L. FRANK BAUM (Author) In 1900, L. Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz simply to please children. He first adapted it to the stage musical in 1902 and numerous theatrical versions have been produced over the years. Baum was born to a wealthy oil family in 1856 and endured many financial failures, including a chain of theaters, a small variety store and a newspaper. He wrote 14 tales, creating a series about the enchanted land of Oz prior to his death in 1914. Several other authors continued the magical saga, creating a 40-volume series. It is estimated that Baum’s best-loved tale of Dorothy’s journey through the world of Oz has entertained audiences totaling more than one billion people throughout the world.
HAROLD ARLEN (Composer) & E.Y. HARBURG (Lyricist) hold a very special place in the world of movie and stage musicals. Together, their talents have brought new dimensions to a remarkable roster of successful cinematic and theatrical attractions. In The Wizard of Oz, Harburg and Arlen created a score and songs which are as fresh and meaningful today as they were when this classic film fable was first introduced in 1939. From the poignant Academy Award-winning melody “Over the Rainbow” to the jaunty bell ringer, “Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead!,” Harburg and Arlen take the music-lover and the fairy-tale-fancier down the yellow brick road to adventure, enchantment, laughter and some warm whimsical comments on the human condition. It’s a story, a message, a sheer magic which delights each time it is retold. ROBERT W. SCHNEIDER (Director) serves as both artistic director of New York's award winning J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company and producer of the Tony Award winning 54 Below. Last season he directed NSMT’s acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof, which received three Elliot Norton nominations. Robert has directed the award-winning Off-Broadway revivals of Smile, Seesaw, A Class Act, and new versions of Kander and Ebb's Zorba, Stephen Schwartz's The Baker's Wife, and Ahrens and Flaherty’s Lucky Stiff. He has had the great pleasure of collaborating with such institutions as the Broadway League, Lincoln Center, New York Philharmonic, Second Stage, Center Theater Group, York Theater, Walnut Street Theater, as well as Stephen Sondheim, Audra McDonald, Joe Iconis, Nathan Lane, and Sheldon Harnick. He was awarded the Ovation and StageSceneLA Awards for his regional premiere of Memphis and was named the best cabaret director of the 2010s by BroadwayWorld. His books include Fifty Key Stage Musicals (Routledge Press) and the upcoming Queer Musicals (Oxford Press), as well as the podcasts Behind the Curtain and Broadway Bound. BRIANA FALLON (Choreographer) is thrilled to return to NSMT as the choreographer of this legendary musical! Previous NSMT: Choreographer for The Sound of Music. Briana has been seen performing on the NSMT stage in Frozen, Cinderella, Mamma Mia! ('18, '21), Freaky Friday, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol, Singin' in the Rain, Young Frankenstein, Saturday Night Fever, and Billy Elliot. NYC credits Off-Broadway: Anything Goes and Funny Face. Other director/choreographer credits at NSMT: Curious George: The Golden Meatball, Madagascar, A Year with Frog and Toad, and Asst. Choreographer for A Christmas Carol, Mamma Mia!, Cinderella. Member of Actor's Equity union and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Briana holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. Growing up, Briana received formal dance training at Jeannette Neill Dance Studio, Gene Murray School of Dance, and The Ailey School in New York City. Now residing locally, Briana is the owner of Refine Dance Studio in Danvers, MA where she's originally from. This show is extra special working with so many of my Refine dance students. A huge thank you to Kevin, Matthew, and Bill for the abundance of opportunities you've provided me these 10 years. Much love to my biggest fans: my husband David, baby boy Cole, Mom, Dad, family, and friends. @briana_fallon MATTHEW STERN (Music Direction), an award-winning NYC-based music director and pianist, is thrilled to return to the Boston area for his NSMT debut! Off Broadway: Smile (AMT Theater), Skyscraper (Urban Stages). Other credits: Cats, Little Mermaid, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Cinderella, Pippin, Grease, Seussical, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Christmas in the Movies (Casa Mañana), Evita (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Sing Street, Merrily We Roll Along (Huntington Theater); Drowsy Chaperone, Gentleman’s Guide, Pacific Overtures (Lyric Stage Company of Boston); Prom (Tantrum Theater); Burnt Part Boys, Rock of Ages (Mountain Theatre Company); Reefer Madness (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater); Little Women, All is Calm, She Loves Me, Altar Boyz, Mame (Greater Boston Stage Company); Fun Home, Allegiance, Bridges of Madison County, Scottsboro Boys, Violet, Big Fish (SpeakEasy Stage Company). Matt has served on the faculties of New York Film Academy, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston University, and Emerson College, and spent over a decade music directing at French Woods Festival. He has an MFA in Musical Theater Studies from Boston University. Next up: Lightning Thief (Casa Mañana), Come From Away (Revival Theatre Company). mattsternmusic.com | @mstern303 RYAN M. HOWELL (Scenic Design). Off-Broadway: Love Life (New York City Center - Encores), Atalanta (The Julliard School), Pretty Hunger, Teenage Dick (The Public Theater Studio), Adoration of the Old Woman (INTAR). Regional: Fiddler On The Roof (North Shore Music Theatre), A Few Good Men, School Girls: Or The African Mean Girls Play (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Lights Out: Nat King Cole (The Geffen Playhouse), Loving vs. Virginia (Williamstown), Cinderella, Evita, Newsies, Annie, The Little Mermaid (Westport Country Playhouse), Ain’t Misbehavin’ ,Grease, Altar Boyz (The Cape Playhouse), Sunday in the Park with George (Axelrod PAC), Little Shop of Horrors (ACT of CT), The Magic Flute (Opera Theatre St. Louis), Ariadne Aux Naxos (Cincinnati Opera), Idomeneo (WolfTrap Opera). Broadway (Associate* / Assistant^): Latin History for Morons*, Eclipsed*, Hadestown^, Paradise Square^; Film/TV: (Asst. Art Director): HBO/ Succession - S 3/4, Showtime/ Three Women - S1. Website: ryanmhowell.com / IG: @ryanmhowell JACK MEHLER (Lighting Design). Previous work with NSMT includes Scenery & Lighting for Waitress, Titanic The Musical, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Jekyll & Hyde (IRNE nomination), Singin’ in the Rain (2016), Billy Elliot The Musical, Miss Saigon (2013), Scenery for West Side Story (2003), and Lighting for A Christmas Carol ('02-'19, ’21-‘24; 2012 IRNE nomination), Annie, Buddy, Camelot (IRNE nomination), Children of Eden, Elvis: A Musical Revolution ,Fiddler On The Roof (2024), 42nd Street, Funny Girl, Gypsy, Hairspray, High School Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, The King and I, A Little Night Music, Little Shop of Horrors, My Fair Lady, Nine (IRNE nomination), Oklahoma! (2019), The Producers, Ragtime, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Tootsie, West Side Story (2016), Wizard of Oz, and Young Frankenstein. He received the 2012 (Elisabeth) and 2013 (Rebecca) Korean Musical Theatre Awards (Korean Tony) for Lighting Design of the Year. Other Theatre design credits include Walnut Street Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, Riverside Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Seattle Rep, Syracuse Stage, Weston Playhouse, The Working Theatre and WPA among many others. Dance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Lar Lubovitch, San Francisco Ballet, Donald Byrd/Spectrum Dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Met, Atlanta Ballet, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Richmond Ballet and many others. Jack also provides owner's design representation for organizations building or renovating performance and rehearsal spaces and is a founding Board Member of ACT of Connecticut. jackmehlerdesign.com ALEX BERG (Sound Design) is excited to return to North Shore Music Theatre! Alex is a freelance sound designer and mix engineer in the greater Boston area. Credits include shows at The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, ACT of Connecticut, Theatre by the Sea, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Barrington Stage Company, Kavinoky Theatre, and Shakespeare in Delaware Park. Thank you to the team at NSMT, and to my family, friends, and Lyn for all their love and support. PAMELA HERSCH (Projection Design) is a Mexican-born visual artist specializing in projection design. Her collaborative projects span diverse fields, including partnerships with producers, artists, non-profits, art galleries, museums, and commercial entities. Her portfolio showcases work in projection mapping installations, photography, music videos, and live show visuals. Her recent credits include Waitress, Titanic The Musical, Disney’s Frozen, and A Christmas Carol at NSMT. Pamela holds a B.M. in Electronic Production and Design and an M.A. in Creative Media and Technology from Berklee. RACHEL PADULA-SHUFELT (Wig & Hair Design). Previous work at North Shore Music Theatre include Waitress, Titanic The Musical, Million Dollar Quartet, Tootsie, Disney’s Frozen, Fiddler On The Roof, Jersey Boys (‘19 & ‘24), Elvis: A Musical Revolution, The Full Monty, Escape To Margaritaville, The Sound Of Music, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Buddy, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, The Bodyguard, Sunset Boulevard, Freaky Friday, and Oklahoma! Broadway credits include: Glass Menagerie, Waitress. Regional: American Repertory Theatre: Macbeth in Stride, Moby Dick (Elliot Norton Award winner- Best Design), Black Clown, Waitress, Fingersmith (Elliot Norton Award winner- Best Design), Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Elliot Norton award winner- Best Design), Marie Antoinette, and Crossing. Huntington Theatre Company: The Colored Museum. Rachel is the hair and makeup supervisor for Boston Ballet. ANNA CORINNE LEE (Makeup Design) is thrilled to be the makeup designer for NSMT’s The Wizard of Oz. Anna Corinne is a trained Wig, Special Effects, and Beauty Makeup Artist. She has studied at Savannah College of Art and Design, as well as Academy of Make Up Arts. She has gotten the opportunity to work on multiple creative productions, including her make up work on The Beanie Bubble film and special effects featured on the PBS show Reconnecting Roots. She wants to give thanks to her parents for the support they’ve given her while starting her niche career and whatever big city she decided to move to next. Also, an extra special thanks to her princess Audrey Pupburn, the chihuahua. REBECCA GLICK (Costume Coordinator) is thrilled to be designing for North Shore Music Theatre! A stitcher/dresser with NSMT for a few years, Rebecca is now the Costume Shop Manager for the theatre. She has designed for many theatres and educational programs around Boston. Her recent designs include Waitress & The Shark is Broken (NSMT), Laughs in Spanish (Speakeasy Stage Company), and The Outsiders (Framingham High School). She is the recipient of the Thomas Derrah Emerging Artist Award for her Costume Design of POTUS and was nominated for an Elliot Norton Award for her design of Sweeney Todd (Moonbox Productions). Rebecca's educational designs can be seen throughout the year on the stages of Framingham High School, Weston Drama Workshop, Greater Boston Stage Company, and NSMT. She is also the designer for Refine Dance Studio's annual production of The Nutty Suite. BRIAN M. ROBILLARD (Production Stage Manager) returns to North Shore Music Theatre after previously working on Waitress (2025) & Jersey Boys (2024). National Tour: Menopause The Musical! Regional credits include Crazy for You, The Cher Show, Young Frankenstein, Jersey Boys, and Smokey Joe’s Café (Ogunquit Playhouse) What You Are Now, A Christmas Carol, How High the Moon: The Music of Ella Fitzgerald, The 39 Steps (Merrimack Repertory Theatre) An American in Paris, Pippin, West Side Story (Reagle Music Theatre) Macbeth, Cymbeline, Romeo & Juliet (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company) A Man of No Importance (Speakeasy Stage), and many other regional credits in the Greater Boston Area. Brian received his BFA in Stage Management from Boston University and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. JOSEPH FREDERICK ALLEN (Associate Director). Excited to return to NSMT for the first time since playing Sketch in Hairspray in 2018. NYC based creative. Director & Associate: Theatrical Consultant on season 3 of “And Just Like That” (HBO MAX); Off-Bway: The Jonathan Larson Project; Cecilia Gentili’s RED INK (upcoming: RED INK at Edinburgh Fringe). Playwright: The Eulogy Approach (TheatreRow); Jackson’s Island: Huck, Tom, Queers and Us. Performer: “Younger” (Paramount+); Ever After; Be More Chill; Austen’s Pride. BFA Musical Theatre from Penn State and currently earning an MA in Arts Administration. Thank you to Rob, Kevin, and Matthew for having me. @JosephFrederickAllen ROBERT L. RUCINSKI (Assistant Music Director, [Music Director/Conductor July 15 - 20]) is thrilled to be returning to NSMT. Past NSMT Music Director credits include Curious George: The Golden Meatball (’23 & ’25), Madagascar, Elvis: A Musical Revolution, Escape To Margaritaville, A Christmas Carol (‘19), A Year with Frog & Toad, School House Rock Live Jr. Past Assistant Music Director credits include Waitress, A Christmas Carol (‘04 – ‘07, ‘10 – ‘18, ‘21- ‘24), Titanic The Musical, Tootsie, Disney’s Frozen, Fiddler On The Roof, Jersey Boys (‘19 & ‘24), The Full Monty, The Sound of Music, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Kinky Boots, Little Shop of Horrors, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, , Sunset Boulevard, Freaky Friday, Oklahoma!, Hairspray, Jekyll & Hyde, Peter Pan, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Singin’ in the Rain (‘06 & ‘16), Les Misérables, The Little Mermaid, The King and I, Forever Plaid, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Crazy for You, Cinderella (‘05-’06), Ain’t Misbehavin’, Damn Yankees, Camelot, Fame. Robert has been music director at many theaters throughout New England and teaches at several high school and university theater programs in the local area. A native of Jersey City, NJ, he now lives in Danvers, MA. More info at rucinskimusic.com DAKOTAH WILEY HORAN (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back having worked as the Assistant Stage Manager on the 2016 productions of Singin’ In The Rain, West Side Story, & Spamalot and the full 2017 – 2019, 2021-2024 Musical Seasons, the 2025 production of The Shark is Broken & Waitress, as well as working as the Production Assistant in 2016 for Funny Girl & Mary Poppins. Some of her previous Stage Management credits include: Capital Repertory Theatre: Betrayal, Marvelous Wonderettes, Cactus Flower, 33 Variations, Leslie Uggams in Uptown Downtown, Man of La Mancha, and Single Girls Guide. Pendragon Theatre: Clean House & Twelve Angry Men. She would like to thank her parents for instilling and encouraging her love of theatre, and her beautiful friends for always believing in and supporting her. MARIA PAPADOPOULOS (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to NSMT after previously working on Waitress, A Christmas Carol, Tootsie, Disney’s Frozen, and Fiddler on the Roof. She is the Resident Assistant Stage Manager of The J2 Spotlight Musical Theatre Company with her favorite credits from there being Lucky Stiff and Goodbye Girl. Select other credits include: Indecent (PSM - Weston Drama Workshops), Merrily We Roll Along (ASM - Weston Drama Workshops), POTUS (Sound Board Op - SpeakEasy Stage), A Case For The Existence of God (Sound Board Op - SpeakEasy Stage). BFA from Penn State. BILL HANNEY (Owner/Producer) is honored and proud to have been responsible for the re-opening of the nationally renowned North Shore Music Theatre in 2010. Aside from his work operating North Shore Music Theatre, one of Bill's crowning achievements was the 2007 purchase and re-opening of Theatre By The Sea, a landmark 500 seat professional summer theatre and restaurant, which is entering its seventeenth successful year of operation in Matunuck, RI (theatrebythesea.com). Bill was a co-producer on the recent Broadway production of The Shark is Broken, and recently co-produced a New York City workshop of The SeaView Nursing Home for the Newly Deceased. Bill was an investor in the recent Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Pippin, as well as the First National Tour. Bill is currently expanding his group of live theatres. He began his career in show business at age 19, leasing and developing movie theaters, including his first multiplex in Quincy, Massachusetts. Before long, he was booking rock shows (Jefferson Starship, Rush) and other types of live entertainment, which eventually led to the presenting and producing of Broadway productions. One such show was an appearance by the legendary mime artist, Marcel Marceau. As president of Broadway Productions, Bill presented national tours such as Annie, Amadeus, Dancin', Peter Pan, The Rocky Horror Show and Mark Twain starring Hal Holbrook, throughout New England including Worcester, Springfield, Portland, Maine and Boston. Throughout his career, Bill has stayed focused on his movie theatre chain having bought, built, owned, operated, and sold more than 30 cinemas. His company, Entertainment Cinemas, currently operates six movie complexes in three states. Bill is currently Chairman of the Board of the Theatre Owners of New England. Bill has been named to the North Shore Top 100 by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. He received the Leslie S. Ray Hall of Fame Award (2015) and Businessperson of the Year Award (2012) from the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce, as well as Businessperson of the Year from the Salem Chamber of Commerce (2011). KEVIN P. HILL (Producing Artistic Director) began his theatrical career as dancer and actor, having appeared in the National Touring companies of Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing, Leslie Uggams and Michele Lee, Anything Goes and the International Touring Company of A Chorus Line. Kevin has directed and choreographed more than 200 productions across America, including Waitress, Titanic The Musical (Elliot Norton Award), Disney’s Frozen, Sunset Boulevard, Jersey Boys (‘19 & ‘24), The Sound of Music, A Christmas Carol, Young Frankenstein, Mary Poppins, Sister Act, Mamma Mia!, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Grease and others. He has had the privilege of working with such stars as Alice Ripley, Marin Mazzie, Jeannette Bayardelle, Joanne Worley, Kathleen Turner, Josh Groban, Jonathan Groff and Tony Award winner, Cady Huffman. In New York, he was the assistant to the director of On the Twentieth Century at the New Amsterdam Theatre and assistant to the choreographer on the revival of Guys and Dolls. Kevin has been nominated as Best Director/Choreographer for his work on Sunset Boulevard, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Rent, The Full Monty, Chicago, and Edwin Drood, and was awarded the NH Theatre Award for Best Choreography for West Side Story at the Papermill Theatre. Kevin has also been awarded Six Broadway World awards and two Motif awards for his productions of Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins and Young Frankenstein. As a Professor of Dance, Kevin has been on faculty at Pennsylvania State University, Kansas State University and most recently The Boston Conservatory of Music. Kevin and his husband Matthew have created their own production company called, Chappell Hill Productions. Their first venture is co-producing the new Broadway musical Wanted (previously Gun & Powder). Chappell Hill Productions is also the lead producer of a new medium of theatre called, Dance Night. Kevin is a proud member of SDC, AEA and a past member of Dance Masters of New England, Chapter 5. For eleven years, he has held the role of Producing Artistic Director at North Shore Music Theatre and twelve years at Theatre By The Sea. MATTHEW CHAPPELL (Associate Producer & Casting Director) is in his 7th season as resident Casting Director and Associate Producer for Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre and resident Casting Director for Theatre By The Sea. He is a former talent agent, casting associate, and photographer for Heyman Talent Agency, specializing in TV/film, commercials, runway, print and voiceovers and, for many years, worked as Associate Producer for Encore International, casting and producing shows for theme parks, cruise ships, and corporate events. Prior to making the leap to Casting and Producing, Matthew enjoyed a 20+ year career as a professional Actor/Singer/Dancer. ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. actorsequity.org NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE (NSMT) Since 1955, NSMT has become one of the most attended theatres in New England, with approximately 250,000 patrons annually. With a national and regional reputation for artistic achievement, NSMT has received numerous industry awards including Elliot Norton Awards, IRNE Awards, the Rosetta Le Noire Award from Actors’ Equity, and the Moss Hart Award. NSMT produced the World Premiere of Memphis in 2003, the show went on to win four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Under the new ownership of Bill Hanney in 2010, NSMT continues to annually produce a musical subscription series and an annual production of A Christmas Carol along with celebrity concerts, children’s programming, and year-round education programs for all ages. |
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VISIT ALL THREE OF BILL HANNEY'S ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATIONS!
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PHONE: 978.232.7200 | FAX: 978.232.9999 | EMAIL: [email protected] | Privacy Policy
All photos © Paul Lyden except where otherwise noted.
PHONE: 978.232.7200 | FAX: 978.232.9999 | EMAIL: [email protected] | Privacy Policy
All photos © Paul Lyden except where otherwise noted.