secret Garden (Denver Center); Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Children’s Theatre Company); Beautiful (The Muny), The Music Man (Connecticut Critics Circle Award) Bye Bye Birdie (Connecticut Critics Circle nomination) and Gypsy at Goodspeed Opera House.  Her work has been seen at The Kennedy Center, The Old Globe, The Alley Theatre, The McCarter Theatre, Missouri Repertory Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Pioneer Theatre, Sacramento Music Circus, ATC, and Paper Mill Playhouse. Ms. Wilcox created original works for the Houston Symphony, Minnesota Pops, Phoenix Symphony, Lyrics & Lyricists at the 92^nd Street Y, Broadway Under the Stars, Norwegian Cruise Line, as well as for ice-skating medalists for three Winter Olympics. Pattiwilcox.com

WILSON CHIN (Set Designer) Broadway: Cost of Living, Pass Over (Drama Desk and Lortel Award nominations), Next Fall. Off Broadway: Roundabout Theatre Company, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, Public Theater, Signature Theatre. With director Jenn Thompson: The Secret Garden (Denver Center Theatre), Oklahoma and Anne of Green Gables (Goodspeed Musicals). Opera: Turandot (Washington National Opera), Lucia di Lammermoor (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Eine Florentinische Tragödie/Gianni Schicchi (Canadian Opera, Dora Award winner). Film/television: Pass Over (dir. Spike Lee), “Game Theory with Bomani Jones” (HBO), “Blindspot” (NBC). Eastern Region Board member of Local USA 829. Instagram: @wilsonchindesign

Broadway’s Holiday Inn, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (West End – Olivier Nomination, National Tour, Japan and Australia), and Allegiance (Drama Desk Nomination). Designed for Radio City Rockettes, Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club, NYC Opera and City Center Encores among others. He has extensively worked in Regional Theatres across the U.S., commercial projects, operas, and for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is the recipient of the 2010 TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. @alejo_vietti_costume_design

PHILIP S. ROSENBERG (Lighting Designer) Broadway and West End: Mrs. Doubtfire, Pretty Woman, The Elephant Man, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and It’s Only a Play. Regional: Kennedy Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Ford’s Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, The Old Globe, TheatreWorks, Hartford Stage, Alliance, Huntington Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center Theatre, The Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, The McCarter Theatre, Manhattan School of Music, Portland Stage Company, TACT, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Dorset Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Two River Theatre Company, George Street Playhouse, and Westport Country Playhouse.

Broadway: In Transit, Disney’s Aladdin (MX, UK, DE, JP, AU, US), Jekyll and Hyde,A Christmas Story the Musical, Scandalous, Newsies, Memphis, The ThreePenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park and Steel Magnolias. Numerous national tours and regional productions at theaters across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. 

ASHLEY RAE CALLAHAN (Hair & Wig Design) (She/Her) is an Emmy Nominated Hairstylist. Her design work includes Annie (National Tour) West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Muny) Evita (ART, STC & NYCity Center) Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (NWS & Maltz Jupiter)and Once Upon a One More Time (STC). Broadway & Television Associate/Assistant Designer Credits include: New York New York, Beetlejuice, Ain’t Too Proud, NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live!, Summer, The Color Purple Revival, Holiday Inn, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Allegiance. Television/Movies Hairstyling: The Crowded Room, Stranger Things, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ghosted, Oppenheimer, Eileen, Law and Order: SVU & The Gilded Age.

2011 Tony Honoree for Excellence in Theatre. William found and adopted the original Sandy for the original production of Annie. Since then, all the animals he trains are rescues. Broadway: Twenty six shows which include The Ferryman, The Crucible, Bullets Over Broadway, Lady at the Emerson Bar and Grill, Annie (original and all revivals), A Christmas Story The Musical, Legally Blonde, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Camelot, Alice in Wonderland, Oliver!, Anything Goes, The Wiz and The Wizard of Oz. Mr. Berloni is the Animal Director of the new musical Because of Winn Dixie with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. He has trained animals for hundreds of Off-Broadway, regional theatre, tours, television and movies. Recent movies include Marry Me with Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson.  He provided the dogs to play “Nana” in Peter Pan Live, “Toto” in The Wiz Live and recently “Sandy” in Annie Live.  Other television includes “Power,” “Billions,” “Sesame Street,” “High Maintenance,” “The Village,” “Modern Love,” “Little Voice,” “Almost Family,” “Betty,” “Ramy,” “Mr. Robot,” Russian Doll,” “Raising Kanan Ghost,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Girls5eva,” “Sand Dollar Cove,” “Noel Diary,” “Life and Beth,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Fleishman is in Trouble,” “Harlem,” “Three Women” and “And Just Like That.”  Mr. Berloni and his family are the subjects of Discovery the docu-series entitled “Wags to Riches with Bill Berloni” in August 2015. Published author of Broadway Trails. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter @BillBerloni. theatricalanimals.com 

Paul has had the honor to have served as Casting Director on the following projects:  Broadway: West Side Story, Come Fly Away, August: Osage County, A Moon for the Misbegotten, On Golden Pond, Hot Feet, Caine Mutiny Court Martial and the upcoming Once Upon a One More Time.  National Tours: West Side Story (US and World Tour), A Bronx Tale, Dirty Dancing, Legends!, Whistle Down the Wind, On Golden Pond, August: Osage County, The Bodyguard, and the current running tour of Cats.  Regional Theatres include: Goodspeed Opera House, Bucks County Playhouse, Delaware Theatre Company, TheaterWorks Hartford, TUTS, Pasadena Playhouse and Asolo Rep.

MATTHEW SMEDAL (Music Supervisor). Music Direction, Broadway: Mrs. Doubtfire (Matthew was also the music director of Doubtfire’s Original Cast Album). Off- Broadway: Clueless The Musical starring Dove Cameron. National Tours: The Bodyguard, Matilda First National, Ghost The Musical, and Catch Me If You Can. Toronto: Matilda (RSC + Mirvish Entertainment). Assoc. Music Super: Mrs. Doubtfire (First national tour). Elsewhere: An American In Paris (Cape Playhouse), Singin’ In the Rain (Ogunquit), Oliver (Maltz Jupiter), Anne of Green Gables (Goodspeed, World Premiere); As a pianist: Opéra de Rennes’ presentation of Cole Porter’s La Revue des Ambassadeurs, and for Grammy-award nominee Deborah Cox at the US Open Women’ s Singles Final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka.

Talitha Fehr has worked on over 75 national and international productions and tours since 2005.  Highlights include: Sister Act, Mamma Mia!, School of Rock, Come Fly Away, Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, as well as the 2010 Olympic Ceremonies in Vancouver.  She dedicates her work on Annie to the memory of her mentor, Sam Lutfiyya.

Dan Delange is the resident orchestrator at Goodspeed Musicals, where he has orchestrated over 50 new and newly revived productions. His orchestrations were recently heard in the West End’s production of Show Boat, which was nominated for Best Musical Revival at the 2017 Olivier Awards in London. He has orchestrated for The Jim Henson Company, Julie Andrews, Rosie O’Donnell, Live Theatricals at Universal Studios, Manhattan Concert Productions, and for composers Paul Williams, Jerry Herman, Harvey Schmitt, Mark Hollman, Peter Link, Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz. His scores have been heard on Broadway, London’s West End, Carnegie Hall, National and European tours, film, television, and at regional theaters around the world. He’s a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

JENNIFER CHRISTINA (Music Director) is delighted to return to Annie for a second season this time as the Music Director! Her recent credits include Annie (national tour), Dreamgirls (international tour), Singin’ in the Rain (Ogunquit Playhouse), Bodyguard, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia! (Theatre by the Sea). Home base is Rhode Island. Follow on instagram @jen_christina and come along for the tour!

DAVE BURCH (Technical Director) began his career as a scenic fabricator before transitioning to touring Broadway theater, where he has worked for the past 13 years. His favorite touring credits include The Phantom of the Opera, World Tour and Mamma Mia! (where he met his wife during a scene change). He is originally from Savannah Ga., has traveled to 30 countries and when not on the road he lives in Florida with his wife, newborn twins and their cat.

HEATHER CHOCKLEY joined the CXL team 5 years ago after having toured, both nationally and internationally, for 15 years. After that lifetime on the road, she finds she likes not living out of a suitcase the whole time. Now based in the DC metro area, she also does a bit of political event work, and shares the crew member recruiting responsibilities at CXL.

ANNA KLEVIT (Production Stage Manager) is elated to be a part of Annie! National tours: My Fair Lady; Rudolph…the Musical. Selected regional credits: What We Talk About… (Old Globe); Into the Woods, Matilda, Fireflies, Culture Clash (South Coast Repertory); Memphis, Once on this Island (Moonlight Amphitheatre). This one’s for Mom and Dad. 

KATY GENTRY (Assistant Stage Manager) Regional: Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Asolo Rep, Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Orlando Shakes. Most recently: Annie National Tour, 2022-23. Katy holds a BFA from the University of Central Florida.

DEANA MARIE KIRSCH (General Manager) is excited to join Crossroads Live North America. She brings with her over two decades of experience, having worked on exceptional shows such as Absinthe, A Chorus Line, BAZ, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Jersey Boys, Magic Mike Live, and Mat Franco. After a 12-year residency in Las Vegas, she is thrilled to return to touring musicals.

SOLDANELA RIVERA (Company Manager) Over 150 credits in production and publicity for music, theater, and film. National Tour of My Fair Lady and thrilled to be a part of Annie! Soldanela holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College with a concentration in dance, and an MA in Arts Administration from TC Columbia University. Learn more at www.soldanela.com

AARON MARTIN (Assistant Company Manager) Aaron is originally from Adger, Alabama and a graduate of Jacksonville State University. He recently worked as the ACM on the Anastasia national tour and regionally as the ACM and the CM at Berkshire Theatre Group, Westin Playhouse, Maine State Music Theatre, and Florida Rep.

CROSSROADS LIVE (Producer & Tour Management) brings together some of the world’s top producers of live entertainment, now all under one banner. With offices in London, New York, Washington, D.C., Sydney, and Melbourne—our global platform ensures the best-loved titles from Broadway and the West End can be embraced by audiences around the world. Crossroads Live North America is an innovative, full-service theatrical production company delivering the Broadway experience to audiences in North America and beyond. Our 2023-2024 Season: Annie, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman, The Phantom of the Opera (China). 

JAYNA NEAGLE (Executive Producer) For Cirque du Soleil: ’Twas the Night Before, Paramour (Broadway, Hamburg); The Wiz (NBC production). For BASE Entertainment: Arrabal (Buenos Aires, Toronto), Jersey Boys (Johannesburg, Asian tour), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (São Paulo), The Lion King (Singapore), Jerry Mitchell’s Peepshow (Las Vegas), Wayne Brady: Making Sh%@ Up (Las Vegas).

BOND THEATRICAL (Tour Booking, Marketing & Publicity) is an independently owned theatrical booking, marketing and publicity company representing award-winning Broadway shows and live entertainment properties. BOND connects artists and audiences by forming strategic, authentic and profitable partnerships between producers and presenters across North America. For a complete list of current projects, please visit BondTheatrical.com

Carolyn Lawson PT, founder and CEO. Global leaders in live entertainment, film, and performing arts medicine. We are honored to be part of the amazing company of Annie.  Highlights: Broadway: Disney’s The Lion King, Hello, Dolly!, The Music Man, The Cher Show. Tours: Movin’ Out, Tootsie, Hamilton. Concerts: P!NK, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, U2.

MTI is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser, and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students. MTI maintains its global headquarters in NYC with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).

Theater/Film: Passing Strange (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award/Best Musical) and made into an award-winning film directed by Spike Lee. Other credits: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Tootsie (National Tour), several Off Broadway shows and film projects, including the award-winning play The Housewives of Mannheim. Many thanks to Marcia and Tom Nigro, Linda and Michael Standley, and Lois Barth. We are delighted to be partnering with Crossroads Live North America.